Chapter 7
Pulling up in front of Duvall Capital Group, I turned off the engine and stepped out, leaning against the car. I squinted up at the gleaming glass building, a smile tugging at my lips. Sloane worked hard for this. She deserves everything she has now.
I sighed and straightened, arms crossed as I watched employees stream out of the lobby. Maybe in the end, the real mistake wasn't leaving—it was hurting her without ever explaining why.
A lump rose in my throat as Sloane appeared at the entrance. She walked toward me with that same unreadable expression—neither smiling nor frowning, just watching. My chest tightened. If I could change one thing, Sol... I'd never have left you.
"You should've come inside instead of waiting out here," she said with a shrug.
I blinked, swallowing hard as my eyes blurred with unshed tears. Forcing a scoff, I cleared my throat. "Well... I didn't want to cause a scene inside your building, you know."
Her brow arched, lips twitching into a faint chuckle. "What? Still think you're in your prime?" She shook her head and rolled her eyes.
I couldn't help smiling as I studied her.
A black fitted pencil skirt with a slit, an emerald green blouse tucked neatly in—sleeves pushed up just so.
Still flawless. Still Sloane. Why did I ever let her go?
Because I thought keeping her away from me would save her.
Because I thought she deserved freedom, not ruin.
Yet here I was, standing with her again.
"Ro, you've been staring too much. Are we going to have a staring contest out here?"
Her voice snapped me out of it. I pressed the bridge of my nose, inhaling deeply. Maybe—just maybe—I could finally explain. Maybe she'd understand. But before I could stop myself, I reached for her wrist, pulling her closer, wrapping her in my arms.
"Aurora!" she hissed, struggling against me. "What the hell—let me go."
But I held on. Tighter.
She resisted, but after a moment, her fight softened. A gentle pat landed on my back. "Are you... sick?" she asked, her voice muffled against my shoulder.
I shook my head, burying my face into her. "Just... let me be. Even for a while."
She didn't reply. She simply let me hold her, her hand continuing its soft, steady rhythm against my back. I stayed there, clinging to her scent, to her warmth, until finally I loosened my grip. My arms dropped to my sides, but I couldn't quite lift my head away from her shoulder.
When I finally straightened, I exhaled heavily, meeting her gaze. Just one chance. One chance to make this marriage work. To prove that what I felt twelve years ago was never a game.
"Right," I said with a faint smile. "Let's have lunch."
I reached for her hand, guiding her to the passenger side and opening the door. She said nothing, simply slipped in. I closed it gently before moving around to the driver's side.
Inside, she fastened her seatbelt, her tone clipped. "I hope you've remembered all the wedding preparations I gave you. I don't want to reschedule anything with the coordinator."
"Don't worry," I said, starting the engine. "I've already blocked my schedule for everything."
"Good. Because I won't tolerate rescheduling." Her gaze stayed fixed on the road ahead.
I smiled, maneuvering out of the lot. "Swear it—I've got it covered."
"You'd better," she muttered, adjusting in her seat, eyes on the passing streets.
I smiled as I pressed the button, the roof slowly retracting. Glancing at Sloane, I caught the way she straightened, one brow arched at me.
"Didn't you always love it?" I asked. "Riding in convertibles with the top down—breathing the air, watching the scenery roll by?"
She scoffed, gaze fixed ahead. "For someone who toyed with me for four years, you sure remember the little details." Her tongue clicked against her teeth.
I leaned back, elbow propped on the door, one hand steady on the wheel. "You could see it that way," I murmured with a shrug, eyes returning to the road. "Maybe I just never forgot."
Sloane didn't reply. But when I glanced again, she was smiling faintly, arms stretched toward the sky, her hair dancing with the wind. My chest ached at the sight. Still so damn cute. Still so innocent-looking. Why did I ever let her go?
The drive to the restaurant didn't take long. I pulled up at the entrance, stepped out, and circled to the passenger side. Opening the door, I extended my hand. She studied it for a moment before slipping her fingers into mine, letting me help her out.
The valet approached with a polite smile. I greeted him, passing over the keys in exchange for a claim tag. He bowed before stepping aside, leaving us to head inside.
A soft scoff from Sloane broke the silence. She clicked her tongue, glancing at our still-intertwined hands.
"What's this, Ro?" she asked with a laugh that carried no warmth. "Trying to rub all those memories in my face—memories that should've stayed buried?" She shook her head, almost amused.
I glanced at her as we were ushered to our seats. "What's wrong with this? We're just having lunch," I said with a shrug, releasing her hand as the staff pulled out a chair for her. Sloane sat gracefully, and I took the seat across from her.
"Having lunch," she countered, raising a finger, "in the same restaurant we used to dine at before."
"And still," I replied, settling back in my chair, "it's just lunch. I don't see anything wrong with that."
The waiter approached, offering us menus with a polite greeting before stepping aside. As we flipped through the pages, Sloane leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "You're crazy," she hissed under her breath.
"And you," I murmured, flipping the menu open, "are giving meaning to everything I do."
Her gaze sharpened, but I pressed on. "Why not start over, Sol? We're getting married anyway, tied to each other no matter what. What harm could it do?"
"You're not just crazy—you're delusional." She clicked her tongue, snapping her menu shut and sliding it aside. "I'll just get the same order as yours."
I raised a brow, tilting my head. "Or would you rather have your usual?"
She groaned, rolling her eyes. "Shut up, will you?"
Her flustered reaction tugged a laugh from me, soft and amused. When the waiter returned, I placed our order—choosing her favorite dish without hesitation. The moment the waiter left, a sharp kick landed against my shin.
I winced, looking at her glare. "Really, Sol?"
"You have the nerve, Aurora?" she snapped.
I only winked in response—earning myself another swift kick. I hissed through my teeth, rubbing my shin under the table. "You're really hotheaded, you know?" I teased. "Are you having your period today?"
"That's it." Sloane shifted, about to rise, but I quickly caught her hand.
"I'm kidding, okay?" I whispered urgently. I mimed zipping my mouth shut. "I'll behave. Promise. Just... don't leave. Have lunch with me." I raised my free hand as though swearing an oath.
She rolled her eyes but sank back into her chair, arms crossing over her chest.
I exhaled softly, a smile ghosting my lips as I looked out the window. "You know... I won't deny it. I'm glad to be dining with you again. So—thank you, Sol. For agreeing to this."
Her reply came cool and sharp. "Don't get it twisted, Aurora. This is just for publicity. People need to believe we're in love. That's the only reason for this."
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Standing outside the restaurant, I lazily unbuttoned my sleeves, rolling them up to my elbows. Two buttons on my chest came undone as I fanned myself with my hand while we waited for the valet. My movements stilled when Sloane suddenly gripped my wrist, her other hand catching my elbow.
"What happened to you?" she asked, her eyes locked on my arm.
I blinked, following her gaze. A bluish-violet bruise bloomed across my skin. I scoffed. "This? Hit the corner of my desk, that's all," I said lightly, tugging my arm back. My gaze shifted to the valet pulling up in my car.
Walking over, I slipped the valet some cash in exchange for the keys. With a polite nod, I opened the passenger door for Sloane. She slid in without a word, and I shut it before circling to the driver's side.
"So," I asked as I buckled my seatbelt, "did you enjoy the meal?"
She hummed, but nothing more. I stole a glance at her, then reached for the overhead console, pressing the button to retract the roof.
She turned her face away, resting her head on her arm against the door.
The wind caught her hair, tossing it gently.
I smiled to myself and focused back on the road.
"Why would you want to have a house together, anyway?" Sloane's voice broke the silence.
I glanced at her, then back at the road. "Well... since we're tying the knot, I figured starting from scratch made sense. A new house, a new foundation. Maybe we won't build memories in it... but who knows?" A small smile tugged at my lips. "I wanted to give you something in return."
She laughed softly, though it carried a bitter edge. "What's this—bribery?"
"Maybe." I chuckled, downshifting as we slowed near the next turn. "But I mean it, Sol. I want you to design it. Make it a home. If you don't like the interior or the floor plan, change it. Hell, if you don't like the house, I'll let you pick another. You know that's my company's expertise."
Her eyes dropped to her hands. I glanced at her, catching the small sigh and the sharp click of her tongue.
"You know what, Aurora?" she began, her tone flat.
"It wouldn't be this awkward if we didn't have a past." A low laugh followed, more pained than amused.
"If we were strangers, this marriage could've been just a strategy.
But no—we're exes forced back together, and now marriage is the price of saving your empire. "
Her words lodged in my chest. I bit my lip as the gated driveway loomed ahead. I honked, nodding to the guard as the gates slid open.
"Would it really hurt," I asked quietly, "if we started over? Like strangers again?"
"No." Her answer was sharp, immediate. She still didn't look at me. "I've had enough pain from the past. I won't put myself through it again, Ro."
The car rolled to a stop. She slipped out without waiting for me. I exhaled, unbuckling and following her. Her gaze was fixed on the bungalow-mansion before us, its fa?ade gleaming by the private harbor. The waves echoed faintly as the wind tugged at the trees.
"You want to see the interior?" I asked gently.
She glanced up at me, then gave a small nod. Relief washed over me, and I smiled faintly as I led her to the grand patio. Scanning the keycard, the doors unlocked with a soft click.
"It's fully furnished—rare Italian marble, exotic woods, brass inlays. All the furniture's limited edition. But if you want to change anything, the place is yours to reimagine."
We stepped inside. The double-height glass walls bathed the space in natural light. Sloane wandered slowly, her fingertips grazing the furniture as though testing its reality. I gave her space, watching quietly as she absorbed the details.
"How many rooms?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.
"Eight," I replied, moving closer. "Want to see the master bedroom?"
She turned to face me and nodded. I returned the gesture subtly, motioning toward the left.
"This way," I said, guiding her through the accent partition. I slid the glass door open, separating the suites from the rest of the house. "Come."
We reached the master bedroom. I scanned the keycard; the lock clicked open. Sloane froze beside me as the door swung wide.
"Soft gold and ivory..." she murmured.
A faint smile touched my lips. "Didn't you once say you wanted a master bedroom in those colors?"
Her expression remained unreadable, but her silence pressed against me. My throat tightened. "This house... it's actually inspired by your dream home. I, uh... I designed it myself. It's a limited-edition plan, exclusive. So..." I swallowed hard, eyes flicking to her. "How do you like it here?"
She exhaled sharply, rubbing her forehead before letting out a scoff. "Aurora, even after twelve years, you're still great at pretending." She shook her head, her laugh dry. "Did you really lose brain cells to build a luxury house based on whatever nonsense I rambled back then?"
"Maybe I did," I admitted with a shrug, forcing a lightness I didn't feel. My gaze wandered over the room. "But it's not that bad, right? And the outdoor spaces—there's an infinity pool, a cabana, terraces, gardens. Even a rooftop deck for stargazing... or just to breathe."
Her brow arched sharply. "Don't tell me you had this design drafted before we broke up."
I bit my lower lip, hesitating before nodding slowly.
Her scoff was louder this time. Arms crossed, she clicked her tongue, then clapped her hands in slow mock applause. "Wow. You're really unbelievable."
"Sol, if you don't like it—"
"Fine." She cut me off, voice flat. "You may seem a little creepy for designing this before we even broke up and showing it to me now, brand new, but... I like the ambiance. So it's fine." Her eyes narrowed. "But I get to decide how the interior will be."
Relief surged through me, and a smile tugged at my lips. "Do you want to see the other rooms?"
"Can I explore on my own?"
"Of course." I handed her the keycard. "Take your time. I'll wait outside."
I excused myself, walking back toward the car. Leaning against it, I clutched my chest, a grin spreading across my face like a madwoman.
"She liked it," I whispered to myself, burying my face in my palm. "She actually liked it."