Chapter 264: No Exceptions
Reagan’s POV
"What did Nancy mean by her threat?" Sarah asked softly while we waited for our lunch to arrive.
Her voice was calm, but her eyes... those gentle, knowing eyes searched mine with quiet curiosity. I had prayed she wouldn’t bring it up, that maybe after Georgia tended to her wounds, she would forget about it. But of course, Sarah wasn’t the type to ignore things that didn’t make sense.
My heart started to race, the air suddenly heavier around us, it’s hard to breathe. I could feel the cold sweat forming at the back of my neck. God, I didn’t want to lie to her. Not her. Not when all I wanted was to start this relationship on the right foot, honest and real.
But how could I tell her everything, when the truth could destroy the fragile peace we were trying to build?
I didn’t realize I’d gone silent for too long until she reached out and held my hand. Her fingers were warm, grounding me when my thoughts were spinning out of control. I looked up at her, and I knew I must’ve looked pale because my lips felt cold, almost trembling.
Then she smiled, soft and radiant, like sunlight breaking through clouds after days of rain.
"It’s okay," she said gently. "If you’re not ready to tell me, that’s fine. Everyone has something they keep to themselves. If this is yours, I’ll respect that. I won’t push."
Her words were tender, full of understanding, and yet, they hurt. Because I didn’t deserve that kindness. I didn’t deserve her.
My chest tightened painfully. What if one day, Nancy’s threats are not empty ones, and Sarah found out the truth and saw me for what I really was?
What if the warmth in her eyes turned to disgust, or worse, indifference? The thought alone made my heart ache in ways I couldn’t explain.
I took a shaky breath and exhaled, my disappointment in myself washing over me again. I hated that part of my past. I hated that it still had power over me. If I could go back in time, I’d burn that entire Chapter out of my life.
"I’m sorry, Sarah," I said finally, my voice low and rough. "It’s not that I don’t trust you... It’s just something I’m not sure I have the guts to tell you yet. But I promise, one day, I’ll find the courage to tell you everything about me."
She squeezed my hand in quiet reassurance, and for a brief moment, it felt like her touch was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.
And as I looked at her again, smiling at me as if I was worth loving despite all my flaws, I couldn’t help but wonder—how long before my truth ruins this beautiful lie we’re living in?
"Then, I’ll patiently wait for that day... You know, I was thinking. What if we tell our parents tonight about our decision?" she said suddenly, her voice soft but sure.
I blinked at her, my heart thudding so hard it almost hurt. After everything she’d heard and seen today... Nancy’s threats, the chaos at the station, I didn’t expect her to still want this, to still want us. And yet here she was, looking at me with those eyes that always made me feel like I wasn’t beyond redemption.
I swallowed hard. "Are you sure you want to inform them tonight? I mean... I’m willing to wait. I’m not in a hurry," I replied carefully, my voice quieter than I intended.
"Yes, I’m sure. Unless you’re having second thoughts about marrying me," she said with a small laugh, teasing—but her eyes searched mine, as if she wanted reassurance too.
If only she knew. If only she knew how I’ve loved her for so long, quietly, painfully. How I’d stood by, watching her stay with Nick even when he didn’t deserve her, biting back every word I wanted to say.
Godsss, if I could marry her now, this second, I would. I’d give her everything, every piece of me, no matter how fractured.
"Of course not," I said quickly. "I just thought you wanted to take it slow. What changed your mind?"
Even as I asked, part of me was terrified of the answer. What if it wasn’t for the reasons I was hoping? What if it was still him she was thinking of?
"Yeah, I wanted to take it slow," she said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "But that doesn’t mean I’m unsure or thinking or backing out in the future. So why not tell them tonight what we’re planning? We could start preparing, like the wedding venue, guest list, honeymoon, our new house..." She laughed a little, shy but certain. "I know it’s too soon, but it just feels like the right thing to do."
For a moment, I couldn’t speak. I just stared at her, my chest tight with something between joy and heartache. She was talking about the same things I’d been secretly dreaming of... our wedding, our life together, a home built with our hands and hearts.
I smiled at her then, helplessly, because I couldn’t do anything else. "Sure. Let me text my mom, see if they’ll both be home tonight, and then we’ll text yours."
A few back-and-forth messages later, everything was set. Dinner tonight at the Knight Estate.
As I set my phone down, my thumb still trembling slightly, I tried to ignore the quiet fear sitting in my chest. I just hoped and prayed that everyone would be happy with our decision... and that nothing, and no one, would come between us again.
Because for the first time, the future didn’t feel like a dream. It felt real, close enough to touch. And I wanted it more than anything.
However...
When I received my mother’s reply, my heart did a strange twist in my chest.
She said she was happy, thrilled, even, to finally hear good news from me. But then she added something that made my palms turn cold.
[Your father wants everyone at the table tonight, Reagan. No exceptions. We’ll celebrate as a family.]
For a few seconds, I just stared at my phone, the words blurring as dread slowly crept up my spine.
Everyone.
That meant Nick would be there.
And Georgia, too.
God.
I leaned back in my seat, trying to breathe, but the air suddenly felt heavier. How was I supposed to tell Sarah? What if she changed her mind the moment she realized she’d have to sit across from the man who once held her heart and the woman who now owned his?
And that Nick and Georgia are also secretly married now...
She said she was ready. She said she wanted to tell our parents. But this wasn’t what I had in mind. I wanted it to be quiet, intimate... something that felt safe. Not a grand family dinner with everyone watching, with ghosts from the past sitting a few chairs away.
I looked at her then, her soft smile, the way she rested her chin on her hand as she gazed out the window, lost in thought. She looked peaceful, and I hated the idea of ruining that calm with my father’s announcement.
She’d already been through so much. She’d been humiliated, bruised, dragged into chaos she didn’t deserve. Her heart has been broken over and over again. The last thing I wanted was to put her in another uncomfortable situation, especially one that involved him.