The Billionaire's Forgotten Wife
Chapter 63: Quiet Truths

Chapter 63: Quiet Truths

Zeke wanted to ask. About Claire. About Xavier. The questions sat on the tip of his tongue, pressing harder with each passing second.

But he held them back.

He was afraid that if he said the wrong thing, if he pushed too soon, it would shatter whatever fragile calm they had managed to create. And he didn’t want to lose that. Not yet.

So he just nodded.

"Good," he said quietly. "That’s good."

Zeke glanced down, then looked back at her, his voice softer this time. "Grandma misses you. She got your gift. Said she loved it."

Cassidy’s expression shifted, guilt flickering in her eyes. At the mention of Elise, something in her chest pinched. She hadn’t spoken to the older woman in years, and she hadn’t shown up for her last birthday either.

She swallowed. "Is she okay?" Her voice came out quieter than she intended.

Zeke nodded. "Yeah. She’s doing alright. Her health’s been slipping a bit, though. Maybe because she misses Grandpa."

He paused, then asked gently, "How about your parents? Are Julian and Teresa okay?"

She tensed, just for a split second. Something like sadness flashed in her eyes before it vanished.

She swallowed hard. "My dad? Still alive and kicking, like nothing ever happened." A pause. Then, more quietly, "My mom’s... she’s in the hospital."

Zeke didn’t say anything right away, sensing the weight behind her words.

Cassidy took a slow breath, her voice barely above a whisper. "She tried to take her own life a few weeks ago."

Zeke’s eyes widened briefly, shock and regret washing over his face. Then his voice softened. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know... I didn’t mean to bring up something painful."

Cassidy gave a small, tired smile. "It’s okay. She’s starting to get better now. It’s been hard, but she’s fighting."

Zeke watched her, a bit of relief passing through his expression. "I’m really glad she’s getting better," he said, his tone steady and sincere.

Cassidy hesitated, then asked softly, "I wanted to ask you something." Her voice was calm, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. "Georgia told me... that during the first two years after I left, you were looking for me. Why, Zeke? Why were you trying to find me?"

Zeke froze.

The question hit harder than he expected. Simple on the surface, but it felt like a punch to the chest. He hadn’t prepared for it.

His fingers twitched at his side, barely noticeable, but his whole body went still. His mind scrambled for something rational. Something that wouldn’t sound like the truth. Because the truth? The truth was messy. Too emotional. Too late.

How could he tell her that he missed her? That after she left, the silence in his penthouse felt deafening? That every morning without the sound of her footsteps felt off? That the space she used to fill stayed empty, no matter how many distractions he chased?

She’d think he was crazy.

Hell, he thought he was crazy.

Especially since he’d barely paid attention to her when she was his wife. He’d been cold. Distant. Focused on work, on control, on keeping his emotions locked tight behind steel doors.

But her absence... it cracked something open. And once it cracked, it never fully closed again.

"I just..." Zeke cleared his throat, forcing himself to sound casual. Detached. "I just wanted to know where you were. After the divorce, I figured maybe I should’ve... handled some things better."

It was half true. And still not enough.

He felt like a coward.

"I thought the alimony I gave you wasn’t enough. I wanted to make sure you were okay. That you had what you needed."

Cassidy gave him a look. Not angry, but skeptical. Confused.

"Really? Then why didn’t you tell Georgia that when you called her?"

Zeke’s jaw clenched. His lip twitched, a faint tell he couldn’t hide. His heart thudded louder than it should have.

Because I wasn’t looking for you to fix some bank transfer, Cassidy.

Because I woke up every day hoping I’d just run into you somewhere, anywhere. Because I hated how things ended. Because I finally realized what I lost.

But he couldn’t say any of that.

So instead, he looked away and said quietly, "Because... that wasn’t Georgia’s business. It was between you and me."

His voice was low. Steady. But inside, he was falling apart in ways he couldn’t explain.

Cassidy watched him for a long moment, her expression unreadable.

Zeke didn’t look back. He couldn’t.

"You know... hearing that you did look for me? That you called Georgia? That you spent two years wondering where I was..." She shook her head lightly. "It just... confuses me."

Zeke finally met her eyes and said softly, "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to confuse you. I just... didn’t know what else to do back then."

Cassidy gave a small nod. Her expression remained calm. Then she exhaled slowly. "It’s okay. At least now I know why you were looking for me."

There was no edge in her tone. Just quiet acceptance.

A flicker of relief passed through her. Subtle, but real.

So Georgia had been wrong after all. Zeke hadn’t been looking for her because he was in love. He just wanted to make sure his ex-wife was taken care of. That she was living well. That her alimony was enough.

Of course. That made sense.

It was exactly what Ezekiel Salvador would do. Responsible, dutiful and calculated.

And it was better this way. Easier to process.

Zeke shifted slightly, his voice lower now. "So... where did you go? All these years?"

Cassidy turned her gaze toward the tall windows. The midday sun was high and strong, flooding the room with sharp light. Outside, the sky was clear, almost too bright. But somehow, the warmth of it calmed her. The tightness in her chest that had followed her all morning slowly began to ease.

"Switzerland. Zurich," she said finally, her voice calm. "I stayed there the whole time."

Zeke didn’t interrupt. He watched her closely, letting her speak on her own terms.

"I loved it," she continued. "It’s quiet. Peaceful. The kind of place that lets you breathe. Cold, yes, but in a good way. Clean air, beautiful mountains. Everything just... slows down there."

Her lips curved into a faint, almost wistful smile.

"It was exactly what I needed."

Unlike Cassidy, who offered a faint smile, Zeke felt something tighten in his chest.

He already knew, of course. But hearing it from her, hearing her say it out loud still stung. Because now it was real.

She had lived in the same place as Xavier.

Zurich. Four years.

They hadn’t just crossed paths. They had shared space. Time. Routine. They had built a life in the same city, while he had been left behind.

Zeke stayed quiet, but something in his eyes darkened.

He wanted to ask. God, he wanted to ask. What was Xavier to her? A friend? Something more?

But he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Not without sounding jealous. Not without breaking the fragile peace between them.

So he said nothing.

Cassidy shifted slightly, then spoke. Quiet, but clear. "Can I ask for your number?" she said, her gaze meeting his. "There’s something I want to talk to you about. But not here. And not now."

Zeke blinked, surprised by the request. Cassidy wanted to talk to him again? The thought stirred something in him. Something cautious but undeniably warm.

He didn’t hesitate. He pulled out his phone and handed it to her, screen unlocked, his voice low but steady. "Here. Go ahead."

***