Chapter 13
After two full days of searching, Matt finally located Hannah.
He handed Kaden a slip of paper with an address, his expression oddly hesitant, as if holding something back.
“California?” Kaden frowned at the address. “Why would she suddenly move across the country? Is
she settling there permanently?”
Matt opened his mouth, then closed it again, clearly uncomfortable.
“Sir, regarding Mrs. Humphrey’s whereabouts and… activities,” he said carefully, “I think it’s better if you see for yourself. It’s not really my place to explain.”
Kaden looked up sharply. “What could possibly be so sensitive you can’t tell me?”
Before Matt could respond, the office door burst open despite his assistant’s protests from the outer
office.
“Miss Humphrey, you can’t go in there! Mr. Humphrey is in an important meeting!”
But Phoebe had already stormed in. Her eyes were swollen, mascara smudged down her cheeks from what had clearly been days of crying.
Her gaze locked onto the paper in Kaden’s hand, and her expression hardened instantly.
“Looking for Hannah–that’s your ‘important business“?” Her voice rose hysterically as she snatched the paper from his hand. “I disappear for two days and you don’t even look for me? You’re seriously trying to find her? You actually fell in love with her? That’s impossible! I don’t believe it!”
Her control snapped completely. Like a switch had been flipped, she began destroying everything within reach. Files, his laptop, coffee cups–all swept to the floor in one violent motion.
She grabbed a crystal award from the bookshelf and hurled it against the wall, glass shards exploding across the room.
Matt and the assistant moved to stop her, but Kaden held up his hand.
Whan Doaret Comes Too Late
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Chapter 13
“Let her,” he said quietly.
His passivity only fueled Phoebe’s rage. She tore through the office like a hurricane, sobbing as the destroyed everything in sight.
“Why aren’t you stopping me?” she screamed between sobs. “Why aren’t you comforting me? You used to always comfort me! You’ve changed!”
Her movements were wild and uncoordinated, each act of destruction a desperate attempt to provoke a reaction from him–any reaction that might resemble the protection and affection he’d always shown.
For thirty minutes, she reduced his office to chaos. Papers scattered, shelves emptied, furniture
overturned.
When she finally exhausted herself, the rage drained away, leaving only raw desperation. She turned to him, tears streaming down her face.
“Kaden, I’m sorry… I messed up again.” Her voice broke. “Is this why you don’t love me anymore? I’ll stop. I’ll be better. Just tell me you still love me. Please?”
Two days ago, Kaden couldn’t have answered that question.
Now, he could.
He met her gaze steadily, his voice calm but firm. “I’m sorry, Phoebe. I don’t love you anymore.”
The color drained from her face as if he’d physically struck her.
“That’s not possible!” Her voice cracked. “How could everything change in just two days? You loved me for so long–you can’t just stop!”
Kaden studied her, his expression complex with layers of realization and regret.
“It didn’t change in two days,” he said quietly. “Do you remember when we first realized our feelings for each other? I wanted us to leave together–start over somewhere new. But you cried and said you couldn’t bear leaving the family, couldn’t face the scandal. You asked me to wait, to keep pretending we were just siblings. I agreed.”
Exhaustion crept into his voice as he continued, “Then my family arranged my marriage. The night before the wedding, I asked if you wanted to run away together. You still refused. But after I married Hannah, you destroyed our wedding suite, demanding I keep loving you anyway. And I did. For five
Comes Too Late
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Chapter 11
years, I neglected my wife for you. I forgave everything you did. I cleaned up every mess. But Phoebe–I’m human. I have limits.”
His voice grew rough with emotion. “I didn’t suddenly stop loving you. The truth is, I stopped loving you the day you refused to choose me. I just didn’t realize it until now.”
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