A Twist of Fate (Complete)

Ch. 65 - The Letter

***** Keaton's Point of View - 1 Month Later *****

Keaton closed out the board meeting and then as he was heading back towards his office, his assistant Abby rushed down the hall to catch up to him.

"Sir, there's a package for you on your desk and you're all set for your trip to China in the morning," she told him breathlessly, struggling to keep up with his long strides. "I've got the reservations set for your lunch meeting with the Prime Minister. It's at Paco Chao, that Mexican Chinese Infusion restaurant that's supposed to be the best in London. Do you need anything else right now sir?"

"No Abby. I'm good for now. Thank you," Keaton said, turning the corner into his office and closing the door behind him. There was a large yellow envelope sitting on his desk on top of a box and as he approached he saw Everly Sutton written in cursive on the envelope.

He collapsed down into his seat, letting out an exhale before finally leaning forward and running his finger over that familiar handwriting. As much as he hated himself for it, he still loved her, even after everything she had done. He felt stupid for loving a woman that took his father's money and left him at the altar, but he couldn't help it. 

Out of all the tragic shit he had gone through in his life, losing Everly was the one that really broke him and put him in a dark place that he didn't know if he was ever going to make it out of. If it wasn't for his friends, he probably wouldn't have. He had started taking pills and drinking to numb the pain, like he did back in high school, but that only made everything worse and he almost got kicked out of Oxford University. If his Dad wasn't an alumni and close friends with the chancellor he probably would have been. His best friend Henry talked him into doing a short stint in rehab and that was enough for him to get his life back on track.

After his Dad's death he had been tempted to relapse again. The stress of losing the only close family member he had left and having to take over as CEO of a fortune 500 company at twenty two had tested him to his limit, but he had stayed strong this time and gotten through it. He sat there looking at the envelope in his hands with Everly's name on it and wondered if it was wise to even open up that can of worms again. This woman had almost destroyed him and inviting that back into his life was risky. 

He still couldn't believe she had flown to London and shown up at his office a month ago out of the blue the way she did. Finally curiosity got the best of him and he ripped open the top of the large tan envelope and inside was a letter and a notarized document that said 'Quit Claim Deed' at the top. He picked up the letter and read it.

'Dear Keaton,

I tried to tell you all of this in person, but it was too hard so I decided to write it in a letter instead. I know when I left you at the altar it broke your heart. Honestly, it broke mine too. Leaving you was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but I didn't have a choice. Your father came to visit me before the wedding and he told me that if I married you he was going to cut you out of his life and write you out of his will so you wouldn't take over his company or inherit his mansion or his money. He said it would be selfish of me to marry you because it would destroy your relationship with the only family member you had left and take away your dream of running his company one day. He said marrying me would ruin your life and if I really loved you I would take his offer and never speak to you again, because that's what was best for you. When he said that I thought of that assignment we did back in college where we talked about how true love wasn't selfish. How when you truly love someone you sacrifice your own happiness for theirs. I loved you so much that I couldn't live with myself if I ruined your life Keaton, so I did the only thing I could do. I left. He offered me a million dollars and the deed to an art gallery in Manhattan but I told him iI didn't want it. I was leaving because  it was what was best for you, not for the money. He said if I didn't take it he would transfer a million dollars into my bank account anyway and he had already transferred the deed of the art studio to my name so he made me take the briefcase.  When I left you at the altar, it absolutely crushed me. It killed me to hear you say that you thought I did all of this because of his money. It makes me feel like you never really knew me at all. I never spent a dime of his money and I never even went to look at the art gallery he gave me. I put that briefcase in a safety deposit box and haven't touched it since, until I got it out to give it back to you. I don't feel right keeping it. In the box you'll find the briefcase with the million dollars still in it and I transferred the deed of the art studio into your name so you can sell it if you don't want it. I did open an art studio in New York City, but I did it with Brad's help, not your Dad's. It may not be nearly as nice or have as good of a location as the one he offered, but it's all mine, not given to me by your father as a bribe to leave you. I know saying I'm sorry could never be enough for what I've put you through Keaton, but I really am sorry and I hope that one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me.