"Keep an open mind. The right person coming to you at the right time will change everything you thought was true." - Kate McGahan, One Heart's Journey

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Silas's POV

One Year Later

"Do you know the reason I began therapy?" Dr. Meyers sits in her usual seat in front of the couch, in front of me. This has become a routine. Coming here every week, talking about me, my life, my problems.

I'm not going to lie, some of it was painful... very painful. Some tears were shed but we're not going to talk about that. I haven't been the most open about how I've felt, and as much as my pre-therapy self would hate it, this shit has helped. A lot.

I'm grateful for Dr. Meyers' help, and the fact that she has been dealing with my bullshit for over a year.

"I have an idea." My eyebrows rise. She has? Most likely, honestly, it's Dr. Meyers. "Alright, give it a shot."

She looks at me thoughtfully before speaking. I'm pretty sure this is a shrink thing, but with every session, she has just been, like I can't even describe it, like a jar of cookies that is always fresh and warm to eat.

I don't feel anything but warmth during our sessions and she has never judged me for the things I've confessed to her. Again, probably a shrink thing, but it just feels like... I don't know. Like I have someone to go to when I'm down. I mean, yeah, I have my brothers, but they're brothers. And her. I haven't seen or spoken to her in over a year. That doesn't mean she hasn't possessed every ounce of my mind and soul... but still.

This is going to sound fucking weird, but she reminds me of mom. I could tell my mom anything and she'd know exactly what to say. Ew. I just thought of my shrink as my mom. Fuck, this is why I hate myself.

"Mm, Caden Wilson. I mean, that's my educated guess, but I'm pretty positive it's her. She was your former personal assistant, and your first love. She experienced personal situations, and you realized that you needed to be a better man for her which is why you are here." She stops talking to gauge my reaction but I just sit there stock-still. Damn, she's good. "The only thing I never got was why you fired her from your company."

I nod my head, knowing damn well that I withheld that information from her. I don't like talking about that. It's one of my more shittier moments. I don't know exactly why I fired her, I just knew I couldn't keep seeing her everyday if I wanted to be better for her.

I mean, I knew she would persevere. I knew she would find her way back up again, even if I with her anymore. See, that's the difference. She would be completely fine without me; she didn't need me in her life. But I did. And if she doesn't like that, well... we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

And it's not like my salaries didn't help her. I'm not sure if the business partners I contacted earlier to hire her if any positions opened up actually hired her, but again, it's Caden. I knew she'd be fine... Without me.

"No comment on that." She smirks at me knowingly. "Well, I haven't seen or spoken to her in over a year. And I finally saw her last week." Dr. Meyers' eye perk up like a child to chocolate.

"Interesting." Fucking bullshit. I know damn well she's trying to hide what she (and I) would consider big news. "Care to describe what happened."

"Sure."

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Five Days Earlier

"We finally bagged the property." Sage and I look up curiously to find our homosexual brother jumping in the middle of the office looking like a giddy teenager. "What are you going on about?" I ask, already annoyed.

"You know Frank Aldridge." Frank Aldridge. The daughter of that girl who won a dance with me at the auction. His clientele is extremely exclusive, and Sanders Corp has been trying to secure some land property in their New York locations. And buy securing land, it is me calling their office, sending emails, and getting fucking ignored.

I look at him annoyed. "You already know I know him, Sawyer, now out with it." Sawyer rolls his eyes before continuing. "We finally got the land," he states excitedly. Admittedly, a gush of pure joy fills my chest at the news. Fucking finally.

"Apparently, they're trying to expand to San Francisco, and since we're one of the most well-known companies in the city, he let us have their land in exchange for exposure on our ads and products."

I nod my head, trying to keep my cool, but inside, my heart is pumping blood faster than normally. Exposure for land. This best fucking deal I have ever seen.

"When do we make it official," Sage asks, smiling the same as Sawyer. "This weekend. They're having a ball to celebrate their 15th anniversary and expansion, and we're invited." He laughs out loud. "Better start shopping brothers, because I know there's going to be hot dudes there." Sawyer smiles mischievously before eyeing me weirdly.

"What?"

He just smirks at me. "Nothing, Silas."

"Nothing, Silas," I mock for him to hear.

"Anyway, the official signing will next week. But we are definitely going to that party.

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"Thank you so much for coming to our 15th anniversary of Aldridge Property Advisors." Frank Aldridge announces in the center of the room, capturing the attention of every person in the room in a blink of any eye. "Everyone here is an important part of the success of this company, and I want to thank you for making this company to what it is now." He holds his glass up, signifying the end of his short-lived speech while everyone does the same.

Everyone begins mingling again. I avert every gaze that lands on me simply because I do not want to look at their ugly faces and get roped in to a conversation that interests me as much as Sawyer's skin care routine. Which is none. Slim to none sounds better, so yeah, slim to none.

I look throughout the crowd, trying to spot Sawyer or Sage to entertain me or do something because this party is just not it.

When I turn to my left, however, I see someone. Someone, someone, someone. Someone, with gorgeous dirty blond hair and amber eyes talking to someone else.

Specifically, someone that is the same sex of me. Except, that isn't me she's talking to. Problem detected.

I make my way towards them, already knowing exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to shove the dude aside, take her by the arm, and talk to her in private. Or public. I don't care, just talk.

But then my feet stop. My feet stop just 15 steps away from her and I just can't make them move.

I can't do this. The sole purpose of going to therapy, of bettering myself, was to better myself for her. But if seeing her talk to another guy is going to set me off, then I've been doing something wrong.

I can't react the way I used to. I have to be good, great, fucking fantastic to prove to her and myself that I am a changed man. But fuck me because this shit is going to be hard.

I watch her smile at the man. Smile the way I used to yearn for her to smile at me. Are they dating? I fucking hope not.

She's laughing now, so loud it reaches the other side of the room, where I'm situated. He leans forward, brushing the side of her waist with his knuckles, and a gut feeling in my stomach is telling me to fucking punch the living daylights out of him for touching my woman.

Wait. Is she mine?

No, she's not. She's not fucking mine because I let her go. I did that. Fuck. The pain in my chest is indescribable but I can't move. I physically can't because this is the first time I've seen her in what felt like a lifetime, and I want to savor her before she goes away. The curve of her waist, the corners of her mouth, the way her eyes shine like fucking stars, all of it. It's mine even if she doesn't like it.

She looks up, probably to see the rest of the party, and I can feel the her gaze go to me before it actually does. It's like a pull, a magnetic pull, that drives me to her. And maybe the same way for her. I can't be sure though. She probably hates my guts. Rightfully so.

Her smiles fades as she continues to stare at me. Her eyes kind of glass over as if she's dreaming, she's probably thinking it too.

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Caden's POV

I think I'm dreaming.

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Silas's POV

Yeah, she's definitely thinking it.

All the while, I focus my eyes on my drink, pretending as if the most interesting thing in the world is the way the alcohol swirls in circles rather than the fact that the woman I love is feet away from me.

She goes back to the conversation with the dude again, as if seeing never happened. She'll probably feigning zoning out for her lapse in silence but she knows who she saw. Fuck, I miss her.

I don't go towards her like I originally planned. Instead, I make my way towards the bathroom of the penthouse. Fuck. I am fucking hot in this suit.

I splash water onto my face, hopefully dulling out the red that has now flushed onto my cheeks. Jesus, I need to calm. Yes, you saw her, now move on.

Exiting the bathroom, I still feel hot. It's as if the temperature in the room has increased by ten degrees and everything is getting stuffier and stuffier by the minute.

I need air.

I notice the balcony on the second floor and thank God that it's empty. The view overlooks the lights of the city, but I can't enjoy them at the moment.

I saw Caden. I saw her, saw her real good, and then left. Again. I promise not to do that when I'm finally with her.

"What are you doing here all alone?" I turn around to see the woman from the auction again. Fuck, what's her name?

"Who are you again?" I ignore her stupid pick-up line and sip my drink again. I don't have the energy for this.

She scoffs, as if I'm joking but when I look at her dumbly, she concedes. "Rebecca Aldridge. The daughter of the owner of this penthouse." She crosses her arms, pressing together her already blessed assets together. I can tell the purpose of that particular move, but I don't give a fuck. I just want to be alone.

"You know, you are unbelievable, Mr. Sanders." She's still talking? "You treated me like utter garbage at your own ball, it's typical of you to do the same at mine."

I scoff at her delusions. "Last I heard, this is your father's, not yours. And I didn't treat you any differently than someone who won a dance with me."

She scoffs again. I can tell she's thinking because her eyes go off to the view, looking at the bright lights before coming back to me. "I just wanted to dance with you."

Her voice is soft, almost caring, but what gives her away his her eyes. That is, there's nothing in them. No sincerity, no kindness, nothing. She pouts her lips like a child as if that was the deciding factor in doing whatever the hell she wants to do with me.

"Rebecca, you seem sweet- Actually, you don't." I'm tired of playing nice. "I really just want to be alone, and you're kind of ruining that." Her eyes widen in shock with my boldness, but I don't give a fuck. Would this chick just please go away.

Her eyes glint again, and I already know it's not going to be something I won't like. "I know what will change your mind."

"What the fuck are you going on abo-" Next thing I know, her hands are behind my head, pulling my lips to hers, momentarily knocking the breath right out of my lungs.

Her lips are all wrong. They're too big, too bold, and her tongue is too active to be the one I'm used to. She's not her. No one will ever be her.

I try to unlatch my lips from her eyes, but she pushes hers into mine, as if pressing glue onto paper. Fuck. I fucking hate this bitch.

Finally, I plant my hands on her arms, and push our lips apart. Her lips are squinted into an evil smile, and I look at her confused. Why the fuck is she smiling like that?

But then I turn to the entrance of the balcony.

Fuck me.

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