Chapter Five

JAYDEN’S POV

     ‘I want a divorce.’

Those four words had been running laps in my head all morning, like some mental marathon I didn’t sign up for. Since Flora dropped that bomb on me, I couldn't shake the thought. How? How could she want to walk away from everything now?

I paced my office restlessly, trying to piece together what the hell went wrong. This wasn’t just a personal mess—it was a business nightmare waiting to happen. If things got ugly, it would blow up in our faces, and the company would take a hit too. I couldn’t afford a scandal at this moment. My mother would disown me before she let that happen. And, honestly, I wasn’t ready to lose Flora. She had grown on me, like an old habit I didn’t know I would miss until it was gone.

I hadn’t exactly been eager to marry her at first, but after three years, marriage does something to a man. Flora—well, she’s a good woman. Obedient, hardworking, humble. She’s never in my way, never seeking the spotlight, and most importantly, our marriage kept our family’s little secrets locked up nice and tight. If she leaves now, it’s only a matter of time before everything comes crashing down. Maybe I had been too hard on her. Maybe it was time to show her that I cared... at least a little.

The meeting with the investors earlier had been a disaster, and I couldn’t focus. I was too wrapped up in thoughts of Flora, and it showed. If we lost that deal, my mother would have my head on a platter. Another failure, just what I needed. With a sigh, I grabbed my phone and shot a text to my cousin Jason, asking him to come up to my office. Maybe he would know if Flora was seeing someone else. That had to be the reason for the sudden divorce talk, right? Women don’t just up and leave unless there’s another guy.

Before I could even finish that thought, my office door flew open, and in stormed my mother. She didn’t knock—she never did. She was the only person who walked into my office like she owned the place because, well, she practically did. For a second, I braced myself for the usual mother-son dressing down, but she just flopped onto the couch with a huff, looking like she would rather murder someone than lecture me.

“That bastard,” she spat, glaring at nothing in particular.

Not today, Mom. I had bigger problems than whatever corporate rivalry was winding her up. My marriage was hanging by a thread, and I didn’t have the patience to play therapist right now. I kept quiet, hoping she would take the hint.

She didn’t.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

I shrugged and moved behind my desk, trying to appear nonchalant. “Nothing. Just not sure if I nailed the presentation today.”

She gave me a knowing look. “You were distracted. But that’s not why they’re hesitating. We’ve done this dance before, and they never doubted us. This time? They’re not so sure.”

I frowned. This was news to me. “Wait, what? What’s the problem?”

She crossed her arms, her expression darkening. “The Bennett Group is launching a clothing line. And these idiots are saying he looks more promising because of his ‘success story’ in other industries. Can you believe the nerve?”

I felt a surge of anger, not just because of Bennett, but because I already had enough on my plate without my mother’s rival adding to the pile. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked, more to keep her talking than because I actually cared.

“What’s wrong with him?” she echoed, eyes blazing. “He’s obsessed with me, that’s what. It’s not enough that he outperformed Kensington last year and took the top spot in the business rankings. Now he’s trying to steal my brand, my legacy!"

I chuckled, though it felt hollow. “What does Bennett know about fashion? He couldn’t design a napkin if his life depended on it. I doubt he will stand a chance in the fashion world.”

She shot me a sharp look. “You clearly don’t understand the man. Bennett doesn’t fail. If he sets his sights on something, he will get it. He has already made a name for himself in everything else, and now he wants to take fashion too. He’s trying to make a statement. He’s trying to put Kensington in second place for everything. I don’t understand why he keeps winning, despite the scandals surrounding him. The man’s been divorced three times, for crying out loud! Three!”

Divorce.

That word—divorce—snapped me right back to my own crisis. Flora. I was in real danger of becoming the guy with the failed marriage, just like Bennett.

I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t lose Flora.

“I won’t let him win,” I muttered, standing up abruptly and grabbing my jacket from the hanger.

She raised an eyebrow. “Where are you going?”

“I’ve got something to take care of,” I said, already halfway out the door, moving like I had a personal emergency, which, technically, I did. “I’ll be right back.”

I wasn’t just going to leave Flora to “think long and hard” about her decision. Nope. I had to do more—much more. I had to sweep her off her feet, and remind her that she was in love with me in the first place. She does love me; she just needed a little nudge. Maybe I hadn’t been the most attentive husband, but that was about to change. I could fix this. A little care, some grand gestures, and Flora would be back to her old, head-over-heels self.

As I walked down the hallway, my fingers flew over my phone, ordering the most expensive cuisine I could think of. No skimping on this. It had to be from a top-tier restaurant—definitely not one of Bennett’s, I wasn’t about to give that jerk my business. I had it delivered straight to Kensington’s estate.

Next on the list? Jewelry. Something flashy. I would pick up a diamond necklace from one of our department stores. Nothing said “I’m sorry, and I love you” like overpriced bling, right? I was also planning to take her to the next Glamour Fair, a high-society event where everyone would see her on my arm. That would do the trick—show her off, remind her she was the wife of Jayden Kensington. She just needed a little polishing up. Maybe I could get her to go on a diet, you know, drop a few pounds, and look the part.

Just as I was about to slide into my car, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I checked the screen: Melissa. I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. Now wasn’t exactly the best time for... whatever this was. Melissa had her charms, no doubt. We had some history—history that occasionally reignited when she reappeared in my life. But right now, I wasn’t in the mood for any of her seductive games. Especially not today. Not when I had real issues to deal with.

But I remembered she had fainted yesterday and ended up at the hospital. So, I answered the call.

“Hey, handsome,” her sweet voice said on the other end.

I sighed. “Hey, Melissa. How are you doing?”

There was a pause. “Melissa?” she repeated, sounding offended. “You always call me Mel when it’s just us. Well, guess how I’m doing?”

I knew I had messed up as soon as I said it, but I didn’t have time to fix it. I turned the key in the ignition, trying to focus on the road ahead. “Look, Mel, I’ve had a really rough day, and I need to handle some stuff. We’ll talk later, okay?”

“Where are you?” she asked, her voice dropping an octave, as if knowing the answer would somehow fix everything.

“I’m heading home,” I replied, my voice flat.

“Well, I’ve got news that will cheer you up a bit.” There was a teasing lilt in her tone, like she was dangling something exciting in front of me.

I really wasn’t in the mood, but I had to bite. “What’s the news?” Maybe she had finally convinced her father about that deal we had been discussing.

There was a pause, and then she dropped the bomb with all the enthusiasm of someone revealing a winning lottery ticket: “I’m pregnant.”

I didn't think about it. I just wanted her off my phone. "Oh, that's great. Congratulations. I'll see you soon." I turned off the phone and focused on my driving.