A SECOND CHANCE AT FOREVER Chapter 9: CHAPTER NINE

KYLE

The past few days have been a whirlwind of emotions, a delicate balancing act between work, my therapy appointments, and the unavoidable sight of Ashley with Violet at the hospital.

Seeing her there was like a constant reminder of everything I’d lost, and her clear attempts to avoid me only made it worse.

Today is Ashley’s birthday. She didn’t remind me—she didn’t need to. I’ve always remembered. This morning, I sent her a simple text wishing her a happy birthday, followed by a tentative request to meet. A date, I suggested. It was clumsy, but I couldn’t let her slip away without at least trying.

She read the message. No reply. The silence hit me harder than I expected. Maybe my approach was off, maybe it was too much too soon, but I couldn’t let her slip away without at least trying.

Jack was right. It’s going to take more than just a date. It’s going to require a complete shift in priorities, in how I live my life.

My plans are clear: once things are more stable, I’ll end my relationship with Atlas. I don’t care if it risks the stability of my company. I can’t afford to let everything fall apart again. What matters now is Ashley. I’ve spent the last two years realizing that.

I paced around my office, glancing at the clock, each minute dragging as I mentally prepared myself. I knew she had been avoiding me for days. Today’s attempt at reaching out felt like a desperate measure, but I had to try.

My plan was simple: I was going to pay her a visit at her apartment

Yeah, I know where she stays.  My days of watching her movements in secret had paid off. I knew her routine by heart now—knew the path she took to Ryan’s place. I knew she leaves her house at 8:10 a.m. each morning to meet Violet at the hospital, and she returns around 6:30 p.m. Sometimes 7, depending on how late Violet stayed at the hospital. I knew she stopped at a pet store now and buy for supplies for her cat—another detail I’d memorized. I also knew she often retreated to a cozy coffee shop down the street, lost in a book or her thoughts for hours.

Today was different. Today, I had a chance. Violet wasn’t going to the hospital; there was a good chance Ashley would be home. I checked my watch again—it was after 3 p.m. I couldn’t wait any longer.

I stepped out of my office and into my car, the engine humming to life, but the nerves in my stomach felt like they might tear me apart. This was ridiculous. I’d never been this anxious over a woman before. But I couldn’t let the day go by without trying. Not after everything.

The drive to her apartment felt longer than usual, every minute stretching into an eternity. 

A few minutes later, I parked outside her building. I sat in the car for a moment, taking deep breaths, trying to calm the nerves that were threatening to overwhelm me. This was ridiculous, I thought. But still, I had to do this.

I stepped out of the car, my hands shaking slightly as I approached her front door. No turning back now. Before I could second-guess myself, I knocked gently.

There was a brief pause, then the sound of footsteps approaching. The door creaked open, and there she was, looking surprised and disappointed like she was expecting someone else.  I took in her sight and she was dressed in a stunning blue dress. Her red hair was pulled back, showcasing her heart-shaped face and striking features. Her deep brown eyes sparkled with surprise and annoyance, while her full lips parted slightly. A delicate silver necklace glinted on her neck, adding to her elegant poise. 

“Kyle”

She said, her voice a mix of shock and caution.

“Hi, Ashley” I said, trying to keep my tone calm.

“What are you doing here?” She asked

“I just thought I should stop by”

“Stop by?” Her brow arched, clearly confused. “How did you even know where I live?”

Oh, right.

“I… I found out,” I muttered, awkwardness flooding me, making my words feel hollow. I didn’t know how else to explain it. “Shouldn’t you let me in?”

She hesitated. Her eyes flickered between curiosity and reluctance, a battle she was clearly losing. Finally, she sighed, and with a slow movement, she flung the door open wide. The familiar scent of wildflowers filled the air, mingled with the unmistakable smell of her. It felt like coming home, except that the home was not a place I  belong again 

“What’s this about? Why are you here?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as though she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.

“Uhm… Today’s your birthday,” I began, but before I could finish, she cut me off.

“Sorry I haven’t replied to your text. I’ve just been really busy. Thank you…”

I felt something snap inside me. “Shit, Ashley! I don’t want your gratitude for the damn text” I blurted, my voice rising in frustration. 

“What exactly do you want from me, Kyle?” she gestured between us, the space between us thick with the tension I could barely contain.

I took a step closer, my voice soft, but carrying the weight of everything I’d been holding in for so long. “I want you back,” I said, barely above a whisper, but it was the truth, the only truth that mattered.

She scoffed, shaking her head like she couldn’t even bear to listen to me.

“I have to be somewhere,” she said, turning away, but I grabbed her wrist before she could take another step.

“Don’t” I said, my voice cracking. My heart was fighting to break free from my chest. “I’m sorry, freckles. I’ll make it up to you, I swear. I’ll do everything you want. The lady you saw me with… I have nothing to do with her anymore, I swear.”

Her breath hitched as she exhaled shakily

“Let me go, Kyle,” she whispered but I knew, deep down, she wasn’t just asking me to let go of her wrist. We both knew that.

“I wish I could,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “I’ve tried… but I couldn’t. For two years, I’ve been searching for you, but you were nowhere to be found. Violet didn’t spill, either. She didn’t tell me where you were. I spent two years regretting my choices, wishing I hadn’t lost you. I don’t know… I feel so bad. I just wish I could correct my mistakes.”

Ashley shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks as she looked at me like I was a stranger, like the man who stood before her wasn’t the one she’d once loved. 

“Kyle, it’s over. Accept it. You’re chasing after something you already lost.”

Accept it. My foot!

This couldn’t be the end. Not for us. Not after everything we’d shared. Not after that kiss.

“Then why can’t you look at me?” I demanded, desperation clawing at my chest. Her eyes darted away, avoiding mine. “Can you look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t love me anymore?”

“Loving you has never been the problem!” she shouted, the words raw with pain as she ripped her wrist out of my hand. “I’ve always loved you, Kyle. Through a year of marriage, all I did was love you. And for the last two years, I’ve spent every single day loving you, trying to forget you. I loved you so much that I lost myself. Everything I did, everything I gave up, everything I endured… it was for you. For us.”

She paused, her voice trembling, before she continued, her words a release of years of silent suffering. “I never got mad at you for your late nights, the missed dates, the canceled trips. Why? Because I believed in you, and I wanted you to succeed. Not for the money, but because you did. I thought that one day, it would be enough, that you’d see what we had and be happy with it. But it was never enough. You chose money over me, Kyle. You chose her over me.”

A bitter laugh mixed with her tears, and it gutted me. “Every night I went to sleep alone in our bed because you were busy with some meeting. I woke up alone because you’d already left for work. And you know what? I put up with it because I loved you. But when you cheated with another lady… that was the line. I couldn’t take it anymore. And that’s why I left. You seemed fine with it. So tell me, Kyle, why the hell are you here again, begging for another chance?”

The room spun, and I couldn’t breathe. The air was too thick with regret, with everything I had failed to do. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t process. I knew I’d hurt her, but this… this was more than I ever thought I’d caused. I remembered everything—the missed calls, the canceled plans, the way I never gave her the attention she deserved. I remembered the divorce,l. I thought we would make it through,I thought she'd come back then..

“I didn’t know,” I said, my voice raw, broken. “I’m sorry, Ashley. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved. I might not have shown it, but it’s always been you. Only you.”

The soft knock at the door cut through the silence, and my heart sank. Ashley wiped her tears quickly, hastily. “I’m sorry, Kyle, but I need to go…”

She hurried toward the door, opening it before I could stop her. I caught a glimpse of a man—someone I didn’t know—and they shared a brief embrace. It clicked in my mind. Ashley's appearance – she was going out with him.

The man took her hand, and together, they stepped out of the door. She left me standing there, alone. In her house.

My heart shattered. I’d always fought against the truth, the truth I wasn’t ready to accept. But now, it was clear. I’d lost her. And she would never be mine again.