He Let Her Bleed, Now He Begs For Her Love

Cayden's tall figure approached, then strode past her without a glance, not even breaking his stride.

Elianna couldn't tell if he hadn't noticed her or had simply chosen to ignore her.

But she had seen the woman in his arms, her face instantly recognizable from the news reports.

That was Valerie.

Elianna dragged herself out of the hospital, each step a leaden weight.

She was in a daze, numb from head to toe.

In the taxi, the driver asked, "Where to?"

Such a simple question, yet it left her stunned.

She didn't want to go back to Crest Estate. That villa might not be her home for much longer.

After a long pause, she finally answered, "Azure Apartments, please."

That apartment was bought in her own name after the wedding.

Back then, she'd pictured her grandmother living there one day. It was modest, but it was enough for two.

At the time, Cayden hadn't understood. He'd offered to buy her a bigger place, but she'd refused.

Looking back, that might have been the only right decision she had ever made.

When she arrived, she sat on a bench in the small park out front, letting the cold air wash over her, hoping it would clear her head.

She replayed their past in her mind, the sweet moments and the bitter ones.

Two years... Over seven hundred days and nights...

She had believed that even the coldest heart could be thawed with enough time and warmth.

But now, she could almost hear mocking laughter echoing in her ears, telling her it had all been her own foolish wishful thinking.

It was nearly midnight when Elianna finally went upstairs.

As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Cayden by her door.

His sleeves were rolled to his forearms, the top two buttons of his shirt undone, revealing the elegant line of his neck and the sharp angle of his collarbone. He looked as composed and effortlessly handsome as ever—infuriatingly so.

Elianna froze.

Wasn't he supposed to be at the hospital with Valerie? What was he doing here?

Their eyes met. Cayden's coat was draped over one arm, his other hand tucked loosely in his pocket as he watched her through narrowed eyes.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?"

His expression was flat, but his eyes were shadowed with fatigue, and a sharp edge of irritation laced his voice.

She pulled out her phone and saw it was on silent.

Five missed calls, all from Cayden.

In two years, this was a first.

Cayden had called her so many times to look for her.

Before today, her heart would have soared at the sight and she would have been ecstatic.

But now, Elianna just tossed the phone back into her bag, leaned against the wall, and said in a hoarse voice, "I didn't notice."

Cayden raised his wrist and glanced at his watch, his voice tight with impatience. "I've been looking for you for two hours."

He had settled Valerie in at the hospital, only to return to an empty house. When he couldn't find Elianna, he'd gone so far as to have Derek pull surveillance footage from near her office.

He never imagined she would come to Azure Apartments without a word.

"From now on, let me know where you're going. Let's go." Cayden turned and walked toward the elevator without a backward glance.

He meant for her to follow him back to Crest Estate.

Watching his broad back, Elianna felt a pang of longing and bitter loss.

From now on...

Did they even have any future?

Cayden turned, frowning when he saw her still standing there. "Are you waiting for me to carry you?"

His handsome face was sharply defined under the motion-sensor light, flawless and utterly remote.

Elianna took a deep breath and met his gaze. "Cayden, let's get a divorce."

"What did you just say?"

Cayden's voice dropped, turning cold. A shadow crossed his handsome features.

"I'm moving here. Soon, we won't have any relationship at all—"

Elianna forced a smile, but a sharp, unrelenting pain seized her chest.

"Relationship?"

Cayden's lips curled into a cold smirk. "Elianna, what kind of relationship do you think we have?"

The question made her breath catch in her throat.

Cayden had been clear from the beginning: theirs was a contract marriage. No feelings, just an arrangement. To the rest of Crestwick society, they were just employer and employee.

Cayden was still Crestwick's most eligible bachelor, the man every socialite was desperate to win.

Now, in her thoughts, his words were a clear warning, as if he feared she might try to cling to him.

Elianna bit her lower lip, swallowing the bitter taste in her throat. "You're right, Mr. Evans. My mistake. Take care on your way back and you can forget about Azure Apartments."

As she spoke, her eyes began to burn, and she fought back the sting of tears.

How could she not be heartbroken? This was the man she had loved for ten years.

But as hard as it was, she had to learn to let go.

She couldn't let herself become a laughingstock.

The hallway motion-sensor light flickered, casting the space in and out of shadow.

Cayden's eyes narrowed, his lips pressing into a hard line. His entire posture radiated a dangerous stillness.

He could tolerate her occasional moods, but this—this was crossing a line.

But his anger faltered when he saw the glint of tears in her eyes. His voice softened slightly. "If this is about Chloe—"

"It has nothing to do with her. Goodbye, Mr. Evans."

Chloe was hardly the only thing standing between them.

Exhausted, Elianna simply moved past him to unlock her door.

Her defiance grated on him.

He yanked at his tie in frustration, then closed the distance and seized her wrist.

"Enough."

His frown deepened. In the next instant, he spun her around by the shoulder and pulled her against his chest.

She felt scorching hot against him, as if he were holding a live coal.

"You have a fever?"

Dizzy and burning up, Elianna sagged against him, her legs threatening to give out.

The air between them crackled with a sudden intimacy.

He bent his head to check on her, his face so close it felt as if he might kiss her at any moment.

Elianna's fever-addled mind took a moment to catch up. When she registered their intimacy, she instinctively pressed her hands against his chest to push him away.

But before she could step back, his hands clamped around her waist, pulling her flush against him. "Why are you avoiding me?" Cayden said, his voice dangerously low.

The overhead light flickered. Before she could react, he swept her into his arms.

Without a moment's hesitation, he started toward the elevator.

With her mind fuzzy with fever, Elianna murmured, "What are you doing?"

Cayden's frown deepened. "Taking you to the hospital."

"No!"

Elianna cried out, the fog of her fever clearing in a rush of panic.

An IV, medication... the tiny life inside her wouldn't survive.

Even if this baby wasn't wanted, it was still hers. As long as it was inside her, she was its mother, and she had to protect it.

She struggled to get out of his arms, but his grip was unyielding. His arms were like steel bands, and she couldn't break free.

"You're sick. You need a doctor." He ignored her struggles, his tone leaving no room for argument.

As he carried her toward the elevator, Elianna's heart hammered in her chest. She grabbed his arm in desperation and blurted out, "I can't go to the hospital!"