The Broken Vows (The Windsors, #4)

by Catharina Maura

Celeste’s eyes flutter open as I reach for her, and she gasps when I bend down and lift her into my arms, the way I always used to. “Don’t give up on us yet, Celestial,”

Aaawww. ❤️‍🩹. Welp.. I guess this is a great first step.

“You’re only delaying the inevitable,” she tells me eventually, moments before the plane takes off. “You should have taken your grandmother’s offer. We both know it was a one-time deal.”

Lol. Awww. She’s giving up. Cute.

“Celeste Windsor. I will never let you go. Fuck, Celestial, I couldn’t even stand the thought of not being on your mind in the years we were apart — that’s why I attacked Harrison Developments the way I did, why I never let it go so far that you couldn’t recover.”

🥺❤️‍🩹

“For months now, we’ve done nothing but try to make this work.” “No. We didn’t. We hid behind our wounds and threw blame around

This part !

I smile at her. “My private island.” Celeste’s eyes widen, and I grin at her as we land, stopping right outside the mansion I had built here.

Get you a man that has his own private island. 🤭

“It’s going to be okay,” he tells her. “You belong with us, Celeste. This is what family does — we argue, we fall out with each other, but we always find our way back.”

I mean, he’s right. But also.. fuck you Lex. 🙄

Lex laughs and shakes his head. “Damn. I’ll never be that whipped,” he says to himself, and I grin as I follow my wife, knowing that isn’t true — it’s a Windsor trait. Our wives own us,

Lmaoo. Oh Lexy. You have no idea my love.

When she lifts her face to look at me, my beautiful wife looks entirely disarmed. “Just like you kept your old house intact, I kept our memories too.”

What did you do ??👀❤️‍🩹

I pull her through the house that now holds all of our old furniture, all our memories. Celeste begins to cry as her fingers trail over my white fabric sofa, the one that played a key role in our most precious memories,

Ommgggggggg. 🥺🥺🥺❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

“I never let you go,” I tell her, “and I’m not about to do so now.”

❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 you should’ve did all of this from JUMP !🥺🥺🥺

My hands wrap around her waist, and I lean in, my forehead dropping against hers. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I’m so sorry, Celestial.”

You should be ! You both should !

“I’m sorry for getting mad at you when I should’ve reassured you. I’m sorry for not being more understanding, and for not reciprocating all your efforts.

This part ! This is all I was trying to say ! Like, umm..HELLOOOO… what else was she supposed to think or believe or do ?!

Instead of seeing the situation for what it is, I viewed it through a lens that’s tainted by the past, and it wasn’t fair.”

Damn. Zane you’re doing good buddy. Keep going. Bring it home..

“I should’ve understood it’ll take time to heal, and that broken trust can’t be fixed overnight. Instead of getting mad or being disappointed with your reaction,

YES ❗️ YESSSSSS ❗️👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽this is all I was trying to say. I don’t understand why no one understood this !

I should’ve understood and worked with you. I should’ve reassured you, but instead, I condemned you for showing me your wounds.

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 you know what Zane. Good on you ! It took you literal YEARSS to get here but better late than never I always say. 🤷🏽‍♀️❤️‍🩹

I didn’t cheat on you doesn’t mean you aren’t suffering from the emotional wounds the entire situation left you with, and as your husband, I failed you by not supporting you the way I should have.”

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽❗️ I am very proud of this self awareness we’re getting all of sudden. Thank God ! 😒😂

“I love you, Celeste Windsor — just as you are today. Neither of us is perfect, and I should’ve shown you more grace. The truth is I was scared, and I’d been expecting the worst from you.

Aww. ❤️‍🩹🥹

Because of that, I ended up doing exactly what I accused you of. I took the easy way out by pushing you away, over and over again, despite your best attempts to fix us.”

Mmm, this part ! Let’s start being honest with each other and COMMUNICATE !

“What does that mean?” I know what she’s asking — how do my words change anything when her best efforts didn’t seem like enough?

Valid points.

“Let me fight for you, for us. Give me a chance to be the man you think I am, to love you the way you deserve to be loved.

🤭❤️‍🩹🥹

Let’s find a way to face our past and overcome it, instead of dancing around each other in an attempt not to pour salt into open wounds.

We need a plan. Let’s do it. Ooooo, couples counseling !

Some things can’t be fixed, Zane.” I shake my head and bury a hand in her hair. “Maybe not, but we can rebuild from the ruins.”

Oooo, he ate with this line. Love it. ❤️‍🩹

“We’ll go through the motions over and over until you trust me again. I just ask that you give me the same grace, Celeste.

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽Fair. Beyond fair.

I’d be lying if I said I’m not scared I’ll mess up somehow, or something might happen that you’ll misunderstand, and you’ll retaliate like you have before.”

Damn. Fair. But I love this communication

Celeste and I discussed the past at length, both of us telling the other what we were thinking and how we were feeling, and how that still affects us today.

This good. Really good !

In my efforts to push Celeste away for fear she’d hurt me all over again, I failed to truly understand her, failed to put myself in her shoes. That’s not a mistake I’ll make again.

You both made mistakes. And it all stemmed from someone who happened to be mentally sick. Now you just have to try again. Rebuild

I don’t want this with anyone but you — never have, never will. You are it for me, Celeste. I fell in love with you when I was fifteen, and I’ve been in love with you ever since.”

❤️‍🩹🥹 . Love thiisss.

“I vow to love you, and only you, forever and always. Through the ups and downs, I’ll be faithful, compassionate, and patient.

I’m happy right now. Very happy for them.🥹

I’ve loved you through all the seasons in life, Celeste, and I’ll continue to do so. Day after day, I will choose you, no matter what. That, my beautiful Celestial, is a vow.”

Yeesssss. ♥️♥️

“Then choose me, Celeste. Every single day, over and over again, no matter how hard of a choice that can be at times.” “I do,” she says, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

That’s what love and marriage is. Choosing your partner over and over again. 🩷🥹

“No? Then what do you call this thing you’re doing that’s making your chest rise and fall against me so seductively?” She bites back a smile and shakes her head. “It’s called breathing, Zane.”

Lol. Aww., cute ! They’re having a fun moments tooooo.🥹

“Seduction, that’s what it is.” “Okay, In-Zane. Just wait till you catch a glimpse of my ankles. That’ll really blow your mind.” I laugh with her

Lmaoo, that was a good one. 😂🩷

Ten years from now, I’ll still love her the same.

🩷🩷🩷

Overcoming trauma isn’t easy, but our couple counseling sessions are helping more than either of us could’ve expected.

YEEESSSSS. Called it ! ☎️ Love it !

so caught up in the injustice of the entire situation that I failed to truly think about what drove her, and how much she’s still grieving a woman neither of us really knew in the end.

👏🏽❗️ Tahnk you ! This is all I’m saying. welp. You know now and you’re both taking the necessary steps to heal and be together. I’m here for it.

I haven’t mentioned it, and eat everything she makes me with a smile on my face, but my beautiful wife is just not… a great cook.

Lmaaoo. Some people just don’t got it. 🤷🏽‍♀️😭

Her hands roam over my body, and it’s my turn to gasp when she undoes my jeans and lets her hand slip into my boxers. “Crazy girl,” I whisper against her mouth, before lifting her up against the shed.

Oop-. Welp.. yall are making up for lost time.

“We’re going to be okay, aren’t we?” she asks, her voice breaking. I drop my forehead to hers and draw a shaky breath. Yes. Without a doubt, Celeste,” I whisper.

Without a doubt ! 🥹🩷

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.

Lordy.. here comes another proposal..

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.

At least you acknowledge them. Good. Progress.

“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?”

😂😂😂okaayyy.

“Celestial,” he says, smiling up at me. “I can’t tell you, Goddess. It’s a surprise.”

Yupp. Definitely a proposal.

I sigh and sit down, but I’m unable to resist throwing him a hateful little look that just makes him laugh.

Cute.

“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.”

We love it when they properly HEAL ! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🩷🥹

My heart begins to race, and I can’t wipe the grin off my face when I notice little nail polish bottles in between the roses and candles.

Omgggg, that is so creativeeeeee. And so cutteeeee. 🤭🤭🩷

I simply grin as I watch Celeste chat with my family, big smiles on all their faces. “I don’t mind,” I tell them, meaning every word.

Awww. Good. That’s what she wanted all this time anyways.

Lex walks into the room and nods at us before sauntering over to the girls, his demeanor surprisingly relaxed when we all know what this gathering is going to be about.

Lol. Lexxxyyy. You cheeky thing you.

“Raya Lewis.” Lex grins then, earning himself a confused stare from Grandma. “Interesting,” he says, nodding.

😂 gotta love Lex.

Lex crosses his arms, a wicked smile on his face. “What a coincidence,” he says. “I just agreed to teach an engineering class at Astor College next semester.”

😂😂😂

She clearly expected Lex to be reluctant, and nothing about this situation is as she thought it would be. She should’ve known, though. Lex has always been our troublemaker.

Indeed he has. He gives younger brother energy