I'm back in LA.

A week has passed since I told Nevaeh to stay out of my life, and I've been thinking hard about everything.

My feelings. Nevaeh's feelings. Ashton's words. It's all a mess.

However, one thing I can't help but admit is my fear. If fear hadn't clouded my judgment, I would have asked Nevaeh about her feelings for me. But I didn't, and that tells a lot.

Ashton was right.

I fear this faith in me. I'm scared to believe that Nevaeh indeed wants to be with me for the same reason I want to be with her.

When I came to LA a week ago, it was to be a better man. But my insecurity had fed my fear so powerfully that I ended up in a fucking mess.

Today, I come here again to finish what I started.

I close the car door behind me and stare up at the hotel Olivia is staying in. When I enter the lobby, the hotel manager quickly leads me into the restaurant. I've made arrangements, which was easy because my family owns this hotel.

The restaurant has been closed for other guests as I ordered. I need to talk again with Olivia. I can't do it in her hotel room, and I can't do it in a public place where people and paparazzi will snap our pictures. This should be fine.

As soon as I step into the empty restaurant, I spot Olivia sitting at a table. I stride toward her.

"It's good to see you again," she greets me when I take a seat. "I was wondering if you would ever come back as you said. I didn't expect that you would want to talk to me again." Relief is evident in her voice.

A waiter approaches us, asking for my order. It hasn't reached lunchtime yet, and I'm not feeling hungry. I order a coffee instead, noticing that Olivia only has a drink on the table too. Good. I don't want this meeting to take long.

After the waiter leaves, Olivia takes out something from her handbag. A small velvet box lies on the table, and she pushes it toward me.

"Happy belated birthday." She smiles softly. "I remember that the last time you came here, your birthday was approaching. I have something for you."

I didn't expect her to give me anything for my birthday.

In silence, I open the small box and find a silver chain brooch in it. It looks nice, a thing someone would wear on a tuxedo.

For long seconds, my gaze is fixed on the gift. Then I close the box and push it back toward her gently. "I'm sorry. I can't accept this."

"Please don't take this wrongly," she quickly says. Her eyes are hopeful. "It's just a simple birthday gift from me. I have no intention to change anything between us. I'm sorry if it makes you think like that."

Still, I shake my head. My eyes soften, letting her know that I'm not judging her. "I know. But I still can't accept it. I'm sorry."

When she gives me a confused look, I say, "I'm in love with another woman. What I did to her recently, as well as the rumor about us, have caused a huge problem that I'm still trying to fix. I don't want to add another misunderstanding to that."

Olivia looks lost for a moment, but then something snaps her out of her daze. She gives me a small nod. "I understand."

I lean back on my chair, and silence fills the air. Olivia is the one who breaks it.

"May I know what brought you here?"

I look up and find her staring at me.

"Knowing you, it must be something important," she says. The look on her face tells me that she's here to listen if I need her to. "You flew all the way here from Seattle despite the circumstances you just said."

I sigh, closing my eyes. I don't know how to start. Talking about our past isn't going to be comfortable, but some things need to be put to rest. This anxiety inside me needs to stop.

Another minute passes in silence. I'm about to speak when she says, "it wasn't your fault."

Her words strike me.

My gaze darts to her eyes, which turn glassy when she nods.

"You did nothing wrong," she says, knowing the question burning in my mind.

All this time, I've always wondered what went wrong with us, why she betrayed me, and whether I did something wrong or not. Those questions have always bothered me every time I think about the future because I'm afraid that it will happen again.

Olivia takes a deep breath before letting out a shaky one. She looks me in the eyes. "I knew that you loved me, and I could feel it with every fiber of my being. I felt your love for me, and I took it for granted."

I stare at her, waiting for her to say more.

"I was the one at fault." Her voice is shaking as tears fill her eyes. "I wasn't honest with you. I didn't tell you about Roman, that I was..." she falters, but she doesn't have to continue her sentence. I know it.

She was in love with him. She had always been.

She doesn't need to convince herself that she loves me anymore, which was what she always did all those years ago.

I can see again the guilt in her tearful eyes, the guilt I thought Nevaeh also had every time she looked at me. But now that I look more closely, I was fucking wrong. Those aren't the eyes of the woman who has given every piece of her heart to me.

"It was meant to be," Olivia whispers. "I'm not saying that what I did was excusable, but even if we got married that day, I think sooner or later we would part ways. You didn't belong with me, Aiden."

Somehow, I can understand what she's trying to say. Destiny, fate, or whatever it is.

I used to think that what happened to me was a disaster, but it might not have been. It might have been something that I should feel grateful for.

"Now you're in love again, and I'm happy for you." Olivia smiles through tears. "Maybe the fact that I was caught with Roman that night wasn't an accident. You were meant to be with the woman you love right now, not me."

We were meant to be. Nevaeh and I. My heart feels warm at that thought.

Olivia's words echo in my ears again, and they're more than enough for the closure I need.

It wasn't your fault.

You did nothing wrong.

I took your love for granted.

I straighten up in my seat. "I have to go."

Olivia nods, mirroring me when I stand. "I hope that whatever it was the reason you came back here, you've got the answer you were looking for."

I'm about to turn around and walk off, but I'm not planning to do so before saying the words she needs to hear. "I hope that you get the closure too, Olivia."

She looks up at me with wonder.

"I forgive you," I say.

Those three words make her eyes go wide before tears start streaming down her face.

She cries, and she cries hard.

Her sobs break, and she chokes on her words when she says, "I'm sorry for everything." Her voice is filled with sadness, but there's also a relief.

I walk away from her, and when I step out of the restaurant, I'm surprised to find Roman watching her through the glass window.

He's standing in the deserted corridor leading to the hotel, and I'm not even sure if he notices me because his gaze never leaves her.

There's something in his eyes. Tears.

He shuts his eyes, causing them to fall as he lets out a soft cry. A bouquet of red roses is in his hand, which he grips tightly like it's his lifeline.

I never saw him in so much pain, until now. In fact, I never saw a man so consumed with his agony.

I even think that he's going to collapse.

Roman's cries echo in the silent hall, and I wonder how long he's been bottling this up. He looks like he's about to die, and the reason for that is the sight of Olivia crying.

Does he regret ever hurting her? Hurting the woman you love is such a contradiction that I wonder how badly his demon has been haunting him.

Or is it the fact that Olivia cried when she watched me leave?

Knowing that it's none of my business, I resume my steps. I genuinely wish that Olivia would find her happiness, whether it would be with Roman or not.

I swallow a lump in my throat, reminded of the days when the three of us were still best friends, laughing together and having each other's back. That moment is long gone. This is the end of our story -- the three of us.

As I head toward the lobby, the sound of Nevaeh crying when she said goodbye haunts me again. She said the same words that Olivia said.

"I'm sorry for everything."

I no longer felt anything when Olivia cried like that, but remembering Nevaeh's cries brings so much pain that I'm struggling to compose myself.

I ball my fist on my side when determination hits me. I'm going to get her back.

My real bride.