Divorce me I'm done serving you (Ayla) novel Chapter 826

"Not that thing—I'm talking about us. Do you regret it?" Bria wasn't about to let this drop.

Kaleb, who'd been dead serious from the moment he stepped into the room, finally let a tiny crack show in his expression, and Bria picked up on the faintest trace of nerves and fear—you'd miss it if you weren't paying close attention.

She loved his cold front, but she also loved every flustered moment he let slip, finding all of it fascinating.

Bria waited patiently for him to speak.

The moment Kaleb brought up the ring, his meaning was crystal clear. "If you don't want it, give it back."

He really just came right out and said it?

Of course Bria got the hint, and she didn't hesitate for a second. "I love it. No way am I giving it back. Even if you try to take it, you're not getting it. Don't even think about prying it out of my hands."

Kaleb cut in, "Who was just calling it a junk ring? Who said she didn't like it a second ago?"

Bria's mouth twitched—she'd assumed he hadn't heard a thing—and she clicked her tongue twice. "I'm just one of those wishy-washy people. One second I hate something. The next I'm head over heels for it. Right now I'm crazy about it, not a single complaint."

And it wasn't just that she wouldn't dislike it—she'd treasure it. The ring's history bore witness to everything that had happened between them, including two seriously dramatic turning points.

Kaleb had brought it along to confess, but things had gone off the rails. Today, by sheer coincidence, she'd run into Kaleb chucking it into the lake, and without knowing the full story, she'd waded in and fished it back out.

No matter how she spun it, the whole thing was romantic and full of meaning, exactly the kind of keepsake Bria planned to wear forever.

Just as she was happily admiring it on her finger, Kaleb suddenly asked, "You're into it now—how long before you're not?"

Bria could tell Kaleb was fishing for the same answer all over again. Do you like me or not?

He just had to keep asking, again and again.

Bria answered with total sincerity, "I'm not going to change my mind. Look at my closest friends—we've been tight since we were little kids. Once I lock in on a person or a hobby, I'm all in. Right now I'm crazy about this ring, and I'm going to stay crazy about it."

The instant the words left her mouth, the color in Kaleb's face shifted noticeably for the better. The change was subtle, but Bria could feel it.

From the moment she'd started getting close to Kaleb, Bria had been tracking his every reaction, adjusting her game plan based on his attitude, and bit by bit she'd grown so in tune with him that she could read him like a book. She knew exactly what he wanted to hear, and she ran with it.

As the youngest of the family, Bria was a pro at reading the room, and saying the right things to smooth people over came as easy as breathing.

Bria asked, "So tell me, what are we now exactly?"

Kaleb went straight for it. "I'm willing to give it a real shot."

Bria beamed—this was exactly what she'd been holding out for, and now that it was actually happening, it felt incredible.

Bria had a lot of life experience under her belt, so she wasn't about to act like some lovestruck teenager swooning with flushed cheeks and a fluttering heart.

But she could feel her own heart hammering, and her smile was the real deal, just without any over-the-top reaction. It was the calm, content joy of watching the dust finally settle, easygoing and self-assured.

Bria had never been the sweet, bubbly type to begin with. She was sharp and striking, and dating would be no different.

Bria smiled, her eyes full of nothing but Kaleb. "Thank you, Mr. Keaton. Thank you for giving me this chance. I'm going to give it everything I've got, and I won't make you sad again."

Kaleb didn't say anything back. He just looked at her and kept looking for a long while.

Bria raised an eyebrow and glanced down at herself, and even though she felt a little awkward, she figured even at her most disheveled, she'd still look her best, so she asked, "Am I really that good to look at? You've been staring this whole time."