CHAPTER 13N
Alexander stood there for a long moment, staring at us. His face was red with anger and something else–something that looked like panic.
“This is my home now,” I said firmly, stepping between Alexander and Marcus. “You don’t get to walk in here and act like you own the place. You don’t get to punch someone just because your ego can’t handle being replaced.”
Alexander’s hands were shaking. His breathing was heavy and uneven. For the first time since I’d known him, he didn’t look like the cold, controlled man who always had everything figured out. He looked like someone who was falling apart.
“What do you want me to do?” he asked, and his voice cracked. “Tell me what I have to do to make you come home with me.”
“I’m not going back, Alexander,” I said, looking straight into his dark eyes. “I don’t love you anymore. I’ve moved on. I am moving on.”
His face twisted like I’d slapped him. “With him?” He pointed at Marcus with disgust.
I let out a short laugh. Not because anything was funny, but because I was tired. So tired of having the same fight over and over.
“He’s more honest than you ever were,” I said quietly. “Marcus has always been there for me. Even when we were kids, he saw me. He loved me even when I didn’t love myself.”
Alexander shook his head hard, like he could shake my words away. “I… I didn’t know you felt like this.“N
“You didn’t want to know,” I cut him off. “You were too busy with Victoria. Too busy pretending I didn’t exist unless you needed something from me. You married me because your father told you to, not because you wanted to.”
He opened his mouth to argue, but I wasn’t done.N
“You never really loved me, Alexander. You loved the idea of me. The quiet wife who wouldn’t ask questions. The one who would sit at home and wait while you lived your real life with someone else.“N
He looked like I’d punched him in the stomach. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
“I don’t need sorry,” I said. “I need you to leave.“N
But he didn’t move. He stood there like his feet were glued to the floor.
“I can change,” he said desperately. “I will change. Just give me another chance. I can’t lose you like this.“N
Before I could answer, we heard glass breaking from the kitchen. We all turned to see Marcus had dropped a water glass. I rushed over before he could bend down to clean it up.
“Don’t move. I’ll handle it,” I said quickly, kneeling down to pick up the pieces.
A small shard had cut Marcus’s hand. I got the first aid kit and carefully cleaned the wound, then wrapped it with a bandage. Marcus watched me with gentle eyes, the kind Alexander had never looked at me with.
Behind me, I could feel Alexander staring. I used to do this for him–clean his cuts after fights, ice his bruises, worry over every little injury. Back then, I thought it meant he needed me. Now I knew better.
When I finished with Marcus’s hand, I stood up and faced Alexander again.
‘See the difference?” I asked. “He didn’t complain. He didn’t tell me I was overreacting. He just let me take care of him because he knows I want to “&
Alexander’s face went white. “Lauren, please-”
“No,” I said firmly. “This conversation is over. We’re over. We’ve been over for years. I was just too afraid to admit it.“>
“I won’t give up.” Alexander said, his voice getting louder. “You’re my wife. You belong with me.”
“I was your wife,” I corrected. “Now I’m just someone who used to love you.”
That seemed to break something in him. His face turned red with anger.
“You think you can just throw away six years?” he shouted. “You think you can replace me with some nobody who works at a vineyard?” Marcus stepped forward, but I held up my hand to stop him.
“Don’t call him that,” I said coldly. “And yes, I can throw it away. Because those six years were the worst years of my life.“N
Alexander’s hands clenched into fists. For a second, I thought he might try to hit Marcus again. But instead, he turned and stormed toward the door.
“This isn’t over,” he said, his voice full of rage. “I’m not giving up on us.”
“There is no us,” I called after him.§
He slammed the door so hard the whole house shook.
Marcus and I stood there in silence for a moment. Then I heard a car door slam outside, followed by the sound of tires squealing as Alexander drove away.”
“Are you okay?” Marcus asked, putting his good hand on my shoulder.
I nodded, but I was shaking. “I think so.“@
What I didn’t know was that Alexander hadn’t really left. He’d driven around the block and parked behind some trees where we couldn’t see his car. He sat there in the dark, watching our house, trying to figure out where exactly we lived.&
He pulled out his phone and took pictures of the house number, the street name, everything. His hands were still shaking, but now it was from anger, not sadness.
He’d found us once. He could find us again.”
Alexander had always heen good at getting what he wanted. And he wanted me hack no matter what it took &
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Alexander had always been good at getting what he wanted. And he wanted me back, no matter what it took
As he sat there in his car, watching the lights in our windows, he started making plans. He would find out everything about Marcus–where he worked, who his friends were, what he cared about. He would find a way to get rid of him.
And then he would come back for me.
Because in Alexander’s mind, I still belonged to him. And he wasn’t the kind of man who gave up easily.
The roses might be scattered on the ground, but this was far from over
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