Chapter 21
Vivian didn’t answer.
But Caleb stepped forward, calm and unwavering.
“Whether I’ll be like you or not, time will just tell. I’m convinced I won’t have that day.”
“The day I started dating Vivian, I signed an agreement. If I ever betray her, all my assets will transfer to her, voluntarily. Even after we separate, half of everything I earn in the future will
automatically belong to her.”
“That way, she’ll always have the power to fight back. She’ll never have to endure anything in silence. If I make a mistake, she doesn’t have to beg or cry. She can punish me. Freely.”
“I love her. But if one day she stops loving me and wants to go after freedom, I won’t stand in her
way.”
The room fell into stunned silence.
Even Rhett froze.
He hadn’t expected that.
Not from Caleb.
Not to that extent.
Even Vivian looked at Caleb in surprise, her eyes softening with disbelief.
She had never thought his feelings were that deep.
At first, she’d been skeptical of Caleb.
After all, he came from the same circle as Rhett–she suspected maybe this was some kind of revenge plot.
Another cruel trick in the name of justice.
But Caleb… had never once let her down.
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Chapter 21
He was quiet. Reserved. Even cold to most.
But with her… he was open. Gentle. Warm.
And, at great risk to himself, he saved her parents and helped them gain new identities in different
countries.
She had asked him once, “Why are you so good to me? It doesn’t suit your personality.”
He had only smiled, a little bitterly.
“Because I’ve already missed my chance once. If I lose it again… I don’t think fate will give me
another.”
“I want to hold onto every moment I get with you–never let go.”
Vivian had been stunned. She couldn’t recall him from any part of her past, but Caleb remembered
everything.
He told her he had first seen her in college and fallen for her instantly.
Over the years, they had passed each other many times, even locked eyes once or twice, but she had never really noticed him.
And when Rhett made his grand gesture that day in the pouring rain, Caleb had been there
too–umbrella in hand, ready to step forward. But he was too late.
After that, it became a pattern. Always too late. Always too slow. Always invisible.
Eventually, he gave up trying to be seen and simply loved her from a distance–quietly, hopelessly.
He told everyone he wasn’t interested in dating, that work was his only priority, but the truth was simpler: she was the only thing he cared about.
Now, after all these years, he finally had a chance–and he was willing to risk everything for it.
Vivian sat in silence, overwhelmed.
His words touched something deep inside her, but they also made her uneasy.
Did she really deserve this kind of love? She didn’t know.
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Chapter 21
She didn’t love him the way he clearly loved her–at least not yet.
Rhett had taken so much from her, worn down everything she had to give. She wasn’t sure there was anything left. The thought of opening herself up again only to be shattered terrified her. She didn’t think she could survive another six years of that kind of pain.
Caleb could see the fear in her eyes and feel it in her trembling hands. He gently reached out, lacing his fingers with hers, letting his warmth speak what words couldn’t.
“Don’t be scared,” he said softly. “Not every love story ends perfectly. And if one day you stop loving
me, that’s okay. You’re not obligated to stay. But I choose to love you.”
He paused, his voice quiet but sure. “You’re worth it. You’re everything. You deserve the best this
world can offer.”
There was something in the way he looked at her–something steady, full of light.
Vivian didn’t respond, not with words, but her eyes shimmered, and in that silence was an answer louder than any spoken yes.
Just outside the door, Rhett stood frozen as if something inside him had snapped. His gaze dropped to their joined hands, and he felt a scream clawing its way up his throat.
“Vivian–he’s wrong!” he wanted to shout. “Love isn’t about letting go! It’s not some poetic ideal. When you love someone, you don’t want them to leave–you want them close. You want to keep
them. Own them!”
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