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“I was a child, and I needed you,” she says, somehow still gently. “What could have broken you so badly that you pulled away from me so much that you let her hurt me like she did?” Before he can answer, she demands, “Was it Annika’s will?”
Surprise flashes in William’s eyes. “You know about Annika’s will?”
“The question is when did you know?”
“Not until well after the fact. Your moth—Remira, Daruis, and Abe planned that. I loved Annika and,” his eyes drift to me. “I loved you, too. I thought you’d be my son-in-law until—until Ophelia did what she did.”
“Until she spread her legs for my father.” I can’t help the dig. William flinches.
The sight is like kicking a dog while he’s whimpering on the ground. It does nothing for me.
I’m having a hard time reconciling the man who stands before me now with the man I remember.
When William nods, rolling his lips, we wait. Finally, he admits, “I found out about the will around the time that I caught Ophelia with Darius.”
“What?” Olympia gasps.
To be honest, I’m not even a little bit surprised.
William shakes his head, disappointment and disgust alight in his eyes. “A credit card had been opened in Remira’s name. I never would have thought anything about it, but—there were consistent mid-day charges to a hotel room. Always the same hotel room.” He swallows audibly. “Of course, I went. I paid the receptionist a hefty tip to get a key, expecting to find your mother on the other side of the door. I’d been prepared to demand a divorce, already having wanted one for some time. This was going to be my excuse. The reason we couldn’t, and wouldn’t, work. I opened that door with excitement for what I would find, because it meant escape for me and you.” He pauses as we wait.
I don’t even think Olympia is breathing.
William continues, “What I saw is something I’ll never be able to burn from behind my eyes. My little girl, who I was already so disappointed with, split my heart in two that day. That was the day that I no longer saw her as a child, capable of mistakes, and innocent to the workings of the world. Until that moment, I’ll admit I thought Abe had taken advantage of her innocence. After that day, I wasn’t so sure it wasn’t Ophelia who took advantage of—well, everything and everyone in her life.”
“It was Ophelia in the room with Darius?” Olympia breathes, shock and horror in her voice. “And you were going to stand back and let me marry him?”
He shakes his head. “They both saw me, but neither stopped what they were doing. I won’t tell you what they were doing because—I just can’t. But I went home and told Remira. I told her about the credit card, my suspicions, and what I’d seen.” It’s the first time I’ve seen the man smile since I opened the door, and it’s a bitter, angry, sickened thing. “She told me she knew everything. About Ophelia and Darius, and that she gave them the card to use so the affair would remain discrete, and no more shame would be brought onto the family. She told me to forget it, and that she had her children handled.” His nose is red now, the emotion leaking from the very pores of his skin. “I told her I wanted a divorce and that I was taking you with me.”
When his voice cracks in the moment before it cuts off, Olympia pushes, “What did she say?”
“She poured me a drink and told me to find myself a hobby.”
“The gambling,” my girl whispers brokenly, and my arms tighten around her. I want to absorb the hurt I hear in her voice. I want to pull it from her and shoulder every pain, every scar, everything.
I want to protect her from any future pains.
William nods. “I left her with divorce papers when I left yesterday. I flew in last night and I came—I came here.”
“Why?” I demand, wondering what the man thinks he has here for him that he didn’t have in Carolina.
William looks at his daughter—my girl. My woman. “I’m going to get help. I have an apartment in the city. I’ll go to AA. I’ve transferred to the L.A. Laurier Lines, and I’m planning to begin working soon. But—I understand you’ll be starting at the company soon. I want to make sure you’re okay with me there. I want—I want a relationship with you, Olympia. I want to be in your life.” He sucks in air, his chest inflating. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t fight for you when I should have. I’m so sorry. I want to earn your forgiveness.”
Olympia is quiet for a long moment before she whispers, “You were going to let me marry a monster.”
At the broken sound of Olympia’s voice, William shakes his head. “No, sweetheart, I wasn’t.”
“I had his ring on my finger!” Her scream surprises me, but William doesn’t even flinch.
“Princess,” I coo.
She’s not listening to me. “Darius is a monster!”
I’m going to find a way to destroy my brother.
“As soon as the marriage was announced, I started planning. I contacted a lawyer Remira knows nothing about. I started the divorce paperwork. I got the apartment here—it’s owned by Laurier Lines. Everything I have now is owned by the company, so, as per the prenup she signed, Remira has no access. I’ve left her, and I’ve been sure to leave her with nothing. The one thing she has no right to, no hold on, is anything to do with Laurier Lines. Your grandmother made sure of that when I married the snake.” He smiles sadly. “The only good thing Remira gave me was you, sweetheart. And if you hadn’t have ran, I would have made sure that wedding fell through. I always planned to bring you here.” He sits as though exhausted. “I have the proof, if you want it. My lawyer will send you everything.”
“Why didn’t you tell me your plans.” Fuck, she’s crying. “Why let me think I was alone?”
