Chapter Ten
A week passed in careful coexistence.
Breakfast in the kitchen each morning, separate activities during the day, and dinner together in the evenings, conversation flowing more easily as days passed, though certain topics remained untouched.
Not once did Colin press for resolution or clarity about their future. Not once did he attempt to rush her carefully measured pace. Instead, he demonstrated patience and gentleness, and his willingness to wait had her praying even harder every night.
Please, God. Please.
It was Wednesday afternoon when Hope found herself unexpectedly alone in the main house.
Colin had back-to-back meetings downtown and security was on roving patrol of the property perimeter while the household staff was out in the garden for specialized training.
Their billionaire boss had developed something that could elevate home gardening to a whole new level, and who better to include in its trial run than his own staff?
With no one else around, Hope found herself cherishing this unique time of solitude, and she decided to curl up on one of the comfy armchairs scattered around the front porch.
She was about to start reading when the sound of tires on gravel interrupted the silence, and Hope glanced up just in time to see a convertible pull into the circular drive.
Princess.
Hope's stomach tied itself in knots as she watched the other woman step out. Gorgeous like always, Hope thought absently. She really couldn't blame Colin for falling hard for the other woman. Most men would.
Princess' hardened expression as Hope stepped out to meet her halfway had her hesitating. The other woman was usually careful in keeping her real feelings behind a mask of helpless femininity. So why was she different now?
"Hello, Hope. Colin told me he had meetings throughout the day—"
Impossible.
"And that had me thinking...today might just be the best time to speak to you alone."
Princess' words also had Hope thinking, and that was how she needed to pray for protection from any kind of attack. Because the other woman meant to make trouble, that much was clear.
Hope reluctantly invited Princess to join her on the porch. She settled back into her armchair while the other woman took the couch and crossed her legs.
"Can I offer you a drink?"
"It's fine. I don't mean to take up much of your time." Princess looked around. "You've made yourself quite at home."
"It is my home."
"Temporarily."
Hope's eyes widened.
"Someone saw you speaking with Charlotte Takahashi. That tells me everything I have to know, and it's why I've come here."
"I'm afraid I don't understand—"
"I'm offering you a graceful exit. I'm not sure what lies you've fed—"
Hope shook her head. "I've never—"
The other woman cut her off with a scornful look.
"And you expect me to believe you just because you said so?
" Princess' words took on an irritable tone.
"You're a woman, Hope. Underneath your goody-two-shoes image is a woman, and we all operate the same way.
We'll do whatever it takes to keep our man. "
Princess couldn't be any more wrong, Hope thought. But she also realized that the other woman might not yet be ready to accept the truth.
"You may have him fooled right now, but it's not going to last. Colin is mine.
He's always been mine. Even when I was married to someone else.
Even when twenty-five years had already passed since he last had a taste of my body.
" Princess' expression turned vengeful. "He's always been mine, and can we just be real for a second here?
Do you really think someone as boring as you has a chance against someone like me? "
Hope kept waiting for her to feel hurt, but her heart remained free from pain.
Because of God.
And another thing that He had changed?
The ability to view Princess without the green lens of jealousy and instead see her for who she really was: a woman who had also been let down by the people she cared for, which in turn made her mistake money as the only reliable thing in the world.
Hope cleared her throat. "I know you care for Colin—"
"Stop it."
The sudden sharpness of Princess' tone startled her, and the way Princess also jerked to her feet was equally startling.
Hope stood up and looked at Princess uncertainly. Why did the other woman look so furious all of a sudden?
"Do you think I don't know what you're doing?" Princess spat. "You think you're so much better than me, don't you? So much nicer and kinder?"
"I never—"
"Colin will always be mine," Princess said in a hard voice. "I'm his first love. And you're nothing but a replacement."
Hope couldn't speak, her attention stolen by the red-tailed hawk circling the sky.
It was a sign.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" the other woman was screeching. "Are you trying to piss me off by acting like I'm not even here?"
Her tears started to fall, and Hope's eyes closed just as Princess charged toward her.
Thank You, God.
"You bitch—"
The words startled her into opening her eyes again, and all she could see was Princess with her hand already raised.
But the slap never landed, with a strong grip intercepting Princess' wrist mid-swing.
Colin.
"That's enough, Princess."
The muddy tracks on the porch made Hope realize he had come her from the garden, but neither Princess nor her had heard his footsteps.
The other woman whirled around, her expression one of hurt. "Colin, it's not what you think! Your wife—"
"I heard everything," he said curtly. "I was here the whole time."
Princess shook her head wildly. "Can't you see she's manipulating you—"
"The only person attempting to use anyone is you." Colin's voice remained steady, though tension radiated from his tall frame. "It's over, Princess. Whatever history we shared, whatever connection you imagine between us—it's finished."
"Because of her?" Princess spat, glaring at Hope with undisguised hatred. "A woman you bought—"
"It doesn't matter how two people meet, Princess. And I think it's time for both of us need to accept that. Hope is it for me. And that will never change."
Colin turned towards Hope.
And it was this that seemed to destroy Princess. It was as if she had suddenly lost her mind, and she turned toward Hope, her face a picture of rage and insanity.
"This is all your fault!"
It was not Colin who held her back. This time, Colin's security came out of nowhere, flanking Princess on each side as they carried her off the porch.
"Hope?" Colin's gorgeous face suddenly filled her vision as he stood in front of her, his features dark with concern. "Are you alright? I'm sorry you had to—"
Whatever he intended to say disappeared as Hope launched herself into his arms, nearly toppling him backward with the unexpected motion. His arms closed around her automatically, steadying them both.
"I love you," she declared, the words bursting from her like water through a broken dam. "I love you, Colin Soukoulis."
Colin froze, clearly struggling to process the sudden shift after so many days of distance, and she cupped his face with shaking hands.
"It's not a dream."
Because she could see that was what he was thinking.
"This is real."
Because this time, they had His blessing.
"I love you—"
His arms finally wrapped around her, the strength of his embrace nearly crushing her.
"I love you, Hope." His voice was raw. "I love you." And his own hands were shaking as he cupped her face. "I love you. Thank you for taking me back."