THE WIFE HE COULDN’T KEEP

Chapter 12

Stella spent her first week as Bryan's girlfriend in a daze.

She was happy. Actually, truly happy. She'd forgotten what it felt like. The lightness. The hope. The excitement of a new beginning.

Bryan was everything she'd ever wanted. Kind. Patient. Attentive. He called every morning. He texted throughout the day. He made her feel like she was the only woman in the world.

On Friday, he took her to dinner. On Saturday, they went for a walk in the park. On Sunday, he came over and played with the triplets.

The children loved him. Leo followed him around like a puppy. Maya drew him pictures. Even Aiden seemed to relax around him.

Stella watched them together, her heart full.

"You're really good with them," she said one evening.

Bryan looked up from the puzzle he was doing with Leo. "They're easy to love."

Stella felt heat rise to her cheeks.

He stood and crossed the room. He took her hands.

"Stella, I know this is fast. But I've never felt this way about anyone. I want to be with you. I want to be with your children. I want to build a life with you."

Her breath caught. "Bryan..."

"I'm not proposing," he said quickly. "I'm just telling you where I stand. I'm all in. I'm not going anywhere."

She looked into his eyes. They were warm. Honest. Full of affection.

"I don't know what to say," she whispered.

"Don't say anything." He brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Just be here. With me."

He leaned in and kissed her. The children squealed in the background.

Stella laughed against his lips.

She was happy. She was actually happy.

But late at night, when the penthouse was quiet, she couldn't help the doubt that crept in.

She'd been hurt before. She'd been destroyed before. She'd trusted someone completely, and he'd thrown her away.

What if Bryan did the same thing? What if he eventually saw her as ordinary too?

The fear was always there. Lingering. Waiting.

She just had to learn to ignore it.

***

One evening, Stella was putting the triplets to bed when Maya asked a question that caught her off guard.

"Mama, where's our daddy?"

Stella froze. Her hand hovered over the blanket. She'd been dreading this question for years. She'd prepared for it. Rehearsed it. But nothing prepared her for the actual moment.

"Your daddy," she said slowly, "is not here, sweetheart. He's... he lives somewhere else."

"Why?"

Stella's throat tightened. "Because Mama and Daddy couldn't live together anymore. But you have Mama. And you have each other. And that's all that matters."

Maya nodded, satisfied with the answer. Leo was already half-asleep.

But Aiden was watching her. His eyes were sharp. Observant. Too old for his age.

"He hurt you, didn't he?" Aiden asked quietly.

Stella's heart stopped. "What?"

"Our daddy. He hurt you. That's why you're sad sometimes."

Stella opened her mouth to respond, but no words came. She didn't know what to say.

Aiden reached out and took her hand. "It's okay, Mama. I'll protect you. I'm the man of the house."

Stella's eyes filled with tears. She pulled him into a hug. "You're my brave boy, Aiden. My brave, brave boy."

She kissed his forehead and tucked him in.

She left the room, her heart heavy. She'd spent six years protecting her children from the truth. But they were getting older. They were starting to ask questions.

She didn't know how much longer she could shield them.

***

Across the city, Joshua sat in the darkness, staring at the letter.

He'd written it three times now. Each version was different. Each version was inadequate.

I'm sorry. I was blind. I was arrogant. I destroyed our family.

He couldn't capture six years of guilt and regret in a few paragraphs. He couldn't explain what he'd done. He couldn't make it right.

But he had to try.

He folded the letter and put it in his pocket. He grabbed his jacket and walked toward the door.

He drove to Stella's building. The Hayes penthouse. He sat in his car, staring up at her window.

Her lights were on. She was home. Probably with Bryan. Probably happy.

His heart ached. He wanted to knock on her door. He wanted to see her face. He wanted to tell her everything.

But he couldn't. Not tonight. Not like this.

He looked at the letter in his hand. He could leave it with security. He could mail it. He could find some other way to get it to her.

But that felt wrong. She deserved to hear it from him.

Joshua took a deep breath. He opened the car door.

Then he stopped.

What was he doing? He couldn't just show up at her door. He couldn't disrupt her life. She'd moved on. She was happy.

He had no right to interfere.

Joshua closed the car door. He sat in the darkness, staring up at her window.

He would come back tomorrow. He would find the right moment.

But tonight, he would let her be happy.