Page 57 of Unfaithful

I scrunched my forehead in confusion. The Sara? What was that supposed to mean?

I glanced up at Archie, who was already frowning at John, his jaw tightening slightly.

Before I could ask what they meant, Jeremy stepped closer, lowering his voice as he leaned in. "Are you alright?" he asked softly, his gaze searching mine.

I glanced down at my outfit, suddenly aware of how disheveled I must look. A hint of warmth crept into my cheeks. "Sorry, I just rolled out of bed, and Archie—"

"No," Jeremy interrupted, shaking his head. "That's not what I meant." His eyes softened as he studied me. "You look like you've been crying."

I stilled.

Then, as if realizing he might have overstepped, he let out a scant breath and ran a hand over the back of his neck. "Sorry. That was rude of me. I didn't mean to pry." A sheepish smile crossed his face. "How about I make you two a big breakfast of pancakes topped with crispy bacon, guacamole, and poached eggs, while John fixes you a cup of coffee?"

"That sounds great," I said with a smile.

Jeremy nodded to his brother, and the two of them disappeared inside.

The moment they were gone, I turned to Archie. "Do they know me?"

He looked away briefly before meeting my gaze again. "I've told them about you."

That caught me off guard. "How? Why?"

Archie didn't answer right away. But when he did, his words stunned me.

"Because you're the girl with the peaches that I was looking for."

A quiet beat stretched between us. I wasn't sure what to say to that. I wasn't even sure what it meant.

"That's a story for another day, Peaches," he said, his gaze shifting away. "For now, let's just enjoy the quiet of this morning. It gives you peace, doesn't it?"

"Yes..." I murmured, my voice trailing off. But my mind was far from quiet, still turning over his words, trying to make sense of them.

Not long after, John and Jeremy returned, carrying our food and coffee. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and a warm breakfast filled the morning air. Despite the restlessness in my head and the ache in my heart, I found I could still eat. Maybe it was my determination to push through this—to come out of it standing strong. Or maybe it was because of Archie, his persistence, the way he kept reminding me to take just one more bite.

I finished the entire plate. It took time—over an hour—but I finished it.

When I set my fork down, Archie looked at me, a slow smile spreading across his face. He looked very pleased.

"Happy?" I asked, swallowing a small burp, feeling way too full.

Archie grinned so widely, his eyes nearly disappeared into slits. "Very."

John and Jeremy joined us outside for a while, and the three of them started swapping old stories. Turns out both of them had been part of Archie's crew back in the day. They laughed as they retold the time Archie almost ended up marrying a village chief's daughter. A story that, judging by Archie's groan, he would rather forget.

I laughed along; the conversation was light and easy. For the first time in a while, I wasn't thinking about the mess I had left behind. When the brothers went back inside, leaving me alone with Archie, he held my gaze and said, "From this day on, Sara, I'll be your pillar. The man you can lean on. Whatever you need. Even if that means staying away, if that's what's best for you. I'll give you that too." He let out a slow breath, and his eyes stayed on mine. "But I'll never be the one to hurt you. I'll do whatever it takes to never let you down. And that's a fucking promise."

*** *** ***

The days dragged on. It had been almost a month since I last saw Cole. He hadn't contacted me. No calls, no messages.

Maria had moved quickly. The lawyers drafted a settlement outlining everything I would receive—my house, full ownership of my company, both cars, a substantial financial payout, and monthly alimony. Even Elsa's house, still in Cole's name, was factored into the deal, with me receiving half its value in cash. The mountain cabin, once an abandoned project, was now mine alone. When Maria handed me the documents, I took a long moment to absorb it all. I had spent years tied to Cole, personally and financially, but this was the clean break I had wanted. With a steady breath, I signed, bringing an end to a chapter I never expected to close so soon.

The settlement was finalized, and the divorce process was officially underway. The court still needed to give final approval, a process that would take time, but the signed settlement already secured my financial independence.

Cole didn't reach out—not to argue, not to fight for anything. I had taken exactly what I deserved. No second chances. No drawn-out goodbyes.

It was for the best.

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