Chapter 42
Hope
The workweek flies by in a flash, and before I know it, the weekend has arrived once again. It’s been a long and draining six days since that Sunday, when Adrian dropped yet another explosive bombshell at my feet, and shattering whatever hope remained between us.
I haven’t heard from him since, and I sure as hell wasn’t about to reach out.
The silence has been both liberating and devastating.
The man I gave so much of myself to, the one I spent most of my life loyal and devoted to, the first to ever win my heart and then break it into a million pieces is gone, leaving no trace of the person I once knew.
Never did I think Adrian and I would end like this—reduced to strangers, as if the life we spent years building together meant nothing at all to him.
The shy, gentle, soft-spoken boy I fell for in high school all those years ago grew into a deeply flawed man—a serial liar, an adulterer, a selfish and immature coward capable of unforgivable cruelty.
He didn’t just ruin our lives, he fractured something deep inside me.
And whatever happens from here on out, I will never let another man into my heart unless he proves himself worthy of not just me, but Zac too.
Even if that means spending the rest of my life alone, so be it—if it spares me from ever having to go through what I did with Adrian.
The only solace through all of this has been my family—and, surprisingly, Kaden, who calls and texts every day to make sure I’m still getting out of bed and functioning in the real world.
On the days when everything feels too heavy and suffocating, he simply shows up, arms full of groceries or hot meals from Jason’s restaurant because he knows I won’t have the energy to cook or buy food.
In every small way that makes life a little easier, a little more bearable, Kaden is there—quietly offering a steady hand.
He’s the unexpected friend I never knew I needed. And I’m glad that I have at least one other person in my corner.
The sharp trill of my phone from the kitchen island has me abandoning the basket of washing at my feet as I wander towards it. Right on cue, Kaden’s name lights up the screen, and I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips.
“Hello, Mr Grant. What can I do for you?’”
“Good afternoon, Miss McKenna, how’s my best buddy going today?”
I chuckle softly. “She was just in the middle of doing laundry, though she’d much rather be doing something much more fun and interesting.”
“Like hanging out with three of the most awesome guys in Sydney?”
I frown, yet the smile on my face lingers. “What are you talking about? And who exactly are these three ‘awesome guys’ you’re referring to?”
“Why don’t you open the front door and find out.”
My brows lift in surprise, and I dash towards the front door, quickly bypassing Zac in the living room, whose head snaps up as soon as he sees me rush past.
I fling the door open and freeze, my eyes widening as I take in the two striking gentlemen, and a little boy, perhaps a couple of years younger than Zac, standing before me, all three of their grins almost identical.
“Kaden… Jason,” I blurt out, then glance down at the young boy standing between the two men. “And who’s this little one?”
“This little devil here is Jake… my son,” Jason teases, as Jake gives him a playful nudge on the hip with his elbow.
“Well, it’s very lovely to meet you, Jake. How old are you, sweetie?”
“I’m seven now,” he says, first holding up eight little fingers, then dropping one to show me seven.
“You know, Jake, I have a little boy too. His name is Zac, and he’s nine. Would you like to meet him?”
“Really? Will he let me play with him?”
“Why don’t we ask him?” I suggest, glancing between Kaden and Jason. They both nod, giving me the okay.
“We’ll wait out here for a minute. There’s something I’d like to show you,” Kaden says, and the frown on my face must look absolutely ridiculous, because both men chuckle.
I leave Kaden and Jason by the door and walk with Jake to the living room, where Zac sits on the floor, building with the brand-new magnetic blocks set my parents had given him a few days ago when they came to visit.
“Zac, honey?”
He turns his head towards me, a deep frown forming on his forehead the moment his eyes settle on Jake.
“I want you to meet someone. This is Jake,” I say, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. “He’s here with Kaden and Jason, who stopped by to visit us.”
Zac rises to his feet and walks up to Jake. Their heights are nearly the same, even though they’re two years apart. “Hi,” Zac says, “do you like to build things?”
Jake nods eagerly. “Yeah, I do! I’m really good with Legos?”
“Oh cool. I have them, but I’m playing with my new magnetic blocks that Nan and Pop got me. Do you want play with them too?”
“Okay,” Jake beams with excitement, and the two boys drift off, completely forgetting that I’m still standing here. They gather around Zac’s structure, adding blocks while he explains his plan for the build.
“I’ll just be outside for a moment, okay boys?”
Without looking back, they both nod in unison and continue with their task.
When I return to join Kaden and Jason at the front, I find them in the exact spot I left them—laughing, joking, and trying to kick each other on the shins like a pair of children.
Jason is the first to notice me standing in the doorway, arms crossed, an amused smirk playing at my lips. He slaps Kaden on the chest and gestures towards me, and Kaden whips his head my way, straightening as if I hadn’t just caught him clowning around.
I love when I catch glimpses of the real Kaden, mostly when he’s with his friends—the carefree, jovial, slightly mischievous side of him that I don’t always get to see.
He’s usually a bit more conscientious, prudent, and courteous around me, but he can be delightfully playful when the mood strikes, especially with Zac.
And if I’m honest, there isn’t a side of him I don’t love watching.
He runs a hand through his freshly cut hair, the colour nearly golden in the warm sunlight.
For some reason, he looks even more handsome today, despite the faint nervousness in his expression as he glances towards his truck and then back at me, as though bracing himself for what he’s about to show me.
“I got you a gift. And before you try to talk your way out of it, this is something I’ve wanted to give you since we finished the renovations. Think of it as a housewarming gift, even if you haven’t exactly just moved in.”
I open my mouth to speak, but he raises a finger to hush me, and I lift a curious brow in response.
“You can’t say anything until you’ve seen it first. Now, turn around and cover your eyes. No peeking,” he orders.
I narrow my eyes at him but do as he asks, slowly turning around and pressing my hands over my eyes, plunging my vision into instant darkness.
In the next few minutes, the air fills with grunts and groans, the scrape of something heavy grinding against the metal bed of Kaden’s truck.
A few curses escape Jason’s lips as he bangs against…
something—I’m not sure what—but it’s clear they’re struggling to move a cumbersome object from the back of the truck.
A soft thud behind me, followed by Kaden’s gentle voice telling me it’s safe to look, prompts me to slowly peel my hands from my face and turn around, heart fluttering with anticipation.
The moment my eyes settle on the vintage chest of drawers before me—one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen—my breath catches, and my jaw nearly drops to the floor.
The classic French Provincial chest of drawers has been repainted a soft mustard yellow, its top and legs stripped bare to reveal the natural oak beneath.
The six horizontal drawers are adorned with oil-rubbed bronzed handles that add character and a deeper warmth.
It’s elegant, charming, and so me. The sight of it leaves me utterly breathless.
“Oh my God… is that—?” The words lodge in my throat, trapped by disbelief.
Both Kaden and Jason chuckle, clearly entertained by the shocked look on my face.
“Do you like it?” Kaden asks, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.
“Like it? Kaden, oh my God! I fucking love it. Is this really mine?”
“Sure is. I saw it at a garage sale and knew I had to get it for you. I spent all week refurbishing it—well, with the help of this big guy, of course,” he says, gesturing to Jason.
“Ah, don’t downplay it, mate, that was all you. All I did was just hand over the tools,” Jason teases, slapping a hand on Kaden’s shoulder.
He chuckles, almost shyly, and it only makes me want to squeeze the life out of him.
“That’s not all,” Kaden continues.
“Wait—there’s more?!” I exclaim.
He nods. “It comes with matching bedside tables. They’re still in the back of the truck, but I thought it best to get this inside first.”
“Kaden, this is way too much!”
“Nothing’s ever too much when it comes to you.”
My face warms, and I hear Jason chuckle and mutter, “Real smooth,” under his breath, earning a sharp elbow to the ribs from Kaden.
“Woah, that looks cool.”
All three of us glance at Zac, whom I hadn’t realised was standing behind me, Jake at
his side.
“What do you think, bud?” Kaden addresses my son as he leans casually against my new chest of drawers. “Will this look good in your mum’s room?”
“It will make it a hundred times better,” Zac declares, and the two gentlemen in front of me chuckle, while I shake my head, still in disbelief.
We get to work moving my new bedroom set into the room. I quickly empty all the drawers from the old suite before Kaden and Jason load it into the back of the truck, making room for the new set.