Calvin grins at me, looking far too pleased with himself. Then he claps his hands together.
“Alright, well, it looks like I don’t have to give you anything in order to get you to end your relationship with my son.”
I nod. “Correct. There isn’t anything you can give me that will make me not want to be with him. Period.”
He tucks his hands in his pockets. “Nothing tangible—absolutely. Although…” He lifts one hand and points in the air, as if he’s just had a thought. “I do think there is someinformationyou could receive that might change your mind.”
I cross my arms.
“Did you know your father owns 51% of Calloway Corporation?”
My angry expression shifts, smoothing out as I finally open my ears and listen to what he’s saying.
He nods. “It’s true. I don’t own the majority share in my own company. A few bad investments—it happens, but I didn’t have the assets to dig myself out, and your father…good man that he is…saw an opportunity to save a corporation that would leave thousands of people without jobs if it declared bankruptcy.”
My arms fall, my mind tracking back through everything I’ve ever heard my dad say to me about work over the years. Did he ever mention something like this?
Not that he shares much with me, but…I feel like this is big. This isreallybig. How could this not be public knowledge?
“He kept it a secret as a favor to me, not wanting to worry shareholders or employees. And because he’s a good man.” He pauses. “Of course, mysonhas been aware of this for quite some time, though I’m not sure how he found out. Regardless, he’s been looking for ways to get revenge against me for…well, for some mistakes that were made in the past.”
“You mean Krissa,” I interject, my irritation with Calvin continuing to grow the longer he talks.
His eyebrows rise. “So he told you! I thought that was something he was hoping to keep a secret—well, as much of a secret as can be had in Hermosa. What is it you kids call it? The gossip machine? There wasn’t a lot out there about me and Krissa and Ben, thanks to another large scandal in town going on at the time with the city council, but I wouldn’t expect you to remember or care about that since you were away at college at the time.”
Gritting my teeth, I move to pass Calvin, hoping I can get him to the door and shove him out on his ass. I don’t want to hear any more from him.
Not about him or Ben or Krissa or my dad. None of it.
But he grabs my arm, halting me before I can get by.
“Do I need to spell it out for you, you stupid cow? He only wants to marry you because having you as his wife means he controls your father. Got it? He doesn’t care about you at all. All he cares about is getting access to your dad so he can hurtme.” He pauses and my stomach rolls. “Although if the rumors are true, I’m sure he’s heard fucking you wouldn’t be a hardship.”
“Get the hell out of my house.”
My head whips to the side, finding Ben standing in the doorway. My heart sags when I see him, my personal safety more of a concern at the moment than whatever shit Calvin is spewing in my direction.
Calvin drops my arm immediately, giving me a cold smile, then turns and heads for the door. When he comes up next to his son, I can see Ben clenching and unclenching his fists.
“Good to see you, Ben. I’m sure we’ll be…talking soon.”
It’s the last thing he says before he strolls out, whistling something terrifying as he goes.
Ben charges into the room, slamming the door behind him, and before I can even blink, his arms are around me.
“Oh my god, Remmy, I’m so sorry. If I’d known he was coming over…fuck, I’m so sorry.”
His embrace is warm, his hold strong, and it would be so easy to snuggle into his arms and just push everything Calvin said to the side.
I want to. I really want to.
Because I was happy. I washappy.
I press my face into his chest.
I knew it was too good to be true.
CHAPTER25
