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Early next morning, I stand outside Scarlett’s building at seven in the morning, holding a paper bag of pastries from that expensive bakery downtown. My hands won’t stop shaking.
I’ve negotiated million–dor deals without breaking a sweat, but the thought of facing my wife has me sweating through my shirt like a nervous teenager.
I love her.
The thought hits me again, just as hard as it didst night. After years of telling myself what I felt was obligation, duty, gratitude–I finally understand. I’m in love with Scarlett Stone. Always have been.
And I have no idea how to tell her. <fnaf9b> Find the newest release on find?novel</fnaf9b>
The elevator ride feels endless. Each floor that passes makes my heart pound harder. By the time I reach her door, I’m practically hyperventting.
Just knock. Say you’re here to check on Lily. Act normal.
But nothing about this is normal. I’ve never chased a woman before. Even with Scarlett, back in college, she was the one who made the first move. Who asked me out, who kissed me first, who told me she loved me.
I was always <i>too </i>scared she’d realize I wasn’t good enough for her.
My knuckles barely graze the door before it swings open. Scarlett stands there in pajama pants and an oversized sweater, her hair messy, no makeup. She’s never looked more
beautiful.
“Jasper? Aren’t you a little <i>too </i>early?”
“I brought breakfast.” I hold up the bag like an offering. “For Lily and you. How is she?”
Something flickers across her face–confusion, surprise even. “She’s better. The fever came back after midnight, but she’s fine now.”
“Good. That’s…” I clear my throat. “Can I see her?”
She hesitates, and that small pause cuts through me like a de. Yesterday she invited me in. Today she’s back to being all defensive around me.
“She’s still sleeping.”
:
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“Right. Of course.” I shift the bag from one hand to the other. “I can wait. Maybe make you some coffee? I remember you like it with-”
“Jasper.” The way she says my name stops me cold. There’s something in her voice I can’t read, making me uneasy.
“We…we need to settle our divorce before discussing co–parenting.”
Divorce? A chill invades my heart, freezing me to the bone. She called me over not to talk about raising our daughter together, but to settle our divorce?
She can’t be serious.
“I thought…I thought…” I stutter, unable to think clearly, my thoughts bing a jumbled
mess.
But as if her words weren’t shocking enough, Scarlett continues, “Dorian will be here soon. I’ll ask him to help us expedite the proceedings, so we can draft and legalize the terms and conditions of us co–parenting quicker. Before then, I don’t want you to see Lily in my absence.”
More and more, I’m realizing how much Scarlett has changed. How little she cares for me now. But divorce? How can she ask me to divorce her, the mother of my child?
How could she even think I would divorce her?
“I…” I force myself to stay calm. “Scarlett, can we talk about this? I don’t want to divorce-”
Before I can finish the words, footsteps echo in the hallway behind me. Heavy, confident. Familiar with the space. Every nerve in my body gets tense.
“Scarlett?”
I turn to see him. Dorian Cross. Tall, polished, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hands, like he has every right to be here, every right to bring flowers to my wife.
“Dorian.” Scarlett’s entire demeanor changes. Her shoulders rx, her face brightens. The sight makes my eyes sting. She steps back as he walks into the apartment. “Thank you foring.”
He kisses her cheek–casual, familiar–and hands her the flowers. “How’s our girl doing?”
Our girl.
The possessive pronoun tears through me like shrapnel. He talks about Lily like she’s his daughter. Like they’re a family and I’m the intruder.
< Chapter 61
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“Much better. Jasper brought her breakfast. We were just talking about settling our divorce.” Scarlett nces at me, and I can’t believe she just told him that.
Is this the reason she wants to divorce me? Because of Dorian? She keeps waiting, as if expecting me to nod my head in agreement to her words or something, but I don’t.
I don’t want a divorce. I want her. I want her and Lily both. And I’ll be damned if I lose them to
this guy.
Dorian extends his hand to me.
I take it, tightening my grip just hard enough to cause a little pain. “Dorian. Good to <i>see </i>you again.”
The man doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t even frown as he merely smiles and grips back harder.
“Likewise.”
(Scarlett’s POV)
Relief floods through me as Dorian fills the space with his easy confidence. Having him here makes everything feel less intense, less dangerous. With just Jasper in the room, the air gets thick with history and hurt and things I can’t let myself think about.
But with Dorian here, I can breathe easily.
The two men face each other, shaking hands. I don’t know if it’s just me, but the air between
them crackles with tension, seemingly hostile somehow.
“Come <i>on</i>, let me show you to Lily’s room. She’ll be so happy to see you when she wakes up.” I say, leading Dorian down the hallway before theye to blows.
Lily’s sprawled across her small bed, her dark hair fanned across the pillow. She looks so peaceful, so perfect. My heart swells with love for this little girl who’s be my entire world.
“She’s looking better,” Dorian whispers.
“She is.” I smooth her hair gently. “She was asking about you yesterday. Wanted to know when her Uncle Dorian woulde to visit.”
Uncle Dorian. Safe. Uplicated. Not like the man standing in my living room who makes me feel like I’m neen again and drowning in feelings I can’t control.
“Have you eaten?” I ask as we head back toward the kitchen. “I can make pancakes. Lily loves them, and when she wakes up-”
< Chapter 61
“Pancakes sound wonderful.”
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In the kitchen, I move around with purpose. Pulling out ingredients, heating the griddle. Dorian sits at the small table, telling me about a new restaurant he wants to take us to. It’s a normal, easy conversation that grounds me to the present.
Not like the charged silence that filled the room when Jasper walked in.
“How are you handling everything?” Dorian asks quietly. “With him here and all?”
My hands still on the mixing bowl. “I’m not falling apart, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Scarlett.” I look up. “You know you can share your problems with me.” He says, his kind, patient eyes fixed on me.
“I know.” I hesitate.
He’s never pushed me for more than I can give. And I’m grateful for that. I am. But my issue with Jasper is something I need to settle myself.
And unless there’s truly no other choice, for Lily’s sake, I don’t want things to get ugly
between us.
Violet Moon
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