Broken Bond: Between Vices and Virtues (BL)
Chapter 239 - 25: Geraldine’s offer

Chapter 239: Chapter 25: Geraldine’s offer

Not long after, Steve gave Nathaniel the name of the café, and without another word, he hung up, grabbing his coat and storming out of the office. His mind was a whirlwind of fear, anger, and desperation. He had to get there before things spiraled out of control or before Geraldine did something irreversible.

As he sped through the streets, his hands gripped the steering wheels intensely his knuckles turned white.

The winter sky outside darkened as snow began to fall lightly, the flakes dancing in the air before settling on the windshield. But Nathaniel barely noticed. His mind was focused on one thing, on Killian.

Geraldine had noticed the changes in him. The distance, the late nights, the mysterious tension. He sensed her growing suspicion, but he had hoped to keep his secret a little longer. He had been careful, or so he thought.

As Christmas approached, the weight of his deceit hung heavily over him. He had told Geraldine that work was consuming him, but now she had arrived in the country, and he couldn’t avoid her much longer.

Nathaniel’s mind spun with dark possibilities. What would Geraldine say to Killian? Would she expose everything? The thought of Killian facing his wife—facing the full extent of the lie Nathaniel had been living—made his chest tighten with dread.

Killian was fragile, already heartbroken, and now this? He will hate him so much, and that alone, was scaring Nathaniel already.

The guilt was suffocating. He had ruined everything. Not only had he broken Killian’s heart, but now Geraldine was involved. His marriage and his family were all falling apart, and for what? For a love that was never meant to be, a love that had brought nothing but pain and destruction.

His phone buzzed again, but he ignored it. He didn’t have time for distractions. His sole focus was getting to that cafe, to stop whatever confrontation was unfolding before it spiraled completely out of control.

As he pulled up to the plaza, Nathaniel’s heart pounded in his chest. He parked haphazardly, not caring about the cold or the snow as he hurried toward the cafe’s entrance. His pulse quickened with every step, a storm of fear and dread brewing inside him.

He could see them through the window.

Killian sat across from Geraldine at a small table, his posture tense and his face pale. Geraldine was smiling, but it wasn’t a smile of kindness—it was the smile of a predator who had cornered her prey.

Nathaniel’s breath hitched as he watched them. He had to get inside. He had to stop this. But as he reached for the door, a cold realization settled over him.

No matter what he did now, there would be no going back. Everything was about to change. Geraldine knew. Killian knew. And the fragile illusion he had built around his life was crumbling.

His fate, his future—it all rested on the outcome of this confrontation. And as he stepped into the warmth of the cafe, his heart pounding in his chest, he knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

*****

Thirty minutes ago...

Killian arrived at the café. He was clutching his phone inside his pocket as though it could give him the courage he needed to face Nathaniel’s wife. He was still in denial, and couldn’t believe that he was involved in such a scandal.

He hated Nathaniel for that, but he also wallowed in self-reproach.

Glancing around the place, he noticed a woman at the corner, seated by the window, looking at him intently. Instantly, Killian knew she was Geraldine. Her hazel eyes stared sharply at him, eyes that were similar to his.

Killian felt an ache in his chest. He inhaled deeply before taking the steps to approach the woman.

"Mrs—

"Sit down."

Killian lowered his head. Just by her tone, he could tell she was belittling him. What did they say the Horaces are? A family of noble descent? Aristocrats?

Then, to Geraldine, Killian was probably more like just a commoner, or a peasant, who seduced her husband with his body.

"I said sit down. What are you still standing there for?" Geraldine said impatiently.

Killian pulled the chair across her and sat silently. I was the one who did wrong here...she had the right to treat me rudely...

"Haa... I never thought this would happen. Nathaniel has always been so righteous and prideful. He frowned at the alphas who engaged in promiscuous activities outside their marriages, and yet there he was, committing the same sin he despised. Tell me, what did you do to make him abandon his principles and ruin himself?"

"I...I didn’t know he was married—

"Oh, please. That is what mistresses like you always claim, isn’t it? You say you have no idea, that it was him who approached you," Geraldine chuckled sarcastically. She glared at Killian from across the table, her eyes cold, piercing into him with anger and disgust. "That you were completely in the dark about my husband’s marriage. Even if you are just a mere employee, you must know that the chairman of the company you’re working for already has a family, no?"

Killian’s jaw tightened. "I really didn’t know, ma’am," he said firmly, trying to keep his voice steady. "He introduced himself as Steve Williams and was not wearing any ring. I would never have gotten involved if I knew the truth. And you might now believe me now, but as soon as I learned about you, I ended things and avoided him already."

Geraldine sneered, leaning forward, her eyes narrowed at Killian. "You expect me to buy that sob story? You’re not aware of how the chairman looks? You’re taking me for a fool, Mr. Arden—

"That’s not it, ma’am! I—

"Silence!" Heads turned to them after Geraldine slammed the table with her palm. "How dare you cut me off? You’re just another one of those desperate little omegas who latch onto powerful alphas, aren’t you? The kind that just conveniently ignores the hints of marriage and deludes themselves into being special! You’re no different than a whore—

"I’m not that kind of person. He lied to me just as much as he lied to you." Killian flashed with indignation. He could admit to his mistake, but being called a ’whore’ when he did it unintentionally was too much.

"Lied? Or did you just not care to dig deeper? Don’t play the victim with me! You know exactly what you were doing. Throwing yourself at him like you’re some helpless, innocent soul. Mr. Arden, didn’t you also know that he already has four kids? The youngest is three and if I choose to divorce my husband, that child will never grow up with his father! Of course, you’d be delighted! If this marriage fails completely, I bet you’d be swooping in, taking my position—

"I have no desire to wreck a home—

"But you just did! You almost did, you, you!" Geraldine fumed, pointing her index finger at him.

People were starting to pay attention to them, and Killian felt like all eyes were on him, piercing, accusing, belittling eyes. The café became eerily quiet to him, and the low hum of conversations around them faded into the background.

"I don’t care about your reasons. I don’t care about Nathaniel’s either! I won’t divorce him, just so you know. You’ll be forever just his side piece. I won’t let you claim my spot. So, if you have any shame left in you, stay away from him. Stay at some place he won’t be able to see you!"

Geraldine’s voice brought Killian back to reality. He blinked. "I... can’t just quit my job—

"If all you need is money, I can give it to you," Geraldine cut him off. She reached for her bag and pulled out a cheque book, pushing a blank cheque to Killian.

Killian stared at the piece of paper. Why is she doing this? Why, instead of taking her husband away who kept bothering him, she was chasing him away?

None of this would have happened if Nathaniel did not pretend. Killian felt so aggrieved. He felt so little and insignificant that his words did not matter, his feelings... weren’t considered.

Killian reached for the blank cheque. He heard a sneer, but that sneer vanished when he pushed the cheque to Geraldine again. "Accepting that piece of paper is no different than admitting that I intentionally did it. What I said is the truth. Instead of chasing me away, rein your husband instead. He’s the one who kept latching onto me even if I pushed him many times already. I’m just as furious as you are but I will not let you treat me like this, ma’am. I will continue to stay away from him, but I can’t lose my job. You already know why. So, I’m leaving now."

Killian stood from his seat and turned away, but his whole body froze when he spotted Nathaniel entering by the door, what made it worse was Geraldine’s voice echoing in the whole place.

"Did it feel good? Stealing someone’s else husband? Did you feel special, thinking he would leave his family for you?" She was deliberately turning the volume of her voice up for everyone to hear. "You don’t get to be furious! You don’t get to be anything! You’re the reason my family is falling apart and now you have the nerve to sit here and act like you didn’t know? You don’t want to quit your job? I’ll make it so that you won’t even have a face to show—

"Geraldine, that’s enough."

That voice was like ice piercing through Killian’s heart. It was cold, unkind, and furious. Killian was staring straight at those green eyes, while they gazed past him, directed to the woman behind him.

His wife.

The corner of Killian’s eyes watered, but he held them back. He stepped forward, walking past Nathaniel. In his peripheral vision, he saw the alpha turn to him, then he heard Geraldine’s voice.

"Nathaniel, stop right there!"

Killian never looked back. His arm was snatched, but he still never looked back. He walked like he was racing, like he was running away from something, yet that something was clinging to him inconsiderately.

"Killian..."

Oh, how he rejoiced whenever he called his name, now it sounded like an executioner’s apology, killing him slowly.