Page 53 of Shattering

He stood motionless, his fingers curled into tight fists, his breathing slow and deliberate—too controlled.

Cadi shifted, her hands gripping her knees, her own breath shallow, watching the way Gray's shoulders remained taut, his body as rigid as a coiled wire.

Callum exhaled, as if preparing himself for what came next.

"My mother—" His voice was careful now, softer. "She was... broken by it all. What my father did, what she believed about Aisling for all those years. She couldn't live with it anymore. And she wanted to make things right, even if it was too late."

Gray's eyes snapped up at that, but still, he said nothing.

Callum rubbed a hand over his face, the exhaustion settling deep into his bones.

"She asked me to find you," he admitted. "To tell you the truth."

A sharp breath escaped Gray, but it wasn't relief. It was something darker, sharper, more jagged.

"She wanted to meet with Aisling, to beg for forgiveness." Callum swallowed, shaking his head slightly.

Gray's jaw twitched, and for a moment, Cadi thought he might lash out, might finally say something—but he didn't.

Callum exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair.

"So I found you," he continued. "I specifically joined your hospital to bring me closer to you. And in spite of what my mother had said, in spite of everything, I didn't believe her."

His voice dropped, almost thoughtful.

"But I was curious."

Gray's head tilted slightly, as if the words didn't make sense to him.

Callum gave a small, hollow laugh, shaking his head.

"You had already left for Australia when I finally tracked you down. And so... I found Cadi instead."

Cadi felt a tightness in her chest, the way Gray's head lifted slightly at the mention of her name.

Callum glanced at her, his eyes full of guilt.

"At first, I thought I could use her. Get close to her. Maybe even seduce her—in my twisted mind ,it would've been a perfect revenge, wouldn't it?"

Gray's entire body locked, his knuckles going white, his shoulders snapping even straighter.

Callum sighed.

"But she was lovely."

He turned his gaze to Cadi now, the flicker of an old, tired regret in his expression.

"I thought she might be different, but I didn't expect how much she loved you."

Gray's eyes flickered—a minuscule movement, but Cadi noticed it.

Callum huffed a quiet, laugh, as if remembering.

"She would talk about no one else." His voice softened slightly. "It was always Gray this, Gray that. I realized, even if I wanted revenge, she wouldn't have seen me. Because all she could see was you."

Cadi looked down at her hands ,knowing it was true.

Callum sighed.

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