Started 8

11:38 Mon, 23 Jun G 

Chapter 8 

Lachlan’s POV 

That night, I shut myself in the study and buried my head in work. 

I didn’t even glance at the bedroom door. 

At some point, though, the silence in the estate felt heavier than usual–too sharp, too loud. I couldn’t bring myself to admit Chantelle left. 

The more it crossed my mind, the more I buried myself in the files on my desk, flipping through them without really reading. 

“She’ll be back in no time,” I reassured myself, again and again, though the words on the page kept blurring. 

Kirsten’s POV 

He didn’t come. I waited in bed until the sheets grew cold, staring at the door like it might open any second. 

But it never did. 

That’s when I knew. 

I slipped out of bed and changed into the red lace nightgown–the one he used to love. It clung to my skin in all the right places. 

Slow, deliberate steps took me to the study. I eased the door open and leaned against the frame. 

“Locke…” My voice was soft, teasing. “I’ve been waiting for you. Why haven’t you come?” 

I crossed the room and settled onto his lap, my fingers brushing the back of his neck, eyes locked on his. 

This had always worked before. 

He was a man, after all–and I knew exactly how to get under his skin. 

For a moment, his eyes dropped. I caught the flicker–the quick breath, the way his throat moved. 

Almost there. 

But then, something shifted. His lustful gaze… turned cold. 

“Leave,” he said flatly. “I’m not in the mood tonight.” 

I tightened my arms around him, pressing closer. 

“Come on,” I whispered. “You know you want to-” 

But he… He actually shoved me off! No hesitation, No apology. 

I hit the floor with a thud, the sting sharper than I expected. 

My eyes snapped to him–burning. 

That was enough; I got up and walked out, my heels clicking hard against the floor. 

A Job Offer Started My Revenge Against My CEO Ex 

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I tightened my arms around him, pressing closer. 

“Come on,” I whispered. “You know you want to-” 

But he… He actually shoved me off! No hesitation. No apology. 

I hit the floor with a thud, the sting sharper than I expected. 

My eyes snapped to him–burning. 

That was enough; I got up and walked out, my heels clicking hard against the floor. 

Lachlan’s POV 

Chantelle didn’t come back. At first, Kirsten and I brushed it off, both agreeing Chantelle would come crawling back to the estate. 

But the days and week dragged on, and there was still no sign of Chantelle. She was gone not just out of the estate–but out of my life, like she’d erased herself without a trace. 

Seven years. We’d been together for seven damn years. 

And I thought whatever we had was long dead. If it hadn’t been, my first love wouldn’t have had a way in. 

But now that Chantelle was actually gone, I began to realize, ‘I love her.’ 

Her absence–it was exactly what I used to wish for. 

Now I was choking on it. 

I’d brought this all on myself. 

< 

And yet, now that I had everything I said I wanted, all I felt was… empty. 

Without her, nothing tasted right. 

Work dragged on. My focus was shot. Even going out with Kirsten, who used to be a thrill, felt like chewing on ash. 

Everything bright had gone dull the second Chantelle walked out the door. 

I was done pretending; I grabbed my phone. 

Our chat history was still there, only now, it looked more like a long, one–sided conversation–hers. 

She’d texted me daily, and at first, I used to reply. 

But once Kirsten came back, those replies grew shorter. Then they stopped. 

Eventually, it was just Chantelle, still checking in and updating me. Still holding on… until two weeks ago–her messages stopped too. 

I frowned, a flicker of irritation rising in my chest. 

‘Alright, she’s mad. Fine. But one week? Isn’t that long enough to cool off?‘ 

‘It’s already been a week, Is she seriously not planning on coming home?‘ ‘Okay, I went a little too far. But that’s no reason to never corne back!‘ 

‘Did she even remember her place?!‘ 

Crustration ricina. I noorly fluna tho nhono across the room 

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I frowned, a flicker of irritation rising in my chest. 

‘Alright, she’s mad. Fine. But one week? Isn’t that long enough to cool off?‘ 

‘It’s already been a week. Is she seriously not planning on coming home?‘ 

‘Okay, I went a little too far. But that’s no reason to never come back!‘ 

‘Did she even remember her place?!‘ 

Frustration rising, I nearly flung the phone across the room. 

80% 

But at the last second, my thumb hesitated. I tapped her messages, marked them as [priority]. 

“She’ll text soon,” I muttered under my breath. “She always does.” 

‘And when that happens, I’ll fix things. I’ll favor her more than my ex. I’ll pick her first next 

time.‘ 

That thought almost made me smile–until a voice cut through behind me. 

“Locke, what are you smiling at?” 

Hands slid over my eyes. Fingertips light, playful. 

“Guess what I’m wearing?” 

< 

When I didn’t move, Kirsten took my hands and slowly guided it down her body. 

Warm skin. Lacy fabric. Sticky heat. 

Revulsion shot through me. 

I jerked my hand away and shoved her off, this time harder. She hit the floor with a small 

gasp. 

“I already told you, Kirsten–I’m not in the mood for this. Can’t you understand that?” When I looked up, she was sprawled across the carpet in barely–there lingerie–something tinier and more revealing than the last attempt. 

A three–piece set that left nothing to the imagination. 

It might’ve worked on me once. Now, all I felt was disgust. 

When Kirsten first came back into my life, the thrill was intoxicating–so much so that I’d been willing to cheat on Chantelle for her. 

But now that Chantelle was not here, I finally saw it clearly. 

She’d always had a place in my heart. 

I was just too caught up in the novelty to see it. 

And the more Kirsten clung to me, the more I thought about Chantelle. 

While Kirsten sat there stunned, I excitedly picked up my phone and dialed Chantelle’s number. 

‘I’m ready to apologize–ready to do whatever it takes. Seven years have to count for something. If I can just say the right words, maybe she’ll hear the sincerity. Maybe then she’ll come back to me.‘ 

วง 

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11:38 Mon, 23 Jun 

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I was just too caught up in the novelty to see it. 

And the more Kirsten clung to me, the more I thought about Chantelle. 

While Kirsten sat there stunned, I excitedly picked up my phone and dialed Chantelle’s 

number. 

‘I’m ready to apologize–ready to do whatever it takes. Seven years have to count for something. If I can just say the right words, maybe she’ll hear the sincerity. Maybe then she’ll come back to me.’ 

I had even figured out how to make it up to her. 

What I hadn’t considered… was what to do if she didn’t pick up. 

The line rang. 

Then, just as I braced himself to speak, a robotic voice answered. 

“Sorry. The number you have dialed is no longer in service.” 

11:39 Mon, 23 Jun