“I can fix it.” Cordelia’s voice is filled with utter satisfaction. “I have things to ruin her reputation, and it will give you no choice but to call things off with her. Play the broken-hearted prince.”
“The media would eat that up.”
“Yeah,” she agrees. “Then after some time, you find a new partner, a wife who understands this world. Someone who’s been at your side all along, and now you’re finally seeing clearly.”
I can’t fathom what I’m hearing. Wells would rip me apart so that it doesn’t look so bad when he dumps me?!
“Someone like you?”
A pause. Then her laugh, low and pleased. “I would never presume. But I’ve always believed we understood each other. That we wanted the same things.”
I’ve been right about Cordelia from the start. My gut instinct told me who she really was, but I ignored it. I didn’t want to be that catty girl, so I let her in as a friend, and she’s ready to frame me for some weird tabloid drama and steal my man. Not my man, I mentally correct.
The deed slips from my fingers. I don’t hear it hit the carpet.
My body reacts on its own, going into protective mode. Before I realize it, I’m already running. Down the hallway, past the elevator, taking the stairs because I can’t wait. My lungs burn, and my eyes sting. All I can picture is Wells from this morning, making love to me…But does he love you? He’s never said so.
How long has he felt this way about us? How long has he wanted out, but he couldn’t man up and do it himself? All of these thoughts run through my mind. To top it all off, to make it the ultimate betrayal, he brought it to Cordelia.
The lobby is a blur as I push through the doors into afternoon light, momentarily blinding myself.
Jenson is there, like always. He must see it written all over my face. I can feel the tears that I’ve been holding back begin to stream down my face.
“Mable?”
“I need to leave.” My voice crackles. “Please. Just... I have to get out of here.” He nods, telling me he’ll take me. “You won’t tell him?”
“No.”
“I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“I make my own decisions,” he says as we slip into the car. “If he made you cry, then he deserves to have to chase.”
“He’s not going to chase; he’ll be relieved.”
“Right,” Jenson agrees, but it doesn’t actually sound like it. “Where to?” he asks, pulling away. “Are you trying to get out of the country?”
“Yeah, I—” I stop myself as the reality of that settles in. “I’m not leaving.” The words burst from me. “I love it here. The people are wonderful. I can stay and Caldwell can kiss my ass.”
I don’t have to go anywhere. Wait, could he kick me out? My hand goes to my stomach. I wasn’t going to bring that up until after the land issue was handled. I’m pretty sure at this point even without a test I’m pregnant.
“I’ll let him know you said that,” he chuckles, “after I drop you off somewhere. You got a place?”
Tears are still spilling from me, but I smile. Yeah, I know just the place.
Chapter Twenty
CALDWELL
There was no way that I could stomach another day of Cordelia. I can’t even pretend at this point. She sits in the chair across from my desk, a fake-ass smile painted on her face. I’ve been so damn blind to her hidden agenda, but my eyes are wide open now.
“You wanted to talk about Mable?” She repeats the reason I asked her to come here.
“—You were right.” I run my fingers through my hair. “Things aren’t working with Mable and me.” I shake my head. “It’s, fuck, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I should have listened to you.”
“I can fix it,” she says instantly without a millisecond of hesitation. Her voice drips with satisfaction.Yes, I see you as the snake Mable told me you were. “I have things to ruin her reputation, and it will give you no choice but to call things off with her. Play the broken-hearted prince.”
“The media would eat that up.”
