Page 66 of The Broken Vows

Zane parts my legs to stand between them, and I look up at him, feeling oddly vulnerable. How many times have we stood together like this? How many times has he wrapped his hand in my hair and kissed me, only to end up taking me in this exact position, telling me I’m his goddess, that he can’t get enough?

“Are you?” he asks, his thumbs caressing me just below my chest. “Are you my wife, Celeste? Or are you just someone I was forced to share my last name with for a couple of years?”

I slide my hand up to his shoulders, my heart pounding wildly. “Does it matter?”

“It does. Marriage has always been important to me, and this… this isn’t a real marriage.”

I tighten my grip on him, my nails digging into him as bitterness seeps into my soul. “What is this supposed to be? A prelude to your justification for infidelity? Our marriage might be a sham, but the contract we signed was real. Don’t youdarecheat on me, Zane.”

He tightens his grip on my waist and leans in, a soft sigh on his lips as he drops his forehead to my shoulder. Zane turns his face, his lips brushing past the spot he marked last night, and my heart begins to race. He stays there for a few moments, and I’m so tempted to wrap my arms around him like I used to, to hold on tight and lose myself in his embrace. It’s been so long since anyone has hugged me, and I miss that kind of intimacy more than I thought I would.

When Zane pulls back to look at me, he seems weary, tired. “I won’t keep doing this with you,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. “I won’t play these games with you anymore. I can’t, Celeste — I can’t spend the next three years of my life in constant battle.”

He lets go of me and inhales deeply, his shirt riding up a little as he runs a hand through his hair, giving me a glimpse of his abs. He levels me with a stare so heartbroken that it takes my breath away. “I won’t cheat on you,” he tells me, his tone conveying his sincerity. “I never have, and I never will. The fact you won’t believe me is what tore us apart in the first place. I’ll never forgive you for what you’ve done, both to us, and to my business.” He reaches for me and pushes a curl behind my ear. “There was a time I’d have done anything for you.” He shakes his head, regret marring his face as he pulls his hand back. “Now I don’t want anything to do with you.”

“Stop it,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “It’s been five years since my best friend took her own life afterbeggingme to forgive her for being withyou. The very least you could do to honor her memory is be honest. What do you stand to gain from denying it after all these years?”

He looks away and sighs. “Indeed, Celeste. What do I stand to gain?”

ChapterFifty-Three

Celeste

I’m beyond nervous as I get dressed for work, unsure what to expect. Grandpa and Grandma Anne worked quickly with the merger, but one of their stipulations was that Zane and I work together from Windsor Hotel’s headquarters to finalize the details.

Beyond our wedding night and the tour of his house, I haven’t really seen Zane. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but somehow, I didn’t expect to be eating by myself every day, wondering where he is. I’ve been roaming his house for clues about who he’s become, with no one around me but his housekeeper.

I know he sleeps next to me based on the messy sheets in the morning and the half-drunk water glasses he leaves on his bedside table, but I haven’t seen him all weekend. It’s likely for the best, but somehow, it doesn’t sit well with me. I can’t help but wonder where he is — orwhohe’s with, when he isn’t with me.

I pause in surprise when I find Zane leaning against the front door, his eyes on his phone. He smiles down at it, and an emotion I’ve only ever felt for him latches onto me.Jealousy. What is it that made him smile like that?

He looks up at the sound of my heels, his expression instantly becoming guarded as he slips his phone into the inside pocket of his navy three-piece suit. I hate how good it looks on him. “Let me drive you to work, since we’re both going to the same place. I’ve asked my driver to pick up your car, so it’ll be here when we get back.”

I nod and walk up to him hesitantly. His gaze roams over my nude pencil skirt and my favorite white blouse, his gaze impassive. I feel a pang of disappointment when there’s no appreciation in his eyes and berate myself for it instantly. I thought the years we spent apart, silently scheming against each other, would’ve eradicated all of my remaining feelings. So why did they come rushing back at the sight of him?

Zane walks to his car and gets behind the wheel, surprising me. He’s always opened the door for me, even before we started dating. I forgot it isn’t something he ever did for anyone but me and members of his family. I bite back the unwarranted sense of loss and walk around the car, unable to pinpoint why I’m so hurt. Isn’t this the best-case scenario? We’re not arguing with each other, and he’s acting civilized. That should make me happy, but instead, I find myself wanting to provoke him.

I need to know who he’s opening doors for now, and if it’s something he used to do for Lily too. What was it that made him smile just now, and where has he been spending his days? I bite my lip to keep from asking questions that’ll only lead to arguments, my gaze on the scenery that passes us on the way to the office.

Zane runs a hand through his hair, and I glance at him, taking in his side profile. It’s odd to think he’s myhusbandnow, despite everything. I sigh as the way he looked at me in his kitchen flashes through my mind, and I hate the doubt he instilled in me. Even when faced with clear proof, he denied every allegation and kept insisting he never cheated. Was it because Lily wasn’t around to tell her story? Because he thought he’d get away with it? So many years have passed, but instead of finding answers, I’m left with even more questions.

I don’t snap out of my daze until he parks his car, and the ignition cuts off. Zane doesn’t say a word as he gets out of the car, and I rush to follow him. The closer we get to the building, the more agitated he gets. He tries to hide it, but I see it in the way he holds his shoulders, the way his jaw locks. “This is my private elevator,” he explains, pressing his thumb to the scanner. “It goes directly to my office, but it stops at every floor. The system is keyed to our home systems, so only Windsor family members can access these elevators. I’ll make sure we add your fingerprint back to my house’s security system tonight.” He glances at me then, his expression hard. “Try not to abuse my trust this time.”

An apology rests on the tip of my tongue, but I swallow it down and nod. “Does anyone other than Windsor family members have access?” I shouldn’t ask, I know that, and it’s likely he sees straight through me, but I need to know if he shared his home with someone else the way he did with me.

“No,” he says, his tone gruff. “I learned my lesson the hard way and ensured my siblings don’t make the same mistake. It’s no longer possible to add someone to the system without two others signing off on it.”

I nod and follow Zane out of the elevator and right into his office, where Mike is waiting for us. My eyes widen at the sight of his bright orange suit with purple stripes. “Ms. Harrison, it’s so good to see you again,” Mike says, holding up two mugs. “Espresso for you, Zane,” he says, handing him the cup, before turning to me, “and an oat milk latte for you, Ms. Harrison.”

“Mrs. Windsor,” Zane says, his voice soft. “It’s Mrs. Windsor now.”

My eyes snap to his, and he stares at me in that way he used to, like I’m his and we both know it.

“Of course,” Mike says. “I’d become so used to calling you Ms. Harrison that it just slipped out. Forgive me, Mrs. Windsor, not just for the slip of my tongue, but also for being unable to attend your wedding.”

I nod and smile politely, suppressing the flutters in my stomach.Mrs. Windsor.I daydreamed about being called that for so long, but now it hardly feels real. “Please, just call me Celeste.”

Mike grins and gestures toward the office. “Mr. and Mrs. Windsor, your grandparents are visiting in approximately five minutes, and I’ve been informed they’re both en route. I have also been instructed to place another desk in this office.”

---