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

Get back here! Kage!" His father called after him, but he didn't

**********

cafe, constantly checking his watch and staring at the entrance. He hated waiting. If it wasn't for how important this

when his patience was about to

84%

and when she found him, he could see the pain

She approached him.

chair opposite him. Her voice

chin tilted slightly upward, as if bracing herself for

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.

he knew it was better she didn't get into a loveless marriage with him

after everything, Kage, I think I deserve a hell of a lot

I'm sorry for how I ended things. I shouldn't have done it

clenched. "You mean abandoning me at the altar in front of our families and hundreds of guests wasn't the best way to call

I had to end it, Lana. I can't marry

over. "Why?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Why now? Why this way? We were supposed to be a family, Kage. We're

know, and I promise, I'll be a good father to our child. I'll make sure you both have everything you

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

wide, desperate eyes, searching his face for something-anything-that might give her

there was none.

she asked quietly, her voice breaking. "Is it because

respond, looking away. But the silence that stretched between them was answer

God," she whispered, shaking her head in denial. "It is because of her. After everything I've done, everything I've

down on the table. Heads turned in

Oct 12

Chapter 80

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from me like this, Kage. Not for her. I've gone through so much -"the bitter memories of all she and her mother had done to secure Kage flashed through her mind. "-So much to be with

remained cold. "This isn't about Sylvie," he lied. "It's about us. This isn't what I want.

sorry, Lana, but this

apologized to anyone, but in this case,

his arm in a desperate, pleading

from his arm.

striding out of the

of her soul. She

gazes sympathetic

the pain, the betrayal, the utter devastation

&

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

she thought things were finally turning in

like this. She couldn't be the loser. Kage was always meant to be

**********

were staying in his apartment where he instructed his security men not to let anyone through without his consent - not his

decision, but he was ready to do it. If it meant having a relationship with Sylvie, it'd be

Westley's plan of pushing through with the vote.

it