"Ace!" My voice cracked, barely a whisper lost in the park's afternoon bustle. But he heard me. Of course, he did. Ace always heard what he wanted to hear. He strode toward us, a storm cloud in tailored slacks, radiating the kind of entitled anger only inherited wealth could cultivate.
My stomach churned. Seeing him, even after bolting from our wedding, still felt like a punch to the gut. A punch laced with regret, shame, and a lingering echo of that naive girl who'd actually believed in forever with him.
"How can you even show your face?" I managed, stepping forward, forcing a wall of indifference to shield the hurt. "What are you doing here, Ace?"
He sneered, the handsome features twisting into a grotesque caricature of the man I thought I knew. "As if you need to ask! I was left at the altar, you know that right? I need to talk to you about this. It's important!"
Christian moved, a silent predator positioning himself between me and Ace. His body was a coiled spring, radiating protective intensity. He looked ready to explode.
"What's important, Ace?" Christian's voice, normally a low rumble, now had an edge sharp enough to cut steel. "The way you lied to her since the day you met her? Three wives, Ace? You thought that was something to spring on her on your wedding day? At all?"
"Christian, back off," Ace spat, his fists clenching at his sides. "This is between me and Hailey."
Confusion warred with a familiar ache in my chest. These were the men who were supposed to cherish and protect me. Yet, here they were, ready to tear each other apart.
"Just... stop. Both of you," I pleaded, a wave of nausea washing over me. "This isn't the way to handle things."
"They deserve to know the truth about you!" Christian roared, his frustration a palpable force. "You hurt her, you betrayed her trust, and expect her to marry you regardless?"
"Betrayed?" Ace laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "You think you can waltz in here and play the hero? Hailey knew...she knew what I wanted. There's more to love than monogamy."
Heat flared in my cheeks. He was twisting the narrative, painting me as a willing accomplice in his deception. "You don't get to define love, Ace! You don't get to invite your...other wives...to my wedding! It was supposed to be about us!"
In a moment fueled by years of suppressed anger, I stepped between them, shoving Ace back. He stumbled, surprise flashing in his eyes before hardening into pure rage. "Don't do that, Hailey!"
Before I could brace myself, his hand lashed out. But Christian was faster. With a speed that shocked even me, he shoved Ace away, sending him sprawling. "Don't you dare touch her!"
The world tilted. Ace lunged at Christian, throwing a punch that connected with Christian's jaw. A growl ripped from Christian's throat, and they were on the ground, a tangle of limbs and fury.
"Enough!" The command sliced through the air, sharp and authoritative. Haiden.
Christian's twin brother appeared seemingly out of nowhere, a calming force amidst the chaos. His hazel eyes, usually warm and playful, were now glacial, leveled on Ace. With a strength born of years of…well, I didn't exactly know what Haiden did, but I knew he was strong.
"The business deal is off," Haiden said, his voice devoid of emotion. "You've embarrassed everyone, including Hailey. We're done here."
I watched as Haiden took Christian's arm, pulling him away from the fight. My heart was a lead weight in my chest, dragging me down with every beat. I felt dizzy, disoriented. This wasn't how things were supposed to be, and now they were.
As Haiden led Christian away, I found the will to speak. "Christian! Wait!"
He paused, turning only when Haiden urged him to. He looked at me, a question in his bruised and battered face. And just for a moment, the anger seemed to melt away, replaced by a glimmer of something…else.
Later that night, the heavy drapes drawn tight against the world in Christian's opulent mansion, the air thrummed with unspoken tension. I practically ran through the shower, letting the scalding water wash away the day's grime, both literal and emotional.
Emerging, wrapped in one of Christian's oversized t-shirts, my hair still damp, I found him in the living room, ice pressed against his jaw. Just a couple of days ago I was excited to be marrying Ace, now I am here. The sight of him, vulnerable and hurting, tugged at something deep inside me.
"You look…better," I said softly, approaching cautiously.
Christian gave a wry chuckle, his lips twitching despite the swelling. "You should see Ace. He definitely got the worst of it."
"Not that I'm complaining," I mumbled, pursing my lips.
Silence descended, thick and heavy. I took a deep breath, steeling myself. I knelt beside him, reaching out to gently adjust the ice pack. Our fingers brushed, sending a jolt of electricity through me.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice trembling. "For everything."
His eyes softened, the storm clouds receding. "You're not the one who should be apologizing. Ace... he was never good for you."
Relief flooded me. His words were a balm on my wounded spirit. In that moment of raw honesty, the air around us shifted. The unspoken desire that had simmered beneath the surface for so long suddenly surged, demanding to be acknowledged.
Before I could think, before I could censor myself, I leaned in.
Christian's breath hitched. And then our lips met. A tentative touch, a hesitant exploration that quickly ignited into a desperate, consuming fire.
Everything changed. The dam broke. Desire, and a longing I hadn't even dared to name, crashed over us. We stumbled towards his bedroom, tearing at clothes, devouring each other in a frantic rush to shed the layers of hurt and denial.
In Christian's arms, in the heat of his body pressed against mine, I felt a sense of safety I hadn't known existed. An unspoken promise of protection, of understanding, of something real.
That night, shattered as I was, was a beginning. A new chapter, written in passion and vulnerability, born from the ashes of a wedding that never should have been. It was a risk, a leap of faith into the unknown. But as I lay tangled in Christian's arms, I knew, with a certainty that surprised even me, that I was finally where I was meant to be.