Fuck. Me. Dead.
Chapter 46
Hope
I thought I had endured the greatest shock of my life when I discovered Adrian’s betrayal—or rather, his countless betrayals. But finding out that my Aunt Amber, my late Aunt Amber, was once married to Kaden’s father has left me speechless beyond reason.
Even now, less than twenty-four hours later, I’m still in a state of disbelief.
Kaden had been just as stunned—if not more so—than I was. He’s been unusually quiet all day, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s the nerves building for what’s about to come.
After the revelation last night, after discovering an unbelievable twist in both our family histories, my father requested a meeting with Troy.
He admitted their departure all those years ago could have been handled far better, that he has always carried a deep regret for cutting Troy out of their lives so easily when, at one point, he had been family. He misses his old frienddearly. And perhaps, this meeting—though long overdue—is their chance to finally bury the hatchet.
It was hard to hear my mother confess the real reason their relationship with Kaden’s dad ended, and it cast the whole story of Kaden’s conception in a much clearer light. He had mentioned in his letter to Skylar that he was the product of his father’s betrayal. What I hadn’t known at the time was that my Aunt Amber had deliberately driven her husband towards infidelity, which resulted in an unplanned child with another woman.
It wasn’t until she fell ill and lay on her deathbed that she finally admitted the truth to my mother.
A betrayal is still a betrayal, and there’s never an excuse for it. But I truly believe that Troy deeply loved and cared for my aunt. She, on the other hand, couldn’t see past her inability to have children, which ultimately became the catalyst for the breakdown of their marriage. According to my mother, she had emotionally checked out long before Troy ever cheated.
It’s three o’clock on a Sunday afternoon, and once again, we’re on the road, on our way to my parents’ house. Troy rides in the back seat, silent and tense, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery just outside his window. The entire ride is so quiet that I can almost feel the nervousness and anxiety radiating from Kaden and his father.
I wish I could offer them some kind of reassurance—that no matter what happens after today, I still want them in my life. That it doesn’t change anything between Kaden and me.
He’s someone who has quietly taken up a huge space in my life,someone I get excited to see or hear from the moment Iwake up in the morning. More than anything, he’s someone I’m falling madly in love with, and I can’t deny it any longer.
“So much time has passed… I’m afraid they might not even recognise me anymore,” Troy murmurs softly, almost as if speaking to himself.
I glance over my shoulder to see him still staring out the window. His hands are clasped tightly in his lap, one leg bouncing nervously. His silvery grey hair is neatly combed back, and he’s dressed in a light blue button-down shirt and jeans. Kaden had said he spent a full hour trying on outfit after outfit before settling on this one. It’s clear he wants to make a good impression, even though it’s been almost four decades since he and my parents last saw each other.
“My parents might be old, but their minds are still sharp as a knife. I don’t think they ever forgot about you.”
Troy turns to face me, a half-smile lifting one corner of his lips. “How is Finn? The last time I saw him, he was just a toddler, attached to your mum’s hip all the time.”
I let out a soft chuckle. “Not much has changed. Still quite the mama’s boy he’s always been,” I reply, earning a quiet laugh from both Troy and Kaden. “But in all seriousness, he’s doing great—really well for himself. He has a family now and works for the Federal Police as a Cybercrime Investigator.”
“Yeah? Good for him. He was always a very smart kid, from what I remember, so it’s no surprise he chose such an intellectually demanding career. You both have chosen very respectable paths. Frank and Justine must be very proud.”
I nod and smile, saying nothing more, because the next moment, Kaden is pulling up to the gates of my parents’ home.
When it slides open and the car rolls in, I hear a soft hum coming from the back seat.
“This is definitely not the same house I used to visit all those years ago.”
“My parents bought this house a few years after I was born. It’s gone through about a million upgrades ever since.” I clarify.
Troy chuckles, and unfastens his seatbelt. “That still sounds very much like them—always needing a change.”
We all climb out of the car and make our way to the front door, where I unlock it with my spare key.
“Your father always wanted to live in a big house. Whatever he set his mind to, he made it happen. That was one of the things I really admired about him,” Troy says as we step inside.
It still feels oddly surreal that someone I only learned existed several weeks ago knows so much more about my parents than I do. This is a man who grew up next door to them, shared a close bond, and built a life alongside them—until one mistake shattered it all in an instant.
Since last night, I’ve found myself imagining what life might have looked like if Troy and my aunt had never divorced. Would he have been the fun uncle with all the cool cars in his garage? Would he have taught Finn how to fix one? Would he and Aunt Amber have joined us on family holidays?
But if they had never separated—if Troy had remained in my family’s life—Kaden would never haveexisted. He would never have been born, and if I’m being honest, I can’t imagine a world without him in it.
