Chapter 21
The stark contrast pierced straight through Noah’s pride, flooding him with shame,
Being humiliated like this in front of a rival was unbearable. His face flushed with embarrassment.
That humiliation only deepened under Theodore’s lofty gaze. It was the kind of look reserved for something small, insignificant, like a bug to be crushed
beneath a boot.
The moment Calista saw Theodore step out of the car, her face lit up. Like a butterfly drawn to a bloom, she rushed into his arms without hestration
Her smile, bright and radiant, was one Noah hadn’t seen in yours.
“Theodore, you’re back!” she said, her voice brimming with joy.
“Yeah. How was your day? Did you miss me?” he asked softly.
“It was fine, just a little… unexpected,” she replied, her gaze drifting toward Noah, who was still kneeling on the ground.
Then, in the sweetest voice, she said, “It’s not just today. I miss you every single day.”
“How sweet, Cali.”
Theodore kissed her gently on the forehead. Then another kiss landed on her eyes, her cheeks, the tip of her nose, and finally her lips.
The bodyguards and maids around them didn’t flinch at the display of affection. They were familiar, knowing smiles, clearly used to scenes like this.
Their display of affection pierced Noah’s chest like a blade, twisting deeper with every tender kiss. The pain came sharp and unrelenting, loving him reeling.
He could hardly breathe.
It was only then that Theodore seemed to notice him, his voice calm but sharp as he looked down from above. “And what exactly are you doing here, Mr. Skeldon?”
Noah moved his lips, but no words came for a few seconds. When he finally spoke, his voice was strained. “L. I came to see Call.”
Theodore raised an eyebrow like he had just heard a bizarre joke. “To see my wife? What for?”
Still clinging to denial, Noah stubbornly repeated, “I came to see Cali.”
Theodore caught the meaning behind his words all too clearly, Noah still couldn’t bring himself to admit that Calista was now Theodore’s wife.
It made him laugh in disbelief
He said, “Didn’t you use to despise her, Mr. Skeldon? She gave you everything–12 years of loyalty, love, and patience and all you ever did was push her
“You called her pathetic, said she was just a desperate lapdog chasing after you. If I remember correctly, it was Ms. Marrow who had your heart, wasn’t
Faced with the undeniable truth, Noah had nothing to say. All he could do was play his last, desperate card. He offered everything he had in a futile attempt to salvage what was already lost.
Noah said quietly, “I was blind before. But I see everything clearly now. Call’s the only one I’ve ever truly loved.
“I know I’ve made countless mistakes, and I know I broke her heart. But I’m willing to spend the rest of my life making it up to her.”
“Making it up to her? Theodore shook his head and looked at Noah the way an adult might look at a child throwing a tantrum. The damage you caused isn’t something you can just fix.
“12 years of heartache, Noah. She
be gave you 12 years of her life, poured every ounce of her love she had into you. How do you plan to make up for that? Do you even know what she went through for you?
“She drank to win investors for you. In those early days, she pushed herself past ber limit just to close deals for your company. Her stomach never recovered
“The doctor says the damage is irreversible, and she still suffers from chronic pain. When the flare–ups come, she curls up in bed, drenched in cold sweat, unable to move.
“And did you know what
all to herself
what it did to her when she found out you were going to marry Patricia? She was devastated and completely wrecked. And she kept in
She watched you treat Patricia with a tenderness and devotion she never got from you. You gave another woman the love she spent 12 years begging for.
“And under the weight of that heartbreak, she started to let go–plece by piece–until there was nothing left to hold onto.”
As Theodore spolu, Calista felt a sharp sting behind her eyes. Her chest tightened with that familiar, hollow ache.
but this time, it wasn’t for Noah.
It was for the version of herself who had once loved him so blindly, so completely, like a moth drawn to a flame.
