The Rose He Killed novel Chapter 21

<Chapter 21 Breaking into her walls

+25 Points

Chapter 21: Breaking into her walls

Bella pov

Just my name, spoken in that voice I’d tried so hard to forget. I stopped walking, my entire body going rigid. Turn around, I told myself. Face him. Show him you’re not afraid.

But I was afraid. Terrified, ‘actually. Because hearing his voice again made me feel like that girl standing in the rain, alone and broken and begging for someone to care.

“Bella, please. I just want to talk.”

I forced myself to turn around, to meet the eyes I saw every day in my son’s face. Caleb Black stood ten feet away, and he looked like ‘hell.

He’d always been handsome in a cold, aristocratic way, but now there was something desperate in his grey eyes, something haunted. He’d lost weight, his expensive suit hanging slightly loose on his frame. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his usually perfect hair looked like he’d been running his hands through it.

He looked like a man who hadn’t slept in years.Good, I thought viciously. I hope every night was torture, i hope you suffered a fraction of what I did.

“Caleb.” My voice came out steady, indifferent, exactly what I’d practiced. “I’m surprised to see you at my keynote. I didn’t think acquisition strategies were your area of focus.”

He flinched like I’d slapped him. “I came to see you. I’ve been looking for you for years.”

“Have you?” I tilted my head, studying him like he was a mildly interesting insect. “That’s unfortunate. I’ve been quite easy to find if you knew where to look. Hart Worldwide isn’t exactly a secret.”

“You hid yourself, you disappeared.” He took a step closer, and I held my ground even though every instinct screamed to run. “Bella, I’ve spent years searching, hiring investigators, checking every hospital and shelter and,”

“And why would you do that?” I cut him off, my voice sharp. “What exactly were you hoping to find? The wife you threw away? The baby you told me to abort?”

He went pale, and I felt a savage satisfaction at finally saying it out loud.

“I was wrong,” he said, his voice rough. “About everything. I believed lies, I was cruel, I destroyed something precious because I was too stupid and blind to see what I had. Bella, I’m so sorry.”

Sorry. He was sorry, years of building myself back up, years of raising our son alone, years of nightmares and panic attacks and learning to trust again, and he thought sorry would fix it.

I laughed, cold and bitter. “You’re sorry. That’s wonderful, Caleb. I’m so glad you’ve found peace with your conscience. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have actual work to do.”

I turned to walk away, but his hand caught my arm. Not hard, not threatening, just desperate. “Please. Just give me five minutes, let me explain.”

“Explain what?” I jerked my arm free and finally let some of the rage show. “Explain how you kissed my

1.3

<Chapter 21. Breaking into her walls

+25 Points

sister on our wedding night? Explain how you laughed when I told you I was pregnant? Explain how you Told me to get rid of it’ like our child was garbage? Which part needs explanation, Caleb?”

“All of it.” His eyes were wet, and I hated that even now, even after everything, part of me wanted to believe he actually felt something. “I was manipulated, lied to, but that doesn’t excuse what I said or how I treated you. Nothing excuses it. But Bella, I’ve spent years trying to find you, trying to make this right.”

“Make it right?” I stepped closer, getting in his face. “You can’t make this right. You destroyed me, you threw me out with nothing while I was carrying your baby, and you know what happened after that? I almost died, Caleb. I was homeless and pregnant and alone, and I had to rebuild myself from absolutely nothing. So no, you don’t get to ‘make this right’ with an apology and sad eyes.”

“The baby.” His voice broke on the word. “Bella, please. Just tell me. Did you… is there…”

He couldn’t even finish the question, and I realized with shock that he didn’t know. He genuinely didn’t know if I’d terminated the pregnancy like he’d demanded.

I could tell him. I could tell him about Tom right now, watch his face as he realized what he’d missed, make him live with knowing his son existed and he’d thrown him away.

But Tom was mine. My secret, my protection, my reason for everything. And I wasn’t ready to share him with the man who’d wanted him dead.

“That’s none of your business,” I said coldly. “What happened after you threw me out is none of your concern. You made your choice that night, and I made mine. We’re done, Caleb, we were done years ago, and it’s high time we file for a divorce because legally we might still be married but we both know that was the greatest mistake of our lives.”

“Bella”

“Ms. Hart?” Jennifer appeared at the end of the hallway, professional and perfect. “Your two o’clock is waiting, we need to go.”

I’d never been more grateful for my assistant’s timing. I looked at Caleb one last time, taking in his devastated expression, the way his hands shook slightly, the raw pain in his eyes.

“Goodbye, Caleb.” I turned and walked away, my heels clicking against marble, my spine straight and my head high.

I didn’t look back. I didn’t let him see me shaking, I didn’t let him know that hearing his voice again had cracked something in the armor I’d spent years building.

I made it to the VIP lounge before the tears came, hot and furious and completely unwelcome. Jennifer took one look at my face and ushered everyone else out, leaving me alone to fall apart in private.

I’d seen him. I’d faced him. And I’d walked away with my dignity intact.

So why did it feel like I was young again, standing in that office, watching my world end?

My phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.

Please. Give me a chance to explain everything. I know I don’t deserve it, but I’m begging you. -C

I stared at the message for a long moment, how the hell did he get my new number, of course he could

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