Chapter 12
In the haze of sleep, her face came back to him–Ellie, with her soft smile and curious eyes. He remembered the first time he saw her. It was at a family gathering, back when his world. still felt orderly and full of promise. She wasn’t the loudest in the room, nor the flashiest. But she had a way of standing out in her silence. Her presence, calm and grounded, had pulled something in him.
At the time, though, he hadn’t cared. His world revolved around Shania–his first love, his chaos. And chaos was what he chased.
Only when Shania had left–walked away with nothing more than a shrug and a cruel smirk -did Colton realize that stability might not be such a terrible thing. His parents were desperate to fix the family’s reputation, and Ellie was… convenient.
A good girl from a respectable background. A quiet one who wouldn’t challenge too much. So they arranged the marriage, and Colton had agreed.
At first, it was nothing but convenience. But somewhere along the way, he’d tried to love
her.
He remembered one night, maybe their third month in, when Ellie stayed up late waiting for him. He’d had a long meeting, returned home half–expecting the house to be dark. Instead, she greeted him with warm food and soft conversation. She didn’t ask questions. Just listened.
That night, he watched her sleep on the couch after she dozed off beside him. He pulled a blanket over her and caught himself smiling.
Another time, she helped him through a breakdown. The company had taken a financial hit, and he’d snapped at everyone–but not her. She entered his office without a word and placed coffee beside him. “No advice,” she said gently. “Just stay still. You’ll figure it out.” And he had. With her in the room, he always did.
Then, there was that weekend trip–only once, because they never did it again. She’d wanted to see the sea, and he took her to a coastal town. She had twirled barefoot on the sand, laughed like she used to before marriage wore her down. He remembered watching her then, something soft fluttering in his chest.
But he never said it. Never let it grow. Never gave her enough.
He stirred in bed, warmth against his chest.
Soft lips pressed against his neck. “Morning,” came Shania’s voice, sweet and smooth like wine.
She kissed his shoulder again. “You were grumpy last night. Maybe this will make up for it,” she whispered, reaching beneath the sheets.
Colton’s eyes were still foggy. His breath hitched. And then he let it out, one name tumbling from his mouth in a broken moan-
1/3 45.3%
from his mouth in a broken moan-
“Ellie…”
Everything stopped.
Shania pulled away like she’d been slapped. “What did you just say?”
Colton blinked, stunned. Reality crashed into him.
Shania sat upright, her eyes wide with rage. “You’re moaning her name? Are you serious, Colton?! I stayed when she left. I waited. I did everything for you–and you still want her?” He sat up, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “Shania, I didn’t mean-” “Don’t lie to me!” she shouted. “I gave up everything for you! You promised me marriage! And now what? You’re chasing after the woman who walked out on you?!”
“She’s my wife,” he said quietly.
Shania’s voice cracked. “You’d never find her again, Colton. And honestly? You don’t deserve to.”
She stormed out, slamming the door so hard the windows shook.
Colton stared at the empty space she left behind and whispered under his breath, “I need to find her.”
He picked up his phone and called his head of security. “Don’t stop. Search every city, every name, every record. I don’t care what it takes. Bring her back.”
Meanwhile, Shania stormed into a high–end bar that evening, dressed to impress, lips red like venom. Her girlfriends gathered around as she downed her first glass of wine in one gulp.
“I can’t believe him,” she seethed. “Still pining for that bitch. I should’ve burned her wedding dress.”
Her friends gasped, but Shania wasn’t done.
“You know what’s funny? He thought I left because of her. Like I couldn’t handle watching them together.”
She laughed bitterly.
“I wanted her to feel that way. I told her Colton only married her because he pitied her. I told her they bet on who he’d pick–me or her. God, I made her feel like trash. Like she was just a stand–in until I came back.”
Her friends exchanged stunned glances, but Shania continued.
“She deserved to leave. It was all part of my plan. But now? He’s still looking for her. As if all of that meant nothing!”
“Shania…” one of the women whispered, her eyes wide.
Shania looked up–and froze.
Colton was standing behind her.
His face was blank. Cold. But his eyes were filled with something darker than fury.
& Chanter 12
08:20 Sat, 24 May · 1994:
all of that meant nothing!”
“Shania…” one of the women whispered, her eyes wide.
Shania looked up–and froze.
Colton was standing behind her.
His face was blank. Cold. But his eyes were filled with something darker than fury.
He walked straight to her, grabbed her arm, and spun her around.
His voice was steel. “Is that true?”
Shania’s throat tightened. “Colton, wait, I‘
“Is that true?!” he roared. The bar fell silent.
Η
“You pushed her away? You’re the reason she left me?!”
Shania’s eyes welled up. “I–I just-”
“You lied. You broke her,” he snarled. “And I let you. I let you poison everything.”
He let go of her arm like it burned him.
Then he turned and stormed out.
He didn’t even hear her sobbing as he made one call on the way to his car.
What were the odds?
