I scoff and shake my head, completely dismissing his words—and presence. I turn my back to him and carry on with my chores as if he’s not even in the room. The whole time I’m cleaning up, I feel both their stares burning into the back of my head, but neither of them makes any move to say anything.
When I finish with the dishes, I spin around to find two grown-arse men wearing matching nervous frowns, looking at me as though they’re bracing themselves for an impending explosion.
“Relax,” I snicker coldly. “You can talk to Jason, but whatever you have to say to me, Kaden, I have no interest in hearing it.” I steel my spine and start to walk past them, but just as I do, Kaden suddenly grabs my elbow.
“Mila...”
“Don’t touch me!” I snap, yanking my arm free from his grip.
Jason is quick to step in front of me, his glare at Kaden sharp and menacing, as if he’s ready to knock his teeth out.
Kaden takes a step back, raising his hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Never lay a hand on her again, do you understand?” Jason warns, his voice cold and cutting.
I rub my arm absentmindedly, not because he hurt me, which, to be fair, he hadn’t, but because his touch on my skin repulses me.
When I look up at Jason, his jaw is clenched tight and his hands are balled to fists, turning his knuckles white. For a small moment, a flicker of guilt hits me square on the chest, knowing I’m coming between two best friends. They’ve probably never been physical with one another, and I’m not about to witness it now. I gently squeeze his forearm, offering silent reassurance that I’m okay, and watch as he slowly eases his tense shoulders.
He steps beside me, and I redirect my focus on Kaden, who’s now glancing between Jason and me with a look of curiosity and interest.
“Look, Kaden,” I start, letting out a deep sigh, “you can stand there and pretend we’re still one big happy family, but we’re not. Not anymore. You made sure of that. I’ll never be able to look at you the same way again, and I’ll certainly never see you as thecaring husband my family once trusted to love and protect my sister.”
He looks down at his feet, his posture shrinking under the weight of guilt and shame.
But no amount of hiding can undo the lies and deceit he had carried for months. He doesn’t deserve my forgiveness. Not now, not ever.
“The fact you went on to parade your relationship with your mistress the moment your wife left, only proved how little you respected and cared about my sister. So, I’m sorry, Kaden. I’m sorry that I’m repulsed just standing in the same room as you. And I’m sorry that I can’t find it in me to ever forgive you.”
“I understand. And I’ve accepted that I’ll never earn your trust and forgiveness again.
But I just want you to know how deeply sorry I am anyway—for what I’ve put your whole family through this past year.”
My only response is a nod, because what else is there left to say. We were more of a family to him than his own ever was, and that’s not something you can just easily let go of. A small part of me does feel a little sad for him, and judging by the look of pity in Jason’s face, I can tell he feels the same way. But then, I quickly remind myself of all the pain he caused Skylar, and that anger flares up inside me once again.
“I know I deserve every ounce of hate from all of you,” Kaden continues, “but believe me when I say, there’s no one in this world who hates me more than I do.” He pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head, trying to fight back the tears threatening to spill down his face.
It’s Jason who speaks this time, seemingly torn between consoling his best friend and standing up for my sister. “I don’t hate you, mate. But I won’t lie and say you haven’t disappointed me in some of the choices you’ve made. You can’t erase the past,but I hope you’ll use it as a lesson to grow. To become a better person one day.”
Kaden sniffs, then slowly nods. “I will. I’m going to do everything in my power to do better, be better. That’s why I came here tonight. I have something to tell you, and it’s up to you, Mila, if you want to hear it. I just don’t want to hide anything anymore.”
I shrug my shoulders, uncaring, but gesture for him to continue.
He inhales sharply, then lets out a heavy sigh. “There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to go out and say it... Lucia’s pregnant.”
Jason and I immediately lock eyes, both of us momentarily stunned and speechless.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Kaden says, breaking the thick, uncomfortable silence. “You think I’m a complete idiot, and I deserve to be trapped to a life of misery with a woman I’m starting to resent each day. But none of that changes the fact I’m going to be a dad soon. Even if it doesn’t work out between Lucy and me, I’m going to try my damn hardest to be the father my baby deserves and would be proud of.”
A faint smile tugs at the corner of my lips, but I quickly shake it away before my ex-brother-in-law can mistake it as me caring. “Please don’t take this the wrong way,” I say, my voice steady yet firm, “even though you were a shit liar and a terrible husband, there’s still a part of me that actually believes what you just said.” I pause, letting the words sink in before I add, “But this is the end of the road for us. This is the last time we’ll ever speak to one another. So if there’s nothing else, I wish you all the best and goodbye, Kaden.”
His expression falters, as though I’ve just crushed the last bit of hope he had. But still he forces a sad smile. Without another word, I turn my back on him and walk away.
Once I’m safely in the comfort of my bed, I finally allow the tears to fall, quietly crying into my pillow. Kaden had been such a big part of our lives for over a decade, and it’s difficult to just switch off all the memories we shared. As much as I’ll miss him as my overprotective older brother, I can’t ignore what he did.
It’s for the best that I remove him from my life. Because if there’s one lesson I’ve learned recently, it’s that men who deliberately hurt and betray the trust of the woman they claim to love, are unworthy of, and undeserving of, any more chances.
CHAPTER 27
