Chapter 3: The Man Who Lost Everything
Cole called seventy-three times.
Lauren never answered.
Over the following weeks, reality hit harder than any divorce paper.
His mistress, Sierra, disappeared the moment she learned about his financial problems.
Several investors withdrew support.
His company reduced his position again.
Meanwhile, Lauren settled into a small coastal town in Maine where her grandmother once lived.
For the first time in years, she felt peaceful.
No criticism.
No walking on eggshells.
No explaining every dollar she spent on her children.
Just quiet mornings, ocean air, and two babies who smiled whenever they saw her.
Three months later, Cole appeared at her door.
He looked older.
Thinner.
Defeated.
"I made a mistake," he said.
Lauren looked at him carefully.
"No, Cole."
His eyes filled with hope.
Then she continued.
"A mistake is forgetting an anniversary."
His face fell.
"Choosing another woman. Ignoring your sick children. Lying for years. Those were choices."
For the first time, he had nothing to say.
May you like
He left without stepping inside.
And Lauren never saw him again.
