เข้าสู่ระบบMILES’ POV“Grandfather, all this isn’t good for your health right now,” I said quickly, forcing genuine-sounding concern into my voice. “You’re not in good enough shape to be getting this worked up. How about you get some rest, and once you’re feeling better, we can actually talk about this properly?”I watched him carefully, hoping he’d see the reasonableness in what I’d just said, hoping it might buy me a little more time to figure out exactly how to navigate whatever landmine Anabel had apparently already planted here.“You must think I’m some sort of fool, don’t you?” he said, his voice flat and unimpressed.“Grandfather, I would never..."“Shut your mouth, boy!” he yelled, his voice suddenly rising with a force that startled me, considering how weak he’d sounded just minutes earlier. “I asked you a question, and you’re trying to evade it by hiding behind my health. Did I say I wasn’t doing fine? Have you lost that much respect for me that you can’t even answer a simple question
MILES’ POV The moment I stepped into Arthur’s bedroom, something didn’t feel right. Usually, I just walked in without noticing anything strange at all. Why would I? But today was different enough that I found myself standing frozen at the entrance for a few seconds before I finally pushed the feeling aside and stepped further inside. Arthur was still positioned exactly where I’d last seen him, propped against those same pillows, but this time, he didn’t even glance up at me when I walked in. Last time, even fresh off a heart attack, weak and pale as he’d been, I’d still caught something warm in his eyes when he’d looked at me, some flicker of genuine relief at seeing me there. But now, whatever occupied his mind seemed to have swallowed his attention whole, leaving nothing behind for me at all. I just hoped, quietly, that whatever it was had nothing to do with Anabel or me. “Grandfather, how are you doing?” I said, walking deeper into the room and forcing lightness into my voice.
MILES’ POVI sat in the car for a long moment after the door slammed shut in my face, my hands gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary, frustration coiling hot and immediate through my chest. That hadn’t gone anything close to how I’d rehearsed it on the drive over. I’d expected resistance, sure. I’d expected her to put up some initial fight before the apology actually worked its way through her defenses. What I hadn’t expected was for her to stand there clapping at me like I’d just performed some kind of circus act, mocking every carefully chosen word I’d offered her.And then, to top it off, she’d had the audacity to casually mention some dinner she had planned tonight, some important date, and I didn’t need much imagination to guess exactly who she was seeing. Dmitri Ivanov. That same smug bastard who’d wrapped his hand around her waist in front of half the city’s elite, who’d sent that ridiculously expensive dress to her door like it meant nothing to drop that kind of m
ANABEL’S POVI immediately started clapping, the sound echoing slightly against the quiet street, genuine disbelief still washing over me. Out of everyone on this entire planet, Miles was probably the last person I ever expected to hear an actual apology from. Honestly, I was still processing the shock of it.His expression shifted instantly, confusion flickering across his face like he genuinely hadn’t anticipated this particular reaction from me. “Why are you clapping?” he asked.“Why wouldn’t I clap? That speech you just gave deserves it,” I said, letting sarcasm drip heavily from every word. “Honestly, it deserves its own Oscar. Best Dramatic Performance of the Year, Miles Wilson.”“Seriously, Anabel? Why are you acting like this?” he said, his jaw tightening. “I apologized. Can’t you see I’m actually trying here? Why are you making this so difficult?”“Wow, I’m making this difficult?” I said, my voice rising slightly, the disbelief quickly curdling into something sharper. “Do you
MILES’ POV“Just the person I was looking for,” I said, letting a small smile settle onto my face.I needed to be careful here. I needed to play this exactly right if I wanted any of it to actually land. Anabel had always seen herself as the wronged party in all of this, the innocent victim in whatever story she’d constructed in her head about our marriage falling apart. If I wanted to get anywhere with her today, I needed to lean into that. I needed to let her keep believing she held the moral high ground while I quietly worked my way back into whatever soft spot still remained underneath all that manufactured resentment.“Hi, Anabel,” I said, softening my tone deliberately, making sure the warmth reached my eyes, the same look I remembered giving her the very first time I’d actually fallen for her all those years ago.“I tried to get him to leave, but he wouldn’t listen,” Chloe said, turning to Anabel, her voice still tight with irritation. “He kept saying he wants to speak to you,
MILES’ POVI ran through the conversation in my head one more time as I drove, rehearsing exactly how this was going to go. I’d knock, she’d open the door already annoyed, probably cross her arms and tell me I shouldn’t be there. I’d stay calm, apologize for the way things had gone at the gala, and gently remind her that whatever fling she thought she was enjoying with her new billionaire man wasn’t real, wasn’t built on anything lasting the way what we’d once had was. She’d resist at first, obviously, some residual pride keeping her from admitting it outright. But somewhere underneath all that manufactured coldness, I was certain there was still a version of her that missed this, missed me, missed the life I’d built for her before she’d gotten it into her head that walking away was somehow the braver choice. I just needed to plant the seed today. Give her something to actually sit with once she was alone again.I pulled up outside Anabel’s building, slowing the car as I approached t
ANABEL’S POVMy fingers trembled over the laptop as I looked at the screen, still trying to convince myself there had to be another explanation for what I was seeing. Maybe I misunderstood something. Maybe my mind was twisting everything because of what happened last night. But the more I went th
ANABEL’S POVA low groan pulled me out of sleep.At first, I thought I was dreaming. My eyes stayed closed while I turned on the bed, reaching for Miles out of habit.The sheets beside me were cold.I frowned and opened my eyes. The other side of the bed was empty.The digital clock beside me read
ANABEL'S POV I took a small breath, steadying my emotions and finally pushing away all the tears I'd been crying for the past few minutes. Every now and then, I could still feel the heaviness lingering in my chest, but I couldn't keep breaking down forever. There was no room for tears anymore. Y
ANABEL’S POVA man stood there holding a glass loosely in one hand, his expression calm but amused. Even through my blurry vision, I could tell he was attractive. Very attractive.Tall, dark hair, sharp jawline.The kind of face people noticed immediately.I stared at him blankly for a moment befor







