They’d been at this stalemate for five years.
The only thing they shared together was their son, Benjamin.
Time had been kind to Wolfe. He was thirty-five now, and he had some graying at his temples, but as with all men, it only served to make him look even sexier.
She couldn’t remember the time she had lost over the years trying to get over him. The pain of his lies, it had hurt her deeply. She had cut him out of her life, and only spoke about him with Benjamin. Her family tried to get her to talk about what happened, but she couldn’t bring herself to remember. The night was so painful.
It was when all of her fairy tales shattered and she stopped believing in love and happy endings.
Some would think she was over dramatic.
One bad experience and she had turned away from all she had wanted, but it wasn’t. To her, Wolfe had hurt her so badly. He’d known what she wanted, what she craved more than anything. He’d used it against her to get his own wishes and desires, and for her, she couldn’t forgive that, or forget.
At least now, she could look at him, and know this was the right decision to make.
She stayed perfectly still though.
“Your office hasn’t changed,” she said.
He still had the same dark oak desk. The artwork had no real meaning but was purchased to make an impression on people he had to have meetings with.
“Some things don’t need to change,” he said.
“True.”
“Where’s Benjamin?” he asked.
“With Mary and Alice. He’s excited to see you. They’re starting a project at school, and he wants to talk to you about.” This was weird. Talking to him about their son. She’d never even seen Wolfe embrace their boy.
Pushing those thoughts and feelings aside, she took a deep breath.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Wolfe asked. “This is a surprise, you visiting me.”
“I wanted to see you in person.”
“You can come and see me but I can’t see you?” He leaned against the desk, arms folded.
His presence filled the room. He was a tall and muscular. He’d lost none of his traits. At least he wasn’t trying to fool her with his softly spoken words. She could handle this, seeing the truth, and not the man who she’d fallen in love with.
That man didn’t exist.
It’s what she had to remind herself so many times over the years.
The nice, kind Wolfe was a fake.
“You didn’t stipulate in your conditions you didn’t want me to visit. Before I came, I checked through your rules. I’m not breaking any of them.”
“I didn’t have any rules, Rachel.”
“Exactly.”
“Unlike you. I can’t come and visit. I can’t try to reconcile. I’ve got to keep my distance, never call, text, email. I’ve followed every single one of them.”
“How’s Marcus?” she asked.
She’d surprised him; she saw it.
“Excuse me?”
“The same man for the past five years carrying a camera. You think I wasn’t going to check it out myself? You’ve kept your distance, but found a loophole in getting what you want. I’ve not stopped him doing his job. Don’t try to make me feel guilty because I didn’t want to see you,” she said.
The truth was, she didn’t want to see him because it hurt too freaking much. Even now, staring at him, she remembered the times he’d made her laugh. The love and kindness she’d experienced with him.
It was all lies.
Everything he offered. Everything he promised. None of it was real. She had to remember that.
This was the truth.
The man she faced now.
The one who’d send a PI to take pictures and report back to him.
She reached into her bag. “I’m tired of this, and I hope you are as well. I’ve been to see my lawyer, and I know what you’d want and I’ve got it all ready for you to take. Your place on the board, a percentage of the company, it’s all there in black and white. All I want is a divorce.”
Chapter Two
“You’re not getting a divorce.” Wolfe wouldn’t budge on this. Not now, not ever.
“I knew you’d be difficult, but I don’t understand why.” Rachel stepped into the room and held up the file she really thought he would take. There was no chance in hell of him ever divorcing her.
He stayed perfectly still as she stepped closer to him.
The lemon scent he hadn’t smelled in so long came closer to him, and it offered him a comfort he didn’t even realize he was waiting for.
“Look, I’m giving you everything you want. The board, the inheritance, everything. I’m not taking anything away from you.”
“Apart from my wife,” he said.
“Damn it, Wolfe, you don’t care about me. You never have. The man I knew wasn’t real. None of this was ever real. It was all lies that you concocted yourself. I don’t have to sit here listening to any of this. I mean it. I want a divorce, and my family’s lawyer has said there has been enough separation now to prove we’re not compatible.” She held out the file. “Please, just read and consider this.”