Page 133 of Broken Destiny

He had not lied.

He had not cheated on me with Caroline.

Those photographs his mother had shown me had been staged, carefully crafted to deceive me.

A lie.

A plan his mother had orchestrated—very likely with Caroline’s help.

As that truth sank in, my heartbeat slowed, replaced by a heavy calm.

“You let me walk away without giving me a chance to explain. Now I’m going to do the same to you... So you know exactly how that feels.”

I lowered my head, unable to speak.

His anger crushed every word waiting on my tongue.

Without another glance, Caleb turned and walked toward the children.

“Lucas... Emma...” Caleb called out as they sat at the table eating their cereal.

The children looked up at him, their spoons pausing midway to their mouths.

I stood in the living room watching their interaction, my arms crossed and fingers trembling.

He bent to their level.

“Guys, I’m leaving now.”

His voice softened for the children, but I could see the tension in his jaw.

“Where you go?” Emma asked.

“Back home... back to Vancouver.”

“But why?” Lucas asked in a small voice.

Caleb straightened slightly, his shoulders stiffening before he spoke again.

“I’m getting married in less than three weeks, remember?”

“Yeah... Mama told me that,” Lucas said. “I thought you were having fun with us here, and you wouldn’t go back.”

“I did have a great time, but I have to go now. The weekend is over.”

“Come again?” Emma asked.

“I can’t promise, but I’ll try,” Caleb replied.

“I was hoping that you and Mama would get back together and that maybe you would marry her,” Lucas confessed.

I felt my breath catch in my throat, and my fingers fisted my blouse.

Caleb swallowed and looked at Lucas for a long moment.

“I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry I made you feel that way,” he said, letting out a slow breath. “Your Mama and I are just two very different people now, Lucas. It would never work out.”

“It seemed to be working fine until yesterday.”