Chapter 2
The next morning, Derek was waiting outside my daughters' school.
I spotted him from across the street — leaning against his car, watching the children file in. My blood ran cold.
"Girls, go inside. Mrs. Patterson is waiting for you."
"But Mommy—"
"Now, please."
Ellie gave Derek a suspicious look but took her sister Sophie's hand and walked through the gates. Only when they were safely inside did I cross the street.
"Following children to their school. That's a new low, even for you."
Derek ran a hand through his hair. He looked like he hadn't slept. Good.
"I wasn't going to approach them. I just needed to see them." His voice cracked. "Lily, they're my daughters. I missed their entire lives. Five years—"
"You missed their lives because you tried to end mine."
"That's not what happened!"
"Then what happened, Derek? Explain to me why you and Vanessa lured me to Miller's Point at midnight. Explain why she screamed to distract me while you—"
"I didn't push you!" His shout drew stares from passing parents. He lowered his voice. "You slipped. It was raining. You slipped, and I tried to grab you—"
"You were ten feet away. You didn't move a single step."
Silence.
I could still feel the cold air rushing past me. The crack of branches. The icy water. The absolute darkness, and the knowledge that no one was coming to save me.
"I was in shock," he whispered. "By the time I got to the edge, you were gone. The current—"
"So you went home. Reported me dead. Married my sister. Took my company." I tilted my head. "Did you even wait a month?"
His jaw clenched. "It wasn't like that."
"Three weeks, Derek. You married her three weeks after my funeral. I know because I was still in the hospital learning to walk again when I saw the announcement."
He had no response to that.
I stepped closer, making sure he heard every word.
"Those girls don't know you exist. They have a father who would burn this city down for them. If you show up at their school again, if you follow us, if you so much as breathe in their direction — Alexander will bury you. And unlike you, he finishes what he starts."
I turned to leave, but Derek grabbed my arm again.
"I still love you, Lily. I never stopped. Vanessa was a mistake. I'm filing for divorce—"
"Don't touch my wife."
Alexander's voice cut through the morning air like a blade. He appeared from the black SUV I hadn't noticed, his security already flanking us.
Derek released me instantly.
Alexander didn't raise his voice. He didn't need to. He simply placed himself between me and Derek, his presence suffocating.
"Mr. Hale. My wife asked you not to touch her. My children's school is now a restricted zone for you. If my security sees your face within five hundred meters of this building, I will treat it as a threat."
Derek's face reddened. "You can't do that. Those are my biological—"
"They are Cavanaughs. Legally, officially, and in every way that matters." Alexander's cold eyes didn't blink. "Try me, Mr. Hale. I welcome it."
He guided me to the car, his hand warm on my back. As the door closed, I saw Derek standing on the sidewalk, fists clenched, watching us drive away.
In the car, Alexander's composure cracked slightly.
"Did he hurt you?"
"No. I'm fine."
"You're shaking."
I looked down at my hands. He was right.
Alexander pulled me against him. "I should have dealt with him five years ago."
"You saved my life five years ago. That was enough."
"It will never be enough," he said quietly. "Not until they pay for what they did to you."
I spotted him from across the street — leaning against his car, watching the children file in. My blood ran cold.
"Girls, go inside. Mrs. Patterson is waiting for you."
"But Mommy—"
"Now, please."
Ellie gave Derek a suspicious look but took her sister Sophie's hand and walked through the gates. Only when they were safely inside did I cross the street.
"Following children to their school. That's a new low, even for you."
Derek ran a hand through his hair. He looked like he hadn't slept. Good.
"I wasn't going to approach them. I just needed to see them." His voice cracked. "Lily, they're my daughters. I missed their entire lives. Five years—"
"You missed their lives because you tried to end mine."
"That's not what happened!"
"Then what happened, Derek? Explain to me why you and Vanessa lured me to Miller's Point at midnight. Explain why she screamed to distract me while you—"
"I didn't push you!" His shout drew stares from passing parents. He lowered his voice. "You slipped. It was raining. You slipped, and I tried to grab you—"
"You were ten feet away. You didn't move a single step."
Silence.
I could still feel the cold air rushing past me. The crack of branches. The icy water. The absolute darkness, and the knowledge that no one was coming to save me.
"I was in shock," he whispered. "By the time I got to the edge, you were gone. The current—"
"So you went home. Reported me dead. Married my sister. Took my company." I tilted my head. "Did you even wait a month?"
His jaw clenched. "It wasn't like that."
"Three weeks, Derek. You married her three weeks after my funeral. I know because I was still in the hospital learning to walk again when I saw the announcement."
He had no response to that.
I stepped closer, making sure he heard every word.
"Those girls don't know you exist. They have a father who would burn this city down for them. If you show up at their school again, if you follow us, if you so much as breathe in their direction — Alexander will bury you. And unlike you, he finishes what he starts."
I turned to leave, but Derek grabbed my arm again.
"I still love you, Lily. I never stopped. Vanessa was a mistake. I'm filing for divorce—"
"Don't touch my wife."
Alexander's voice cut through the morning air like a blade. He appeared from the black SUV I hadn't noticed, his security already flanking us.
Derek released me instantly.
Alexander didn't raise his voice. He didn't need to. He simply placed himself between me and Derek, his presence suffocating.
"Mr. Hale. My wife asked you not to touch her. My children's school is now a restricted zone for you. If my security sees your face within five hundred meters of this building, I will treat it as a threat."
Derek's face reddened. "You can't do that. Those are my biological—"
"They are Cavanaughs. Legally, officially, and in every way that matters." Alexander's cold eyes didn't blink. "Try me, Mr. Hale. I welcome it."
He guided me to the car, his hand warm on my back. As the door closed, I saw Derek standing on the sidewalk, fists clenched, watching us drive away.
In the car, Alexander's composure cracked slightly.
"Did he hurt you?"
"No. I'm fine."
"You're shaking."
I looked down at my hands. He was right.
Alexander pulled me against him. "I should have dealt with him five years ago."
"You saved my life five years ago. That was enough."
"It will never be enough," he said quietly. "Not until they pay for what they did to you."