Page 82 of All That She Needs

"Vee—" I started, but I hesitated, unsure of what I wanted to say or where this conversation was heading.

"That's why I was with Ryan," she said, her eyes locking onto mine, glistening with tears. "I just wanted to feel some sense of fairness. But it was always you I wanted, Aiden. It was you I loved."

"Vee," I said, straightening as tension seized my body. "I can't be with you. I won't ever go back to that. Do you understand? That chapter of my life—the one with you—is closed, and I need to move on. I want to focus on getting my family back."

She leaned in, her voice urgent. "But you're divorced now, Aiden. You're not with her anymore. You said you love me and begged me to take you back, you—"

"Wait," I interrupted, suddenly realizing something in her words. "What do you mean by some sense of fairness?"

I watched her swallow hard, and it took a moment before she spoke. "When I received your text, I knew you must be angry with me. I know I lied to you about Ryan, and I was already ina relationship when I was with you, but you were with your wife too, Aiden. We were both in the wrong. Can we just let that go and start a new chapter? We can be together now, freely. We don't need to hide anymore. We can do all the things we always talked about, wished for, and be happy together."

I stared at her, slowly processing her words as an invisible knife plunged into my heart and twisted viciously, tearing it apart and scorching it with flames. "At first, I was angry at you for sending the pictures and the screenshots of our texts to Ryan. He canceled our wedding because of that. But then I realized it must have been one of your desperate attempts to be with me again. That confirmed how much you love me."

Text? From me?I never sent her any text. Not since I decided to stop pursuing her. The last message I sent was before my one hundred days of withdrawing myself from chasing her like a fucking madman, that I celebrated at Jake's bar. And I sure as hell never sent any text to Ryan. I didn't even have that poor guy's number. I opened my mouth to protest, but the words caught in my throat.

"Aiden," she said, her voice pleading. "I love you. I know you still love me. Come back to me."

"Vee..." I finally managed to respond, and my voice was embarrassingly shaky. "What did I say in my text to you?"

I was genuinely asking because I had no idea what she was talking about. But it seemed she mistook my question for an invitation to repeat the sentiment. She glanced downward, her expression pained as she spoke in a small voice, "You said I was a lying whore who gave you a hard time for always choosing Asha while I was cheating on you with Ryan when we were together."

Stunned and speechless, I stared at her. And I stared even more.

And then I laughed. I laughed so loud, a hysterical, maniacal sound, like I was losing my mind. I laughed at my weakness, at my stupidity, at the precious time I had fucking wasted, and most of all, at my worthless devotion to the woman who didn't fucking deserve it.

I laughed until tears streamed down my cheeks, until I doubled over, clutching my stomach, twisting with pain. I laughed until my voice cracked, the sound finally fading into a breathless silence as the weight of my emotions crashed over me.

I had lost everything for absolutely nothing at all. The absurdity of it hit me like a fucking slap in the face.

When I opened my eyes, I found Vanessa staring at me, her expression a mix of disconcertion and confusion, struggling to understand my reaction. She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but thought better of it and closed it again. Silence hanging heavily between us.

I let out a long, drawn-out sigh. "Vanessa," I rasped, my throat feeling painfully dry. "Please."

"Aiden," she breathed, and I noticed a flicker of hope in her eyes, momentarily brightening as she seemed to cling to the possibility of what I might say next.

"Go home. And don't ever,ever,come back."

I stood up, not allowing myself a final glance at her, and walked away. Each step away from her was me shedding the remnants of our past with every movement. The night air was cooler now, but it did little to soothe the chaos inside me. I still didn't look back when I entered the apartment lobby and closed the door behind me. I was done.

Part 38: Asha

This morning started slowly, just like the ones before. I stretched lazily across the bed and let out a loud yawn before finally getting up and walking out of the room. The rich scent of coffee guided me to the kitchen, where my sock-covered feet moved quietly over the hardwood floor. It was the last week of our holiday, and the days that had passed felt both full and fleeting, each one slipping by quickly.

My brothers had truly outdone themselves for this trip by renting a luxury chalet with six bedrooms, each featuring a fireplace and its own en-suite bathroom. There was also a small gym, a hot tub, and a sauna, but the standout feature was the floor-to-ceiling glass walls wrapped around the living space, with the breathtaking view of the Matterhorn that never failed to mesmerize me.

In the kitchen, I found Sandy humming softly as she prepared breakfast. The familiar sounds of sizzling and bubbling batter comforted me and made me smile. Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the space, creating a perfect morning ambiance. When she spotted me, she walked over to the coffee maker to pour me a cup.

As I leaned against the counter sipping my coffee, I noticed she was already making breakfast quesadillas—Kayden's favorite—and in the middle of making fluffy pancakes for Chloe. The smell of melting cheese and sweet batter mingled in the air, making my stomach growl. As always, the adults would eat whatever the kids preferred, which sometimes made Max andMason frown, because if you let Chloe choose, then you would guarantee to have pancakes or toast for breakfast every morning and nothing else.

Going on holiday was a great decision for me and the kids. We spent our days enjoying fun activities, relaxing, and indulging in delicious food. I could already see Kayden and Chloe's cheeks looking a little fuller from eating their weight in food and treats each day. They seemed to have a good time, and that made me very happy.

I helped Sandy set the plates on the table, knowing the kids and my brothers would wake up soon and immediately demand breakfast. They had a full slate of activities planned for the day, eager to make the most of our last days skiing. Meanwhile, I looked forward to strolling through the village with Sandy, indulging in shopping and sampling as many delightful desserts as possible. And of course, we would have lots of chocolate—oh my God, the chocolate. It was chocolate heaven here.

And every time I bit one of those sweets, my mind would inevitably drift to Liam. And then I would check my phone again only to find no messages from him. I knew I was being unreasonable, especially because I was the one who had told him not to contact me.

So, instead, I would read his old messages, scrolling through the pictures he sent while on his business trip last time, looking at them over and over. I often wondered why it never bored me.

I kept wondering, would he still be waiting for me? Or had my indecisiveness finally worn him out?

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