Page 50 of Slightly Married
“May I come in?” I requested, maintaining a respectful distance. “I won’t be long.”
Her expression faltered. “Kostas, you’re scaring me.”
“Are you going to invite me in?” I kept my voice even, though impatience threatened my composure.
“Not if you’re here to break my heart.” Her attempt at lightness couldn’t mask the genuine fear in her eyes.
She stepped aside, allowing me to enter the apartment we’d chosen together. I remained standing, refusing the comfort of familiar surroundings.
Stella had been there during the darkest period of my life. She’d changed bandages, managed medications, coordinated with doctors.
I owed her my life in many ways. Yet I couldn’t give her what she truly wanted. My heart.
“Would you like some wine?” she offered, her hands fidgeting with the bracelet I’d given her for her birthday. “I’ve been saving that Bordeaux you love.”
“No, thank you.” I exhaled slowly. “When I proposed, we both understood it was to make right what we’d done while I was drunk.”
“We’ve moved past that, Kostas,” she insisted, clasping my hand. “We’ve come to appreciate each other. I’ve fallen in love with you.”
The confession wasn’t unexpected, but it still pained me to hear it spoken aloud. Theo would have wanted me to care for his sister, to protect her. Instead, I was about to cause her pain.
“I’m sorry to hear that, Stella, because I don’t feel the same.”
“Is this about Kayla?” Her voice sharpened. “Has she seduced you away from me?”
I shook my head. “This has nothing to do with her.” It wasn’t entirely true, but it wasn’t entirely false either. The past few months had simply illuminated the fundamental incompatibility at the core of our relationship. “It’s about us. There’s no passion between us, no foundation for the kind of partnership marriage requires. You deserve someone who appreciates your qualities in ways I cannot.”
“You’re good for me, Konstantin!” Desperation crept into her tone, and tears gathered in her eyes. “We’re good together. I promise. What can I do to prove we belong together?”
Her question twisted something inside me. How many times had she adapted herself to fit what she thought I wanted? How long had she been performing rather than simply being?
“That’s just it, Stella. You shouldn’t have to prove yourself.” I reached into my jacket, withdrawing an envelope containing the deed to her condo and a substantial check. “These are yours. You should never need to worry about security.”
She stared at the envelope without taking it, her eyes glistening. “So that’s it? A payoff? After everything we’ve been through?” Her voice trembled. “What will I tell everyone? What will I tell my father?”
The mention of her father added another layer of complication. This would affect more than just us.
“The truth,” I said. “That we tried, but we aren’t right for each other.”
“And what about Theo?” she whispered, her question striking directly at my deepest guilt. “He wanted us together. He told me so before—before—”
I closed my eyes briefly. Had my friend truly wanted this, or was Stella revising history to fit her desires? I would never know.
“Theo wanted happiness for both of us,” I said carefully. “Not obligation masquerading as love.”
A single tear escaped, tracking down her cheek. “I’ll be waiting when you change your mind.”
“Don’t.” I placed the envelope on the side table and pressed a final kiss to her cheek. I could feel her trembling beneath my lips. “Find happiness, Stella. Real happiness.”
She didn’t respond, turning away as her shoulders began to shake with silent sobs. Every instinct told me to comfort her, to ease her pain. But any kindness now would only prolong the inevitable and offer false hope.
I moved toward the door, pausing only once to look back at the woman who had saved my life. “I am grateful for everything you’ve done for me. I always will be.”
“Just go,” she whispered, not turning around.
As I returned to the car, the silence seemed to press in around me. I had done what was necessary, what was right, but satisfaction eluded me.
Stella had been a steady presence during my recovery, and ending our engagement felt like severing another connection to Theo. Had I betrayed my friend by walking away from his sister?
