chapter 5

Evelyn didn't come downstairs for the rest of the evening.She ignored every knock on the bedroom door.Every text. Every call.

Around midnight, the knocking stopped. She assumed Damian had finally given up. Then she heard something she had never heard before.A piano. She frowned.

Damian couldn't play the piano. Curious despite herself, she walked onto the upstairs balcony overlooking the living room.

The grand piano, untouched since her parents died, stood in the center of the room.

Damian was sitting in front of it, clumsily pressing random keys. The melody was awful. He laughed at himself before trying again.

"You still sound terrible."

Her voice echoed through the silent house.

Damian looked up.A tired smile spread across his face."I was hoping you'd come."

She folded her arms."I came to tell you to stop making noise."

He nodded."I deserve that."

Finally, Damian stood and walked to the bottom of the staircase. "I'm not going to defend what I did."

Evelyn's chest tightened.

"I betrayed your trust. I hurt you."He swallowed."But I never stopped loving you."

She rolled her eyes. "Then why?"

Damian lowered his head."When I met you, I had nothing. You were beautiful... powerful... untouchable."His voice cracked."I spent every day wondering when you'd realize you deserved someone better."

Evelyn frowned."What are you talking about?"

"I was insecure." He laughed bitterly."You were born into wealth I was just a clerk."

She had heard this before.Not like this.Never with tears in his eyes.

"I kept thinking one day you'd wake up and leave me."

"So you cheated first?"

He closed his eyes."It wasn't love. It was stupidity. It was ego."

She stared at him."I don't care what you call it."

"I hated myself every day."

"You hid it well."

"I did."He looked up."And that's my greatest regret. It ended it months ago."

Evelyn's fingers tightened around the railing."What about the pregnancy?"

His face clouded."I found out today."

She searched his eyes.He looked devastated not defensive.

"I swear to you..."His voice was barely audible."I never wanted a child with anyone except you."

Those words struck somewhere deep inside her.Because they touched the one wound she never spoke about.

For years they had tried to have a baby.Every negative test had broken her a little more.She had cried herself to sleep more nights than Damian knew.

He slowly climbed the stairs until he stood one step below her."I know I don't deserve another chance."

"No, you don't."

"I know. But if five years together mean anything..."

He reached into his pocket. Not with a ring With a photograph. It was old. Very old. The picture showed a younger Evelyn sitting on a park bench, crying after visiting her parents' graves.

Beside her was a young man in a cheap office uniform, awkwardly holding out a paper cup of coffee.

Damian.

"The day we met," he whispered.

"I kept this?"

"No."

He smiled sadly. "I did."

Evelyn stared at the faded photograph.She remembered that day She had been so lonely

So broken. And he had stayed with her until sunset, talking about everything except death. She hadn't laughed like that in years.

"I miss her," Damian whispered.

"Who?"

"The girl in that picture." His eyes met hers.

"And I miss the man she fell in love with."

For the first time that day Evelyn cried.

Damian stepped closer. "If, after this vacation, you still want a divorce..." He took a shaky breath."I'll sign every paper without a fight."

She looked at him for a long time.Long enough for him to think she would refuse. "One trip."

His head snapped up. "One last chance."

Hope flooded his face.

"If you lie to me again..."Her voice was calm."...I'll make sure you never see me again."

Damian nodded immediately."I won't waste it."

He reached for her hand. This time she didn't pull away. He smirked in victory. He almost felt sorry for her. But the show must go on