The End Of a Marriage
Chapter 62
Chapter 43
Colette watched from the corner of her eye as Zoe quietly disappeared into her room, her footsteps barely audible on the floor. For once, Zoe’s usual
brashness was gone, replaced by a kind of quiet sensitivity Colette hadn’t seen before. Maybe this counted as her way of giving them space—a rare show of
tact from someone who usually bulldozed her way through situations.
Matt’s hand gently brushed against her arm, pulling her attention back to him. The room felt smaller now, quieter, as if it was just the two of them standing on the precipice of something fragile. His eyes searched hers, filled with an earnestness she hadn’t seen in a long time. Slowly, without saying a word, Matt
leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss was soft, hesitant, like a question. His lips moved gently against hers, as if asking for forgiveness, for understanding, for hope. It wasn’t the heated, passionate kiss she had known from him before. This one was different. It was tender, filled with years of love, regret, and the weight of all the unspoken words that had hung between them. He kissed her like she was precious, like he was afraid she might slip through his fingers if he wasn’t careful.
Her breath caught ih her throat, and for a moment, she closed her eyes, sinking into the softness of it. The sweetness. She could feel the warmth of his hand cradling her face, his thumb lightly stroking her cheek. When they pulled apart, her lips tingled, and she found herself missing the connection already.
“I’ve been a swine,” Matt whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “A jerk, an idiot… God, Colette, I don’t even have the words to describe how stupid I’ve been. I let someone like Iris come between us, and for that, I’ll never forgive myself. But I need you to believe me when I say this- He pulled back slightly. his eyes locking with hers. “I have never, not once, cheated on you. I’ve never seen Iris as anything more than my secretary. Not in any way that mattered.”
Colette wanted to believe him. But the pain of the past few weeks, the doubts, the distance–it was hard to push them aside so quickly. “You let her get between us, Matt,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “You let her make me feel like I wasn’t enough.”
“I know,” he said, his voice breaking. “I know I did, and it kills me. Every time I think about it, I feel like I’m going to lose my mind. But I swear to you, Colette, once I found out that you were pregnant… I wasn’t just happy because I thought it was going to bring you back to me. But also because of the realization that I am going to be a father–because we were going to have a baby. You and me. That’s all I could think about–that you and I would have this deeper connection, something that no one could take away from us.”
Colette’s breath hitched, and her hand instinctively went to her stomach. Matt’s eyes followed the movement, and he let out a shaky breath, his hands gently covering hers.
“I’m happy about this baby, Colette,” Matt confessed, his voice softer now. “More than happy. I can’t even explain it… as soon as I heard, as soon as I thought about being a dad, I knew. That I am going to love him or her–God, I love him already–because he is going to be ours. Mine and yours.”
Colette’s heart clenched at the sincerity in his words. She could hear the raw emotion in his voice, the vulnerability he rarely showed.
“I know I’ve been distant, working too hard.” Matt continued, his voice growing quieter, almost ashamed. “When my dad died, and my mom left… I had to grow up so fast. I wasn’t ready, but I had to be. I had to take care of my siblings, figure everything out, and that pressure… it left scars. Deep ones. I’ve always been afraid of having a child because I never felt like I could do it again. I wasn’t ready to be responsible for another life. But this time-” His hand tightened around hers. “This time, it’s different. I’m not that scared kid anymore. We don’t have to worry about money. We don’t have to worry about anything. I’m going to make sure we have everything we need. And we’re going to do this together, Colette. Together.”
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The End Of a Marriage
Chapter 63
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.
