CHAPTER 4

MILES

I never really expected her to reach out, so you can imagine my surprise when she did. 

Sitting across from me was a woman I had observed from a distance on countless occasions, always wondering what she was doing with that family, with that man she called her husband.

I could see through them, knew exactly what they were like, and I had spent years waiting for Axelle to finally muster the courage to break free from their hold.

"If you want my help, Axelle, you'll have to follow my lead," I demanded. The last thing I wanted was to rescue her from this mess only for her to return to her family or, even worse, her soon-to-be ex-husband.

She stared down at her hands, taking a deep breath. "As long as it doesn't conflict with my morals, I'll do it," she replied, her voice soft but firm. "Some wounds can't be healed, Miles, and I think my family and husband just inflicted one that won't ever close."

I gulped down my drink, pushed back my chair, and walked around the table until I was standing right beside her. Leaning against the edge of the desk, I looked down at her. "Before we move forward with the divorce, we're going to need proof that he cheated on you with your sister Ines."

She lifted her head to meet my gaze, blinking rapidly as she tried to hold back tears. It infuriated me that she still cried for them. "I already have pictures of them," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I can send them to your phone later."

Impressive. "I'm glad you've kept your wits about you, even through all this heartache." I placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze—offering comfort in the only way I knew how. "You've cried enough for them. Wipe those tears, straighten your back, and hold your head high. From this moment on, they're all beneath you."

She stared at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I'm trying," she whimpered, her voice cracking with pain. "I'm trying so hard not to shed any more tears for Adan, but it just hurts so much."

"It should hurt," I replied, my voice rough with empathy as I got up from my desk to get her something to drink from the small bar in the corner. I needed to get her something to help her through the stress, something to offer her a bit of relief. "You loved him deeply, saw him as the only glimmer of light in that dark, manipulative family."

I reached for a bottle of wine, grabbing a glass for her and another for scotch bottle myself, and returned to my seat. "After enduring a long, stressful day with your family, you looked forward to returning home to the one person you believed was genuine. But then, all that hope is brutally shattered," I said, pouring the wine into her glass and sliding it toward her. "It's only natural to feel alone in such a situation."

Looking up, she blinked rapidly, trying to catch the tears that threatened to fall with the tip of her finger. "Don't, Miles," she rasped, her voice trembling. "You don't know what I'm going through." She shifted her gaze back to me. "You don't understand what I'm feeling right now."

That's where she was wrong. I knew exactly what she was feeling. "You feel lonely," I stated factly. "I know because I've been there myself."

She stared at me, and I held her gaze, searching her eyes for some hint of understanding, though I wasn't sure what I was entirely looking for. Finally, she looked away, picked up the wine glass, and took a sip. "So, what's the plan?" she asked, her voice regaining a bit of flare. "I can call my legal team. They can quickly find me the best divorce lawyer."

Despite being part of that family, she didn't seem to fully grasp their nature. That family breathe evil, and only a greater evil could challenge them effectively. "I'll be finding the lawyer myself," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.

She frowned, clearly puzzled. "Why? Don't you trust my legal team?"

I shrugged, reaching for the whiskey bottle to pour myself a refill. "You mean the legal team that's closely tied to your family?" I asked with a hint of amusement. "I wouldn't trust them to have your best interests at heart."

Axelle leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs with skepticism. "And why should I trust you and whatever legal team you're suggesting?"

Tilting my head slightly, I observed her carefully. Her blonde hair fell gracefully around her shoulders, framing a face that radiated a rare, almost ethereal beauty. I had no doubt she woke up each morning looking just as stunning as she did now. "Do you want me to give you a response that you think you'd prefer to hear, or do you want the honest truth?"

"Give it to me real," she replied.

"You're going to trust me because, frankly, you don't have much of a choice." I stated, emphasizing the undeniable truth of the situation. "I'm the only one who can effectively shield you from both your soon-to-be ex-husband family and your manipulative family."

Axelle nodded, letting out a shaky breath as she took another sip of her wine. "So, you'll provide the lawyer. What, then, is my role in all of this?"

"Just keep being pretty," I teased, watching as her expression tightened in response. I couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. "But seriously, continue playing the role of the angry wife, Axelle. And keep quiet about my involvement for now. Don't mention it to your family just yet."

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she swirled the wine in her glass. "You sound so confident that you can save me from this mess," she said, dropping her glass onto the table with a thud. She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, her tone growing more serious. "My family is crazier and more evil than you realize. Are you really sure you can handle this?"

"I'm certain I can," I replied without hesitation.

"Why do you sound so confident, Miles?"

"Because," I said, meeting her gaze steadily, "your family and I are cut from the same cloth. I know how to deal with people like them."