The name of this fic is based on the Rihanna/Neyo song "Hate That I Love You." And that's where the quote is also from, this song really suits the story and Klaroline of course.
I wanna say a massive thank you to my amazing and talented beta Bright645! Go check out her fic "The Other Woman" if you haven't already. It's like SATC and Klaroline combined, you can thank me later
Hope you guys enjoy!
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"One of these days maybe your magic won't affect me."
"You got me that painting for my birthday! You can't take it back!" Caroline Mikaelson-soon-to-be-Forbes screamed in frustration, her hands firmly planted on the large dark table. Her blood was boiling and anger rising with each passing second that they discussed the divorce settlement.
"Yes well, a week ago you promised not to go after the apartment in Paris but that quickly changed when you remembered Fashion Week was coming up." Klaus gritted out from his seat across the wide table, "So forgive me if I'm feeling less than charitable."
"And you promised to always be faithful, but I guess that changed too!" She screamed, practically standing in her seat, bitterness and anger radiating from the blonde.
Klaus's eyes lit up with fire as he shouted back, "For the last time I didn't-"
"Okay, okay that's enough!" Stefan piped up from his spot at the head of the table, "You do realize you're not in your own home right? This is a place of business and you two are acting like children."
Stefan raised his arm, signaling behind him where the words Salvatore & Sons Law Firm were edged in the large glass door.
Klaus and Caroline both rolled their eyes at Stefan, briefly catching each other's gaze as they did so which in turn caused Caroline to glare at Klaus.
Stefan sighed, "Look I agreed to be your mediator because you are my friends and I know you want to keep things as private as possible-"
"I just want to go to court as this point, we're getting nowhere here." Caroline interjected.
"You know that's not an option, Caroline." Klaus replied trying not to let his voice rise any higher that would lead to another fight.
"Only because someone is afraid their precious business stocks would suffer from a public divorce, Klaus." She replied sarcastically with a slight scoff. Caroline just wanted a divorce and the quicker the better.
Klaus glared, "Your career would suffer too love."
Caroline closed her eyes at the word love, "Do not call me that. Ever."
Klaus rolled his eyes at her dramatics and turned to Stefan, "How much longer do we have to be here?"
Caroline huffed and raised an eyebrow, "Have somewhere more important to be?"
Stefan cut off Klaus, raising his hand, before he got a chance to reply, "Look I can probably just divide the assets up myself and discuss the fixed assets like the houses and things with you both? Seeing how you're never going to agree on things like furniture etc."
Caroline opened her mouth, she wanted the house in Paris, but quickly closed it when she saw Stefan raise his eyebrows and shake his head. Hopefully he would see how much she wanted it and would give it to her. Now she was starting to regret that they never signed a prenuptial agreement, although at the time they didn't need it. How wrong they were.
Caroline and Klaus finally nodded in agreement.
Stefan sighed, "Thank God. Okay so I'll hammer out the finer details but if all goes as planned I can probably have the papers drawn up to be signed for Monday?"
Klaus looked at Caroline, waiting for her to speak. Under his stare she felt her hands begin to dampen, she knew what he was doing. Making her the bad guy in front of Stefan, the one who wanted a divorce.
"Yes I'm sure that will work." She spoke to Stefan who then looked at Klaus.
"Fine with me." Klaus replied grabbing his coat and phone.
Stefan said goodbye to them both and returned to his office, leaving the estranged couple to walk to the elevator alone.
"So what time will I pick you up for Sunday?" Klaus spoke as Caroline hit the call button repeatedly.
"Sunday?" She asked, forehead crinkling in confusion.
"For the engagement party?"
Caroline sighed remembering Stefan and Rebekah's engagement party was this weekend. She also remembered they had agreed to not let the public and press know about their split until they were officially divorced. It was a plan both their publicity teams had come up with to minimize scandal and gossip. Which was really going to come either way.
"Can't I just meet you there?" She asked hopefully.
"No." He responded, getting into the awaiting lift.
Caroline hesitated getting in, "Fine, I'll text you later about a time."
Klaus moved to press the ground floor button, "Aren't you coming?"
She shook her head, "I'll just catch the next one."
Klaus nodded somberly before the doors closed on his face.
Caroline let out a frustrated sigh, throwing her head back to look at the ceiling, wishing the pain would cease to exist. Every day they spent finalizing this divorce hurt Caroline, yet it was the final nail in the coffin that was their marriage. So why did it hurt so much? Their marriage had been over for a year and they had grown apart.
Caroline pushed the pain away, rolling her shoulders and raised her head. She was Caroline Forbes-strong, independent and fearless, she was able to get through the divorce of her parents; surly she could survive her own.
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"How was the land of mediation?" A voice above her asked, no doubt her business partner, Katherine Mikaelson.
Caroline looked up from the designs on her desk to see one of her best friends standing in the doorway to her office, "It was fine, I guess. Looks like we'll be divorced by next week."
"Really?" Katherine sounded surprised as she moved to sit on the chair opposite to Caroline.
"Yes really. Why do you sound so surprised?"
Katherine shrugged her tanned shoulders, "I don't know. I guess I just thought it would never happen."
"We've been separated for six months Katherine." Caroline replied, shocked at her friend's admission. Their divorce wasn't out of the blue but rather something they all had seen coming.
"I know that, it's just I barely know you without Klaus in your life," she shrugged
It was true. Katherine and Caroline were assigned roommates in their final year of college at Columbia University. The same year she met Klaus. In fact she met Katherine on the first day of school her senior year and Klaus a week later when the university threw a fundraiser with the young Mikaelson giving a speech about his treasured time as a student at Columbia a few years previous.
Caroline, along with all final year students had been in attendance and Katherine had introduced the two later in the night. Katherine's family and the Mikaelson's had been friends for years. Klaus was immediately entranced by the blonde beauty and the two were married the following July, only two months after Caroline graduated.
"Yes well now it's over now."
Katherine nodded, "Are you going to change your name?"
Caroline pursed her lips, she had thought about it a lot over the past few weeks and she understood Katherine's worry. "Personally yes, I'm going to be Forbes again. But for our business I'll keep Mikaelson. We've worked too hard to lose our brand name now."
The two women had become fast friends when they met, sharing a love for fashion and business. Katherine was a Marketing major and Caroline's major was Design. They started their business after college and Mikaelson & Mikaelson was one of the hottest fashion labels in America and hopefully worldwide soon.
They had their first runway show two years ago at New York Fashion Week and since then their business had expanded majorly. Which in turn had caused Caroline to have to put in a lot more hours coming up with fresh and innovative designs with her team but she loved her job.
Katherine was a marketing whiz and their ad campaigns were always both timeless and forward thinking. She married her long-time love Elijah Mikaelson a few years previously so they changed the name of the company from Petrova & Mikaelson to its current name shortly before their brand really took off. Now the brand was too famous to risk a name change. Besides the name sounded good and Caroline couldn't deny that. It totally kicked Mikaelson & Forbes ass.
"If you're sure."
"I am." Caroline agreed effectively ending the conversation when she turned her attention downwards to the sketch she was working on. Katherine got the hint and quietly exited her office without another word.
Work had helped Caroline since the talk of divorce and separation, it was her only escape. Yet when she worked on her designs, sketching out ideas, she was drawn back to thoughts of Klaus. He was an artist, his artwork like no other, he was naturally talented. However, he got a business degree and put his dreams of becoming an artist at rest.
Caroline sighed, pushing her work aside. She was trying her best to move on with her life, the divorce was close to being finalized but why did it feel like something was holding her back?
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Sunday night
The Mikaelson Manor had been turned into a magical party filled with candles and all things that made it 100 percent Rebekah. Katherine and Elijah happily obliged in letting her throw her engagement party in their Hamptons home. And now looking out on the party below Caroline could see there was no better place for such an occasion.
"It's some cruel twist of fate isn't it?" Klaus spoke lowly as he entered the library.
Caroline's back was towards the doors which she heard him close as she looked out the window as the moon caught her eye. She could tell Klaus was drunker than usual and she had no interest in entering one of their verbal matches.
She felt his presence behind her as he continued speaking, his breath hot on the back of her neck. "That the night before we sign our divorce papers, we're at my sister's engagement party."
"I suppose." She finally answered, her eyes closing as she fought with the feelings bubbling at having him so close.
"I don't think I've ever heard you so quiet."
"That's because you were never home," she quipped and as soon as it left her lips she regretted it. All the books said she was supposed to let go of her anger and bitterness, but it was easier said than done.
"Are you saying that unlike me, you never put your job before us?"
Caroline sighed and turned around, "Look I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."
"Answer the question Caroline."
"Yes okay! Are you happy? I was a shitty wife and you were a shitty husband!" She snapped, passing him and walking over to one of the tall book shelves. Her eyes gazed over the worn books, barely reading the titles.
Klaus chuckled lowly, striding across the room, "Now there's the woman I married. Besides we had some good times right?" He reached out, turning her towards him so they were standing nose to nose.
Her breath hitched feeling his hands on her arms, his breath mingling with hers as his eyes bared down on hers. She couldn't tear her gaze away though everything was telling her to turn around, leave, run away and never look back.
Caroline felt her breathing grow heavy, "Klaus if we weren't fighting we were-"
"Fucking." He finished, knowing how hot she got when he cursed. That was the problem with being with someone for so long, they knew everything about you, good and bad.
Caroline glared at him, trying to remain strong and unaffected despite the weak feeling in her knees, "I was going to say ignoring each other."
"Ah yes the infamous Caroline Mikaelson cold shoulder." He smirked, his hand moving to trace her bare shoulder as he spoke.
"F-Forbes. Caroline Forbes." She involuntarily shivered at his administrations, unsure whether it was the alcohol or his close proximity that was sending her head spinning.
Klaus' smirk grew, his gaze flicking down to her lips, "Miss Forbes it is then."
Their lips were dangerously close now; Caroline cursed her body for still feeling this way. Seven years later and he still made her feel like she couldn't control herself around him, which she couldn't.
"I like this dress." He said, his hands dipping to grasp the hem, pushing it further her up thighs, nails racking along her skin.
"Don't-" Her voice sounded so weak that he smiled, head dipping dangerously close to her lips now that their noses brushed.
"Want me to stop?" His fingers trailed over her now bare thighs and up to her hips.
All it took was Caroline to tilt her head back and Klaus smashed his lips against hers, both of them gasping at the contact after so long apart.
He quickly rid her of her flimsy underwear as Caroline drunkenly undid his belt, pushing his pants down.
Klaus pinned her up against the shelves of books, his strong hands grasping at her hips and thighs, lifting her and pulling her legs around his waist.
"Fuck it's been too long." Klaus moaned as he pushed into her.
Caroline gasped at the feeling and she knew she wanted to agree with his statement completely but her mouth felt dry and hoarse as he moved within her. Moans and whimpers slipped through her lips as she felt his mouth attack her neck and hands caress her ass and milky thighs. Caroline grasped at his shoulders, holding on for dear life.
They set a fast face, causing the bookshelf to shake a little under his force. Caroline let out a loud and satisfied moan at the delicious feeling of him filling her completely. Her head fell back against the books allowing Klaus to move his mouth over her collarbone and chest.
Finally her eyes met Klaus's and her breathing almost stopped. His eyes were so filled with lust...and something else. Lowering his head he caught her lips in a long kiss, coaxing her tongue to meet his, his thrusts slowing down to a new rhythm.
Immediately Caroline felt the mood switch, gone was the urgency and carnal need from before. Instead they were making love and Caroline felt her heart clench at the thought. She was taken back to the first time they made love with lingering touches and long kisses.
But her mind was soon distracted as she felt herself coming undone in his arms. Klaus moved his lips to her neck, sucking on her pulse point, knowing exactly what to do to draw out her finish. His thrusts sped up a little giving her the edge she needed and Caroline felt herself cry out with pleasure.
Klaus felt himself nearing too and increased the pace further, his head burying itself in her neck.
"I love you." He mumbled into her skin as he came deep inside her.
Caroline felt her eyes pop open at his admission. She hadn't heard him say those words in nearly a year.
Klaus breathed heavily into her neck and Caroline felt her eyes fill with tears. She knew what was coming. What had just happened made things even more blurry between them. This was not what separated couples did.
They fell apart together, in each other's arms for what Caroline was sure would be the last time. He held her tight as they caught their breaths, neither one saying a word as Klaus breathed heavily his forehead resting against her shoulder.
Klaus stepped away from Caroline, dropping her slowly to the ground and both began making themselves presentable again. Klaus was doing up his belt when his eyes shifted to Caroline who was fixing her hair in the reflection of the window.
"Are you not going to say anything?" He asked quietly.
Caroline let her eyes drop to the ground in shame; she was completely ignoring what they just did and more importantly what he had just said. They were soon to be divorced, their marriage unsalvageable, there was nothing left to say.
"What is there to say?" She shrugged turning around to meet his gaze, her voice trying to sound stronger than she actually felt.
"Oh I don't know. How about what you're thinking? How you feel?" Klaus's eyes blazed with fury at her casual tone.
Caroline tried to remain cool but his words lit a fire in her, "What I'm thinking?! How I feel?! Are you kidding me right now? That's all I've been asking of you this past year. That's why we are here Klaus."
"And where's here?"
"Here-"She said, waving her arms and gesturing around them, eyes never leaving his,"-us ending our marriage tomorrow morning." She breathed heavily.
"Just like that." He replied sarcastically.
"No, not just like that." She was growing more and more frustrated, "But one round of sex in a library doesn't fix a marriage Klaus. We fell apart a year ago, there's nothing left to fix or go back to."
"You don't think I know that? But we had more than sex Caroline, we always had more than that."
"We haven't in a while." She whispered softly, her eyes filling with tears.
"Was it all my fault?" His voice wavered slightly, his eyes threatening to betray him with tears.
She shook her head, "Klaus-"
"Stop-"His eyes closed, his right hand raising slightly, "Stop saying my name."
Caroline felt hot tears run down her cheeks as he spoke again, "You know that's when I knew. When I knew you were going to leave me." He half whispered to himself as he started walking towards the door.
"What?" Caroline whimpered.
Klaus turned his head around, "When you stopped calling me Nik. That's when I knew it was over."
Caroline felt her heart break all over again, his face was full of despair and she longed to walk over toward him and make it all better. But her feet stood in their place, unable to move.
With a grim smile Klaus spoke before leaving her in the darkness, "Good bye, Caroline."
As soon as the door closed Caroline's body began to shake with tears.
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About one month later
"Can you please turn that off?" Caroline announced, dropping her bag on the table as she entered her living room of their shared apartment.
"In other news business magnate Klaus Mikaelson is rumored to be dating again after his recent divorce." The monotone news anchor's voice filled the room.
"Sorry, just doing some research for tomorrow." Bonnie smirked from the couch, shutting off the news broadcast talking about the Mikaelson family's latest story. Caroline cringed at the news report, more angry with herself for even caring.
"Research? You were basically their in-laws for six years." Caroline's voice was bitter and sarcastic, trying to keep her voice neutral when talking about her ex in any capacity.
Bonnie looked over at her best friend, "Are you sure you don't mind that I'm interviewing for a job there? Like 100 percent sure? I know it's kind of weird and uncomfortable."
Caroline shook her head as she went into the kitchen to grab a drink, "Bonnie you've asked me a hundred times and I'm honestly fine with it. It's not like I have to work there. Plus you're an amazing artist and Mikaelson Publishing would be lucky to have you."
Bonnie rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless, "Oh please, I haven't got the job yet. But thanks for your support Care, it means everything."
Caroline nodded as she came back into the room with her juice. In truth it was Caroline who was eternally grateful to Bonnie. After her divorce was finalized it was Bonnie who suggested they move in together and be single girls taking on the big city together again. If it wasn't for having Katherine and her work, and Bonnie at home Caroline wouldn't know how she'd cope with being alone for the first time in years.
Taking a long sip of juice, she felt her stomach contort at the taste, "Oh gross I think the juice is out of date."
"That's impossible, I got them this morning." Bonnie's forehead wrinkled in confusion.
"I must still have that bug." Caroline thought, having been throwing up all week and assumed it was gone as she had felt fine all day.
"Yeah a bug." Bonnie muttered sarcastically.
"What are you saying?" Caroline's blonde hair flew around her face as she shook her head.
"I think you know what I'm saying. Considering I've been saying it all week. Go check your en-suite."
Caroline narrowed her eyes, "I hate when you get all witchy and cryptic. You're not a psychic just so you know."
"Hmm we'll see." Bonnie smirked as Caroline walked towards her bedroom.
Opening the door Caroline spotted a pregnancy test sitting on the counter.
Rolling her eyes at her friend's dramatics she grabbed the test, II' show you psychic Bennett.
After following the instructions, Caroline fixed her hair in the mirror as he waited for the negative sign to pop up so she could rub it in Bonnie's face. Well not literally, cause ew.
Her phone buzzed signaling time was up. Caroline picked up the test, walking in to the living room confidently.
"See Bonnie? You aren't all wise and knowing. No more tarot cards for you." She smirked.
Bonnie stood up and looked at the test Caroline was waving about.
"Oh my god." Bonnie's eyes grew wide.
"Bonnie?" Caroline questioned before turning the test around to see why her best friend looked shocked.
Immediately Caroline's face mirrored her best friends, "Oh fuck."
Pregnant.
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I hope you guys liked it!
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