Chapter 16

CALEB

“Where is she?” Carl demanded, lines drawn on his forehead. “She’s gone and her phone’s been turned off.”

My fists clenched at my sides. “I don’t know,” I growled low, unable to hide my anger. “She was gone when I woke up.”

“Dammit! This is not good.” Carl snapped, working on his phone.

“I tried to connect with her, but her phone is untraceable.”

“What the hell is going on? We were just fine last night, weren’t we? She was fine.”

I felt like my jaw was going to break at how much I clenched it. My mind couldn’t recall what had gone wrong yesterday. “Aunt Beth,”

Carl glared at me.

“I don’t know where she went,” Aunt Beth admitted, her voice tinged with regret. “She didn’t say anything to me before she left.”

Carl’s jaw clenched with frustration, his hands balling into fists at his sides. “Dammit,” he muttered under his breath. “She wouldn’t just disappear like this without a reason.”

“You said something to her, didn’t you?” I met her eyes, but I couldn’t see remorse but sadness as she sighed.

“You didn’t, Mother,” Carl said coldly.

“I didn’t say anything to her,” she said with a sigh. “I would never ask her to leave. We only talked about this whole thing between the three of you.”

My eyes narrowed. Fear and frustration gnawed at my insides. “Then why did she leave? Why did she disappear without a word?”

Carl’s voice was cold as he whispered, “You expect me to believe that you didn’t say anything to her? You must have said something. She had been worried about telling you. We planned to tell you everything. We did, didn’t we? But where is she?”

I could feel my temper flaring.

“Your accusation cut me to the core, Carl. But believe me. I care about you. I care about Caleb and Sasha. Last night, after we talked, she asked me to get her a car to send her home. It was her decision.”

A scoff escaped me. “Why did you have to open your mouth?” she gasped, but I continued. “She wouldn’t have left if you hadn’t said anything.”

Her eyes slightly widened in shock, her mouth opening and closing as if searching for the right response. “I...I was just trying to protect all of you,” she stammered. “You’re all too young for this. She’s too young for this. Do you even consider her future? If you love her, you’ll see that she has her own choices to make.”

Carl’s fists tightened at his sides, his gaze darkening with anger. “Choices?” he spat, his voice dripping with disdain. “She already made a choice and she chose to be with us. You call tearing us apart protecting us?”

“You had no right,” I added, trying to control my voice. “You had no right to interfere in our lives like that.”

Aunt Beth recoiled as if struck, her eyes brimming with tears. “I... I didn’t mean to cause any harm. I was just trying to protect you, to keep you from making a mistake you’d regret.”

But her words fell on deaf ears as my anger clouded my judgment. I felt betrayed, and that emotion coursed through me like wildfire. “Well, congratulations. You succeeded. You’ve managed to tear us apart just like you wanted.”

Carl’s expression hardened, his eyes cold. “I thought you’d understand like a real mother,” he growled, his voice low and menacing. “I realized you can never really be a mother to me.”

Aunt Beth’s sobs rocked her body.

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The ghosts of my past and the demons of my present.

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SASHA

FIVE YEARS LATER

“I’m so happy for you, Sasha,” Cassie said, rocking her two-year-old boy. He was so cute. He sure looked more like Jake, but his smile and chin were very much like his mother. “Finally, it’s making a name around the city.”

“Thank you, Babe. I couldn’t have done it without your help.” She sure had been my pillar all these years. Her love and support were tremendous.

“Don’t mention it. You’ve been a great second mom to CJ. You can always ask Jake for help, okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll need his expertise online for the advertisement.”

“What did you name it again?” she asked, CJ had finally fallen asleep on her shoulder.

"Shaycc,” and I spelled it for her, pronouncing it like the word Chase, but SH sound.

“That’s pretty sentimental putting their initials in that name.” Her smile was teasing, and I just rolled my eyes, laughing softly.

I must be crazy, but when I established the CAFE, I had wanted their initials on it. I had finally come to terms with my sanity and forgetting them would be wishing to get dementia.

Five years had passed since that fateful conversation with Aunt Beth, and yet the pain of that day still lingered within me like an open wound. Despite my best efforts to move on, to carve out a new path for myself, the memories of Caleb and Carl haunted me like ghosts from the past, their absence a constant ache in my heart.

In the years that followed, I had tried to bury my feelings for them, push them aside, and focus on building a life for myself. With Cassie’s help, I managed to evade them, change schools, and find a new job and place. It wasn’t easy, and every time, I made desperate attempts to find some semblance of peace.

My choice was born out of necessity, a last resort to give them the freedom to find the right woman for them. I realized we were all young and impulsive. We made choices without considering the future consequences. We were all too caught up in our emotions.

And so, I retreated into the shadows, hiding behind a facade of a normal life while secretly nursing the wounds that refused to heal. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and still, the ache in my heart remained.

I was happy though, because that pain became a constant reminder of the two important people I had lost and the pain I had endured.

Deep down, I knew that no matter how far I ran, no matter how hard I tried to escape, Caleb and Carl would always hold a piece of my heart, they had etched into the very fabric of my being.

I wished for their happiness. Truly wished.

The afternoon sun streamed through the windows of Shaycc. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sweet pastries filled the air. How I loved days like this. Working here made me feel alive. I could enjoy listening to the murmur of conversation as customers chatted and laughed over steaming cups of java.

Behind the counter, Lilibeth moved with efficiency, expertly maneuvering between the espresso machine and the display case filled with an array of delectable treats. Kath and Darrel were busy preparing orders and serving customers with smiles on their faces.

“Two lattes and a cinnamon roll, coming right up!” I told Kath, and she giggled. I steamed the milk and poured the creamy froth into the cups.

Meanwhile, Kath skillfully frosted a batch of cupcakes. adorning them with colorful sprinkles and decorations.

“These look amazing,” I praised, admiring her handiwork. “Our customers are going to love them.”

Mike manned the register with ease, ringing up orders and handling transactions with a friendly smile. “Busy day today,” he remarked, glancing around the bustling cafe. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. This place is buzzing with energy.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” I said with a smile.

My attention was suddenly drawn to the entrance’s tinkling of the doorbell.

My breath caught in my throat as I caught sight of...Caleb, his tall frame towering over the petite woman at his side.

My heart jumped at the sight of him, the memories of our time together flooding back with a rush of emotion. It had been years since we had last seen each other, and yet the sight of him still stirred something deep within me, making me swallow hard.

I thought I was ready to see him. What should I do?

For a moment, our eyes met, and in that fleeting instant, time stood still.

But before I could gather my thoughts, Caleb turned his attention back to the woman at his side and said something to her.

My heart sank as I watched them approach the counter, the woman’s laughter tinkling like wind chimes in the air. She must be his woman.

A pang of jealousy twisted in my chest at the thought.

“Good afternoon,” Caleb greeted. I missed his voice. Deep and husky. “I would like to order.” His expression was giving nothing away.

He didn’t recognize me?

His eyes looked at me like I was a stranger.

There was no recognition. No emotion.

What should I expect?

“Sasha?”

I heard Mike’s voice. “Sasha, hey, are you okay? You’re spacing out. Are you okay?”

“Eh? Oh, yeah...I’m good.” I forced a smile onto my lips, my heart drumming wildly. “It has been...” I replied, shaking my head. “What can I get for you today?”

“You skipped breakfast again?” Mike said behind me.

I just shook my head lightly as Caleb repeated his order, and this time, his voice was terse.

I glanced at the woman by his side. She was pretty. She was everything Caleb wanted for a woman—confident, charming, and undeniably alluring.

And Caleb...

I could see how much he had changed. His once boyish features had matured into rugged lines, his jawline stronger and defined. His eyes held a depth and intensity that was impossible to ignore.

It was as if he had become a stranger before my very eyes. His once familiar presence was now distant and unfamiliar.

I busied myself with preparing their order. I tried to push aside the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. But no matter how hard I tried to focus on the task, my mind kept drifting back to Caleb and the woman beside him.

As they sat down at a nearby table, laughter and animated conversation filling the air, I felt a pang of jealousy hitting my chest. It was clear that Caleb had moved on.

Good for him.

I should be happy. I had lost him for good.

But the realization hit me like a ton of bricks. It was crushing me.