I woke to sunlight streaming through unfamiliar curtains and the solid warmth of Lucas's body curved protectively around mine. For a moment, I allowed myself to savor the sensation-his arm draped over my waist, his breath warm against the nape of my neck, our legs tangled beneath the sheets. Reality came rushing back with the insistent beeping of my phone alarm. . Ninety minutes until we were due at the lawyers' office. I carefully extricated myself from Lucas's embrace, trying not to wake him, but his eyes opened as I sat up on the edge of the bed. "Morning," he said, his voice husky with sleep. He reached for me, fingers grazing my bare back. "Come back to bed." The temptation was almost overwhelming. In the soft morning light, with his dark hair tousled and his eyes warm with affection, it would have been so easy to fall back into his arms, to pretend the world outside didn't exist. Instead, I stood, wrapping the sheet around me. "We have an appointment, remember?" Lucas's expression darkened. He sat up, running a hand through his hair. "We don't have to go through with it. 'Lucas-" 'Last night changed things," he insisted, getting out of bed without any self-consciousness about his nakedness. He approached me, magnificent in his confidence, and gently took hold of my shoulders. "You fel t too. I know you did." couldn't deny the truth of his words. Last night had been transformative-not just physically, but emotionally For the first time, I'd felt truly connected to him, as if all the barriers between us had finally fallen away. But one night of passion, no matter how profound, couldn't erase two years of history. 'Last night was..." I paused, searching for the right words. "It was beautiful. But it doesn't change anything." 'It changes everything," Lucas countered, his grip tightening slightly. "I told you I love you, Autumn. That wasn ust heat of the moment. I meant it." The sincerity in his eyes nearly broke my resolve. But I'd been here before-hoping, believing, only to have eality crush those hopes beneath its heel. 'I need to shower," I said, stepping away from him. "We'll be late." retreated to the bathroom, locking the door behind me-not because I feared Lucas would follow, but because I feared I might invite him to if he did. Under the hot spray of the shower, I allowed myself a moment of weakness, pressing my forehead against the cool tile as tears mingled with the water streaming down my ace. One hour later, we sat in tense silence in Lucas's car as he drove us downtown to the law offices of Bennett & Winthrop. He'd barely spoken since I emerged from the bathroom, though his eyes had tracked my every novement as I dressed and gathered my things. Now, dressed impeccably in one of his tailored suits, he looked every inch the powerful businessman-except or the muscle working in his jaw and the white-knuckled grip he maintained on the steering wheel. It's not too late," he said finally as we pulled into the parking garage beneath the gleaming office tower. "We can drive away right now. Go anywhere. Talk about this properly." looked out the window, watching the concrete pillars pass by. "We've had two years to talk, Lucas." No," he said sharply, pulling into a parking space and cutting the engine. "We've had two years of carefully voiding talking. Of tiptoeing around each other. Of me being too blind and stubborn to see what was right in ront of me." He turned in his seat to face me fully. "Give me a chance to make it right. Not just because of last night, but >ecause of all the nights before it. All the mornings. All the moments when you made my life better just by >eing in it." His words pierced straight to my heart, but I steeled myself against them. "We should go up. They're expecting us." .ucas's face hardened, a flash of the old coldness returning to his eyes. Without another word, he got out of he car and came around to open my door-ever the gentleman, even in anger. The law offices were exactly as one would expect-understated luxury, with thick carpets muffling our ootsteps and original artwork adorning the walls. We were shown into a conference room where my father's awyer, Mitchell Dalton, and Lucas's attorney, Eleanor Reed, were already waiting with the final papers spread >etween them. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey," Mitchell greeted us, rising to shake our hands. "Thank you for being prompt. We have verything prepared as discussed." took a seat at the table, acutely aware of Lucas's presence as he sat beside me, close enough that I could mell his cologne-the same scent that now clung to my skin from our night together. Eleanor, a sharp-eyed woman in her fifties who had been handling the Bailey family's legal affairs for decades studied us both with an appraising gaze. "Before we begin, I must ask-are both parties still in agreement about proceeding with the dissolution of marriage?" Yes," I said, perhaps too quickly. Lucas remained silent, his gaze fixed on the table. Mr. Bailey?" Eleanor prompted. He looked up then, his eyes meeting mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. "If this is truly what Chapter 17. Darce Proceedings Autumn wants, I won't contest it." Mitchell raised an eyebrow at the phrasing but continued professionally. "Very well. As you know, we've negotiated a settlement that's more than generous to both parties. Mrs. Bailey will retain her shares in Shepherd Design Studio, receive a lump sum settlement of five million dollars, and maintain a five percent share in Bailey Enterprises." "And Mr. Bailey retains the penthouse, his personal investments, and the remainder of his holdings in Bailey Enterprises," Eleanor added. "All that remains is for both parties to sign the paperwork, and we can file with the court immediately." Mitchell slid the stack of documents toward me, a pen placed neatly on top. "If you'll sign where indicated, Mrs. Bailey." I stared at the papers, suddenly frozen. This was it-the moment I'd been working toward for weeks. The clean break I'd convinced myself I needed. So why couldn't I pick up the pen? "Autumn?" Mitchell prompted gently. Beside me, Lucas had gone perfectly still, his breathing so controlled it was barely perceptible. With a trembling hand, I finally reached for the pen. As I bent over the first signature line, Lucas spoke, his voice low but clear. "I meant what I said last night," he said, for my ears only. "Every word." My hand faltered, ink bleeding into the expensive paper where my pen paused too long. "Please don't do this," I whispered back. His response was equally quiet. "I'm not doing anything. I'm just telling you the truth-finally. The rest is up to you." I took a deep breath and signed my name, the action feeling somehow both monumental and hollow at the same time. I passed the papers to Lucas, our fingers brushing in the exchange. He took them, his expression unreadable as he scanned the document. For a long, tense moment, I thought he might refuse to sign-might tear up the papers or walk out of the room. Instead, he signed with swift, decisive strokes, his signature bold beside my more hesitant one. When he set the pen down, it was with a finality that echoed in the quiet room. "Congratulations," Eleanor said, collecting the papers. "You're officially divorced." The words should have brought relief. Instead, they landed like stones in my stomach. Lucas and I left the building separately-he had a meeting at Bailey Enterprises, and I... I had nowhere particular to be. Just away from him, away from the confusing mix of emotions his presence evoked. I spent the day wandering the city, unable to face returning to my father's guest house where the sheets still smelled of Lucas, where the memory of our night together was still so fresh. By evening, I found myself at m new apartment-a sleek, modern space in the arts district that I'd leased the week before but hadn't yet moved into. It was empty except for a few boxes I'd had delivered-basic necessities to get me through until my furniture arrived. I sat on the floor with my back against the wall, looking out through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the city lights coming on as dusk deepened into night. My phone buzzed with a text from Lucas. [Are you okay?] I stared at the message, unsure how to respond. Was I okay? I had no idea. I felt hollowed out, as if something essential had been removed from my core. I'm fine. Just tired.] His response came quickly. Where are you staying tonight?] My new apartment. It's empty, but I needed the space.] There was a longer pause before his next message. I understand. Take care of yourself, Autumn.] Such simple words, but they brought unexpected tears to my eyes. Even now, even after I'd signed the papers ending our marriage, Lucas was checking on me, caring about my wellbeing. set the phone aside without responding and hugged my knees to my chest, finally allowing the tears to flow freely. I cried for what might have been if we'd been honest with each other sooner. For the wasted time. For the love I still felt for him, despite everything. Most of all, I cried for the memory of his arms around me, his whispered declarations of love, the connection 'd felt in those perfect hours before reality intruded once more. Eventually, exhaustion overtook me, and I fell asleep on the bare floor of my new apartment, alone with the echoes of a night that now felt like a beautiful dream-vivid, precious, and ultimately unreal.