Chapter 15
Clara
Months later the divorce was officially reversed.
I glanced at the paper on my lawyer's desk for a long period.
Tight-lipped.
One-word answer.
One option.
A marriage that had almost broken before we learned how to truly live in it.
My lawyer smiled. “Are you certain?”
I looked at the signature below the page.
Clara Whitmore Vale,
My name is.
But his wife.
But not the same wife who ran away months ago.
“I said yes.” “I’m sure.”
And for once I wasn’t picking Alexander because I was scared of losing him.
It wasn't Noah that I was picking him for.
I wasn't after him for the Vale family to get their beautiful marriage again.
I was picking him because I wanted him.
It was different.
A really significant one.
Alexander waited outside the office.
He was, of course.
I'd told him I didn't want him sitting next to me when I made the decision, so he'd been waiting for me nearly two hours.
He had argued.
I had won.
He was learning.
His eyes met mine as soon as I stepped outdoors.
"Well?" he asked.
I waved the papers.
His shoulders clenched.
I grinned then.
“We’re still married.
Alexander just looked at me for half a second.
Then the billionaire who could negotiate billion-dollar transactions without batting an eyelash inhaled as if he'd been holding his breath for a year.
He walked three long strides across the pavement and took me into his arms.
I laughed in his chest.
"Watch out."
“I’m trying.”
“You’re killing me.”
“I've wanted to do that for months.”
That’s not what I meant.
His mouth trembled.
That was him.
My Alexander.
Still strong.
Still outrageously overconfident.
Still irritatingly handsome.
Different only.
He knew that loving me didn't mean owning me.
It wasn’t about protecting me from all the issues.
And it sure wasn't about throwing money at things until they went away.
Love was coming.
Hearing...
The truth.
Even when the truth was hard.
All the more so.
Now we have the rules.
Genuine ones.
And no sneaking off to work without telling each other.
No pretending that everything was alright when it wasn't.
No making decisions for the other person “for their own good.”
No quiet sacrifices.
No secrets, because we thought we were protecting each other.
And if something hurts?
We discussed it.
Even when we were upset at each other.
Particularly when we were outraged.
It wasn’t so easy.
Some days it was awful.
There were still times when I woke up and remembered the woman I’d been.
The woman who had waited years for her husband to see she was lonely.
Sometimes a bit of scepticism would seep in.
What if he decided otherwise?
What if the situation was only temporary?
What if I trusted him again and got broken again?
Alexander never ridiculed those anxieties.
He didn't say forget about the past.
He merely remained.
Each time.
And that was the difference.
He never missed another of Noah's events.
No, none.
When Noah scored the winning goal after our separation, Alexander was yelling louder than any other father on the sidelines the first time.
Noah charged straight toward him.
Alexander went down on one knee.
His pricey outfit fell to the grass.
He didn't give a fuck.
He hugged our son so firmly Noah laughed.
“Daddy! “I can’t breathe!”
“Good,” said Alexander. “Which means you’re still with us.”
I snorted.
“You are so ridiculous.”
He glanced over Noah's shoulder at me.
“You love me.”
I smiled.
Not good.
Noah grunted.
Can you two stop flirting?
Alexander smiled.
“Not ever”
I shook my head and laughed.
This was our family now.
Disgusting.
Loud.
Broke.
Real.
I had also given up on trying to be the perfect wealthy wife.
I didn't have to know which fork went with what course.
I didn't have to grin at individuals who insulted me.
I didn’t have to pretend to love spending every weekend at charity galas.
Jeans I could do.
I could not say no.
I could create my own dreams.
And Alexander backed me up.
I told him that I wanted to expand my interior design business, and he didn't offer me to buy me a firm.
“Wat do you want?” he asked bluntly.
I need you to stay out of it.
He nodded right away.
"Done.
I blink.
"That was suspiciously easy."
He raised an eyebrow.
“I am learning.”
"Your."
He moved in closer.
"Although if anyone treats my wife badly, I reserve the right to make them regret they have a pulse."
I chuckled.
“Alexander.”
What's that?
Normal husbands aren't saying things like that.
“I’m not normal.”
But the sad fact was he had a point.
That night the Vale family all sat down to dinner.
The table was crowded.
His people.
His brothers and his sisters.
Noa.
And us,
It had been months of uncomfortable family dinners.
Now they sensed something different.
Hotter.
More secure.
Alexander stood up halfway through dessert.
I stared at him doubtfully.
What are you doing?
"Something I've wanted to do for a long time."
That made me nervous immediately.
He took my hand.
His fingers pressed hard against mine.
Then he looked round the table.
“I ought to apologise to Clara.”
The room fell silent.
I felt a sudden jolt of fear.
Alexander added.
“For years I let everyone think my marriage was something I got into because it was the responsible thing to do.
His thumb brushed my knuckles, slowly.
I let even Clara believe it.
I swallowed heavily.
He glanced straight at me.
“I married Clara because she was the sensible choice.
My eyes were burning.
He squeezed my hand hard.
I married her because she was the lady I loved.
Nobody stirred.
No one said anything.
Alexander’s tone fell.
“I was just too afraid to say it.”
A tear dropped on my cheek.
I hastily cleaned the stuff away.
He grinned.
Not the arrogant billionaire grin.
Not the Alexander Vale public smile.
The only one I knew about.
Gentle.
Vulnerable.
Mine.
“I should have told you this six years ago,” he murmured.
“You shoulda,” I said.
A couple of folks chuckled.
Alexander nodded.
I know it.
I stared at him.
I'd craved those words for so long.
But now that I had them, it didn’t feel like a triumph.
They were not aggressive.
I came closer.
“I believe you,”
He closed his eyes for a second.
It was as if those three words meant more to him than any income he had ever made.
Then he kissed me on the forehead.
Not a sweeping gesture.
No diamonds
No promises about eternity.
Just a man with the wife he nearly lost, that's all.
Not this time. I wasn't afraid.
I was here because I had nowhere else to go.
Being the mother of his kids wasn’t why I stayed.
The Vale name next to mine didn’t matter to me.
I was staying because I had learnt something vital at last.
Love was not supposed to make me little.
It wasn't designed to make me go away.
The proper relationship gave me room to become more of myself.
So did Alexander—at last.
He bent down.
"Mrs Vale?
"Yes?"
“Would you do it again?
I glanced at the guy beside me.
Then snorting across the table at Noah.
Then at the family we had created from the fragments of all we had almost destroyed
I grinned.
“Yes.”
Softening his eyes.
“Fine.
“Why?””
"Because I'm going to spend the rest of my life making sure you never regret it."
I chuckled.
“You better,” she said.
He kissed my hand.
“I will.”
And I didn’t wonder if my spouse loved me for the first time since we were married.
I knew that.
Because he showed me"
Day in, day out.