Page 79 of All That She Needs

I swallowed hard, struggling to respond. I didn't know why I had never viewed it that way, but now, hearing it spoken, I couldn't deny the truth in his words.

"Am I right so far, Dad?"

I was still mute, gaping at my son. I was truly at a loss for words.

"But Mom didn't buy it," Kayden continued, not waiting for my response. "She didn't believe you still wanted her the way a husband wants his wife. Mom knew she had lost you, and that's why she decided to divorce you. Honestly, I think it was the rightthing to do because your love for that woman is so strong. Once the fear of losing us faded, it was only a matter of time before you'd find new reasons to chase her again. Because it kills you to feel so incomplete."

"Kayden," I finally found my voice, "even after the divorce, I still didn't pursue her again. You know that, right? So, there's a little flaw in your theories."

"Things have changed now. With her wedding canceled."

That jolted me upright in my seat, shock coursing through me. I glared at my son with suspicion, wondering how he knew. "Don't tell me you're still hacking her phone, Kayden. That's unethical, not to mention illegal!"

Kayden only shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Tell me, Dad, will you pursue her again? There's nothing holding you two back now. You're single, and she's single. So, what's stopping you?"

I struggled to comprehend what I was hearing; it almost sounded like he was pushing me toward her. "I don't understand," I said, searching his face for any hint of what he was really thinking. "Why does it sound like you want me to go after her again?"

"Well, you could chase her again," he said casually. "Nobody is going to stop you now, right?" I wanted to say something about it, but he already spoke again, "But before you do that, I'm going to give you something to think about."

Oh, fuck. This was it—the reason for his visit, everything he'd come to say. I held my breath, bracing myself for whatever would come next.

"The two worlds I mentioned—you can only choose one, Dad. It's either me, your son, or her. If you choose her, you'll have the woman you love back. Maybe you'll be happy, build anew family, have more kids... or whatever." He took a trembling breath, his voice tight with each of the words spoken. I could see how hard it was for him to say this.

"But you'll lose me." His voice softened, a little shaky. "You won't be at my graduation. You won't be there on my first day of work, wishing me luck. You won't be the one I introduce to the woman I fall in love with. You won't stand by me at my wedding. You won't get to hold my kids or watch them grow."

He paused, gathering himself. "And maybe you'll lose Chloe too. We're closer than ever now because of losing you. You know that she'll choose my side instead of yours. And you've already lost Mom."

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk, and covered my mouth with my hand, trying to conceal the shock I felt.

"That's the price you'll have to pay, Dad," he said, his voice gaining strength. "For what you did, for the choices you made. You'll never feel completely whole again. A part of you will always be missing, close enough to reach yet forever out of your grasp. Maybe you'll carry that for the rest of your life." He paused, taking a steady breath, his gaze locked onto mine. "So, I'm asking you now to choose which part of you to keep. Which one means more to you? Me, or her."

"Kayden, son," I leaned forward, reaching out to him, hoping he could feel the depth of my regret and my determination to make things right. Every word he'd spoken hit me at the struggle I faced every single day. I had come to accept that the loss would stay with me, that it was something I'd carry for the rest of my life. I'd prepared myself for that journey. "I already know my answer to that—"

He shook his head as he stood up. "I'm not asking for an answer right now, Dad. It's a big decision, and it deserves some real thought." He straightened, slipping his hands into his pockets. "And don't think that choosing me would magically fix things. The damage runs too deep. You'll still need to work to rebuild our trust. This is the only way for you to redeem yourself. Not to Mom, but to me and Chloe. As for Mom, I hope she never goes back to you. She deserves a new beginning."

He stepped back, turned toward the door, leaving me still stunned behind the desk. Just as he reached for the handle, he glanced back. "We're going away for the school break. For twelve weeks. We leave tomorrow. Going skiing."

No one had thought to tell me. I could have shown up at the house in the morning, only to find it empty. I wasn't even a factor in their lives anymore, not part of the considerations in everything going on. And the saddest part was, I didn't think they were doing it on purpose. I'd just distanced myself from them for so long that I'd faded out of their lives without even realizing it.

"Just the three of you?" I asked, hoping that Liam wouldn't be part of the trip. It felt too soon; I wasn't ready to confront that reality yet, especially the thought of him taking my place beside Kayden and Chloe.

"Uncle Max and Mason will be joining us for the first two weeks," he added, "and they'll be back for the last week. We'll take Sandy with us too." I released the breath I didn't realize I was holding, feeling relieved. Kayden looked thoughtful for a moment before he said, "Give me the answer before I go tomorrow, Dad. We'll be leaving the house at 5 p.m. to catch the night flight."

I could tell him my answer now, but I knew he wouldn't be convinced—not until he believed I'd truly thought it through."Okay, son." I stood up and walked over to him. "I'll come by the house before you leave."

"Okay," he nodded, and for the first time since entering my office, I noticed sadness in his expression. It was as if he was exhausted from maintaining his façade and no longer had the energy to hide his true feelings. "I can show myself out. See you, Dad."

He turned to leave, and I watched him until he stepped into the elevator, our eyes holding each other's gaze until the doors closed. Silently, I promised myself I wouldn't let him down again.

Turning back toward my office, I pulled in a steadying breath. But just as I reached the door, my phone vibrated in my hand. I glanced down and saw Vanessa's name flash across the screen.

A message from her:"Please, Aiden. I really need to see you. Can we meet?"

Part 37: Aiden

I arrived at the house right at 3 p.m. The living room was buzzing with activity: Sandy was barking instructions at Roy and Brody, while Asha hurried down the stairs, calling for Kayden to take a shower before they left. Meanwhile, Chloe lounged on the couch, eating what looked like a burger and watching TV. I couldn't help but grin. They had two hours before they needed to leave, yet everyone seemed far too relaxed. That must have driven Sandy crazy.

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