Chapter 2
Jason
My fist pounds heavily against Kaden’s front door, sweat soaking the back of my shirt from the scorching Australian heat as I wait for him to answer. Of course, he decides to take his sweet arse time—at least fifteen minutes before finally opening the door.
The moment I take in his disheveled appearance, a rush of worry and sympathy hits me simultaneously. It’s clear Kaden hasn’t slept or eaten much since his wife left him almost three weeks ago without a trace.
His complexion looks paler, his hair and clothes are in disarray, and the dark circles under his eyes are obvious signs of exhaustion and emotional strain. I genuinely feel sorry for the guy, even if what he did was despicable and beyond forgivable.
“About fucking time!” I bark, brushing past him without waiting for an invitation and heading straight for the living room, relishing the immediate cool blast that greets me.
As I stand beneath the air-conditioning, I slowly survey the room, taking in the clutter of mess that has overtaken every surface in the space.
Dirty dishes, empty food containers, crumpled tissues, and discarded clothes litter the floor and furniture.
A few holes mar the walls and scattered broken beer bottles lie on the hardwood floor, as though they were hurled in a fit of anger.
Kaden stands at the threshold of the living room, silent and weary, his hands buried deep into the pockets of his stained gym shorts. His eyes avoid mine, as if trying to conceal the shame and guilt written all over his face.
“What the fuck, Kaden? How the hell are you living like this?! I scold, knowing my words and tone are probably not helping.
Kaden shrugs, like he couldn’t care less that he’s living in absolute squalor.
Resignation and defeat cling to him, as if he’s already given up. I watch him stumble over to the couch and collapse onto it, his head tilted back towards the ceiling.
“Take a guess, Jase. Here’s a hint—my wife just fucking left me, and I have no idea where the hell she is.” His voice cracks at the last word, pinching the bridge of his nose in a desperate attempt to hold back the tears.
The sight of my best friend falling apart thaws some of the anger I’ve carried since I discovered his betrayal.
I remember that day as if it were etched into my memory.
It was the first time I ever wanted to beat the living shit out of my best friend.
Seeing him at the gym with his wife’s best friend, acting like a pair of horny teenagers, had my blood boiling over.
I was furious at him, so much so, that I stopped speaking to him for a while.
He knew exactly how I felt about infidelity, especially after everything that happened with me and my ex-wife. The fact that he could betray someone like Skylar, the most devoted wife and partner, left me utterly outraged. In that moment, I felt truly ashamed to call him my best friend.
I gave him the chance to end the affair and confess to his wife, warning that I would expose him if he refused.
Unfortunately for him, Skylar had already uncovered all his lies, quietly keeping up the pretence of the unsuspecting wife, until one day, she packed up her things and left.
Meanwhile, Kaden was at work, completely oblivious to what was unfolding at home.
To this day, he has neither seen nor heard from her, and it’s slowly tearing him apart.
“Look, man. I get it, I really do. But not taking care of yourself or this place isn’t going to bring her back. I’m here for you, just as you were when I was going through my divorce, but you need to meet me halfway here.”
He looks at me with hollow eyes, his voice thick with desperation. “I just want her home, man. I can’t move on unless I hear from her.”
“And what if you don’t? Are you going to keep neglecting yourself?” I ask, folding my arms across my chest.
He lifts a shoulder. “I don’t know anymore.” He huffs out a breath. “It’s hard to think beyond today, tomorrow, or even next week. I mean how could she do this to me? Disappear without a word and leaving me to drown in my own misery. I was going to tell her everything.”
“Kaden—”
“I was prepared to spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to her,” he continues.
“But she never gave me the chance. She just fucking left me!” he shouts angrily, slamming his fist against the armrest in frustration. ‘It’s not fucking fair!”
“Do you know what’s not fair?” I say, my voice tinged with frustration.
“Betraying your wife in the worst way and expecting her to still stick around. Skylar gave you ten years of her life—ten fucking years Kaden! And what did you do in return, huh? You lied and pissed all over her trust. You went behind her back, fucking around with her best friend while she waited at home for you. That’s what’s fucking unfair! ” I snap.
Kaden’s eyes widen, his jaw tightening as though I just slapped him across the face.
Maybe I am being a little harsh, but someone has to be. Because as miserable as he is right now, he deserves to feel the full weight of the pain he caused Skylar. He needs to accept that when he chose to have an affair, he stopped being worthy of her—that he no longer deserved her.
Realising I probably won’t get very far with him today, I decide to set my anger aside and at least try to offer something useful. “Why don’t you come down to the restaurant and I’ll have my chef whip you up some meals for the week?”
He shrugs again, and the gesture is beginning to grate on my nerves.
I walk over to the armchair across from him and take a seat. “Come on, man. You need to eat more than just two-minute noodles, eggs, and chips. Let me at least feed you something more nutritious. I’ll even let you choose anything you want from the menu.”
He doesn’t say anything, only leans forward with his eyes downcast and elbows resting on his knees.
Hoping to distract him, I bring up my meeting with Mila this morning. “I gave Mila the job today. She starts her first shift in three days.”
His head snaps up, suddenly more alert. “You saw Mila? How did she seem? I mean, how is she?”
“She’s doing great, and looking good too. Definitely a far cry from the skinny teen with braces way too big for her mouth that I met all those years ago.”
It’s then that Kaden does something completely unexpected—he laughs. “Yeah, she’s grown into a beautiful young woman, just like her sister.” He lets out a long sigh. “So she’s Jake’s new babysitter now?”
“She is. We just finished the interview a few hours ago, and she did really well.
I was impressed by her maturity, especially considering how young she is. She’s also flexible with the hours, which is a big advantage for me given how unpredictable my work can be.”
He nods in approval. “That’s Mila for you—hard-working and adaptable. You made a great choice hiring her.” Kaden flashes me an earnest smile, one that shows how genuinely proud he is of his sister-in-law, or is it ex sister-in-law now?
“I tried reaching out to her a couple of weeks ago to see if she knew where Sky was.
But it seems she’s ignoring me too. She hasn’t answered any of my calls or texts. None of her family or friends have either,” he says, a sad expression flickering across his face.
“I’m sorry to hear that, Kaden, but what did you expect? You hurt her sister and therefore, hurt her family too. Look, I don’t want to get involved in this. It’s between you and her family,” I respond, my tone stern and final.
He shakes his head. “No, I wasn’t asking that of you.
It’s just good to hear that she’s doing well.
She’ll always be like a little sister to me, no matter what happens between Skylar and me.
” He exhales sharply, his thumb rubbing against his palm as if the motion offers him some comfort. “Anyway, what does Elena think of her?”
Ah, yes. That right there is a whole other issue.
Jake’s mum can be incredibly overbearing when it comes to our son—and me.
In the past, she’s openly criticised every babysitter I’ve hired, making their lives so miserable that they eventually quit.
According to her, they’re always too inexperienced, too immature, too inappropriate, or too stupid. Nobody ever escapes her scrutiny.
Introducing Jake’s new babysitter to my ex-wife is going to be a real fucking treat.
Mila’s youth and natural beauty are bound to trigger Elena, who can be quite insecure and prone to jealousy—a poisonous fucking combination. But that’s a bridge I’ll cross when I get there.
“I just hired Mila, and she doesn’t officially start until Saturday. I’ll observe how Jake is with her first before introducing her to his mother,” I explain.
Kaden snorts. “Goodluck with that, brother.”
I let out a snicker. Kaden knows all too well just how much trouble my ex-wife can be. She truly is the embodiment of a hateful shrew.
I’m about to respond to his sarcasm when I hear the front door creak open, followed by the unmistakable sound of a familiar female voice calling out.
“Babe, have you started packing yet?” The woman saunters into the room like she owns the place, and my jaw drops in disbelief.
To my utter surprise, another shrew—no scrap that—a fucking snake appears before my eyes. And this one is just as poisonous. Frozen in place with the same stunned expression as mine, is Kaden’s mistress and one half of the reason my best friend’s marriage is in ruins.
“Oh, I didn’t realise you had company,” Lucia says, her frown directed at Kaden, who makes no effort to hide the guilt written on his face. When she turns to me, she forces a smile. “How’s it going, Jase?”
My gaze locks on hers, cold and unrelenting. “It’s Jason to you. Only my friends get to call me Jase.”
She rolls her eyes and shrugs, brushing off my words as if they’re beneath her.