Chapter 14
Gray came home the next morning, exhausted, but his body still thrummed with tension. He didn't know what to expect—whether Cadi would be there, whether she would have already left.
As soon as he stepped inside, he heard the familiar clinking of dishes, the faint scent of tea in the air.
His gut twisted.
He should have been relieved that she was still here, but all he felt was dread. With the way he had behaved in front of Tomos, he was ashamed. But Gray just couldn't look at him anymore. Not with what he knew.
He walked toward the kitchen and stopped at the doorway.
Cadi stood by the kitchen island, her auburn hair catching in the golden morning light streaming through the windows. It glowed like fire, shifting with her movements as she wiped her hands on a towel. She looked soft, almost fragile, as if she had barely slept.
She was pouring herself a cup of tea, her shoulders slightly hunched, her movements hesitant. And then, as if sensing him, she lifted her head.
The moment their eyes met, Gray went stiff. His body locked up, tension knotting in his muscles like a vice. His face hardened instinctively, like a shield snapping into place.
Cadi, however, looked vulnerable.
Her eyes, still slightly red-rimmed from crying, searched his face as if looking for something—anything—that might explain what was happening between them. But whatever she saw in his expression must have disappointed her, because her mouth parted slightly before pressing shut again.
She looked away first.
The moment broke, and Gray turned sharply, heading for the stairs.
"Gray," she called softly.
He ignored her.
She moved quickly, stepping forward and catching his arm. "Wait—"
His body reacted before his mind caught up. He jerked his arm free—too fast, too hard.
Cadi stumbled, her hip colliding with the edge of the kitchen island with a sharp thud. She let out a gasp of pain.
Gray's stomach dropped.
He turned instantly, hands reaching for her, but she straightened before he could touch her.
They both froze.
Cadi clutched the counter for support, shock flashing across her face. Gray stared at her, his breath caught in his throat. He had never—never—hurt her.
"I—" His voice was hoarse, guilt tightening in his chest.
"It's fine," she cut in, but her voice was tight, angry.
A beat of silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating. Then Cadi looked him straight in the eye, her chin lifting.
"Are you having an affair?"
Gray let out a sharp, humourless laugh, but there was nothing amused about it. His eyes darkened with something venomous.
"That's rich," he said coldly.
Cadi blinked, taken aback. "What?"
Gray scoffed, shaking his head. "If I was having an affair, you pushed me to it."
Her stomach twisted violently.
"Gray," she said, stepping closer, her voice dropping. "You don't mean that. Tell me what's going on. Why are you doing this? Why are you hurting me?"
Gray's hands curled into fists. His jaw clenched so tight she thought it might break.
"You want to have it out?" His voice was low, furious. "Fine. I want a divorce."
Cadi recoiled as if he had struck her.
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her head spun, the world tilting around her.
"I want to know why," she finally whispered, her voice barely audible. "Tell me why."
Gray exhaled sharply and ran a hand over his face. Then, in a tone so bitter it cut her like a knife, he said, "I got bored."
Cadi flinched as if slapped.
Gray let out a hollow laugh and added, "And then there's Callum. Your beloved Callum." His voice dripped with venom. "You were very clever about it. And you have no shame."
Her breath caught.
"He's always in our house. Why not?" Gray gave a sharp, humourless chuckle. "Tomos adores him. I bet you had your story ready from the start. But I figured it out."
"Figured what out?" Cadi whispered.
Gray's expression twisted. "You made a fool of me, Cadi."
Her pulse thundered in her ears. "Gray, I don't—"
"You think you are so special. You are not. There are other fish in the sea," he cut in, his tone suddenly icy. "Smarter. Prettier. And with more integrity."
Cadi stared at him, her stomach churning violently.
"Gray," she said, voice breaking, "Have you—" she swallowed. "Have you slept with her?"
Gray didn't answer.
He just looked at her.
Cadi felt her breath hitch, her heart pounding in her ears. His silence stretched, heavier than any confession. His gaze was unreadable, his jaw set tight, his fists clenched at his sides.
Then she saw it.
Cadi felt her pulse in her throat, the room spinning around her.
Her chest tightened, and she took a step back, shaking her head. "You did... no, no... oh, no..."
Her knees buckled, and she sank onto the sofa like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
The air felt too thick, too heavy. Her ears rang. She couldn't breathe.
"Why?" The word came out as a whisper, then a desperate plea. "Why, Gray?"
Gray looked away. His jaw was tight, his chest rising and falling too fast.
Cadi gripped the edge of the sofa. "Why are you doing this? Why are you hurting us?"
Something in Gray snapped. His head jerked up, eyes burning with fury.
"Ya want tae know why?" His voice was almost a growl, his accent thickening with the anger bubbling beneath his skin. "Ya thought I wouldn't find out?"
She stilled.
"Find out what?" she whispered, her mind too overwrought to connect the dots.
Gray let out a bitter laugh, his hands shaking. "You and Callum."
Cadi felt like the ground had disappeared from under her. "What?"
Gray's laugh was hollow. "I know, Cadi." His voice was low and filled with something raw, something broken. "I know what ya did while I was in Brisbane."
Cadi's breath hitched. "I don't—"
"Ya stayed over at his place," Gray continued, his voice gaining momentum, his words becoming harsher, more clipped. "Ya were always with him.And ya thought—" He let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Ya thought you could confess something like that and it would remain a secret. But she has a conscience. Something ya don't have. Ye make me sick."
Cadi's world tilted. "I—what?"
"And then Tomos." His voice dropped, almost guttural. "Ya think I never noticed? That I never questioned it?" His fists clenched at his sides. "Tomos has blond hair and blue eyes. Just like Callum."
Cadi felt her pulse in her throat, the room spinning around her."You think he's not yours." Her voice was no more than a whisper.
Gray's expression was cold, unreadable.
That silence broke her more than anything else.
Tears spilled over her cheeks. Her voice cracked as she whispered, "I can't believe you."
Gray's jaw tightened. "Believe what ya want."
Cadi let out a shaky breath. "You don't even see how much you've already destroyed, do you?"
Gray turned then, his eyes dark and unreadable. "Ya destroyed us first."
He turned to leave.
Cadi's chest heaved, her breath coming in short, uneven bursts. She felt like she was drowning.
Gray's hand reached for the doorknob.
Her lips trembled, and before she could stop herself, she whispered—
"Wait."