25. Cora

I"ve been tapping away at the keyboard, trying to create a business plan, but it"s like my brain"s taken a vacation.

All I can think about is my dream of starting a media company and traveling the world, but now, all those dreams are tangled up with Griff.

I want him and those dreams together, but he just wants to call it quits.

I lean back, lacing my fingers behind my head, and look around Sophie"s place. It doesn"t feel like home.

I miss having my own space, like Griff"s house... But thinking about that just brings on the waterworks. I shove the laptop aside.

How can I focus on a business when there"s a divorce waiting for me?

Sophie walks into the room as I'm about to review the papers again.

"Please tell me you'll sign those and then take whatever you can get from him." She says.

"I don't want his money. He can have it all and burn it," I say, setting the papers down, feeling sick at the thought of Griffin.

Sophie rolls her eyes and sits down across from me.

"I admire that you don't want to not take advantage of his wealth, but this is a chance for you to get your life back. He's offering to pay off your debt and give you a hundred thousand to start your business."

"That's a lot of money, Sophie. I can't do that."

She gestures at my laptop and the empty notebook. "This marriage has put your whole life on pause. You should be happy it's over, and you're free to move on."

I bite my bottom lip, trying not to cry. After two weeks of putting it off, I finally decide to sign my divorce papers. It"s time to face my feelings and figure out what comes next.

Sophie"s right; I need to move on.

But the future ahead of me isn"t what I want. What"s the point of having my own business and traveling if I come back to an empty home?

None of this makes sense.

Griffin didn"t even have the decency to deliver the papers himself. He would have told me to my face if he was really done with me.

Instead, he sends them through an associate, like it"s just another business deal.

Sophie catches my expression. "You look like you"re about to do something rash."

"I still love him, Soph. I know I should hate him after everything, but I can"t help it," I say, my voice full of determination.

"So, yes, you're going to do something stupid." She stands and pushes her chair in, grabbing her purse from the hook by the door. "I have to go grocery shopping, but I'll be back soon in case you need me. Whatever you decide, I fully support you, but take some time to think about it."

"I've been thinking about it non-stop since I got those papers," I say, grabbing the papers and my keys. "If he isn't going to fight for us, then I will. I can't live with the regret of not trying."

Sophie looks at me with concern laced in her eyes. But she smiles and shakes her head as if accepting that nothing will stop me right now.

"Just be careful with your heart, Cora."

I knock on the front door once more, my stomach twisting like a snake before tying itself into knots.

I glance at Griffin's car in the driveway when it doesn"t open. I'm sure he's home. Jake says he barely leaves the house these days unless he's going to work.

He wouldn't be living like a hermit if he didn"t care about me.

I knock again, but the door stays shut.

Screw this—breaking and entering is the least of my problems right now.

I try the door handle, surprised to find it unlocked.

"Griffin!" My voice echoes through the large house.

Suddenly, Griffin's parents appear. His dad, Rick, storms down the hall while his mom, Gloria, is hot on his heels. Their faces are bright red, and their hands are curled into fists.

I stare at them, unsure how to respond.

They stop in their tracks, and Rick spins around as Griffin walks into the hallway. "This is it, huh? You want us out because she was coming over."

Gloria's deep burgundy lips curl as she turns to face her son. "Really, if you must lower your standards, at least find someone decent."

"Enough!" Griffin's voice is louder than I've ever heard, his gaze blazing with rage. "I told you to leave my house, and I meant it. I won't have you here, and I won't be part of your lives anymore. I'm done living a puppet life!"

Gloria crosses her arms, cocking a hip to the side. "Griffin—you're going to regret this."

Griffin gives a bitter laugh. "No, I don't think so. It's what I should've done the moment I became an adult, and I definitely should've done the moment I found out you two were behind leaking the story about Cora."

My blood boils as I glare at his parents.

How can his parents hurt him so much?

Griffin looks at me with an expression I can't quite read before brushing by all of us and holding the door open wide. "Mom and Dad, you can both leave now. I'm done with this conversation."

Rick shakes his head, his face turning a deeper shade of red as his hands ball into tight fists. "You're going to regret this once you realize what you've done."

Griffin pulls the door open wider. "The only thing I will regret is not being able to do this sooner. Get out, or I will call the police about two trespassers."

His parents give me one last icy glare before storming out.

Griffin slams the door shut behind them and leans against it, running a hand down his face. "Hey, Cora."

"Griff, are you okay? What was that about?"

"You were right about them. They were the ones behind leaking our story to the tabloids." Griffin glances down at the papers in my hands, a storm brewing in his eyes. "Did you sign those?"

"No." I swallow the lump forming in my throat. "I wanted to talk to you before I signed them."

He nods, his shoulders slumping forward. "I have all the time in the world to talk. I quit the practice. The law firm is no longer mine, and I'm not the CEO anymore. I'm going to be taking an indefinite sabbatical to figure out what I actually want to do with my life."

"Oh?" I blink a few times, trying to process the information. I never thought I would see the day when Griffin wasn't working in corporate law.

Griffin pushes off the door and heads into the living room. "Yeah. I never should've taken over the practice, honestly. It's just what I was raised to do. Didn't think much about what I actually wanted… besides you."

"Well, that's ironic." I trail after him into the living room, perching on the edge of the coffee table.

He settles on the couch, facing me, and the proximity sends a jolt through me as our knees almost touch.

The room feels charged, the air thick with unspoken words.

"These papers don't exactly scream "I want you,"" I murmur.

"Another blunder in my long list of mistakes with you," he admits, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Seems like that's my specialty, and I'm sorry."

"I wouldn't say that's all you do." I grip the papers a little tighter, wishing they would just disappear. Holding them out to him, I continue, "I came here ready to fight. If one of us was to salvage our marriage, then we needed to fight for it."

"After everything, you still want me?" he asks, his expression hopeful, eyes searching mine for confirmation.

My chest constricts, and tears threaten at the edges of my eyes.

I nod, watching relief flood his features. "I'm not giving up on us just because it's hard. But I need to know you're fully committed. No backing out, no reservations."

He takes the papers from me and tears them up, the sound of ripping paper echoing in the room.

His eyes meet mine, filled with a mix of regret and determination. "I know I've got a lot to prove moving forward, but I want to be with you, Cora. I was miserable without you, and I'm sorry. I should've stood by your side and supported you in whatever way you needed."

I reach out and take his hand, lacing our fingers together.

His touch is warm and reassuring. "You were hurt, too. And it's true my life's kind of a mess. I have so much debt, and I can see why your parents thought I'd be with you just for the money."

Griffin moves to the edge of the couch, pressing closer to me.

His presence is comforting, and I feel a sense of calm wash over me. "But I don't think that. Not even close. I know you wouldn't take a dime from me if I didn't force you to."

"I only want us to have a good life… together."

Griffin brushes his thumb over the back of my hand, his touch sending a shiver down my spine. "I'm sorry about everything that happened between us. It's never going to happen again. I promise." His words are sincere, and I can see the determination in his eyes.

As I look at him, I know he means those words. And I'm ready to trust him.

I lean forward and run my fingers along the dark circles under his eyes. "You haven't been sleeping."

Griffin turns his head to kiss my palm. "I didn't think I would miss you wrestling in your sleep for all the blankets."

I laugh and nudge his knee with mine. "Silly."

He grins and grabs me by the waist, pulling me into his lap as he settles back against the cushions. "I really did miss the way you ram your knee into my back like you're trying to break it. Please come home."

I snort and lean into his embrace. "Maybe if you ask nicely."

"I want to feel your icicle feet on my back, too. It's so soothing and freezing while trying to fall asleep."

"Well, how's any woman supposed to refuse that?" I laugh and kiss his cheek. "Of course I want to come home."

"Good. Then we'll go get your stuff from Sophie's and the storage unit tomorrow." He shifts slightly, sliding his hand into his pocket. "And in the meantime, I want to ask you something."

Butterflies erupt in my stomach, beating their wings mercilessly as my heart races.

Tears well up and start to spill over. I wipe them away quickly, not wanting to ruin the moment with tears.

He pulls out a small white velvet box and flicks open the lid. "I've been thinking about how we accidentally got married and then stayed married without getting you a wedding band or an engagement ring."

A gold band is nestled in the plush white fabric. The diamond is set with tiny leaves around it and more diamonds encrusting it.

It's a stunning ring, and I don't want to think about how much he must've spent on it—too much, way too much.

"You didn't have to. I don't regret the way we got married. I think it was perfect for us." My voice wavers as he takes the ring out of the box and slides it on my finger.

"Oh, it's beautiful, Griff."

Griffin smiles and kisses me, his mouth slow against mine. "I know there's still a long way for us to get back to where we were, but I didn't want to spend another day together without a ring on your finger."

I get up first and take him by the hand, pulling him to his feet. "Come on. Why wait until tomorrow to get my things? I've missed you so, so much."

He bursts out laughing and pulls me into a tight hug, "I love you, Cora."

"I love you too, Griff." I hold his hand, tugging him toward the door. "Let's go. I want to get settled back into the house."

Griffin smiles and stops long enough to put on his shoes and grab his keys and wallet. "Let's get you moved back home," he says.

We walk out to the car together, hand in hand, and I feel a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

Despite all the twists and turns, the tears, and the doubts, I wouldn't trade this wild, unpredictable journey with Griffin for anything in the world.