Gianna regains her composure, wiping away the sadness from her voice. "You’ve heard my story. Now it’s your turn."
Zeke frowns. "What do you mean?"
"Your turn to tell me about you and Cassidy."
Zeke shakes his head. "I’m not doing that. I didn’t force you to talk about your one-sided love just now."
"Oh, come on. Don’t be shy. I told you about mine without shame, even though it’s embarrassing."
Zeke lets out a sigh and runs a hand through his hair. Then, without a word, he finishes the last of his oolong tea in one long sip.
Zeke leaned back in his seat, letting out a breath. "It’s not the same, Gianna. You could talk about Xavier because there was never a label between you two. But Cassidy and I... we were married. What we had, what we still have is complicated. And I’m not done with her. I’m going to chase her, even if it takes everything I have. That means being careful with our story. It’s not just mine to tell."
Gianna looked at him, eyes soft with something like understanding. Then she gave him a small, sincere smile.
"You’re a good man," she said quietly. "I didn’t expect you to be the kind of guy who’s actually... considerate about his ex. I thought you’d be more reckless... selfish, maybe. But you actually care about protecting her."
Zeke didn’t respond. He remained motionless, eyes unfocused, lost in thought.
Then, a few minutes later, he finally spoke, "I need to change. So she can look at me, Gianna. I’m trying to be the kind of man who can win her heart, who she can trust, who makes her feel safe, someone she can rely on."
Gianna understood what he meant. And for a moment, she just stared at him, somewhat in disbelief. She never imagined Ezekiel Salvador, the cold and calculating man known for thinking only about profits and power, could change because of love.
Gianna hesitated for a moment, but curiosity got the best of her. "Can I ask something? What made you and Cassidy get divorced? It’s okay if you don’t want to answer."
Zeke looked at her for a second before replying quietly, "Bad timing, maybe."
Gianna didn’t really understand what he meant, but she could tell that was the most he was willing to give. A line he wouldn’t cross.
So she moved on. "If you don’t mind me asking, how did Xavier and Cassidy meet?"
"They met when they were living in Switzerland."
Gianna nodded slowly in understanding.
Then Zeke asked, "Do you still like Xavier?"
She fell silent, then let out a dry laugh. "Yeah. "Kind of ridiculous, right?"
"You never told him how you felt?"
Zeke studied her for a moment, as if weighing something in his mind. Then he asked, "Do you want me to help you get closer to him?"
Gianna stared at him, stunned. She wasn’t sure she’d heard him right. "You want to help me? How?"
Zeke frowned. Honestly, he had no idea. How was he supposed to help her get closer to Xavier—when he and Xavier weren’t even friends?
Seeing Zeke fall silent, his expression caught somewhere between thoughts and emotions, Gianna offered him a small smile.
"Forget it. I’ll try to move on. Maybe it’s time I stop holding onto someone who never really saw me. Maybe we were just never meant to be."
Zeke agreed with her words, at least on the surface. But deep down, he wondered, could a love that had lasted for over a decade really be forgotten that easily?
Could Gianna truly let go of Xavier, the man who had unknowingly stolen her heart for more than ten years?
He didn’t know. And it wasn’t his business. Gianna had made her choice.
Gianna smiled faintly. "I really hope you can win Cassidy’s heart, Zeke. I’ll be rooting for you, even from a distance."
Zeke’s expression softened. "Thank you, Gianna. And I hope someone out there loves you the way you deserve."
"Let’s hope he shows up soon," she said, half-joking, though her eyes hinted at a quiet longing.
Zeke gave a small shake of his head, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
Still... a small part of him felt disappointed that he wouldn’t get the chance to eliminate his rival in love. But even so, Zeke believed, he could beat Xavier. He would win Cassidy’s heart. No matter what.
Zeke had just stepped out of the shower when his phone rang. Still wrapped in a towel around his waist, droplets of water sliding down his chest, he glanced at the caller ID—Margaret.
He sighed before picking it up. "Are you home?" she asked right away.
"Yeah. Why are you calling?"
"I wanted to talk about your grandfather’s birthday. It’s in two weeks."
Zeke rubbed a hand over his damp hair, remembering the brief conversation he’d had with his mother about Bastiano’s celebration. Honestly, he’d been too preoccupied lately to think about it.
"So, what did he decide? What does he want?"
"He said he wants to do it at the house. Just family, a few close friends, and some colleagues."
"Fine. If that’s what he wants, then go with it."
There was a beat of silence before she added, carefully, "Are you planning to bring Cassidy and Claire?"
"Have you told Claire about who you really are?" Margaret asked, her voice softer this time.
"That’s great. Then maybe the party could be the perfect time to introduce her to the family."
He let out a quiet sigh, his voice suddenly colder. "Who said anything about introducing her at the party? Don’t get ahead of yourself, Mother. Just focus on the birthday."
He ended the call before she could say more.
Zeke wanted nothing more than to tell the world Claire was his daughter. But with threats still hiding in the dark, watching their every move, he couldn’t take that risk. Keeping Claire and Cassidy safe, that was all that mattered now.