Chapter 3 Chances

"What?" Kaiden asked in confusion.

She was asking him to leave the house. Where would he go? He had nowhere else apart from here and she knew that. There was no need to question her attitude, he had seen this coming. Elias had been able to manipulate her into believing that he had stolen from them.

"Uriah. You know I can't leave," he pointed out.

Uriah seemed to be angered by his words. She couldn't stand him. She was irritated by his presence. After everything she had done for him, this was the only way he could repay her. He had stolen from them, which hurt her so badly. It was so bad that she had to bow to her father's orders. She should have listened to him from the start when he had warned her about Kaiden, but she hadn't listened and now she was paying the price. But that didn't matter presently.

She had successfully divorced him just like her father had instructed. There was nothing linking Kaiden to their family anymore. It was over.

"I don't see how that is a concern to me," she said. "I need you out now."

Kaiden clenched his jaws at that. He was at the mercy of his wife but she wasn't going to let him stay. Not even for the night. Where would he go? He couldn't even afford a motel tonight. By divorcing her, all his finances will be cut off. Kaiden wasn't ready for life without Uriah as well. What would he do without her? He loved her so much that it hurt.

"Uriah. Please just listen to me this once," he begged.

Uriah seemed to have calmed down, and it looked like she was ready to pay attention to what he had to say. He was lucky that she was willing to hear him out.

"Fine. But you only have a minute."

Kaiden was satisfied by that. One minute was all he needed to convince her that he was innocent. He wasn't sure who had framed him with those documents, but there was a certainty that Elias had a clue.

"Uriah, I..."

Before he could complete his sentence, the front door swung open and Elias stepped into the house. Kaiden felt his heart sink. His opportunity had gone right before his eyes with Elias' arrival. He wasn't going to let him talk.

Uriah rushed to her father who looked enraged to see him sitting at the dining table.

"Daddy!" She said,

Kaiden gulped hard.

"What is he still doing here?" He asked her. "What is that traitor still doing in my house?"

Kaiden clenched his jaws as he heard that. The house was gifted to them by Elias on their wedding day. It was their wedding gift. And now he was revoking it. He was going to take custody of it once more. Kaiden couldn't believe that his life was about to be over.

"I want you out of my house now!" Elias ordered coming towards him.

Kaiden was racking his mind thinking of what to do, but it was too late. As long as Elias was here, his hope of having a second chance was gone.

"I was talking to your daughter," he said. "Just let me finish."

"You think I'm going to let you brainwash her again?"

Kaiden could feel his blood boiling. He balled his hands into fists. The accusations were hurtful and angered him. They were treating him like garbage and he was running out of patience.

"I don't care what you're going to do to me after this, but I am not leaving without talking to Uriah," Kaiden said.

Elias was surprised by his bold Kaiden was. He seemed to have clicked into another gear. Just like he had done in the office. But it was pointless. Elias wasn't going to let him win. He already had the cards in his favor and there was nothing Kaiden could do about that.

"There's nothing to talk about, Kaiden. I want you gone," she said.

Elias grinned at that. He trusted his daughter to go ahead with the plan. If there was one thing his daughter had gotten from him, it was his stubbornness. He hated it whenever it was used against him, but when she was on his side, it was one of his strongest weapons.

Kaiden was surprised at Uriah's words. Of course, Elias had made her change her mind. She would willingly listen to him. His eyes fell to her hand and she was gripping the brown envelope tight. Kaiden wasn't sure she had thought this through. She was just following Elias's orders and he couldn't blame her. But she had chosen a side, and that was all he needed to know.

"Alright then, I'll let you be," he said. "I'll leave, Uriah."

And with that, Kaiden got upstairs and began packing his belongings. He was furious as he shoved his clothes into his suitcase. He was done with the Macaulays. They had made him look like a fool and he was tired. He couldn't keep up with being mistreated by the family. His love for Uriah wasn't worth it. It was time he focused on something else.

A few minutes later, he was back downstairs with his suitcase in his hand. He found Uriah waiting by the dining table. His eyes fell on his MacBook and he walked over to get it from her. But she shut it and pulled it towards her bosom.

"This is mine. Or have you forgotten?"

Kaiden glared at her. For the first time in his life, he felt nothing when he looked into her ocean-blue eyes. His love for her had been flushed immediately. It was truly over.

"Fine then. Keep it," he said coldly and walked towards the door.

Kaiden paused by the door and turned around looking at them once more. Elias gave him a sinister smile as he waved him goodbye. Kaiden left the house and closed the door behind him.

Elias turned back to his daughter who was sitting at the dining table clutching the MacBook to her chest. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked at him.

"You did the right thing," he said.

Uriah nodded at that.

***

Elias reached into the breast pocket of his suit and pulled out his phone. He was standing just outside the house as he dialed a familiar number. The line rang only once.

"Did you do it? Is he finally gone?"

Elias smiled at that.

"Yes."

The voice chuckled at the other end of the line.

"Now. We move to phase two."