Chapter 41 What do you need, Mia?
**Mia’s POV**
Time seemed to slow in that dimly lit kitchen as Kyle’s weight pressed against me, the sharp scent of scotch mingling with his familiar cologne. His head rested heavy on my shoulder, dark hair tickling my neck as his breathing steadied.
“Kyle,” I said softly, trying to shift his weight. “We need to get you upstairs.”
He stirred, lifting his head to look at me with unfocused eyes. In the soft glow of the kitchen lights, his usual sharp features had softened, making him look younger, almost vulnerable.
“Your eyes,” he murmured, reaching up to trace my cheekbone with unsteady fingers. “So green. Like emeralds in sunlight.” A crooked smile crossed his face. “Always loved your eyes.”
My heart clenched painfully. “Stop it.” I caught his hand, pulling it away from my face. “You’re drunk.”
“Mmm, maybe.” He chuckled, the sound so unlike his usual controlled demeanor that it made my chest ache. “But I still know pretty eyes when I see them.”
“Kyle, please-”
“Stay.” His fingers curled around mine, surprisingly strong despite his inebriated state. “Just… stay with me, Mia. Like before. Remember before?”
“Before what?” The words came out sharper than intended. “Before you left me bleeding on those stairs? Before you chose Taylor over our babies?”
Something flickered in his storm–grey eyes – pain? Guilt? But his grip on my hand only tightened. “We can fix it,” he said, his words slightly slurred but intent clear. “Go back. Start over.”
A bitter laugh escaped me as tears began to burn behind my eyes. “Go back?” My voice cracked. “How can we go back, Kyle? I lost our children! They were yours too, even if you never believed it.” The tears spilled over now, hot and unstoppable. “You always believed Taylor. Always chose her. So why keep me here? Why not just let me go?”
Kyle’s face crumpled at the sight of my tears. His hands moved clumsily to my cheeks, trying to wipe away the wetness but only succeeding in smearing it further. “No, no crying,” he mumbled, clearly distressed. “Please don’t cry.”
But the dam had broken. Three years of suppressed pain poured out in burning trails down my cheeks. “Kyle, don’t. Please don’t act like you care now.” I met his gaze through my tears. “I might start believing you actually love me. But we both know the truth – I’m just convenient. A toy you got used to having around.”
“Not true.” He leaned forward, his lips catching my tears. The gentle gesture felt like knives in my heart. “Not like that, Mia. Never like that.”
I pushed against his chest, creating space between us. My tears had wet his face too, making him look as broken as I felt. “Stop lying to yourself. To me.” My voice shook with suppressed emotion. “You betrayed everything – our marriage, our trust, even if it was just a contract. But none of it matters anymore, does it?”
“Sorry.” The word fell between us, heavy with meaning but too late to heal the wounds we’d inflicted on each other. With visible effort, Kyle pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly. Without another word, he turned and stumbled away, leaving me alone on the cold kitchen floor.
I didn’t move for a long time, letting the tears fall until they ran dry. The night stretched endlessly, sleep refusing to come even after I’d dragged myself to bed. I watched the shadows move across my ceiling as the moon traced its path across the sky, each hour bringing me closer to dawn and further from any hope of reconciliation.
The soft knock came just as the first hints of sunrise began to paint my windows in pale gold.
“Mia?” Kyle’s voice was rough but clear
–
no trace of last night’s drunkenness remained. “Can I come in?”
I sat up, smoothing my tangled hair with trembling hands. “It’s your house.”
Chapter 41 What do you need, Mia?
+25 BONUS
The door opened slowly, revealing Kyle in a fresh suit, every hair perfectly in place. No sign remained of the vulnerable man who’d sat on my kitchen floor mere hours ago. His mask was firmly back in place.
“Join me for breakfast?” he asked, his tone carefully neutral.
A harsh laugh escaped me. “Seriously? After last night, you just want to pretend everything’s normal?”
“About last night-”
“Save it.” I stood, needing to feel less vulnerable. “I can’t do this anymore, Kyle. This pretense, this game – I’m done.”
He was silent for a long moment, something shifting behind his eyes. When he spoke, his voice held an unfamiliar note of resignation. “What do you need, Mia?”
The question caught me off guard. In three years of marriage, Kyle had never asked what I needed. He’d told, commanded, arranged – but never asked.
I moved closer, close enough to see the faint shadows under his eyes that even his perfect grooming couldn’t quite hide. “I want a divorce.”
His expression didn’t change, but I saw his pupils contract sharply the only sign that my words had hit their mark. The silence stretched between us, heavy with everything we’d never said.
Finally, he spoke, his voice cool and controlled once more. “After your mother’s surgery is complete, I’ll have the papers drawn up.‘
“1
He turned on his heel and left before I could respond, the door closing behind him with quiet finality. I stood frozen, staring at the space where he’d been.
Just like that. No argument. No resistance. Just calm acceptance, as if ending our marriage was nothing more than another business transaction to be handled efficiently.
The morning sun streamed through my windows, warming my skin, but I felt cold to my core. This was what I wanted, wasn’t it? Freedom from this gilded cage, from a marriage built on convenience and crushed hopes?
Then why did victory taste so much like ashes?
Outside my window, the city was waking up, going about its morning routine as if nothing had changed. As if my world hadn just shifted on its axis. Again.
I pressed my hand against the window, feeling the warmth of the sun through the glass.
The sound of Kyle’s car starting in the driveway made me flinch. The purr of the engine faded into the distance.
Leaving me alone with the morning sun and the bitter taste of getting exactly what I’d asked for.
Chapter 42 Get Over im
