The Broken Vows (The Windsors, #4)

by Catharina Maura

“Celeste,” she says, her voice breaking. “I’ve been s-seeing Zane… ever s-since I started working for him.”

🫢…no way….Shes lying. Windsor men dont cheat.

It’s sick, isn’t it? You should’ve been the one I loved more than anything, but I still did what I did because I couldn’t resist him. He just made me feel so seen, so loved. He made me laugh, Celeste.”

Shes fucking lying..🫢..there’s no way in hell that man cheated on Celeste. ...

She smiles at me, her heartbreak evident, and I leap forward just as she lets herself fall backward. My fingers graze over her body, but I’m too late. Too late to save her.

What… ?!. He last act on this earth was to lie to her bestfrind and kill herself ????? MAN WTF ?!? Why ?? What is the reason ?? What is happening !?!?🤦🏾‍♀️

I need to know, I need to see what transpired between her and Zane, and I need to hear it from Lily. I flick through the pages until I find the start of the end.

You know what I think … I think her Grand father put all of this in motion.. he somehow managed to convince Lily to be some kind of spy for him at Windsor Hotels and once he found out about Celeste and Zane he started to plan out this elaborate scheme to break them up for good and because Lily is very soft hearted she couldn’t tell her Bestfriend the truth of what really has been transpiring sooo, she kills herself instead. Boom !

I draw a shaky breath as I think back to the way Zane told me he hadn’t slept with anyone but me. Just how many lies did he tell me? How far did his deception go?

Lordy. CATHARINA LOVES HER MISCOMMUNICATION TROPES🙄

They can’t last, and the quicker they end things, the quicker she can move on and find her own person instead of hanging on to mine.

Maybe she was delulu.. you know.. couple screws missing ? ….

Celeste. I warned her to stay the fuck out of my sight, and for years, she obeyed my command. For both her sake and mine, I’d hoped I wouldn’t find her here

Soooo, why do you hate her ? 👀.. I get why she hates you 5 years later . But why do you hate her ??? 👀. Hmmm, maybe because she left for 5 years and she probably didn’t communicate why or give any explanation. She just dumped you and left…knowing her. Plus, her bestfriend did just lull herself in front of her soo she’s not handling things very well. That’s more than likely what happened…

She looks at him like he’s all she can see, and that smile. That smile is the one that used to be mine. Only mine. Seeing her is like a punch to the gut, and I exhale shakily, rooted into place.

Lol. This should be interesting😬

I kiss her hard, devouring her, reminding her of what it was like to be mine, not giving a fuck that she’s wearing someone else’s ring. Her nails scrape over my scalp as she kisses me back,

Of course. Lol.

“Walk down that aisle toward him, and it’s the last you’ll see of him,” I threaten, my voice low, heavy with something I can’t quite define. It isn’t regret, nor is it longing.

Lmaaooo. Im not surprised.

It’s something right in between. “You don’t get to be happy, Celeste. Not after what you did to me.”

What did she do?👀

“What is it going to take for you to look at me the way you still look at him? Did you think I wouldn’t notice the way you reacted when he walked into the room?”

Aww. Sorry buddy. Shes just not that into you.😬

“But you know exactly what this is and what it isn’t, Cliff. Our engagement is just business, and that won’t change. I’m grateful for your support and cherish our friendship, but I can’t… there’s nothing left of me to give to you.”

Mmmmmhh. Fair.. I understand

Cliff shakes his head and smiles. “Then I’ll just have to rob Zane Windsor of everything that no longer belongs to him.”

Oop- okaaay.

I look away, my mind drifting back to how I found him standing in front of my house in the rain, mere hours after I’d put him in jail.

JAIL ?!?😂😂😂😂 I’m sorry, but that’s hilarious. Sad. But hilarious. She probably did it because she thinks he cheated on and played her.

I didn’t put things together until the police showed up in front of my house with an arrest warrant, accusing me of corporate espionage and attempting to harm Harrison Developments.

Oooooh. 😂 Lmaoo. Thats crazy. Woooow. Smdh. If they were actual enemies, that would be actually really smart. But Im telling you, it was all Lilly and the grandpa. They had to have schemed together

The moment Celeste realized I’d walked away scot-free following my arrest, she moved the rest of her chess pieces, leaking confidential information and causing Windsor Hotels such huge losses

What ?!... oh shit. She definitely was on a rampage. Hell hath no fury…Omg, fucking miscommunication trope...

I still don’t understand why Grandma supported me without breathing a single word about it to my brothers, without even reprimanding me.

Grandma know the truth. Or or she did it ! I hate to think that grandma would be that conniving but…idk🤷🏽‍♀️ maybe.

She’s insane if she thinks she’ll marry Clifton. I’ll bury him underneath my mother’s precious roses before I let her walk down an aisle that has him waiting for her on the other end.

Lmaaoo.🙄 Of course. And of course he’s hiding his true feelings as to why he feels this way behind anger and resentment.

She grins, and for a moment, she looks just like Sierra. “Because Ed and I came to an agreement.” Dread settles in the pit of my stomach. “What?”

Whaaaaattttttt. The grandparents were in on them breaking up ??? Im telling you, everybody was plotting.

“What could possibly be so precious that you’d make a deal with the devil?” She smiles, but this time, it doesn’t reach her eyes. “You.”

Interesting. Grandma ass is always PLAYING CHESS !

Ever since Grandma asked me to stop attacking the Harrisons a few weeks ago, I’ve been on edge.

I bet you have. Lol. I would be too.

I hate not knowing what’s going on in her mind, what she’s plotting. She’s been awfully quiet in recent weeks, and that never bodes well for any of us.

😂 maaannn. I’m telling you. Grandma be thinking 6, 8 steps ahead. It’s CRAZZYY. I feel like she and grandpa had something to do with yall breaking up. Something happened that was their doing in order to break you up but they probably didn’t account for Lily killing hers leg maybe ? Idk... Smh. WTF is going onnnnn ??? 👀

Maybe it’s time I shift my focus and try my hardest to move on like Celeste has. “Honestly, Grandma? I really don’t give a damn who I marry,” I lie, knowing this is inevitable. “You do you.”

Lmaooo, oh just you wait buddy.. Grandma always has something up her sleeve. 😂😂

She nods sharply and grins. “Excellent. You’ll be marrying Celeste Harrison three weeks from now.” My entire body stills

Told you. 😂😂😂😂😂.

“You once begged me to marry her, didn’t you? So you will marry her. Her family are among the best hoteliers in the world — there’s no way we can sit back and let them join hands with the Emersons.”

Grandma what are you doing ?? 😂😂 Why do you put the them through the wringer like this ? Omggg. I’m so weak. 😂😂😂

I turn around, unable to suppress my anger. “Not her,” I snap. “I can’t marry her. I’ll fucking murder her if she doesn’t stab me in the back all over again first.”

Mmm, that’s cute you actually believe that.

“I hate her with all I am,” I whisper, my eyes closed. “No,” Lex says, his voice soft. “You don’t. And that’s the problem, isn’t it?”

Yupp. There in lies the problem darling. He wants to, but he can’t. 🤷🏽‍♀️. Oh well. Maybe you guys will finally talk and compare notes and realized, you BOTH were set up.. w/ an unfortunate casualty.

Grandpa smiles at me, and it only makes me more certain that something is wrong. He’s changed in the years I was away, but that calculating glint in his eyes is still the same.

I’m telling you , IT WAS HIM ! & Grandma ! They had something to do with the breakup. Now they feel bad so they’re trying to make amends. Smdh.

you’ve come to mean more to me than you could possibly know. I want this with you, even if it’s one-sided, even if the chances of you ever feeling the same are virtually non-existent.”

Aaaww. Puddin. Im sorry buddy. . Yikes. I feel bad for him😬

“You’re insufferable,” she tells me. “It’ll be a cold day in hell if I ever sleep with you again, Zane Windsor.”

Girl bye. Lmaoo

I bridge the remaining distance between us and place my index finger underneath her chin. “It does seem rather chilly today, doesn’t it?”

He ate that. Lmaoo😂

“I forgot that you have a thing for blondes,” she murmurs, her voice breaking. The torment in her eyes takes me back five years ago when she first asked me to admit that I’d cheated on her with Lily.

Oh ! Sooo...you did discuss it already ?? Then what happened ?

“Look at me,” she demands, her tone tinged with desperation. “If you’re going to fuck me, you’d better look at who you’re with, Zane.”

Well well. You sure didn’t waste anytime to get back to this. Miss “cold day in hell.” 😂

My eyes flutter open as I push an inch into her. “It’s always you, crazy girl,” I whisper. “It’s always been you.”

Mhmmm. Period. So why the hate and anger ? Besides the fact that she had you sent to jail.😂. Her bestfriend killed herself and she accused you of cheating on her?? 😬

She’s even tighter and hotter than I remember. “Fuck, Celeste,” I groan as I grab her hips, keeping her in place as I pull back, only to slam back into her harder.

Mmmmmm. 🥴 Not hate sex.

The only question I have for you today is this: do you, underneath all that hatred I now see in your eyes, still love my daughter?”

And do.

I stare at him wide-eyed, my heart pounding wildly. I hadn’t expected a question like that — warnings, perhaps. Threats, certainly. This? Not in a million years. “Yes.”

Obviously .

My brothers look restless when I walk in, their reactions mixed. Ares, Luca, and Dion look relieved, but Lex radiates annoyance. He reluctantly hands Luca a fifty,

Lmaaooo. Here they go.

“You’re fucking insane, you know that?” I murmur, before sucking down harshly, wanting to fucking own her. “I’ll never want anyone but you, Celeste. I never have.”

Damn. What a relief it is for the guy to say this. Wow.🫶🏽

“Only you can do that to me, Celestial. Only you. No matter what phase of our lives we’re in, no matter what’s going on or how much I fucking hate you — I only ever want you.”

Soooooooo....🥴…why aren’t we happy and in love ??

I’ve told her this so many times, and five years ago, I broke down and begged her to believe me, repeating the words over and over.

Aawwww🥺… that was probably what broke her. She couldn’t rectify her bestfriend behavior with what you were telling her.

“For once, you’re right about something, Celeste.” Curiosity flickers through her eyes, before lust drowns it out when I push into her further. “I’ve always been yours,” I whisper, before thrusting forward and burying myself deep inside my wife.

Period. I know dats right.🤭

“Ride me,” I tell her. “Ride your husband, Celeste. Fuck me.” Her pussy squeezes me tightly in response, and I groan, fucking desperate for her.

Yall are so in love with each other it’s crazy. This is what you bth wanted for so long but you’re both too angry and heartbroken about the past that you can’t even allow yourself more.

I’m fucking doomed, because even after all these years, all the heartache and pain, I still want her as much as I always have, and this feeling will never go away. It’ll always be her.

Duuuhh💁🏽‍♀️🩷

I so badly want his words to be true, but if they are, that would mean my best friend lied to me. It isn’t possible — she’d never lie to me only to take her own life. It doesn’t make any sense.

Girl, I am so sorry but..She defientely lied. I’ve been saying that since it happened. The question is why.

They would have, you know? They loved you so much they’d have stayed friends with you even though you broke my heart, because they never knew any of the details, they didn’t know about the way you betrayed me.”

You literally did the same wiith her parents and brother...hypocrite much ? 👀🙄

“No.” How could I fall in love with someone I never fell out of love with? That was what I’ve always hated most, that I love her despite everything she did to me.

True. But..love is funny that way.

it’s called Got Myself Into a Jam-Balaya.” I burst out laughing, and she throws me the cutest, flustered look. Fuck, I wish she was always like this — so sweet.

Lmaoo. Awww. They clearly still love and miss each other...whats the point of this riff. FIX IITTTT.😫

“Without fresh grief blinding me, I’m struggling to believe that you… that you’d risk what we had. There’s so much that just doesn’t make sense, and she isn’t here to tell me the truth,

Why did she lie and then kill herself ?? This is the case we need to solve. Too many unfit puzzle pieces.