10:23 Thu, May 30
Chapter 65
Kayden.
The taste of Cassieâs beef medallions triggers a flood of memories in my mind. I am caught off guard by the sudden surge of emotions that overwhelms me.
This woman, if she wasnât so good at designing, could make a career being a chef. Throughout my travels around the globe, I have dined in countless/restaurants, yet I am still drawn to the familiar taste of her cooking after all these years.
I can still recall the days when we were married, and she would cook dinner for us every night. I always anticipated what delicious meal she would whip up in the kitchen. Without even realizing it, I began to compare every meal I ate outside of our home to her homemade dishes. Her cooking was truly unmatched.
And not only that, I prefer to eat quietly. That is why before I got married, I always ate alone. But when we were married, she would cat beside me. I never complimented her, nor did I strike long conversations with her. But I enjoyed eating her dishes, and I found comfort in sitting beside her at dinners.
And when she left, not only did I find the dishes I ate bland, but really felt empty eating alone in the mansionâs huge dining. hall.
Now⦠what the hell was I thinking!? I wish I complimented her before, the way I am doing now.
I reached out for her hand and kissed her fingers.
âI asked you for these wonderful days because I wanted a chance to show you what I should have done back when we were married. There were plenty of things I wished I did, but I was too much of an a*s to have done so. And this was one of them.â
âWhen we were married, I hoped you liked my cooking. I hoped that it would bring me closer to your heart. I was a fool to believe that the way to a manâs heart is through his stomach.â She giggles humorlessly.
âWell, you werenât a fool. It actually worked. Actually, even if you didnât do it, it wouldnât matter. Because I fell in love with you the very first night we were together. I was just pissed at the way your father blackmailed me into marriage, and I thought you were in on it. And every day, I was fighting my feelings for you. That⦠made me meaner. I thought⦠if I hurt you enough, you wouldnât have to put up with me anymore. I will be able to drive you away earlier. I was an as*hole, I know.â
She nods. âYeah. You really were. I hope you werenât like that to Megan.â
I shook my head. âI was nicer to Megan than I should. I tolerated her because I thought I was fulfilling a promise to her.â
âSo, whatâs really going on with you and Megan?â she asks. âI remember that our divorce was not final yet when you came out with your relationship with Megan.â She looks away from me, obviously to mask the emotions on her face. âBack then, I thought you just wanted to keep your bachelor reputation, thatâs why you didnât want people to know that youâre already married. But then, as soon as Megan arrives in the country, you announced dating her. So, I guess it was just me.â
I raise a brow at her. âWhat do you mean?â
She gives me a bitter smile. âYou werenât opposed to dating. You just didnât want to be associated with me. Because you didnât have a problem linking your name to Megan.â
I feel a pang inside my chest. I feel guilt gnawing me once again I reach out for her hand again. I want to comfort her, assure her that it wasnât her. But I just donât know where to start. brush my lips to her fingers.
âNo, love,â I whisper in all honesty. âIt wasnât you. Back then, we had a bit of a crisis. My PR team thought it would be a good idea to divert media attention to something else.â
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10:23 Thu, May 30
Chapter 65
Her eyes widen in surprise. âAnd telling the world that youâre engaged to Megan was the only diversion you could think of?â
I am embarrassed to admit this, but she has a point. We could have been more creative. I give her a rueful smile. âI have stopped listening to my uncleâs PR Team for years. I am sorry if it sounded so disrespectfulâ¦â
âOh no!â she cuts me off, pulling her hand from my grip at the same time. âAnnouncing to the world that youâre dating another woman, while you havenât finalized your divorce with your secret wife does not sound disrespectful at all!â
I inch closer to her. Putting an arm around her waist. âIâm sorry, I whisper. âI know Iâve been a total d*ck! Believe me, I regret every single thing I did to you during our marriage. And to answer your question about Megan and I⦠after you left, I immersed myself completely in my work. As you know, Steele Corp., has more than tripled its revenue in the last four years. I was married to my work. Megan had the privilege of calling herself my girlfriend. She enjoyed the perks that came with it.â
âPerks?â
I nod. âLimitless credit cards, luxury company cars, brand edorsements. She lived like an elite socialite. Now, has she ever cooked for me? Do we see each other every day, or do we have quiet dinners together like we used to when we were married?â I shake my head. âNo. Almost never. Surprisingly, Megan does not mind not seeing me every day. If Iâm too busy, all I need to do is send her on a shopping spree. And sheâll be just fine.â
She frowns. âSo, I was so needy compared to her.â
I reach forward and squeeze her nose. âI like needy,â I whisper. âYou made me feel like I have a purpose other than run Steele Corp. I have been born to do that. All my life, I thought that was my only purpose in life. And then you came⦠you needed my attention. You needed me to be your husband. I realized too late that I liked that.â
âSó, contrary to public opinion, you and Megan really arenât a couple in love?â
âHow can it be? I was in love with someone else.â I give her a rueful look. âI still am in love with someone else. I was with Megan because I made a promise to take care of her for the rest of my life. I was obsessed with keeping that promise. And it turned out⦠I made that promise to the wrong person.
âWrong person?â she asks, blinking back at me.
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