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Get this through your head, she’d said. I’ll never betray you, Rodrigo. Ever.
And she hadn’t.
Rodrigo was the one who’d betrayed her.
“Are you all right, sir?” Marnie frowned, coming closer in the downtown office. “You don’t look well.”
His jaw clenched. He’d betrayed Lola by not trusting her, when she’d been the best friend he’d ever had. He’d betrayed her by not being brave enough to give his heart.
“Sir?”
He slowly looked at his assistant.
And he’d betrayed his wife by not believing her, when she was the smartest person he knew.
Marnie wanted you for herself. So she’s systematically rid herself of any rival who crossed her path. She’s your assistant. She has access to everything.
“Marnie,” he said quietly. “I know what you did.”
His assistant’s eyes widened beneath her thick glasses. Then, slowly, she smiled. “I’ve just acted as any good secretary would. And kept my boss out of trouble.”
Ice went down his spine. Lola had been right about everything. “You sabotaged my engagements.”
Marnie’s eyes turned bright, eager. “It wasn’t even hard. They all fell for it so easily. They cheated. They proved they weren’t worthy of you.”
He felt sick.
“But Lola didn’t.”
She scowled. “I sent the best porn actor from the agency. But she blew him off. I had to be more creative.”
“So you sent the message to Morozov, pretending to be me.”
“I knew you couldn’t actually want to be married to her.” Her expression darkened. “She doesn’t love you. Not like I do.”
I love you. The memory of Lola’s beautiful face, her luminous hazel eyes in the moonlit night, came back to him. Only you. And I’ll love you forever.
“I did it all for you.” Marnie’s thin face was triumphant. “Lived only for you. Sacrificed my life for you. You need me, Rodrigo. I’m the only one who can protect you from everything. From pain. From loss.”
Rodrigo lifted his head.
“I don’t want to be protected. Not anymore. I never wanted you to do any of this,” he said in a low voice. “I’m sorry, Marnie. It’s time for you to go.”
She looked flummoxed. “Go!”
“I’m in love with my wife. Because of you...”
Because of you, I’ve betrayed her, he almost said. But that wasn’t fair. It hadn’t just been Marnie’s lies that kept him from loving Lola. He’d been scared. Scared of losing control. Scared of abandonment and pain. Taking a deep breath, he said quietly, “It’s time for you to find another job and a different man to love.”
His assistant’s face crumpled. “No!” she cried. “I don’t know how to do anything else.” She gave a sob, wrapping her arms around herself. “I don’t know how to change.”
He hadn’t either, Rodrigo realized. He might have spent the rest of his life focusing only on wealth and power, unloved and dead inside, as lonely as a mummy in a tomb full of cold treasures.
If not for Lola’s warmth. Her bravery. Her love.
Because of her, he had the chance to be better. To make better choices. To be brave enough to change.
“I’m sorry,” Rodrigo said, looking down at his assistant. He lifted the duffel bag with the change of clothes back to his shoulder. “You’ll get severance for your years of service. But I love my wife. You have to know you can’t work for me anymore.”
