Chapter Twenty

Gustin Pov

“Let’s meet.”

The words echoed in Leilani's soft and unsure voice that made his chest tighten.

For a second, Gustin didn’t respond, unsure if he had heard her right.

“When?” he asked, his voice calmer than he actually felt.

“Tonight. I’ll send you the details,” she said, her tone unreadable.

Before he could ask anything else, she added,

“I have to go, Gustin. I’ll see you later.”

The line went dead, leaving Gustin staring at the phone, with a mix of relief and apprehension flooding his veins.

He had been waiting for this, now that the moment was here he wasn’t sure what to expect.

This was not a situation he was used to and he had not seen her in years so Leilani was unpredictable, and whatever she had to say tonight—it wasn’t going to be easy to get her consent.

But at least she was willing to meet, and that was a start.

He leaned back in his chair, his thoughts racing but his mind kept flickering back to the twins, the boy with his eyes and the little girl with his hair. If he played his cards right then they and Thomas would grow up together.

A knock sounded on his door and Lucas stepped inside

" Is there anything else" he asked him and Lucas nodded

“Yes sir, one last thing— the acquisition of the building in France you were looking for, we need your signature before the close of business today.”

Gustin looked at the stack of documents on his desk and nodded.

“I’ll sign it now. Make sure everything goes smoothly once it's done. I want it all wrapped up by the end of the week” he muttered

“Yes, sir,” Lucas said, handing him the pen.

Gustin quickly scrawled his signature on the papers, his mind already shifting back to Leilani and the meeting tonight.

What would she say and why the hell had she waited so long to respond?

And what did it mean for them moving forward?

Once Lucas left, Gustin stood and walked over to the window, staring out at the city skyline.

His life had always been a carefully constructed balance of power, control, and as much dedication as he could muster.

But since Leilani arrived lately, it felt like that balance was slipping through his fingers.

He checked the time.

It would soon be evening, and though his schedule was packed, a tale that the stacked files told, none of the business meetings ahead really mattered as much as his personal life right now.

His phone buzzed again, and he opened it up it was a message from Leilani .

She had sent the location—a private restaurant tucked away in a busier part of the city. Away from the work district so he'd have to drive there but quiet enough that they could talk.

An hour!

He texted her back.

An hour later, Gustin pulled up in front of the restaurant, the sleek black BMW sliding neatly and blending into the row of luxury cars that lined the narrow street.

The restaurant was tucked away, from the office district so families could order delivery as the sign proudly proclaimed.

It wasn't free from the hustle of the city though, the streets were filled with people coming to eat or those who had just finished but it was the kind of place where deals were made, where private conversations stayed private.

As he stepped inside, the soft lighting and quiet barely there hum of conversation created an almost intimate atmosphere.

"Welcome sir, do you have a reservation" a hostess asked as he walked in the front door

" Yes, Jordan " he muttered and she nodded

" Right this way sir " she muttered and gestured for him to follow she led him to a secluded booth near the back, where Leilani was already seated, her hands wrapped around a glass of water.

She looked up when he approached, her expression calm but guarded.

Her dark hair was pulled back, and she wore a simple, elegant blouse—, nothing to draw attention.

She had always been like that, effortlessly commanding attention without ever demanding it.

Gustin slid into the seat across from her, studying her face for any sign of what she was thinking.

Unlike the past Leilani, it seems this one had perfected the act of keeping her emotion's under control. She had always been good at it before but today was different.

“Thanks for meeting me,” Gustin began, keeping his tone neutral.

Leilani nodded, but said nothing at first.

She took a slow sip of her water, then set the glass down carefully, her eyes never leaving his.

“I’ve had time to think,” she said finally.

“About what you said. About us and the children.”

Gustin leaned forward slightly, waiting for her to continue.

“I needed space,” Leilani continued.

“I’ve been patient,” Gustin said, his voice calm but firm.

“I’ve given you time, but I need to know where we stand, Leilani.” she ignored what he said as if he hadn't spoken at all

“And I still do. But avoiding this conversation forever isn’t going to change anything.” she said her eyes meeting his, unflinching.

“So, here we are.” she gestured to the room

Gustin sensed, the finality of her words. She wasn’t here for small talk or to drag this out longer than necessary. She wanted answers, just like he did.

She sighed, leaning back in her seat.

“Where we stand? Gustin, that's up to you"

" To me we’ve been in limbo for years, four to be exact . I see no point in pushing, to keep fix something that’s… broken.” she mumbled

Gustin frowned., leaning into her

" Would you like to order" the waitress asked, he wasn't sure what exactly he ordered but he noticed the weird looks from the waitress so it was likely something absurd, he ignored her and leaned into Leilani

“Nothing’s broken that can’t be repaired.”

She shook her head.

“That’s what you but that's just pretending that things will go back to the way they were. We’re both different people now.”

Gustin’s jaw tightened, the frustration bubbling just beneath the surface.

“I’m not asking for everything to go back to how it was. I’m asking for a chance to move forward.”

Leilani’s gaze softened slightly

“And what does ‘moving forward’ look like to you, Gustin? Because to me, it looks like walking away.”

Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Gustin wasn’t ready to give in.

Not yet.

“I don’t believe that,” he said quietly.

" It doesn't matter if you do." she replied softly, her fingers twisting against the glass

“I don’t believe you’re ready to walk away.”

Leilani’s lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes flickering with something unreadable.

“Maybe I’m not,” she admitted softly.

“But that doesn’t mean we’re going to fix this, either.”

" And why is that " he asked and she scoffed

" Are you really asking me that, you the man I ran into looking for apartments with his wife and child " she muttered and he stilled

" What do you plan to tell her, about this, the fact that you're with me at this time of the night " she continued

Wife! What the hell did she mean by wife.

" Bellamy is not my"

" goddamit Gustin when are you going to grow up and start caring about other people's emotions" she hissed