Chapter 5 - Retrieving The Sacred Journal From The Bin
Caleb ignored Sloane’s rising panic,
turning his back on her completely as if she had suddenly ceased to exist.
He bent down slightly,
reaching into the stainless-steel trash bin with deliberate, respectful movements.
He lifted the small gold package out,
freeing it from the soiled cocktail napkins that surrounded it.
With a clean linen handkerchief pulled from his breast pocket,
Caleb gently wiped away a tiny smudge of moisture from the corner of the wrapping paper.
The guests watched in absolute bewilderment as one of the wealthiest men in the country handled a wrinkled, cheap paper package as though it were the Holy Grail.
Caleb turned around,
holding the gift firmly in both hands,
and began walking directly toward the shadowed side hallway where Grace and Lily stood frozen.
Every head turned to track his movement.
Sloane stood stranded near the birthday table,
her hands trembling with rage and humiliation as she realized the entire elite social circle was watching her spectacular public downfall.
"Caleb,
don't you dare!"
Sloane shrieked,
her voice losing its melodic polish entirely.
"If you walk over there to that cleaning woman,
we are through!
Do you hear me?
Our engagement is over!"
Caleb stopped for a fraction of a second,
not even bothering to turn his head back toward her.
"It was over the moment you threw away a child's heart,
Sloane,"
Caleb replied evenly,
without breaking his stride.
He reached the side hallway,
stepping past the velvet drapes into the quieter, dim lighting where Grace stood clutching Lily.
Grace shrank back against the wall,
her eyes wide with fear and tears threatening to spill over once more.
"Mr. Westbrook,"
Grace whispered,
her voice trembling violently.
"I am so,
so sorry.
We were leaving.
We didn't mean to cause any trouble at your party."
Caleb stopped two feet away from them,
his towering frame softening as he looked down at little Lily,
whose red-rimmed eyes looked up at him with innocent bewilderment.
He knelt down on one knee,
ruining the immaculate crease of his custom trousers against the carpet,
and looked directly into the toddler's tear-stained face.
May you like
Lily instinctively hid her face against her mother's shoulder.
Caleb’s heart broke all over again.
