Past Due Love

I dismissed Cole's assistant.

A while later, my phone lit up again. It was another photo.

Cole was in bed with the rising young actress, Kai Orwin. Their bare bodies were tangled together, lost in each other's touch, kissing deeply.

The way he looked at her—possessive, hungry—was the way a man looks at a woman he wants to claim.

Kai's exposed skin was covered in red marks, proof of how fiercely he'd kissed her.

I thought I'd grown strong enough. But the image still cut deep.

The pain crawled into my bones and began devouring reason, piece by piece.

Tears came. I couldn't stop them.

Kai was relentless. Determined to make me suffer, she sent a video next, taunting me.

In the clip, Cole looked like a man starved of touch, devouring her like it was his first time.

The scenes were graphic and disgusting. Watching them made me nauseous. I barely made it to the bathroom in time.

Kai then sent a series of voice messages.

"Lisa, he's crazy about me. He's never been like that with you, right?

"By now, you should realize he's never really loved you. To him, you're family. An obligation, nothing more.

"If you're smart, you'll walk away. Otherwise, things won't end well for you."

I listened to her voice with numb detachment.

Then I opened my photo gallery.

Photo by photo, moment by moment, I watched our time together pass before me, then slowly began to delete each one.

Everything about him… had to go.

'Cole, I'm done with you,' I swore inwardly.

That night, he came home.

He still carried the faintest trace of someone else's perfume. It was subtle, but I noticed.

"You're still up?" he asked when he saw me sitting quietly in the dark.

He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

"It's windy by the window. You're in short sleeves. You'll catch a chill."

I turned my head to look at him, reached up and touched his face.

I could feel his warm skin, but my heart felt like ice.

Still, logic triumphed over anger. I gave him a faint smile.

"Couldn't sleep. I didn't feel like lying down, just wanted to sit and feel the breeze."

He frowned, concerned.

"If you can't sleep, watch a movie. Don't sit in the cold like this. It's not good for your health. Don't do this again."

I nodded and remained silent.

There were so many things I wanted to say, but none of them would come out.

The next day, Cole took me to a charity auction.

I never liked public events, but he always insisted I go, saying that as his future wife, I had to learn to navigate his world.

He brought in stylists, dressed me in a designer gown, and had my makeup done to perfection.

I stared at my reflection in the full-length mirror. I looked elegant and flawless—a woman who shone from the outside. But inside, I longed for simplicity.

I used to think Cole and I came from different worlds.

Now, I was sure of it.

…

The proceeds from the auction were going toward building schools in remote villages. To show his generosity, Cole placed bids on every precious item at the auction.

But he donated it all under my name, painting me as the benevolent figure.

The crowd looked at me with admiration and envy.

But I knew that this, too, was just another way for him to show off.

Toward the end of the night, Kai appeared, dressed in a stunning red gown that clung to her body. She was bold, radiant, and seductive.

As she walked past us, she suddenly stumbled and fell straight into Cole's arms.

Instinctively, he caught her.

Then, noticing my gaze, he let her go.

Kai's eyes darkened for a moment, but she quickly forced a smile.

"Lisa, would you mind if I sat beside you?"

Her words were directed at me, but her eyes never left Cole.

She leaned slightly forward, just enough to let the deep curve of her chest spill into view.

I glanced at Cole.

I could see his heated gaze on her. His desire was plain to see.

And then, without a word, he grabbed Kai's wrist.

"You. Come with me. We need to talk."