Chapter 8 - The Alaskan Wall
Caleb Vance stepped into the clinic, kicking off his heavy snowshoes. He hadn't shaved in two days; his broad chest filled the entryway, and his massive frame towered over Mark like a mountain over a pebble. He took in the sight of the sniffling man on his knees, the diamond ring lying in the mud, and the calm, untroubled expression on my face.
""Is this man harassing you, Dr. Miller?"" Caleb’s voice was dangerously low, vibrating through the small clinic like an earthquake.
Mark scrambled to his feet, trying to summon an ounce of the arrogant corporate lawyer he used to be back in the city. He squared his thin shoulders against Caleb's massive bulk. ""Stay out of this, pal. This is between me and my fiancée.""
""She’s not your fiancée,"" Caleb said. He didn't shout. He didn't raise his fists. He simply took two slow, measured steps forward until his chest was inches from Mark's nose. ""And if you shout at her again under my roof, I will personally carry you back out to the runway and leave you for the coastal wolves to sort out.""
""You don't scare me!"" Mark screamed, his voice pitching high with pure hysteria. ""Anna, tell him! Tell him who I am! Tell him you're coming home with me!""
I walked over to Caleb. Without a fraction of hesitation, I slid my hand into Caleb's massive, warm palm. Caleb’s fingers closed securely around mine, holding me with an effortless, unwavering strength that Mark had never possessed in his entire life.
""Mark,"" I said clearly, ensuring every person in that room heard every syllable. ""This is Caleb. He is my partner in this clinic, and he is the man I am going to marry next summer under the midnight sun. I don't love you. I don't hate you. To be completely honest, I don't feel anything for you at all. Now take your ring, get on the supply plane that’s refueling at the landing strip, and never come back.""
May you like
Mark stared at our joined hands. He looked at the gentle, natural way Caleb pulled me slightly behind his protective shoulder, and how my body leaned into Caleb’s side without an ounce of fear or hesitation.
The reality hit him with the force of an avalanche. There was no secret revenge plot. There was no lingering flame of desire waiting to be rekindled. She wasn't holding a grudge; she had simply moved on to a better, stronger, more honorable world, leaving him stranded in the ashes of his own vanity.
