Chapter 9: The Man at the Door

The next morning, I woke before sunrise.

I had barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Zane standing in the doorway of my flower shop.

I kept telling myself it didn't matter.

He was part of my past.

I had a new name, a new home, and a new life.

But my hands still trembled when I unlocked the shop.

By nine o'clock, the first customers had arrived.

I buried myself in work.

Flowers were easier than memories.

At noon, the bell above the door rang.

I looked up automatically.

And froze.

Zane stood there.

He wasn't wearing his uniform this time.

He wore a dark jacket over a plain shirt, his hair slightly longer than I remembered.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then he said my name.

“Elara.”

I swallowed.

“You shouldn't be here.”

His eyes moved around the shop.

“This is yours?”

“Yes.”

A faint smile touched his lips.

“It's beautiful.”

I turned back toward the flowers.

“Thank you.”

He took a step closer.

“Are you really married?”

My fingers tightened around the stems I was arranging.

“Why does it matter?”

“Because Connor told me you were.”

“Then you already know.”

His gaze dropped to the gold band on my finger.

“Who is he?”

I met his eyes.

“Someone who came into my life when I stopped waiting for you.”

Zane flinched.

It was small, but I saw it.

“I deserved that,” he said quietly.

I didn't answer.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a thin folder.

“I didn't come here to ask you to take me back.”

He placed the folder on the counter.

“I came to give you the truth.”

I didn't touch it.

“I already know about Sofia's lie.”

His expression changed.

“How?”

“You sent me a letter.”

He stared at me.

“I didn't send that.”

My stomach dropped.

“What?”

Zane shook his head.

“I never mailed you anything.”

He opened the folder and pulled out several documents.

“Someone sent that letter using my name.”

I looked at the handwriting again.

It suddenly felt unfamiliar.

“Then who sent it?”

Zane's voice became serious.

“That's what I've been trying to find out.”

He placed another document in front of me.

It was a copy of the divorce filing.

“Sofia didn't just lie about her father's condition.”

“She manipulated both of us.”

I looked up.

“How?”

Zane hesitated.

“She showed me messages that appeared to come from you.”

“Messages saying you knew about the wedding.”

“Messages saying you didn't want me anymore.”

My heart pounded.

“I never sent those.”

“I know that now.”

The shop suddenly felt too quiet.

Zane stared at me with an expression I had never seen on his face before.

Regret.

“Elara, I believed them.”

I shook my head.

“And I believed you didn't care.”

Neither of us spoke.

Then the bell above the door rang again.

A woman walked in carrying a large handbag.

The moment she saw Zane, she stopped.

Her face changed.

She looked directly at me.

Then at Zane.

And whispered one sentence.

“You found her.”