The Mate He Forgot Chapter 23

The Mate He Forgot Chapter 23

By the time they got back from the grocery store, the rain 

had finally stopped. 

Carrying bags full of food, Isla and Riven walked leisurely 

down the sidewalk–until she spotted a figure near her 

apartment building. 

A figure so familiar her smile vanished on the spot. 

Rhett. 

Of all the people she never expected to actually show up, it 

was him. 

Her body tensed. Riven noticed right away and instinctively 

stepped in front of her, his eyes locking on the tall man 

standing ahead. 

Rhett’s heart had been racing on the flight over, full of hope. 

But the second he saw her–with another man by her side- 

his expression darkened. 

And when he finally got close enough to recognize Riven’s 

face, that hope twisted into something colder, more 

dangerous. 

He stormed toward them, but Riven shifted, blocking his 

path. 

“Who the hell are you?” Rhett snapped. 

“That’s funny,” Riven replied coolly. “I was just about to ask 

you the same thing.” 

Rhett’s jaw tightened. But with Isla standing right there, he 

forced himself to swallow his temper. 

Riven, unbothered by the tension, turned to Isla. “Do you 

know this guy?” 

She gave a small nod. 

“Need me to stay close?” he asked gently, concern in his 

eyes. 

“I’m fine,” she murmured. “Let’s just go. He’s not worth it.” 

She took a step forward. 

“Isla, wait–can we talk?” Rhett uttered. 

Her feet paused, just barely. 

Riven glanced at her, then at Rhett. He seemed to piece 

things together. 

“If it’ll help clear the air, go ahead,” he said. “I’ll be right over 

there.” 

He took the grocery bags from her hands and walked down 

the block without another glance at Rhett. The two of them 

hadn’t spared him a second look, like he was nothing more 

than background noise. 

Isla finally turned toward Rhett. “There’s nothing left to talk 

about,” she said calmly. “You made your choice. You picked 

Arabella. So why are you here?” 

Her voice was cold–distant. 

And it hit him like a slap. 

He couldn’t even remember the last time she’d spoken to 

him, let alone like this. 

Isla had always been soft–spoken with him, gentle. 

But now? Her eyes didn’t waver, and there was no trace of 

the girl who used to wait outside his door with coffee or 

quietly bandage his wounds. 

“Isla…” His voice cracked. “I know I messed up. I didn’t 

recognize you when I should have. I failed you, and I get it if 

you can’t forgive me.” 

“I know Arabella hurt you. But I’ve already made her pay for 

everything she did. Tenfold. I made sure of it.” 

“She’s out of the picture. It’s just me now. I want us back, 

Isla. I miss you more than I can say.” 

He looked at her like she was his last lifeline, desperation 

clear in his voice. 

Isla didn’t answer immediately. She simply stared at him- 

quiet, unreadable. 

That silence made Rhett uneasy in a way nothing else could. 

He dropped his gaze first. 

Finally, she spoke. “You know, I’ve loved you since high 

school,” she said softly. “Our time together… those were 

some of the best days of my life. Almost too good to be 

true.” 

“I kept hoping you’d see through it all. That somehow, even without proof, you’d recognize me. Or at least give me a 

minute to explain.” 

“But you didn’t.” 

She inhaled, steadying herself. “And that’s okay now. What’s 

done is done.” 

“Isla–please-” 

He couldn’t finish the sentence. 

Isla looked straight into his eyes. “I meant it when I said I 

was done. I loved you, Rhett. But I don’t anymore. And I’m 

not looking back.” 

“Please don’t come to me again.” 

And just like that, she turned and walked away–toward Riven, who was waiting down the street with an umbrella 

and an understanding smile. 

Rhett stood frozen, watching her go. 

Before he’d come to Koorana, he had imagined this moment 

a hundred different ways. 

All he’d wanted was to bring her home, to make things right. 

But now, the truth was plain. 

She didn’t love him anymore. 

And nothing had ever felt colder than that.