Nine months too late: After divorce

For one week, Kage was unreachable by his family. He remained in the apartment with Sylvie where they bonded better than before.

Sylvie had so much fun with him, she wished it could last forever.

But by the end of the week, he finally went home.

He walked into his family's mansion where they all waited for him in the living room. He'd already informed them of his coming, and like hungry wolves, they'd been waiting for his arrival. "Kage," Sam began, his deep voice laced with simmering anger, "Where on earth have you been!? Do you realize how worried you left us? How can you ignore us all these..."

"I needed to be alone," he cut in, taking a seat on the couch.

They scoffed at his nonchalant attitude.

"Were you even thinking at all?" Elizabeth snapped, leaning forward. "You've disgraced us all! Do you have any idea what this has cost us?"

"What exactly?" Kage glanced at her. "The company's not suffering any loss, is it?"

Fortunately, it didn't. Fluxpoint had gotten to a point where such matters hardly affected it.

But it didn't stop people from talking.

"Kage, what

you

did was wrong. You abandoned

your fiancée at the altar like she

was some disposable-"

"She was disposable," Kage cut in coolly, his voice calm but unyielding. "I won't marry someone I don't want to spend the rest of my

life with. Is that so hard to understand?"

"Yes, it is," Griffin interjected sharply, rising from his seat. "You made a promise, Kage. To Lana and to this family. Breaking it like this-publicly-is unacceptable."

Kage's gaze swept over each of them, calm and composed, as if their anger were no more than a slight annoyance. Then his eyes settled on his mother who had been silent so far.

When she spoke, her voice was soft, but there was steel beneath the surface. "Fix it, Kage. "You're the heir to this family. It's your duty to maintain the legacy your grandfather built. You need to make this right.". "Make it right?" He scoffed. "What does that even mean, Mother? You want me to go crawling back to Lana? Beg her to take me back so I can spend the rest of my life in another loveless, miserable relationship?" "Yes! Because it's the right thing to..."

"Look, I didn't come here for this, and I'm done with this conversation!" He stood up. "But you must know, I need you to stay away from Sylvie and her father." He directed his gaze to his aunts and uncles. "know what happened. I know you threatened her into leaving me. But what you did the last time, it's definitely going to be the last thing you ever do to her."

Phoebe scoffed. "What're you talking ab-"

"Don't try to play dumb with me. I know what happened, and the only reason I'm letting it go is because we're family. But I wouldn't tolerate it again, mum. From you or anyone else. Stay away from Sylvie."

He started towards the door. They all watched in shock.

t Bu.

"Kage! Get back here! Kage!" His father called after him, but he didn't pause for one second.

**********

Kage sat in the cafe, constantly checking his watch and staring at the entrance. He hated waiting. If it wasn't for how important this meeting was, he'd have already left.

Finally, just when his patience was about to snap, she walked in.

Her eyes scanned the room filled with only a handful of people, and when she found him, he could see the pain in her eyes.

She approached him.Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.

"Kage," Lana greeted coolly, sliding into the chair opposite him. Her voice was steady, but he caught the faint tremor underneath.

She crossed her arms over her chest, her chin tilted slightly upward, as if bracing herself for whatever came next. "I was surprised when you called."

"I owed you this," Kage replied quietly, studying her. He could see the toll the last few days had taken on her-could see it in the slight hollowness of her cheeks, the tension lining her shoulders. She'd been through hell, and a part of him hated himself for being the one who put her there. Lana was his friend. He may not have loved her, but they'd been friends.

However, he knew it was better she didn't get into a loveless marriage with him where she might constantly feel alone and get her feelings hurt.

"Yes," she agreed. "You do. After what you did... after everything, Kage, I think I deserve a hell of a lot more than just an apology."

"I know. You deserve an explanation. I'm sorry for how I ended things. I shouldn't have done it the way I did."

Lana's jaw clenched. "You mean abandoning me at the altar in front of our families and hundreds of guests wasn't the best way to call off our engagement?"

"It wasn't right. But I had to end it, Lana. I can't marry you."

Her lips trembled, but she pressed them together, refusing to let the tears spill over. "Why?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Why now? Why this way? We were supposed to be a family, Kage. We're going to have a child together."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "I know, and I promise, I'll be a good father to our child. I'll make sure you both have everything you need. But we can't get married, Lana."

Lana's breath hitched, and for a moment, she seemed to sway, as if the weight of his words were too much to bear.

She looked at him with wide, desperate eyes, searching his face for something-anything-that might give her hope. But

there was none.

"Is it her?" she asked quietly, her voice breaking. "Is it because of Sylvie?"

Kage didn't respond, looking away. But the silence that stretched between them was answer enough.

"Oh, God," she whispered, shaking her head in denial. "It is because of her. After everything I've done, everything I've put up with... it's her?" "Lana-"

"No!" she cried, slamming her hands down on the table. Heads turned in their direction, but she didn't seem to care. Her

ti BU

45

voice rose, raw and full of pain. "You don't get to walk away from me like this, Kage. Not for her. I've gone through so much -"the bitter memories of all she and her mother had done to secure Kage flashed through her mind. "-So much to be with you. You can't just abandon me like this."

Kage's expression remained cold. "This isn't about Sylvie," he lied. "It's about us. This isn't what I want. And it's not fair to you, either."

He stood up. "I'm sorry, Lana, but this is how it has to be."

He hardly ever apologized to anyone, but in this case, he owed her more than just an apology.

"No," she breathed, shaking her head frantically as he moved to leave. She reached out, grabbing his arm in a desperate, pleading grip. "Please, Kage. Don't do this. I'll do anything-anything-to make it work. Just... just give us a chance."

He gently pried her fingers from his arm. "There is no us. I'm sorry."

And then he turned, striding out of the café without looking back

"No!" she screamed, the sound wrenched from the very depths of her soul. She sank to her knees on the cold floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

People around her whispered, their gazes sympathetic or uncomfortable, but she barely noticed them.

All she could feel was the pain, the betrayal, the utter devastation of losing the man she'd wanted all her life.

&

For years, she endured being his friend while hoping he notices her feelings some day. She had to endure him getting married to the witch.

And now, just when she thought things were finally turning in her favour, the witch had to step in and destroy it.

No. She couldn't let it end like this. She couldn't be the loser. Kage was always meant to be hers, and she'd be a fool if she lost him.

**********

Kage and Sylvie were staying in his apartment where he instructed his security men not to let anyone through without his consent - not his family, not Lana, not friends.

He knew there would be trouble accompanying his drastic decision, but he was ready to do it. If it meant having a relationship with Sylvie, it'd be worth it.

Sylvie had been worried about Westley's plan of pushing through with the vote. She figured the only reason he hadn't done

it

1. it.

yet was due to the fact that Kage had been missing. But now that he was back...she feared Westley might pull through with

While she was having dinner with Kage, she brought it up. Kage had been expecting it. He told her not to worry, he had everything under control.

But Sylvie was still worried and hoped he really did know what he was doing.

She was with him in the terrace when her phone rang - an incoming call from Westley.

While she was away with Kage, Westley had been calling and texting non-stop. She knew she needed to do something about him, now that she was with Kage.

"Is something wrong?" Kage asked, noticing the way she constantly glanced at her phone.

Westley had been calling and texting. His texts conveyed that he was outside the estate and needed to see her.

Her phone had been orrsilent, so, Kage didn't hear all the noise it made.

¦04 000 84%#

Sylvie thought of telling him it was nothing, but there was no point. She needed to see define what she had left with Westley.

"It's Westley," she told him. "He's been calling and texting non-stop. I think... I think I need to go meet him."

His expression darkened instantly. "What the hell for?"

"It's not what you think, Kage," she said quickly, reaching out to place a calming hand on his arm. "I just need to talk to him. To end things properly."

"End things? And you think that'll be easy? You think he'll just let you go because you decided to have a little chat?"

Sylvie swallowed, trying to keep her voice steady. "I have to try. I can't keep avoiding him. He's not going to stop unless I make things clear."

Kage's nostrils flared, his body taut with tension. "And you think I'm just going to let you walk into his arms so he can beg and plead for you to take him back?"

Of course, not!" She scoffed. She took a deep breath, holding his hands. I'm choosing you, Kage."

The possessive gleam in his eyes softened, but only a fraction. His gaze flicked to her belly, where the babies were growing. Their babies. "You're not going alone." Sylvie blinked, startled. "Kage-"

"I'm driving you there. I'm not letting you face that bastard on your own."

Sylvie tried to convince him she'd be fine, but it was pointless.

He drove her to the gates of the estate where Westley waited because he couldn't be let in without Kage's permission.

Westley was leaning against his car, his posture tense. The moment he saw her step out of Kage's car, his expression shifted -shock, confusion, and anger flickering across his face in rapid succession. "Sylvie," he breathed, straightening as she approached.

He looked disheveled, his hair tousled as if he'd been running his hands through it in frustration. His eyes, usually so composed, were wide and wild, darkened with a mix of emotions that made her heart ache. "Westley," she greeted softly, forcing a small smile. But it faltered when his gaze darted to Kage who was watching them from the car.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Westley demanded. "Why are you with him?"

Sylvie took a deep breath, steeling herself. "I'm here to talk, Westley. We need to end things." She went straight to the point. She didn't want to waste much time with him.