Chapter 72 

Four hours later. 

The plane touches down on the runway at JFK as I stare out the window. 

Ariana has slept on my shoulder the whole way home, and I’m beginning to wonder if she’s had some kind of breakdown. She isn’t acting like herself at all, she’s usually so strong and proud, and I don’t know what to say that won’t just upset her even more. 

Keeping my mouth shut is the best option. 

Get her home safe. I’ve already called her parents. I get a vision of her crying and hitting my chest as I held her and my heart sinks. 

The most horrible core memory that will forever be burned into my brain, I don’t even want to imagine that it might happen again when I leave. I feel physically sick over it. 

I glance at my phone, no missed calls. 

My attention turns to stare out the window. I didn’t even say goodbye to the kids. 

What must they think? 

A strange woman turns up screaming and crying and then they’re rushed out of their own 

home and suddenly I’ve gone with her. 

Maybe I should drop Ariana home and then fly back to Greenville…but then I have to present to the board tomorrow here in New York. 

Fuck’s sake, this is a logistical nightmare, them living so far away. 

I’m going to call Violet and see if she can fly out here for the week. The kids can have one 

week off school, surely, these are extenuating circumstances. Dominic and I had just started to turn the corner, I don’t want this morning to be in his little brain. He’s an overthinker like me, I know how he would be reading into this. He’ll think that I’ve chosen 

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to be with her over them, that I’ve left of my own free will. 

Teed to be with them. 

4 

Ariana’s hand slides up my thigh and she takes my hand in hers. “Thank you.” 

I glance down at her. “For what?” 

“Coming home with me.” 

I didn’t come home with you. I stare at her for a moment as I do an internal risk assessment. I can’t upset her again before I get her home safely. 

I squeeze her hand in mine and give her a sad smile. “Let’s get you home, hey?” 

She smiles hopefully up at me and kisses my shoulder. “I love you.” I give her a stifled smile as my heart breaks all over again for her. 

This is possibly the worst day of all time. 

The plane comes to a stop and I stand and grab the bags. Mark takes our bags down and I 

help her out of her seat. I grab her handbag and take her hand and lead her out of the 

plane and down the stairs to the waiting car on the tarmac. 

I open the door and wait while she climbs in and I get in behind her. Almost there. 

Ariana holds my hand in her lap as we drive through New York City, and I sit silently with my heart in my throat. What happens when we get there? 

It kills me to hurt her, how do I do this? 

I think of all the men and women who leave a marriage and effectively walk out on their children. How do you walk out one day for another person and never go back? 

I feel sick for leaving my kids today just to take Ariana home… My phone vibrates in my pocket, Violet. 

The urge to read the text takes me every inch of control to fight. I can’t open my phone in 

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front of Ariana, she’ll go postal. 

With my elbow leaning on the door, I pinch the bridge of my nose. 

I’m caught in a nightmare. 

Living between two places, trying to win the love and respect of my children. I have zero interest in work or being in New York anymore and I’m hopelessly in love with one woman while breaking another woman’s heart. 

We drive into the underground parking lot and Ariana smiles up at me, grateful that I’ve brought her to my house. 

My heart sinks as we turn the corner and I see her parents‘ car parked in my bays. 

She sits forward. “Why are my parents here?” Her panicked eyes flick to me. “You called my 

parents?” 

I grip her hand in mine. “I’m worried about you,” I tell her softly. 

“Then don’t leave me,” she cries. 

Mark’s eyes flick up to meet mine in the rearview mirror. 

Fuck…here we go. 

Mark pulls the car up alongside her parents and I open the door. 

“No,” she cries as she clings to me. “You can’t do this, we love each other, Gabriel.” Her 

mother and father walk over to the car and look over me in at her. 

“Thank you for coming,” I say sadly. I climb out of the car as she clings to me. 

“Ariana, darling. You’re coming home with us,” her mother says. 

“No, Gabriel, don’t you leave me.” 

Her father reaches into the car and she begins to fight him. 

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Their silhouettes blur as the lump in my throat nearly cuts off my air. 

He drags her from my car, and to the sound of her cries, he puts her in his. 

I stand to the side, helpless. 

This is devastating. 

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