Nine months too late: After divorce by Baby Charlene

Chapter 80

For one week, Kage was unreachable by his family. He remained in the apartment with Sylvie where they bonded better than before.

Sylvie had so much fun with him, she wished it could last forever.

But by the end of the week, he finally went home.

He walked into his family's mansion where they all waited for him in the living room. He'd already informed them of his coming, and like hungry wolves, they'd been waiting for his arrival. "Kage," Sam began, his deep voice laced with simmering anger, "Where on earth have you been!? Do you realize how worried you left us? How can you ignore us all these..."

"I needed to be alone," he cut in, taking a seat on the couch.

They scoffed at his nonchalant attitude.

"Were you even thinking at all?" Elizabeth snapped, leaning forward. "You've disgraced us all! Do you have any idea what this has cost us?"

"What exactly?" Kage glanced at her. "The company's not suffering any loss, is it?"

Fortunately, it didn't. Fluxpoint had gotten to a point where such matters hardly affected it.

But it didn't stop people from talking.

"Kage, what

you

did was wrong. You abandoned

your fiancée at the altar like she

was some disposable-"

"She was disposable," Kage cut in coolly, his voice calm but unyielding. "I won't marry someone I don't want to spend the rest of my

life with. Is that so hard to understand?"

"Yes, it is," Griffin interjected sharply, rising from his seat. "You made a promise, Kage. To Lana and to this family. Breaking it like this-publicly-is unacceptable."

Kage's gaze swept over each of them, calm and composed, as if their anger were no more than a slight annoyance. Then his eyes settled on his mother who had been silent so far.

When she spoke, her voice was soft, but there was steel beneath the surface. "Fix it, Kage. "You're the heir to this family. It's your duty to maintain the legacy your grandfather built. You need to make this right.". "Make it right?" He scoffed. "What does that even mean, Mother? You want me to go crawling back to Lana? Beg her to take me back so I can spend the rest of my life in another loveless, miserable relationship?" "Yes! Because it's the right thing to..."

"Look, I didn't come here for this, and I'm done with this conversation!" He stood up. "But you must know, I need you to stay away from Sylvie and her father." He directed his gaze to his aunts and uncles. "know what happened. I know you threatened her into leaving me. But what you did the last time, it's definitely going to be the last thing you ever do to her."

Phoebe scoffed. "What're you talking ab-"

"Don't try to play dumb with me. I know what happened, and the only reason I'm letting it go is because we're family. But I wouldn't tolerate it again, mum. From you or anyone else. Stay away from Sylvie."

He started towards the door. They all watched in shock.

11:38 Sat, Oct 12 t Bu.

Chapter 80

called after him, but he

**********

and staring at the entrance. He hated

was

84%

and when she found him, he could see the pain

She approached him.

Her voice was steady, but he caught the faint

arms over her chest, her chin tilted slightly upward, as if

her. He could see the toll the last few days had taken on her-could see it in the slight hollowness of her cheeks, the tension lining her shoulders. She'd been through hell, and a part of him hated himself for being the one who put her there. Lana was his friend. He may not have loved her,

better she didn't get into a loveless marriage with him where she might constantly feel alone and get

did... after everything, Kage, I think I deserve

You deserve an explanation. I'm sorry for how I ended things. I shouldn't have done it

at the altar in front of our families and hundreds of guests wasn't the best way

right. But I had to end it, Lana. I

trembled, but she pressed them together, refusing to let the tears spill over. "Why?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Why now? Why this way? We

be a good father to our child. I'll make

hitched, and for a moment, she seemed to sway, as if the weight of his words were too much

looked at him with wide, desperate eyes, searching

there was none.

asked quietly, her voice breaking. "Is

silence that stretched between them

because of her.

hands down on the table. Heads turned in their direction, but

Sat, Oct 12

Chapter 80

884%

45

of pain. "You don't get to walk away from me like this, Kage. Not for her. I've gone through so much -"the bitter memories of all she

us. This isn't what I want. And it's not fair

"I'm sorry, Lana, but this is how it

in this

reached out, grabbing his arm in a desperate, pleading grip. "Please, Kage.

her fingers from his

then he turned, striding out of

sound wrenched from the very depths of her

whispered, their gazes sympathetic or uncomfortable, but she barely noticed

betrayal, the utter devastation of losing the

&

his friend while hoping he notices her feelings some day. She had to endure

things were finally turning in her

Kage was always meant

**********

in his apartment where he instructed his security men not to let anyone through without his consent - not his family, not Lana,

accompanying his drastic decision, but he was ready to do it. If it meant having

Westley's plan of pushing through with the vote. She figured the only reason he

it