MasukElena's POV"Do you know how excited I am for this probation thing to be over?" Adrian groaned beside me as we walked down the corridor. "Two more weeks and I can finally stop pretending I enjoy being in this building this much."I laughed softly."Oh, please," I said. "You love being involved in everybody's business."He pointed at me immediately. “That is completely different," he said.I shook my head, smiling…We kept walking, easy and familiar, and I was grateful for it because I'd barely slept and my brain had been running since before sunrise, replaying last night in pieces. Caleb's face when I told him everything, his voice when he said he wasn't walking away this time… But underneath all of it, one thing kept coming back.He never addressed what I said at MetLife. “I can't stop thinking about you. I don't want this to end.”I didn’t know what it meant.Maybe hearing everything about Damien changed something for him. Maybe he was trying not to pressure me. Maybe I was just
When I finally stopped talking, silence settled between us again. The waves filled the space where words were missing. Caleb stared out toward the water for a few seconds before finally speaking.“I get it now,” he said quietly.I looked at him, waiting for him to finish.“Why you always said it was complicated.”Something in my chest tightened slightly at that. Because it was complicated. It always had been.Then Caleb glanced over at me again, quieter this time.“Can I ask another thing?”I nodded once, holding his gaze.“After all that…” he said carefully, “why did you still go back?”That question hit somewhere deep in my chest because I already knew exactly what he meant.Why did I still love Damien after everything? Why did I keep trying?I looked back toward the water before answering.“Because it wasn’t all bad,” I admitted softly.My throat tightened a little.“There was love there too. Real love.”I looked down at my hands before continuing.“Damien wasn’t just my husband,
Elena’s POVThe apartment was quiet except for the low sound of the TV playing somewhere in the background.I was curled up at the corner of my couch in one of my oversized sweatshirts, half paying attention to whatever movie was on while scrolling absently through emails on my phone.It had been a long day.Not bad. Just… exhausting.My thoughts kept drifting even when I tried not to let them.First to Caleb. Which honestly wasn’t surprising anymore.We’ve been texting constantly the past two days, laughing at stupid things, falling back into old habits. Then, like my brain enjoyed ruining things for me, my thoughts shifted again.Damien would be back in two weeks.The reminder settled heavily in my chest all over again. I stared blankly at the TV for a few seconds, not really seeing it then my phone buzzed beside me before I could spiral any further.I glanced down distractedly, peeking at it.Caleb: Come downstairs.I sat up immediately, grabbed my phone and stared at the message.
Elena's POV"Why do you look suspiciously happy today?"I didn't even look up from my coffee."Good morning to you too, Adrian," I said.He dropped into the chair across from my desk like he lived there, stretching his legs out, watching me with the expression he always wore when he thought he’d figured something out."Seriously," he said, leaning forward slightly."You're different today, what happened?""Nothing happened," I said, setting my cup down and opening my laptop.Then he tilted his head slowly, like something had finally clicked for him."So," he said, keeping his voice deliberately casual. "Should I assume you actually went to Caleb’s game?"I paused for exactly one second. Then I looked up at him, deciding how much I actually wanted to tell him.“Yes,” I said simply. “Now, things are… less complicated.”Adrian stared at me blankly.Then he leaned back and let out a short laugh.“Wow," he said, shaking his head. "Caleb Harding finally making progress after ten years, mirac
Elena's POV"Well, well, well," Amara said, looking up from the front desk with that slow smile she always gave me, "Look who finally remembered we exist."I laughed softly, pulling my bag higher on my shoulder."I've been busy," I said, tilting my head apologetically."You're always busy," she replied, already reaching for something behind the counter, "Same package as usual?”"Please," I said.She handed me a robe and a locker key and I exhaled for what felt like the first time all week.The spa was exactly what I needed today.Soft lighting. Low music playing somewhere in the background. Warm air scented faintly with eucalyptus, citrus and something faintly floral drifting through the air.One of the few places that could still quiet my brain for more than five minutes.I'd forgotten that.It had been two days since Caleb’s game. Two days since he looked at me in that corridor like I’d said something that changed everything.And somehow, despite how intense that conversation had be
Caleb's POV"Man, you need to relax," I said, tossing the ball back toward Dre. “We literally just played a full game yesterday, be grateful coach even let us breathe today."Dre caught it and shook his head."Easy for you to say," he muttered. "You weren't the one getting cooked out there."The guys around us laughed.Someone threw a towel at Dre from across the field, and he ducked it badly, which made everyone laugh harder.It was that kind of morning, loose and easy, just a light session to keep the body moving without breaking it down again so soon after the win.I was in a decent mood. Better than decent, actually.I was still carrying something from last night, something Elena said in that corridor that was sitting warmly somewhere in my chest.Eventually, the session wrapped up, and the group started drifting apart, guys heading toward the facility in twos and threes, still talking, still laughing.I broke away from them and walked inside alone.The noise from the field faded
Damien's POVI watched Elena step out of the car and something in my gut twisted tight.She told me to leave but I didn't. I leaned forward and tapped the driver's shoulder."Hold on, don't go yet.""Sir?"“Just wait here," I said, my eyes fixed on Elena as she walked toward her house, her shoulder
Elena's POVI woke up to sunlight streaming through my curtains and for a blissful half second I forgot everything…Then reality came crashing back and I turned my head to see the signed divorce papers sitting on my nightstand.I stared at them for a long time, not moving, just thinking about every
Elena’s povI stormed out of the suite, vision blurry with tears. My body was shaking so badly I could barely walk straight.I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt tight, like someone was squeezing my lungs.I stumbled down the hallway toward the elevator and jabbed the button over and over like that wo
Elena's POVThe car ride home from the airport felt endless, every second stretching like it had nowhere else to go.I squinted, staring out the window watching Denver blur past in muted colors. I was exhausted.My body felt heavy. My head felt worse.Damien sat beside me in silence, his presence l







