Page 71 of Hidden Echoes

“What the fuck did you say to her?” The growl comes out before I can stop myself, my head snapping to Carter. My shoulders are rigid, fists clenched at my sides.

“The truth,” he says, shrugging as if he hadn’t just thrown gasoline on a fire.

My jaw clenches. “What would be the truth?”

“That you don’t want to be married to her.”

The silence that follows his words is thick, heavy.

Something breaks inside me. Slow. Sharp. Painful. Like glass cracking before it shatters.

My answer comes sharply. “Who said I don’t want to be married to her?”

Carter blinks. For the first time, he looks genuinely surprised.

Maybe I am too, any doubts or questions regarding my marriage to Mia are not disrespectful to Carter, but to me and Mia.

It irritates me that he told them things that are not actually true.

“Zane, you were drunk,” he insists. “You always do stupid things when you’re drunk.”

My laugh is short, humorless. “Carter, you need to stop talking shit like you know me, man.”

He narrows his eyes. “But I know you. All these years, as you’ve built your career, I’ve been by your side. I was the first one to support you.”

“And I'm grateful for that, but it doesn't mean you can control my fucking life or what I do with it.”

He crosses his arms, staring at me. “So you really want this?” His voice holds disbelief. “You want to be married to Mia?”

I stare back at him. And I realize there is no hesitation inside me.

No doubt.

“Yes,” I say firmly.

And it might be the craziest, most impulsive thing that's come out of my mouth in years, but I don't regret being with her, because being with Mia means I don't have to pretend to be something I'm not.

I know this mess started with a drunken mistake, but beyond our wedding, everything we did, the conversations.

It was all real to me and I don't want to lose that.

Carter’s eyes narrow. “That’s a joke.”

“No. But you are.” I step closer, my body tight with anger. Every muscle in me screams to take action, to end this right here, right now. “If you put shit on her head, I’ll fucking end you. Mark my fucking words. She knows me more in one month than you ever did in five years.” I grit my teeth, barely holding myself back. “We’re partners, colleagues at best. If you meddle in my life again, if you hurt her again, we’re fucking done.”

The words come out like a warning, sharp and cold. My jaw clenches, the rage simmering beneath the surface. I don’t care how long I’ve known him, or how he thinks he has any claim on me.

Cross this line, and I won’t hesitate.

“Zane.”

“Enough. I don’t want you here when I get back.”

He opens his mouth, but I already move away, pushing the door hard and leaving before he can try to justify himself.

The cool night air hits my face, but it does nothing to calm the chaos in my head.

My chest rises and falls with heavy breaths. I run my hand through my hair, frustrated, restless.

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