Unyielding

(ARIELLE'S POV.)

His words hung in the air. He leaned in a little closer, his expression intense. I could feel my cheeks flush, and I hated myself for it. His words were like an emotional punch to the gut, stirring up feelings I wasn't ready to face. I watched him carefully as he waited for my reaction, searching my eyes like he was looking for some sign of hope.

Finally, I exhaled, a deep sigh escaping me. "If that's all, Jared... You can leave now."

I was stunned by the calmness of my own voice. But my reaction pales in comparison to Jared's look of confusion. He was in utter shock. He narrowed his eyes at me as if focusing on me would wake him up from an ugly trance.

His face was the literal picture of shock, his eyes wide as saucers, his lips hanging apart from each other as he stared at me.

His eyebrows knitted in frustration. "Why? What do you mean, Arielle? Did you hear a word of all I just said? I explained everything clearly!"

I nodded as impassively as possible, my hands clasped together as I reclined in my seat. "Yeah. I heard you, Jared," I nodded.

He looked more in disbelief as if he had somehow been expecting that I hadn't heard a word he'd said by some stroke of chance. Maybe he'd imagined the entire scene. But my confirmation only stunned him further.

"Then why are you acting this way, Arielle?" he cried in frustration, his voice cracking from the weight of a dozen emotions. His face was a mask of pain and he didn't try to hide it being his usual façade of manliness. "I love you, Arielle. Can't you see? Please.. all I ask is for a second chance," he said passionately. His chest rose and fell heavily and his eyes were glazed over with what I could imagine to be tears. But my mind was made up already and my mouth remained shut.

(JARED'S POV.)

to draw small breaths. I adjusted the knot of my tie for the umpteenth time again. I was faced with everything I had feared coming back into Arielle's office. The

facial expression was heart wrenching. I couldn't tell what she felt. If any of my words had touched her. If she even believed anything I'd just said. I was a mess of confusion and frustration. And boiling anger. I gritted

I could almost imagine for a second that when she'd sat up, her expression shifted to reveal the softness of her heart. Almost like she'd considered my

and looked at me intently. Her voice was firm and calm

I realized she didn't expect me to explain right away. I couldn't anyway. Maybe it was the intensity of her gaze. But I watched keenly, waiting for

with you? Probably share a roof with you as well... Marry you again to make your family happy.. Should I keep

all that, Arielle.. At least not yet. I just want patience. Your trust. These days, you treat me like everything I do, right down to the way I breathe around you, is wrong. I just want that to stop. As for my friends.. Don't you

I promise... I'll never make the same mistakes again. Never," I

drawn in straight lines of indifference. "It's not about the past, Jared," she finally said. Her voice was

as your equal? You claim to love me wit all the conviction in the world, but how come it's so easy for you to make decisions about my own life without even first

blind to the number of hearts you'd crash with this silly move. Have you thought about her family? How they'd react to learning that the marriage of their only daughter is all a sham.. And

word I'd said. At least not a in the way that I'd meant for her to listen and understand. All she could do was find the faults and it ate up my sense of reason. I could

my hands hard down on the desk. "But that's not your problem! That's mine," I shouted

that matters. Everything else

cherish those three years of marriage. I remember forgiving you over and over. I let

Jared. Let me speak too," she said and paused. I looked away and bit down

I have Maverick. I'm responsible for my son's life. I can't risk

you see.. that's the thing. Maverick is my son too! I would never let him get

exactly why

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