Betrayed by Love

Three days after Jaxson's return, I stood in the elevator of the West Industries building, watching the floor numbers climb. My reflection in the polished metal doors showed a woman I barely recognized – composed, elegant, but with eyes that had lost their light.

I needed answers. Real ones, not the carefully crafted narrative he'd presented at dinner.

The elevator doors opened to the executive floor where Jaxson had already reclaimed his office. His assistant recognized me immediately.

"Miss Davis! We didn't know you were coming. Mr. West is—"

"Available for me," I finished, striding past her desk. I didn't wait for permission. Six years had earned me that much.

Jaxson was standing at the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Seattle skyline, his back to the door. He turned at the sound of my entrance, surprise flickering across his face before settling into something more guarded.

"Maya." My name on his lips still sent a painful jolt through me. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Clearly." I closed the door behind me. "We need to talk, Jaxson. Really talk."

He gestured to the sitting area, two leather chairs positioned near a small table. I remained standing.

"Does our promise mean nothing to you?" The question burst from me, sharper than I'd intended. "Six years, Jaxson. I waited six years because you asked me to."

He ran a hand through his hair – that familiar nervous gesture I'd once found endearing. "It's complicated, Maya. You have to understand—"

"Then help me understand," I interrupted. "Because from where I'm standing, you made me promises, asked me to put my life on hold, and then came back with another woman."

"Alisson isn't just 'another woman,'" he said, his voice hardening. "Her parents died because of me. They died protecting me."

"And that erases what we had? What we planned?"

Jaxson stepped closer, close enough that I could smell his cologne – still the same after all these years. "I can't abandon someone whose family died for me. I owe her everything, Maya. Honor demands that I stand by her."

"And what about what you owe me?" My voice cracked despite my efforts to remain composed. "What about the honor in keeping your word?"

Something flickered in his eyes – regret, perhaps, or guilt – but it was quickly replaced by resolve. "I care about you, Maya. I always have. But this... this is different. Alisson needs me."

The unspoken implication hung in the air: and you don't.

I stepped back, suddenly needing distance. "So that's it? Your obligation to her trumps everything we had?"

"It's not that simple."

"It actually is," I said, finding strength in my rising anger. "You've made your choice, Jaxson. I just wish you'd had the decency to tell me before I wasted six years of my life waiting for you."

I turned to leave, my hand on the doorknob when his voice stopped me.

"Maya, please. I never meant to hurt you."

I didn't turn around. "Intentions don't change outcomes, Jaxson."

---

The Seattle Business Gala was in full swing at the Grand Meridian Hotel, the ballroom transformed into a glittering showcase of the city's elite. I stood alone by one of the ornate columns, champagne flute in hand, watching Jaxson twirl Alisson around the dance floor. Her laugh carried across the room, bright and carefree, while Jaxson looked at her with an attentiveness I'd once believed was reserved for me.

"They make quite the spectacle, don't they?"

I turned to find Caden Fox beside me, impeccable in his tuxedo. Jaxson's biggest business rival and the man my father had always secretly preferred as a potential partner – both in business and for me.

"Mr. Fox," I acknowledged, taking a sip of champagne to hide my discomfort.

"Please, it's Caden." His eyes, sharp and perceptive, studied my face. "You deserve better than this public humiliation, Maya."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you here to rescue me from my tragic circumstances?"

A hint of a smile touched his lips. "I'm here to offer you something more interesting than watching your ex-fiancé pretend he's happy with his new arrangement."

"He was never my fiancé," I corrected automatically, though the words tasted bitter.

"A technicality." Caden moved slightly closer, his voice lowering. "I have a proposal for you – one that would benefit the Davis empire significantly. A merger between our companies would create the largest business entity in the Pacific Northwest."

I studied him carefully. "And what would you get out of this arrangement?"

His eyes held mine, unexpectedly sincere. "The pleasure of your company, for starters. And the satisfaction of watching Jaxson West realize what he's thrown away."

Before I could respond, a commotion near the entrance caught my attention. Alisson had broken away from Jaxson and was heading directly toward us, determination in every step.

"I believe your evening is about to get more interesting," Caden murmured, stepping back slightly but not leaving my side.