Chapter 53: A Forgotten Past
The air inside the penthouse felt suffocating. Cambria could feel the weight of the conversation pressing on her chest as she stared at Maddox, the man she had once loved. He stood there, his face clouded with guilt and regret, but the truth was already out. There was no going back. The lies had been exposed, the foundation of their relationship shattered.
The silence between them stretched, thick and heavy, as Maddox struggled to find the words to explain himself. But Cambria wasn’t interested in his explanations anymore. She had spent too many years allowing herself to be fooled, too many years believing in a version of Maddox that never truly existed.
"Maddox," she said, her voice breaking the tension, her words firm and unforgiving. "You’ve been lying to me for so long. I gave you everything, trust, loyalty, love and you used it all against me."
Maddox’s face twisted in pain. "I didn’t mean for this to happen. I never wanted to hurt you, Cambria. You have to believe me."
Her heart clenched as she remembered the moments they had shared the love they once had, the dreams they had built together. But now, all of that seemed like a distant memory, a dream she could no longer reach. Maddox had chosen his family’s empire over her, over them. He had been playing a dangerous game, and now, both of them were left standing in the rubble.
"I don’t know if I can believe you anymore," Cambria whispered, her eyes softening just a fraction, but the hurt and betrayal still clouded her judgment. "I want to, Maddox. I want to believe that the man I fell in love with is still there somewhere, but I don’t recognize you anymore."
Maddox took a step toward her, desperation in his eyes. "Cambria, I was forced into this. My father he’s the one who pulled the strings. I didn’t have a choice. I did everything I could to protect you, to keep you out of it. You were never supposed to find out."
Her pulse quickened, her thoughts a whirlwind of anger and confusion. "Protect me? By lying to me? By betraying me?"
"I didn’t want to hurt you," Maddox repeated, his voice cracking. "But I had no other option. You don’t understand. My father threatened you, threatened everything we had. He told me that if I didn’t go along with his plan, he would ruin you. He used you against me, Cambria. And I... I couldn’t let that happen."