Page 18 of The Anniversary Betrayal
Ashley let out a shaky laugh. “Like a bad impersonation of myself.”
Leah poured the wine, settling beside her on the couch. “That’s okay. You don’t have to have it together right now but you do have to stop blaming yourself. This is on him, not you.”
Ashley swallowed hard, tears stinging her eyes. “I keep wondering if I missed something. If I wasn’t enough.”
“Stop.” Leah’s voice was firm. “You are enough. Always have been. He’s the one who failed you.”
Ashley leaned into her best friend, letting herself cry. The tears came less often these days, but when they did, they burned deep. That night, Ashley tucked the children into bed and sat by the window, the city lights stretching out before her. For the first time, she allowed herself to think of a future where she wasn’t Kingston’s wife but simply Ashley, herself, whole, and free. The thought terrified her but it also sparked the faintest glimmer of strength.
Kingston stared at his phone again. He scrolled through the old photos, her smile at their wedding, the way she cradled their newborns, the vacations, the simple nights at home. Each image was a knife and a prayer rolled into one. He whispered into the empty room, “Don’t give up on me yet.” But he knew the choice wasn’t his anymore and for the first time, he feared the answer.
Chapter Fifteen
Kingston stared at the rows of lockers in the dim hospital corridor, the fluorescent lights buzzing faintly overhead. The place felt emptier than usual, though maybe that was just him. He had been avoiding Rebecca, skipping lunch breaks, staying in different wings, taking shifts that didn’t overlap.
But Rebecca wasn’t the type to let go quietly.
“King.”
Her voice came from behind him, soft but steady. He closed his eyes before turning, bracing himself. Rebecca stood there, arms folded across her chest, her expression carefully composed. She looked tired with dark circles beneath her eyes, lips pressed too tightly.
“You’ve been dodging me,” she said.
Kingston shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’ve been busy.”
“Busy ignoring me, you mean.” She stepped closer. “We need to talk.”
He wanted to walk away. Every cell in his body screamed for distance but he forced himself to stand still, to face her, because avoiding it hadn’t solved anything.
“Rebecca…” His voice was rough. “Whatever this was, it’s over.”
Her face faltered, just slightly, before she smoothed it into a smile. “You don’t mean that. You’re just upset. Ashley threw you out, didn’t she?”
The words landed like a punch. He flinched, his jaw tightening.
Rebecca’s eyes softened, her tone lowering. “I’m not trying to rub salt in the wound. I’m saying… you don’t have to be alone. I’m here. I’ve always been here.”
Kingston shook his head, the guilt pressing heavier. “You don’t understand. I don’t want this. I don’t want you.”
Her expression hardened. “You didn’t seem to mind when you were in my bed.”
He winced. Memories surged, nights tangled in sheets, the adrenaline, the escape. It had felt like passion then, but now, looking back, it was hollow. Empty.
“I was broken,” he admitted. “I was drowning in my own failures, and you were there but it wasn’t love. It wasn’t even what I wanted and it was a way to run from myself. From my life and it cost me everything that mattered.”
Rebecca’s arms fell to her sides, her mouth parting. “So what was I to you, then? A mistake? A distraction?”
The word stung, but he nodded. “Yes.” His voice cracked. “You were never Ashley. You never could be. I was too much of a coward to face that.”
Silence stretched between them, sharp and suffocating.
Finally, Rebecca’s eyes glassed over, though she blinked the tears back. “I gave you years of my life, Kingston. Even before her and when you married Ashley, I thought I moved on but when I was transferred here, when we reconnected, I believed maybe it was fate giving us another chance.”
Kingston swallowed, his chest heavy. “It wasn’t fate. It was temptation and I should’ve fought it. I should’ve fought harder for my wife, for my kids, for myself.”
Rebecca’s chin trembled, but she lifted it higher, trying to preserve some dignity. “Then I guess there’s nothing left to say.”
“No.” He shook his head. “Except I’m sorry. For dragging you into this. For letting it go on when I knew it was wrong.”
