Page 5 of Keeping Skylar
Kirstin’s eyes meet mine again, sharper and more serious. “Honey, listen to me. You can’t stay with him after this. He’s had too many chances given to him, none which he deserved by the way, but this ...” She snatches the phone from her lap and holds it up in front of me. “This is unforgivable—beyond fucking repair. No apology will ever make what he did right. You can never trust him again.” She shakes her head in anger before muttering, “I’m gonna gut him like a fish,” under her breath.
“I know, I won’t. I just don’t know what to do next. I don’t have a plan in place, and until I do, I can’t do anything about it.”
She shakes her head, as if to disagree. “You can stay with me, or move back in with your mother if you’re more comfortable. Whatever you decide, we will help you get through this.”
Now it’s my turn to shake my head at the idea of moving back home. “No. I can’t do that. Kaden will only follow me wherever I go. And I don’t want to involve anyone or burden them with my fucked-up mess of a marriage.”
“Babe, we’re going to be involved whether you want us to be or not because there is no way in hell, we’re letting you do this alone,” Kirstin states firmly.
“If I stay with you or my mother, Kaden will find me, and then do everything in his power to convince me to come home.You know what he’s like. He’s manipulative and controlling, he’ll never let me go willingly. I need to leave—get away from him as far as possible.”
“Why should you be the one to leave? That house is very much yours as it is his. He fucked up. He chose to lie and deceive you and for that he deserves to lose everything. He’s the one who should be out on his arse, not you,” Kirstin seethes.
“To be honest, I don’t want the house. Everything that once made our house a home was destroyed the moment he decided to shove his dick inside another woman. It feels tainted, cold and empty now. I want nothing more to do with it.”
Kirstin sighs then reaches for my hand, holding it firmly into hers. My eyes fall to where our hands connect. “Look at me,” she whispers softly.
I slowly gaze up at her and see nothing but understanding in her face. My eyes brim with unshed tears. “What am I going to do, Kirstin? I haven’t even fully processed it all. It’s been slowly ripping me apart.”
Kirstin pulls me in for a hug, and it’s then, I let it all spill out. The betrayal. The heartache. The grief. The loss. She allows me to sob in her arms, while whispering soothing words in my ear. A short moment later, we pull away from each other, our hands connecting once again.
Kirstin looks at me with an empathetic gaze. “Here is what we’re going to do. We are going to finish setting all this up.” She motions to the canvases lying flat on the ground. “Then, we get through my show tonight. You’re going to come to my place and stay for the weekend. We’re going to come up with a plan, one that will completely blindside him. He won’t see it coming. We’ll make sure he has no time to react or think of a way to manipulate you into staying. When you return home after the weekend, act as if everything is normal. Do not confront him or let him suspect you know about the affair. When the time isright, you need to be prepared to leave—quietly, without a word, without a trace.”
Anxiety courses through me as I soak in Kirstin’s words. “Do you think I can really pull it off?” I ask.
“Honey, it’s either you leave on your own terms, or you let him make things harder for you. Like you said, he won’t let you go willingly. He’ll follow you wherever you go until he wears you down. There’s no point in hearing his excuses when the evidence speaks for itself. Leaving him high and dry is the only way. It’s the least he deserves. Don’t think for a moment that you’re running. What you’re doing is walking away from a very toxic person who no longer deserves your love, time and energy.”
My best friend has always been loyal to a fault—she’d go to the ends of the earth for me. She’s the one who’s always in my corner, the one person I know would never betray me.
A genuine smile spreads across my face for the first time since discovering Kaden’s affair. Kirstin stands up from her seat and stretches her hand out to me. “Are you ready, my friend? Are you ready to turn your life around?”
I nod and take her hand. “Let’s do this.”
CHAPTER 3
Kaden
My workday was about as intolerable as sitting through one of those ridiculous reality dating shows that women love to watch—always brimming with drama and shallow, egotistical idiots. Fed up, I left work early, eager to surprise my girl. She hadn’t responded to any of my texts or calls all day, leaving me worried and a little frustrated.
On the way home, I stopped by the florist and grabbed her favourite bouquet of flowers—pink and purple peonies—hoping they’d bring a smile to her face and brighten her mood.
Unlocking the front door, I quietly step inside, immediately catching the low hum of the TV drifting from the living room. As I approach, I see her sitting on the couch, back turned to me, a tea towel draped across her thighs. She’s wearing a pale pink camisole and white cotton shorts, her long dark hair cascading over one shoulder. She’s completely absorbed in whatever show is on, so much so that she hasn’t even noticed me enter the room.
I stroll quietly towards her until I’m standing directly behind her. The intoxicating scent of her shampoo—a hint of strawberry and kiwi—effortlessly draws me in, making me close my eyes and take a slow, sharp inhale.God, I can’t get enough of this woman. Slowly, I crouch down and press a soft kiss on her exposed shoulder. She glances over her shoulder, her eyes lighting up, and a radiant smile spreads across her face.
“Hi baby,” I whisper, my voice soft and deep.
She turns to fully face me and cups my cheek with one hand. Leaning forward, she kisses me briefly on the lips before pulling away. As she gazes at me, her beautiful smile falters into a frown, as if my mere presence puzzles her. “What are you doing here so early? I wasn’t expecting you until later this evening.” She leans back on the couch and pats the spot beside her. “Join me?”
Smiling at her invitation, I sit beside her on the couch and drape an arm around her shoulders. She instinctively leans into my side, fitting perfectly against me like she always does.
“I missed you and couldn’t wait to see you. Here, these are for you.” I hand her over the flowers and her smile widens as she retrieves them from me.
“Aww, baby. You’re so sweet. You got my favourite too,” she gushes, as she softly sniffs the delicate fragrance of the peonies, her eyes gently closing. “They’re lovely, thank you, Kaden.”
I take her other hand in mine, bringing it to my mouth and gently placing a kiss.
“How was your day, beautiful? Did you miss me?” I ask.
