The Broken Vows: Zane and Celeste’s Story (The Windsors)

I lean back in my desk chair and cross my arms, my eyes narrowed. Zane has been grinning at his phone all morning now, and he’s been acting a bit secretive. It doesn’t sit well with me, but I’m trying to be patient instead of snapping at him and thinking the worst, like I used to.

It took months, and countless sessions of marriage counseling, for us to unlearn some of our behaviors. But there are still times when I feel myself slip back into old responses, like right now.

“Zane,” I snap, rising to my feet. I lean forward and place my palms flat on my desk, fury building inside me. “You’re acting weird and I don’t like it. What are you hiding from me?”

He looks at me and puts his phone away, his expression so enamored that my shoulders relax in relief. “Celestial,” he says, smiling up at me. “I can’t tell you, Goddess. It’s a surprise.”

I study him for a moment, and he grins at me, his gaze filled with unwavering love. When he looks at me like that, all of my doubts fade away. I sigh and sit down, but I’m unable to resist throwing him a hateful little look that just makes him laugh. Zane continues to smirk at his phone as I get back to work, but this time, I don’t let it faze me. As the months passed, it became easier to trust him the way I used to, because each time I had any doubts, he let me do what I needed to prove myself wrong, his patience seemingly endless.

“I’m proud of you,” he says suddenly, his voice filled with emotion. “Just a few months ago, you’d have stormed over and demanded to see my phone, and we’d have tried not to argue.”

I look up at him, my heart warming. “I’m proud of you too,” I tell him, meaning every word. Even when we left the island, I wasn’t sure we truly could make it, but we put in the work, and he was right. We weren’t really trying before, not the way we did there, and every day since.

It took Zane weeks not to tense when I asked him intrusive questions about our business, and it wasn’t until a few months ago that he began to give me access to data I could, if I wanted to, use against him. We’ve taken slow steps forward, hand in hand, and while it was an arduous journey, it absolutely was worth it. The happiness we have now surpasses what we had in the past, because this kind? It’s the result of two people coming together despite the odds, despite a history that should’ve torn them apart. It’s us choosing each other, even when times get tough. It’s learning, and never giving up. With it comes a new kind of happiness, and an irrefutable, unmovable kind of love.

Zane sighs happily and shoots me a loving glance before turning back to his phone. I shake my head and try my hardest not to wonder what he’s up to as I focus on our current project, only for my concentration to break when the door opens. Sierra and Raven walk in, making a beeline for me, and I frown in confusion.

Raven is launching a new fashion line soon, and Sierra is in the middle of acquiring a large piece of land for Windsor Real Estate. They’ve been so busy we had to postpone anti-poker night this month, and I can count the number of times we’ve had to do that on one hand.

“Celeste,” Sierra says, her tone aggrieved as she holds her hand up for me. “My nail just broke.” I raise a brow as I take in her snapped nail. It looks oddly perfect, like it was cut manually, without any jagged edges. “It’s been annoying me all morning, and then Raven mentioned she was going to get hers done ahead of her show, so I figured I’d just go with her. We found a new salon we really like, so we thought we’d drag you along with us.”

Raven nods and offers me her hand. “I know you like doing yours yourself, but this salon has really cool nail art. I think you’ll love it.”

I take her hand, and she entwines our fingers. “I have to work,” I tell them, confused. “I can’t just… I can’t just go right now.”

Raven looks over her shoulder and raises a brow at Zane, who instantly smiles back at her. “Don’t look at me like that. She’s my Co-CEO, she can do what she wants. I don’t make my wife’s schedule.”

Raven nods as she pulls me out of my chair. “All I heard is that you’re perfectly capable of making time for us,” she says, her hand slipping around my waist.

I sigh as I grab my phone to call my driver, resigned to my fate. When Sierra and Raven want something, there’s no getting out of it. “Where are we going?”

Sierra does this giddy little shake that’s ridiculously adorable, and I shake my head as Raven pulls me out of the office, equally excited. I’m not sure what’s up with them today, but their mood is a little infectious. “So, what’s going on?” I ask the moment we enter the elevator.

Sierra looks flustered for a moment, but Raven merely raises a brow. “What do you mean?”

My gaze moves between the two of them, my eyes narrowed. “Did you… did you guys get some good news or something? I feel like you’re both a little over-excited today?”

They exchange a look before simultaneously shaking their heads. “Nope,” Sierra says. “Just excited to skip work and catch up. I’m all for how obsessed Zane and you are with each other, but it’s irritating how very little attention I get these days. It’s like you don’t even love me ever since you got back from that dumb island Zane won’t let me go to.”

I bite back a laugh and wrap my arm around Sierra’s shoulder. I glance at Raven for support, only to find her looking equally aggrieved. She nods and crosses her arms. “Yeah,” she says, her cheeks rosy. “And you’ve gone to all of Faye’s concerts, but you only came to one of my shows. I guess you don’t love me anymore either.”

Startled laughter escapes my lips, and I shake my head. “Fine. I’m yours for the rest of the day, okay? Will that prove how much I love you both?”

They both grin victoriously, and I realize I just got tricked into skipping work for the rest of the day. “Great,” Raven says as she steps out of the elevator. “Because I hand drew you a nail design, and I made appointments at the spa and hairdresser too.”

I tilt my head and study her as she walks to my car, where my driver is already waiting for us. She drew a design for me? When? I thought this was an impromptu meet-up?