Page 20 of Unfaithful

Empty. All fucking empty.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Elsa inch closer, shoulders trembling as she silently wept, forced to listen to Cole spill his love and regrets.

"You hear that, Elsa?" My voice was sharp as a blade, cutting through the tension. "Hear him profess his love for me? Hurts like hell, doesn't it?"

Cole's arms tightened around me, his lips pressing against my temple. He didn't even spare her a glance.

I forced myself to stand tall, trying to break free from his grip. "The only thing stopping me from slapping your disgusting face is the fact that you're pregnant." My glare burned throughElsa before shifting back to Cole. "You two deserve an eternity in hell."

Elsa sobbed harder, desperation etched across her face as she looked at Cole, silently begging him to say something—anything. But he didn't. He didn't even seem to notice she was there. A broken sob tore from her lips before she turned and fled inside the house.

"Cole," I pushed him away as hard as I could. "I can't breathe."

That seemed to work—his grip loosened just enough for me to push myself free. Without sparing him another glance, I walked over to Archie.

Cole's gaze followed me, only now seeming to register Archie's presence.

Archie shook his head, his expression hard, voice edged with anger. "Don't fucking look at me like that," he bit out. "I'm on her side."

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Cole standing there, stunned into silence.

"We'll talk someday," I said, my voice clear despite the hurricane wreaking havoc inside me. "But not now. I can't be with you. It hurts too much. And let me be clear, Cole, when that day comes, we'll talk about how to move forward. There is no going back. You and I are done."

I walked away, and Archie followed close behind. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cole move as if to follow me.

"Not now, Cole," Archie said firmly. "Let her breathe."

I kept walking—one foot in front of the other—through the haze clouding my mind until I reached the taxi, still waiting at the curb. Archie opened the door for me, slipping in right after.

The driver met my eyes through the rearview mirror, silently waiting for directions.

"Just drive," Archie said.

The driver nodded, made a U-turn, and pulled away.

And that was when I broke again. The tears came fast, unstoppable. I buried my face in my hands and let them fall.

CHAPTER SIX

Archibald

She had stopped crying a while ago, but I bet her chest still ached. Her eyes were puffy, probably sore. And knowing her, she didn't stop because she felt better. She stopped because she was embarrassed. Sobbing like that in front of me. And the taxi driver.

I leaned back against the seat, my gaze drifting outside as the city blurred past the window. The car kept moving, circling aimlessly. The driver must have been exhausted by now, but he empathized with us too much to stop.

She tried so hard to keep herself together. Tried so hard to be strong. It was heartbreaking.

"Just let it all out, Peaches," I said softly. "It's better than holding it in like this."

"I'm tired of crying," she muttered.

"But you might still need to."

She didn't reply, but she finally turned her head to me. She had quiet sadness in her eyes.

My heart ached for her.

"Stop looking at me like that," she muttered, narrowing her eyes at me. I gave her a questioning look, and she said, "You look like you're trying to decide whether or not to hug me."

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