The daughter of Richard Meyers, a well-known business tycoon in the import-export industry.
I clicked on a few of the articles and quickly gathered the story the media had pieced together. According to various sources, after a series of one-night stands that had kept gossip columns busy for months, Caleb had now begun dating Tatiana. The photographs showed them attending events together, smiling at cameras, looking comfortable beside one another.
I sat there staring at the screen, as if the words had turned to stone in my chest.
I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to his relationship with Caroline. The last I had known, they had been closely connected. Had they broken up? Had something gone wrong between them? The articles didn’t say.
Maybe his mother had interfered there too.
Or maybe Caleb had simply moved on.
A small sense of relief washed over me.
At least he wasn’t with her anymore.
Either way, it seemed he was continuing his life without me.
Later that night, lying in bed, the images I had seen still replayed in my mind. The sharpness of the pain had softened over time, but it hadn’t disappeared.
I knew his mother would likely approve of whoever stood beside him now. She had always wanted someone from their social circle for him.
No matter how much time passed, my feelings for Caleb never vanished completely. Every time I looked at Emma, I saw pieces of him in her. I still kept his photograph tucked away where no one else could see it, and sometimes my eyes drifted to it before I could stop myself.
I turned onto my side, trying to push the thoughts away.
Instead, another face appeared in my mind.
Cole.
He had been the one constant in my life for months. I had noticed that he still wore his wedding ring, a reminder that part of his heart still belonged to the life he had lost. Lucas had grown attached to him during that time, looking up to him in a way that was impossible to ignore, and I was careful not to disrupt that bond. I didn’t want to confuse my son.
As I lay there staring into the darkness, my thoughts tangled into a struggle. Caleb belonged to my past, but the feelings had not disappeared. Cole stood firmly in my present.
One had supported me through my darkest moments.
The other had broken my heart.
The contrast between them created a constant tug-of-war between memory and reality.
Before sleep carried me away, I whispered a prayer for happiness, strength, and the courage to keep moving forward.
28
JIYA
My second Christmas in Cowichan Bay turned out to be surprisingly eventful.
Elle and her family came over a couple of days before Christmas. It felt comforting to have someone from my old life sitting across from me again. While we chatted in the living room, she updated me about everything happening back in the city. I listened while feeding Emma, nodding along as Elle spoke about mutual acquaintances and neighbourhood gossip.
“How’s Patty doing?” I asked.
“Patty is fine,” Elle replied. “I try to message her at least two or three times a month. You’re the only topic of conversation.” She sighed and shook her head slightly. “It kills me that I can’t tell her how or where you are.”
“I know,” I said, nodding slowly. A wave of guilt washed through me. “I’m sorry. I’ll visit her once my training is done.”
Jack and Maureen called and invited me over for Christmas dinner. When they heard that Elle and her family were visiting, they immediately extended the invitation to them as well. That evening, we all headed to the Bortelini house, with the dining table overflowing with food and conversation.
Cole joined us later before heading over to his brother’s place.
