Chapter 8

Her eyes fluttered shut, a frail dam against the inner flood, but tears broke free, tracing silent paths down her face—a quiet goodbye to a love once held with fierce devotion.

“Are you alright?” A deep, resonant voice broke through her solitude, stirring the air beside her.

Vivienne Hayes blinked open her eyes. Derek Hopkins stood there, his sharp features catching her off guard. Surprise, escaping before she could restrain it, spilled out in a blurted, “What are you doing here?”

Their last farewell felt recent, yet here he was. Derek loomed before her, his tailored suit an aura of effortless elegance, every line speaking of quiet power.

“Checking on an older relative,” he said, his piercing eyes scanning her face. A shadow of concern, perhaps, flickered in his gaze before he repeated his question. “Are you alright?”

Their stares locked; the weight of his gaze sent her pulse racing. “I’m fine,” she replied, regaining her composure.

“Here,” Derek said gently, pressing a hand to his chest. “Most would crumble in a moment like this. Maybe you should too.”

He offered a pristine handkerchief, the gesture simple yet deliberate.

After a beat, a faint smile curved Vivienne’s lips. “Tears don’t fix anything. Why spill them over someone who doesn’t deserve them?”

“But it stings, doesn’t it?” His face softened as he watched her, his voice a gentle prod.

Vivienne’s eyes drifted to the swaying willow branches above, their movement a soft dance in the breeze. “How could it not…” she murmured, her words barely audible. The ache of pouring her soul into a void still gnawed at her, raw and unrelenting.

Derek studied her for a moment before speaking, his deep tone laced with unexpected warmth. “Don’t waste your fight on what’s not worth it. Save your tears for those who’d treasure them.”

His words jolted her, her heart quickening. Their gazes brushed briefly before she turned away, rattled by the charged atmosphere.

A flicker of uncertainty crossed Derek’s face, then he continued. “Why chase his love when his heart’s already gone? Cutting it off beats dragging out the pain.”

His bluntness surprised her. They barely knew each other—hardly enough for such personal advice—yet his insight resonated. Vivienne wasn’t one to linger, and the thought of enduring Warren and Natalie’s charade repulsed her.

She drew a slow breath, steadying herself. “We’re done. There’s nothing left to hold onto.”

Surprise flickered across Derek’s features, quickly masked as he suppressed a smile. “Unreturned fire deserves to burn out,” he said, his voice measured. “Miss Hayes, you’re freer than I’d guessed.”

“Like you said, a clean break trumps slow torment,” she replied. “Besides, what you have to beg for is just pity. Real worth comes unasked.”

A glint of respect sparked in Derek’s eyes, one brow lifting slightly. “Seems we see things the same way.”