Chapter 4 - The Woman I Thought Cole Chose Over Me Was the One Who Had Destroyed Our Marriage From the InsideVictoria arrived the next morning.
She didn't deny anything.
She simply smiled.
“You're finally together.”
Cole stared at her.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You helped my mother.”
“Yes.”
“You destroyed my marriage.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I loved you.”
He laughed.
“That isn't love.”
“It is to me.”
She looked at me.
“You stole him.”
“No.”
“He loved me first.”
“Did he?”
She hesitated.
Cole answered:
“No.”
I looked at him.
He stepped closer.
“I loved Norah.”
Victoria's face hardened.
“You could have had everything.”
“I didn't want everything.”
“You wanted her.”
“Yes.”
She shook her head.
“Your family would never accept her.”
“That's their problem.”
I felt tears.
She had built her whole plan around one assumption.
That power could decide love.
She was wrong.
Then the police arrived.
Victoria had already been reported.
She was arrested for fraud.
Forgery.
Conspiracy.
Kidnapping.
Financial crimes.
The patriarch faced charges too.
Eleanor cooperated.
My father testified.
The legal battle lasted months.
The twins remained with me.
Cole came every day.
He learned their routines.
He helped with school.
He learned Finn hated vegetables.
Theo loved chess.
They both loved Christmas.
Slowly, the distance disappeared.
One night, Cole asked:
“Can I tell you something?”
“Yes.”
“I never stopped loving you.”
I looked away.
“I know.”
“No.”
“You don't.”
He touched my hand.
“I searched for you.”
I froze.
“What?”
“After the divorce.”
“Why didn't you find me?”
“Because my father blocked every lead.”
“How?”
“Money.”
“Legal orders.”
“Private investigators.”
“They made you believe I wanted nothing to do with you.”
I cried.
“I called your office.”
“I know.”
“I sent letters.”
“I know.”
“We lost seven years.”
“Yes.”
He looked at the twins.
“We lost more than that.”
I took a breath.
“Can we get it back?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“We make new years.”
May you like
I smiled.
That was the first time I let myself believe there might be a future.
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