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It took Ana half an hour to come down, and being made to wait didn’t come as a surprise to Kyr at all. She had always been like this, but the fact that she hadn’t changed didn’t mean anything to him anymore.
She was dressed in a sleeveless, striped jersey dress, its body-hugging fit emphasizing her statuesque frame. Heads turned as she walked past, her long dark hair streaming behind her like ebony silk.
And Kyr felt...nothing.
Maybe he had even felt this way for a long time now, and maybe he would have known that, if he had not foolishly and stubbornly clung to his pride.
Kyr was on his feet by the time she reached the table. “Ana.” She bent forward to kiss him on the cheek, but he deftly moved back.
Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Your little wife’s got you on a leash?”
He didn’t dignify it with an answer, simply pulling a seat out for her.
She sat down rather ungraciously, not bothering to hide her pique.
He took his seat across her, unable to stop himself from comparing her sulking ways to how his wife never failed to display good manners.
He called for a waiter, ordering himself black coffee while she asked for a macchiato. The waiter left, and Kyr asked, “You’ve spoken with your parents?”
“Yes.” She glared at him. “I’m not as evil as you seem to want to think.”
“I wouldn’t know,” he returned calmly, “considering how little contact you've had with them over the years.”
“Can you blame me?” she demanded bitterly. “They chose you over me, just because you’re Kyrillos Gazis—-”
“Stop lying.” His eyes bored through hers. “And don’t treat me like I’m an idiot. We both know your parents aren’t like that. They disowned you out of anger and shame for what you’ve done, but they regretted it soon enough. You’re the one who chose to turn your back on them completely after that.”
But Ana only leaned back against her chair and smiled. “You’ve been keeping tabs on me,” she breathed. “I’m glad. It only means you love me—-”
“No, Ana.” Her name unintentionally slipped past his lips, and Kyr’s jaw clenched because even that felt like a betrayal. He knew, if Pollyanna was here, she would feel betrayed, and the mere thought of it hurt.
He had to finish this once and for all, Kyr thought tensely. The more time he spent with Ana, the worse it would look.
He started to speak, but Ana beat him to it, and her words were completely unexpected.
“Do you hate me so much now, Kyr?”
He stilled.
Her mask of sophistication had fallen away, leaving Ana looking extremely vulnerable, and he realized then that there was still a goddamn tiny part of him that felt something for her. It was no longer love, but it was...something that could still be affected, and the knowledge made Kyr hate himself.
Pollyanna deserved his entire heart, dammit. His wife deserved the fucking moon and stars, and here he was, unable to give her his entire heart.
“Yes.”
Because he hated Ana.
“It would be better for both of us if I no longer hate you, but just looking at you now, and I know.” His lips twisted. “I still despise you for what you did—-”
Ana leaned forward, cutting him off passionately, “But I’m here now!”
“Because I’m a billionaire?” he snapped.
“Of course not,” Ana cried out. “I knew the moment you had it all together, Kyr. I could have come back to you when you were still single and rich, and you would have taken me back then. We both know you would have—-”
“Then what changed?” he asked coldly.
She said simply, “I grew up.” Her dark eyes became haunted. “I realized just how much I had thrown away...and now I know, you’re more important to me than anything else.” Even when the waiter came to their table, serving them their coffee, it was as if she didn’t notice him at all, continuing emotionally, “I’ll quit my job if you want. You just have to say the word, and w-we can even live on my money.” She paused, lip trembling, and then she whispered, “I love you, Kyr.”
But somehow, it didn’t ring true.
Or perhaps it did, but too much time had passed, too many things had happened, and it no longer mattered as much as it should to him.
He looked at Ana.
He remembered everything still, but when the past had once felt like both a treasured memory and an unrealized dream, now all of it felt like a mistake.
“I’m sorry, Ana,” he said tonelessly.
She jerked in her seat, naked pain flashing in her eyes.
“And I’m only telling you this not to hurt you, but so you wouldn’t mistake what I have to say.” He met her eyes straight on. “I don’t want to see you again after today. I don’t want to hear from you, I don’t want to know any single thing about you.”
