Chapter 58

Lucas pulled up in front of Kiara's house, his heart pounding with anticipation. He had been looking forward to seeing her again for weeks. Ever since his accident, Kiara had been the one who had nursed him back to health. She had been his rock, his constant companion during the long weeks of recovery. And now, he was finally able to return the favor.

He climbed out of the car and walked up to the front door. He rang the bell, and a moment later Kiara opened it.

"Lucas," she said, her voice tight. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you," he said, smiling.

Kiara's expression didn't change. "Lucas, we need to talk."

"Sure," he said, his smile fading. "What's going on?"

"I think you know," she said, stepping back to let him in. "Our marriage is over. It has been for a long time."

Lucas felt his heart sink. He had known that things between them had been strained, but he had hoped that they could work it out.

"I know things haven't been easy," he said, following her into the living room. "But I thought maybe we could try again. I've been doing a lot of thinking, and I know I made some mistakes."

Kiara turned to face him, her arms folded across her chest. "Lucas, I appreciate everything you've done for me. I really do. But that doesn't change the fact that our marriage is over. I can't just forget everything that's happened and go back to the way things were."

"I understand," Lucas said, feeling a lump forming in his throat. "But I just can't imagine my life without you. You're the only thing that's ever really mattered to me."

Kiara's expression softened a little. "I know you mean that, Lucas. And I don't want to hurt you. But I need you to understand that I can't just pick up where we left off. I need time to figure out what I want."

Lucas nodded, his eyes brimming with tears. "I understand," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you. Whatever you need, I'll be there."

Kiara gave him a sad smile. "I know you will, Lucas. And I appreciate that. But for now, I need some space. I need to figure out who I am without you."

Lucas nodded again, feeling as if his world was crumbling around him. "Okay," he said. "I'll give you all the time you need. But just know that I love you, Kiara. And I always will."

Kiara watched him leave her property and as he climbed into the car and drove off, she felt a sad pang in her chest. Even though their marriage was a contract type, they had shared some really close bond, something she was going to miss but she knew she couldn't go back. Lucas had hurt her badly and that was something she would never forget, not now or ever.

A week later, Liam and Kiara were sitting on the couch in his small cozy apartment, enjoying a quiet evening together. As they talked, Liam asked a question that had been on his mind for a while.

"Lately, you seem a bit tense whenever we talk about your ex-husband, Lucas. Is everything okay?"

Kiara let out a heavy sigh, knowing that she couldn't keep it bottled up any longer. "To be honest, he's been pestering me to get back together with him. He's been calling and texting me non-stop, and I just don't know what to do anymore."

Liam's expression changed from curiosity to concern. "I'm sorry you're going through this, Kiara. Have you talked to him about how you feel?"

Kiara shook her head. "I've tried, but he just won't listen. He keeps saying that we're meant to be together and that we can work through our problems."

Liam took her hand in his. "You don't have to deal with this alone. I'm here for you, and we'll figure out a way to deal with Lucas together."

Kiara felt relieved, knowing that she had Liam by her side. She leaned in for a hug, feeling grateful for his support.

"Thank you for understanding, Liam. It means the world to me."

******************

Sarah walked into Kiara's office, holding a large bouquet of roses. "Kiara, these just arrived for you. They're from Lucas," she said with a smile.

Kiara's expression turned sour as she looked at the flowers. "Thanks, Sarah, but I don't want them. Can you please trash them for me?" she said, her voice filled with annoyance.

Sarah's face fell as she heard Kiara's response. "I'm sorry, Kiara. I had no idea. Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, placing the bouquet on Kiara's desk.

Kiara took a deep breath and sighed. "Lucas and I have been divorced for a year now. I made it clear to him that I didn't want any contact, but he keeps trying to get back in touch with me. Sending me these flowers is just another attempt to get my attention," she explained, her voice tinged with sadness.

Sarah nodded understandingly. "I'm sorry to hear that, Kiara. You deserve to be respected and have your boundaries honored. If you ever need anything, just let me know," she said with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Sarah. I appreciate your support," Kiara replied, feeling grateful for her secretary's kindness.

Together, they picked up the bouquet and headed to the trash can, disposing of the flowers as Kiara let go of the past and moved forward with her life even though deep down, it pained her to do so. An hour later, Kiara left her office, heading towards her house. Unknown to her, in the parking lot across her office building was a blue sedan with dark shields.

As soon as Kiara drove off, the car followed, keeping a safe distance behind her. Whoever was within the car had his eyes on her and wouldn't let go until his job was completed.