Chapter 3 Then Marry Me

Caleste eyes gleamed with unshead tears. She turned around before it fell and walked away. She didn't wait for him to answer. She couldn't stand seeing he watched her cry again. If she stayed there another second, she knew she would break in front of him.

Behind her, Sam didn't call her name. That hurt too. She kept walking away.

---

The next morning was Saturday. Sam was at the Aerie, standing in front of the kitchen island with a cup of coffee when the private elevator opened.

“Papa Sam!”

He looked up. Maya stepped out wearing a pink jacket, sneakers, and the most impatient expression a twelve-year-old could possibly make. “You're not ready!”

Sam glanced down at himself. “I am ready.”

“You're wearing a shirt.”

“That's usually a good start.”

“And you haven't done your hair.”

He touched his hair. “What’s wrong with it?”

“Everything.”

She grabbed his wrist. “Come on. You promised.”

“I didn't forget.”

“Our date day.”

“I remember.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You're not going to cancel, are you?”

Sam smiled. “Never.”

She immediately pulled him toward the elevator.

---

By noon, Maya had dragged him onto six rides. By two, they had eaten too much food. By three, Sam had lost count of how many times Maya had told him that she was absolutely not scared of anything. Then she screamed louder than everyone else on the roller coaster. Sam laughed so hard that his stomach hurt.

“I wasn't scared!” she protested when they got off.

“Of course not.”

“The scream was because the wind was loud.”

“Obviously.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You're making fun of me.”

“Never.”

“You are.”

They continued walking. Maya had something to say about everything. She told him about school. About a teacher who gave too much homework. About her latest argument with Austin. Then, naturally, the conversation turned to home.

“Luna climbed the big tree again yesterday.”

Sam looked at her. “She did?”

“She said she wanted to see the roof.”

“Of course she did.”

“She jumped from one branch to another.”

Sam winced. “And?”

“She missed.”

“How badly?”

“She didn't get hurt.”

“That wasn't my question.”

Maya grinned. “The servant who caught her broke his arm.”

Sam stopped walking. “What?”

“He'll be fine.”

“Maya.”

“He's fine!” She laughed. “Luna said sorry.”

Sam rubbed his forehead. “That doesn't make it better.”

“She also promised not to climb that tree again.”

“Good.”

“She climbed the smaller one this morning.”

He sighed. “Of course.”

Maya continued walking. “Ethan got in trouble yesterday too.”

“What did he do?”

“He told one of the guards that Father said he could borrow the golf cart.”

Sam stopped. “Did Vance say that?”

“No.”

“Then why did Ethan say it?”

“He wanted to drive.”

Sam laughed. “Of course he did.”

“And Noah…” Maya's voice changed.

Sam already knew that tone. “What did Noah do?”

“He unlocked Father's tablet.”

Sam blinked. “Again?”

“He said it was easy.”

“And?”

“He signed something.”

Sam stared at her. “What did he sign?”

“I don't know. Father looked really angry.”

Sam laughed under his breath. “Those three are going to destroy that house.”

“They already do. Mama's voice had become louder and louder over the years. She had never been like this when I was little.” Maya grinned.

Then she stopped walking. Sam took another step before noticing she wasn't beside him. He turned. She was staring at him.

“What?”

“You're somewhere else.”

Sam frowned. “Was I?”

“Yes.” She crossed her arms. “You weren't listening.”

“I was.”

“What did I just say?”

Sam opened his mouth. Nothing came out.

Maya's eyes narrowed. “See?”

He smiled. “Sorry.”

She studied him. Then her expression softened. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Papa Sam.”

He looked away. The amusement park suddenly felt very far away. He saw a different face.

Caleste. Her trembling hands. The way she had pulled away when he tried to touch her. The tear she had wiped away before he could see it.

I've loved you for five years, Sam.

He swallowed. “I hurt someone.”

Maya's eyes widened. “You?”

Sam looked at her. “Why do you sound so surprised?”

“Because you're Papa Sam.”

“And?”

“You don't hurt people.”

He gave her a sad smile. “Sometimes you do without meaning to.”

Maya thought about that. “Did you make your friend cry?”

Sam looked down. “Yes.”

Her mouth fell open. “You made someone cry?”

“I didn't mean to.”

“That doesn't make it better.”

“I know.”

She walked closer. “Then you have to apologize.”

“I have to.”

“And?”

Sam looked at her. “And she didn't give me a chance.”

Maya frowned. “Then apologize again.”

He smiled. “You think it's that easy?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because if Austin made me cry, I'd want him to apologize.”

Sam laughed softly. “You're twelve.”

“And you're being stupid.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“You made your friend cry. You know you hurt your friend. So go fix it.”

Sam looked away. Maya's words settled somewhere he couldn't ignore. You know you hurt her.

He knew now. He couldn't pretend he didn't.

---

That evening, Sam drove Maya back to the Blackwood estate. She jumped out of the car before he had completely stopped. “Bye, Papa Sam!”

“Bye.”

She leaned back into the open window. “Don't forget!”

“Forget what?”

“To apologize!”

Sam laughed. “I won't.”

She ran toward the house. He watched until she disappeared inside. Then he sat alone in the car. His hands rested on the steering wheel.

Five years. He had known Caleste for five years. He had known her habits. Her moods. Her fears. The way she pretended she didn't need anyone when she desperately needed someone to stay. He knew all of that.

But somehow, he had missed the most important thing. He had made her cry.

Sam exhaled slowly. Then he started the car.

---

The park near his apartment was quiet that evening. Sam had parked nearby and decided to walk the rest of the way home. He didn't expect to see her.

Caleste was walking toward him with Momo on a leash. She saw him at the same time and stopped immediately. Their eyes met.

For one second, neither moved. Then Caleste turned around.

Sam's chest tightened. “Caleste.”

She kept walking. “Wait.”

She tightened her grip on Momo's leash and walked faster.

“Caleste.”

She finally stopped. Her shoulders rose with a quiet breath before she turned around. “What?”

Sam approached slowly. “I wanted to apologize.”

She looked at him. “For what?”

He stopped a few feet away. “For yesterday.”

Her fingers tightened around Momo's leash. “You don't have to.”

“I do.”

“Why?”

“Because I hurt you.”

She looked away. “You didn't mean to.”

“That doesn't make it okay.”

Silence.

Momo sniffed the grass between them. Caleste's fingers moved restlessly along the leash.

“You didn't know,” she said.

“I should have.”

She looked at him. “I was your friend.”

“You were.”

“Then how could you not know?”

Sam's jaw tightened. “I don't know.”

Her eyes filled. She looked away before the tears could fall. “Then why are you apologizing?”

“Because I hurt you.” His voice came out more desperate than he intended.

“But you can't fix it.”

Sam fell silent.

She laughed bitterly. “You don't love me.”

“Caleste…”

“That's what this is about, isn't it?”

He had no answer.

She looked directly at him. “Why apologize if you can't fix what was done?”

Something in his chest twisted. “Then what am I supposed to do?”

She froze.

Sam stepped closer. “If I hurt you, tell me how to fix it.”

Her lips parted. For a moment, she said nothing. Then she looked down at Momo.

When she spoke again, her voice was quiet. “Be my boyfriend.”

Sam blinked. “What? But, Caleste...”

“My fake boyfriend. I don't need you to be the real one.” 

“Caleste…”

“I know.” She looked back at him. “I know you don't love me.”

He flinched.

“I know this isn't real for you.”

“That's not what I—”

“I need an escape.” Her voice cracked. “My mother already decided I'm marrying Adrian. She doesn't care what I want. She only cares about Ashworth and the Beaumont family.”

Sam stared at her. “Caleste, pretending to date me isn't going to solve that.”

“I don't need it to solve everything.” She stepped closer. “I just need you to help me.”

He shook his head. “You're asking me to use your feelings.”

“I know.” She swallowed. “I hate myself for asking.”

Her fingers tightened around the leash. “But you're the only person I trust enough to do this with.”

Sam looked at her. The woman in front of him was trying desperately not to cry. Again. Because of him. He couldn't say no. Not like this. But he also couldn't pretend this was harmless.

“Being your fake boyfriend wouldn't fix anything.”

Her face fell. For a second, Sam regretted the words. Then he remembered Maya. "You made your friend cry. Go fix it."

He looked at Caleste. And suddenly, another possibility came to him. Something that could actually get her out of the marriage arrangement.

He took a breath. “If being your boyfriend won't get you out of this…”

He paused.

Caleste looked up.

“Then marry me.”

She froze.

Sam held her gaze. “Let's get married.”