Chapter 53
Ca*sic.
Kayden and I drive the first fifteen minutes in awkward silence. can feel the tension radiating between. The air was thick with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. It was almost suffocating.
I fill my head with random thoughts. I feel the need to think about anything, just so I can forget the fact that Kayden Steele is sitting beside me.
When we were married. I barely rode the car with Kayden. If we ever were in the same car together, But I think this is the first time Kayden will drive me to anywhere.
“You’re awfully quiet,” I hear him say.
“Well, honestly speaking, so are you.”
“I need to concentrate on the road.”
“Well, I need to concentrate on my presentation,” I lie.
“Liar,” he chuckles. “You don’t have a presentation.”
“Of course, I do. I’ll be doing an actual tour of the site to a bunch of meticulous investors.”
But haven’t you forgotten? I’m the only one you need to convince. So, you should only be imp
When I turn to him, I see that his lips are curved into a crooked smile.
‘D*mn! As if it’s not enough that he’s hot, he had to be charming, too?”
I look out the window. There’s a chance that I’m blushing and I don’t want him to see that.
“So, what’s new with you?” he suddenly asks.
“Nothing. And why do you want to know?” I reply.
“Oh, love. I want to know everything about you,” he replies, grinning.
driver with us.
“Cut the crap, Kayden,” I mutter. “You’ve never been interested in me before. I find it hard to believe that you’d be interested in me now.” I peer out the window.
Kayden lets out a deep sigh as he continues driving down the winding road. “I know that I deserve that. I’ve been mean to you when we were married.”
“Mean?” I echo. “That’s a huge understatement.”
Kayden’s jaw clenches, and his gaze remains fixed on the road ahead. The silence stretches between us, heavy with unsaid words and unresolved issues. My heart pounds in my chest, unsure of where this conversation is leading. I steal a glance at him. He looks to be in deep thought.
fast mean. I was cold, distant… heartless.”
“You’re right, Cassie,” he finally says, his voice softer than before I was more than
“Well, maybe I couldn’t blame you,” 1 sigh. “I was a complete stranger and you were coerced to marry me. Falling for me was
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Chapter 53
a really hard thing to do.”
“It wasn’t,” he suddenly says.
I stare back at him, not quite sure that I heard him right. “What?
“I was too angry to admit it to myself,” he says. I can hear sadness in his voice. “But looking back now, without the anger… you were… perfect.”
I can hardly believe that I heard him say. “You’re joking,
right?”
He shakes his head. He turns to me. He isn’t even smiling. He looks so d*mn serious. “The only joke v realized too late what a lucky guy I have been.”
Because I
His words hit me hard, like a sudden gust of wind that leaves me breathless. The car hums with the wf his confession, and I struggle to find the right words to respond.
“Kayden, you can’t just say that now,” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper. “It’s been years since we divorced, and things have changed.”
He takes a deep breath, as if gathering his thoughts. “I know it seems sudden, Cassie. But it’s the tru was right in front of me all along
Meblind to what
“But Kayden…” I shake my head. “It’s pointless to bring this up now.”
“Why? Because of Sullivan?”
“Because of Megan. And your child with her.”
“Yeah, regarding that…” he sighs. “I can’t turn away from my responsibilities to the child.”
“You shouldn’t!” she snaps. “Do you know how hard it is for a woman to get pregnant and not havi You have no idea how scared she would be to face that kind of ordeal alone. Her body will change unimaginable pain. It’s painful while her tummy is growing, it’s even more painful when she delive shouldn’t have to go through that alone.”
her:
Tears are welling up in my eyes and I don’t even realize that I have been speaking about my own lo
“Cassie…” Kayden suddenly says. He reaches out for my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “Was Su were pregnant with Kai?”
cy
I stop short for a moment. I realize that I have said too much. How could I forget that I told him that Kai was Ethan’s so that he would stop bugging me about Kai’s paternity?
I shake my head, pulling my hand away. “I was just talking about women in general. Anyway, what I’m saying is that no woman deserves to go through the pregnancy on her own. The man who got her pregnant must also share the burden.”
Kayden remains silent, his gaze fixed on the road ahead as if contemplating my words.
“You’re right, Cassie. No woman should have to go through that alone. And no child should grow up without knowing their father.”
I can’t help but feel a pang of regret at the mention of Kai growing up without his father’s presence. It’s been a struggle raising him on my own, trying to find a bone marrow donor for his rare blood disease while juggling work and motherhood.
I know that someday, Kai needs to know his real father. When he finds out that I lied about Kayden being his father, will he
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Chapter 53
be able to forgive ne?
Kayden heaves a sigh.
“Why don’t you sleep first? It’s a long drive. I will just wake you up when we get to the venue.”
I nod. I am not really sleepy. But right now, sleep is way better than having these awkward conversationsnh Kayden. I’m afraid that the more I talk, the more mistakes I will make.
After a while, I feel a tap on my check.
I slowly open my eyes and see Kayden gently smiling at me.
“We’re here,” he says.
Kayden rounds the car and opens the door for me. We go straight to the lobby of the hotel.
However, somehow, I feel like something is amiss. The resort that we are
in seems smaller.
‘I thought Lyn booked a bigger resort, I thought. This one does not seem big enough to house alle guests that we invited.
Just then, the phone rings. It’s Lyn
“Hey, what’s up?”
“We have a problem,” she says on the other line. “There’s a huge storm coming. And it’s forec: guests decided to cancel at the last minute.”
“What?” I echo. “So, the inspection will be cancelled? But we’re already here!”
“The other members of the Board says that they don’t need to actually see the place now. They v Steele’s recommendation. No need to reschedule if Mister Steele decides to go through with it.”
or my breath.
“D*mn it,” I curse under my
“Anyway, you and Mister Steele should head back as soon as you can before you get stranded the
“Alright.”
Suzll of the
“I’ll cancel your reservations before they charge us for extra fees Make sure you get out of there in two hours tops
As soon as I hang up, I turn to Kayden. “What are we going to do?”
“We’re already here,” he says. “The storm will not hit until evening. We can just do it quickly, and head back. I only need to clarify a few things about the venue anyway.”
I nod. “Yes. I don’t want to waste time either.”
“Alright, let’s quickly go to the site and then we’ll drive back.”
As we made our way to the site of King’s Legend, the sky began to darken ominously, hinting at the impending storm. The wind picked up, sending leaves swirling around us.
The town’s mayor, a stout man with a welcoming smile, is already awaiting at the empty location. His presence surprises us both as we step out of the car and are greeted by the howling wind that seems to echo the turmoil within me.
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“Welcome, Mister Steele and Miss King,” the mayor greets us with a warm handshake, his eyes flickering briefly over to Kayden before returning to me. I’m glad you could make it despite the weather forecast. We cannot be more excited to have King’s Legend in our town.”
“Thank you for having us, Mayor. We’ll make this quick so we can head back before the storm hits,” Ka
Kayden quickly makes the rounds, looking at the empty land before us.
“Everything seems solid.” Kayden says. “It seems that the land is sufficient to house the initial phase of King’s Legend, and the future expansions.”
“Yes, it is.” I nod. “We have also conducted the soil integrity tests. It passed all tests with flying colors
“We just need to see the surrounding communities.”
“Of course, let me show you around.”
4
We rode the mini bus to survey the communities beside the site. When Kayden asks the Mayor a question, I can tell that he’s quite knowledgeable in this area.
“What kind of communities do we have surrounding the site of King’s Legend?” Kayden inquires, eye canning the passing houses and buildings.
The Mayor, his face beaming with pride, begins to paint a vivid picture of the vibrant neighborh hotel location. “Well, Mister Steele, you will find a mix of residential and commercial areas here. Oakwood Estates, a serene enclave where some of our town’s most prominent families reside. It greenery and elegant homes that exude luxury and comfort.”
litic ent von the future
The
Kayden nods, his interest piqued as he takes in the details provided by the Mayor. “And what about to the west?”
“To the west, you’ll find Sunset Hills,” the Mayor continues, gesturing towards the horizon that h cozy cottages. “It’s a charming neighborhood with a tight-knit community feel. Many of the resi stepped foot outside of this town. And that will add to the beauty of this place.”
ler of
evel
The storm had been looming closer, the wind howling louder as if warning us of its imminent ar
“I think the storm is landing earlier than expected,” the Mayor said. “If you don’t have any more head back. I can answer any of your questions by phone call after
uld
“I think the Mayor is right. We should head back.”
As we turn back towards the car, the first fat drops of rain begin to fall, quickly turning into a torrential downpour. The wind whips around us, causing the leaves to dance madly in the air. The thunder rumbles ominously in the distance.
“I think you should just stay in the resort until the storm if over. At this rate, you might be stranded on the road if you continue with your journey.”
The mayor bid us a quick farewell.
The storm gets worse and worse by the second.
“Do you think we should head back now?” Kayden asks me.
“Do you think we can still make it?”
Kayden shakes his head. “I am not quite sure. We might get stuck on the road.”
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“But if we stay here, we might be stuck here, too.”
“But least, we’ll be safe and comfortable.”
Then suddenly, our phones give out a warning sound. I read the message on the screen.
“Oh d*mn!” I groan as I read the warning message saying that the roads going out of town are now close as some areas are unpa*sable.
Kayden’s brows knit together as he reads the message on his phone. “Closed and unpa*sable?” he ech to meet mine. “We might be stuck here for a while.”
“I thought the storm was not going to hit until later!” I groan.
“Forecasts can be wrong, and storms change their behaviors all the time.”
“Do we have any other choice?”
“I don’t think so.” Kayden pulls my hand. “Come, let’s see what available accommodations they may have.
We approach the receptionist of the hotel.
Eyes flicking up
“Hi. Kayden greets her. “We’re from The King’s Court delegation. I believe our team reserved so
The receptionist looks at the monitor and then she nods. “That’s right. However, the other men already canceled their room reservations.”
Nere
-up has
“Well, we haven’t,” Kayden says.
“Yes. That’s correct. We reserved the matrimonial villa for you. It’s the best accommodation in th it to your liking. It’s a good thing you did not cancel it. Because of the storm, we’ve already giver to the walk-in guests. There are a lot that are waiting in line, still.
“What about me? Did my assistant cancel my room already?” 1 hand her my ID.
She checks her monitor and she frowns. “I’m sorry. She cancelled your room along with the oth
“Well, that sounds like her. She’s very diligent. Anyway, can I just rebook it?”
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, Ma’am. But we’ve just booked the last room.
“What?” I start to feel the panic. “Are you sure?”
She nods. She c*cks her head towards the entrance, showing us that more and more people are coming in.
ill find
rooms
“There’s not a hotel within a mile radius. Accommodations are going to be tough. Some people are already sharing their rooms with strangers. I’m really sorry, Ma’am.”
“Are you sure? But….”
“Thank you, Miss.” Kayden cuts me off. And then he pulls me to the side.
“What am I going to do? I cannot head back out in this weather condition!”
“Like hell I will allow you to do that!” he says.
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“But I don’t have any other choice, Kayden.”
“You do,” he says with confidence. “You can stay in my
room.
My eyes widen in shock. “What? We can’t do that!”
e a room, or a bed together.”
“Sure we can,” he says. “After all, it won’t be the first time we will share
Oh, f*ck!
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What’s frustrating for me is why is Kayden just believing Meagan? He needs to do a paternity test asap.