Chapter 3

"What? Honey? He called you honey?!"

Caleb froze, his voice shaking. When he spotted the matching wedding ring on Liam's finger, his face went ashen. "A wedding ring... Aubrey, you actually got married?!"

But just as quickly, Caleb's cold arrogance returned. He looked Liam up and down with disdain. "You're Aubrey's husband? You don't look like much."

"So what if you're married? How long have you even been together? Eighteen years of history with Aubrey—you can't compete with that."

"Aubrey's always loved me most. She's just using you to pass the time."

"She left the country because we were fighting. She picked you on a rebound. You're just the consolation prize."

"Why else would she come back? It's obviously for me."

"Mark my words—she'll come back to me eventually."

"I'd leave now if I were you. Save yourself the embarrassment when she dumps you."

I was at a loss for words—Caleb was truly repulsive. Liam looked at him like he was some kind of idiot. Even though he was clearly angry, he stayed calm and collected, the epitome of class. He walked over, wrapped an arm around my shoulders possessively, and smiled politely at Caleb. "Aubrey and you are history. I'm her husband now."

"And you're just her ex. Nothing to worry about." Liam delivered the cutting remark in the calmest tone possible.

Caleb's face turned crimson with rage. He raised his hand to hit Liam. "You're just a placeholder! Aubrey's always loved me most—who do you think you are?"

Just as Caleb's hand was about to connect with Liam's face, I stepped in front of my husband and backhanded Caleb hard. "That's enough, Caleb!"

After hitting him, I immediately turned to Liam. "Honey, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Caleb clutched his stinging cheek, staring at me in shock. When he saw me fussing over Liam instead of him, his eyes filled with tears of self-pity. "Aubrey, you hit me? You actually hit me for him?"

"I waited for you all these years, and this is how you repay me? Do you even care what I've been through?"

"I checked my phone every day, waiting for you to reach out! I couldn't sleep at night, I missed you so much! And now you're back, but you're defending him?"

"You promised you'd love me forever! What happened to that?"

I rolled my eyes internally. The victim act was getting old. So now he knew what it felt like to be left waiting? All those nights I sat up until dawn, waiting for him to come home—only to find him with Brianna?

Caleb misread my silence as doubt. His eyes lit up, and he grabbed my free hand. "Aubrey, I knew it! You're just stringing him along—you still love me!"

"We have years of history together. You can't just throw that away."

"Here's the deal: divorce him, and I'll marry you. I'll even overlook this... mistake with him."

"After we get married, we can have kids. Remember how much you always wanted children?"

Kids? He had the nerve to mention kids? If he hadn't been so cruel back then, I never would've lost our baby. And now he wanted to start a family? Please.

Caleb took my silence for agreement. A grin spread across his face, his voice eager. "Aubrey, come back to me. We'll have a baby, and be a happy little family..."

I cut him off sharply before he could finish. "Not interested."

Caleb looked stunned. "Why not?" he pressed.

I sneered, emphasizing each word. "Simple. I already have a daughter."

Caleb froze, then shook his head frantically. "No, that's not possible. You loved me—how could you..."

Before he could finish, a little girl came running out of the room and into my arms. "Mommy! Why aren't you and Daddy coming in? I've been waiting forever!"