Chapter 73
Caspar’s POV:
“Yes, I’m going through with the divorce tomorrow.”
Divorce? Tomorrow? I suddenly realized I had nearly forgotten about the scheduled divorce proceedings.
I inhaled sharply in surprise, causing me to choke on my own saliva. A series of undignified coughs followed as I tried to regain my
composure.
“Are you okay?” Audrey turned toward me, concern briefly overtaking the melancholy in her eyes.
“Oh, you seem surprised. I guess I never really mentioned I was married, did I?” She sighed, leaning against the balcony railing.
The moonlight caught in her hair, giving it an ethereal glow. “I wasn’t intentionally hiding it from you. It’s not exactly a real marriage
anyway. More of a… business arrangement.”
I remained silent, not trusting myself to speak as she continued her story.
Each word she spoke felt like a knife twisting in my gut. I knew the story all too well, but hearing it from her perspective was something
entirely different.
‘Four years ago, the Bailey family was facing financial ruin. Their solution was to marry me off to a wealthy businessman named Samuel
West.”
She gave a hollow laugh. “It was a contract marriage. Five years of being legally bound to a man I’ve never even met in person, in exchange for enough money to save the family business.”
Not knowing what came to mind, her voice softened.
‘I once had a very lovely child.”
The words hung in the night air between us.
I felt my breath catch, but before I could even process what she’d said, she continued, her voice taking on a hollow quality that made my
skin crawl.
“The Baileys used my baby to force me into signing that contract with Samuel West. *
Her eyes gleamed with unshed tears in the moonlight. “And then, suddenly, they told me he was gone. Dead. I never even got to see his body. They had already cremated him before I arrived.”
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Chapter 73
The pain in her voice was raw, primal.
I stood there, completely at a loss for words.
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What could I possibly say that wouldn’t sound hollow or trite in the face of such profound grief? My throat constricted with a mixture of
rage and helplessness.
I want to comfort her, but a sickening wave of guilt washed over me.
If my grandmother hadn’t chosen the Bailey family for that contract marriage, if I hadn’t agreed to the arrangement with “Samuel West”
as a front… would Audrey have been spared this nightmare?
The thought that I had played even an unwitting role in the chain of events that led to her suffering was unbearable.
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly.
Audrey looked up, surprise flashing across her features. She quickly wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.
“Don’t be,” she said, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You didn’t bring up this topic on purpose either. I just suddenly felt
like talking to someone about it. It’s ancient history now anyway.”
I watched her struggling to maintain her composure, and something tightened in my chest.
I tried to imagine what those dark days must have been like for her–grieving a child she never got to hold, trapped in a marriage to a
stranger, abandoned by the only family she knew–and I couldn’t fathom how she had survived it with her spirit intact.
“I’ve moved on,” she continued. “Really. I’m fine now.”
A tear escaped, trailing down her cheek in silent contradiction to her words.
Without thinking, I reached across the small gap between our balconies and gently brushed it away with my thumb. Her skin was soft and
warm under my touch, and she went very still.
“Audrey,” I said, my voice rough with emotion. “I promise you, I’ll never let you go through that again.”
I wasn’t sure what had come over me either, but I couldn’t stop the words that followed.
“If the Baileys ever make you feel unwelcome or try to hurt you again, the Thornton house is always open to you,”
I gestured toward the main house behind us.
“Noah and I both…” I paused, searching for the right words that wouldn’t reveal too much but would still convey what I needed her to
understand.
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Chapter 73
“We’ve both come alive since you arrived. ”
:
Something flickered in her eyes–awareness, perhaps, of the sudden intimacy between us. She took a quick step back, her hands moving to hastily wipe away any remaining tears.
I… it’s getting late,” she said, her voice slightly higher than normal.
“I should probably get some sleep. Big day tomorrow and all that.” She attempted a casual smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Goodnight, Caspar.”
“Goodnight, Audrey,” I replied, watching as she retreated into her room, closing the balcony door behind her.
I remained motionless, staring at the space where she had stood moments before.
Her words echoed in my mind, each one landing like a blow.
I gripped the balcony railing, knuckles turning white.
This sham marriage was a constant reminder to Audrey of the darkest chapter in her life. The marriage to Samuel had been a source of
pain for her.
No, I couldn’t use our paper marriage to bind her to me.
That contract had been a prison for her from the beginning. The right thing to do was to let her go through with the divorce as planned.
I wouldn’t hide behind Samuel West’s signature on a five–year–old contract. I would free her from that obligation completely, give her the
clean slate she deserved.
And then I would show her, day by day, that Caspar Thornton was a man worth choosing of her own free will.
With a deep breath, I pulled my phone from my pocket. For a moment, I stared at the screen, my finger hovering over the messaging app.
I began typing a new message:
Ms. Bailey,
I’ve reconsidered our previous communications. I will attend the scheduled divorce proceedings tomorrow as agreed.
The paperwork has been prepared according to our original agreement. I anticipate a straightforward resolution.
I will see you at the appointed time and location.
Samuel West
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Chapter 73
I clicked send after reading it twice to confirm there were no issues.
Tomorrow would be an ending, but perhaps it could also be a beginning.
Tomorrow, Audrey would be free of Samuel West.
And then, perhaps, Caspar Thornton could begin to earn her trust.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
