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“I wasn’t... I can’t explain it.”
He lets out a sigh, shoulders slumping. “When Ash came home and told us he got married I was furious. He had his whole life ahead of him. He worked himself to the bone to achieve his dreams. I didn’t want some woman taking that away from him. Someone he’d known for five minutes. Marriage is a wonderful thing when it’s done at the right time. It wasn’t the right time for your brother and it isn’t the right time for you.”
“Why didn’t you say something? Convince us not to get married if you saw the signs?” I wonder out loud.
It’s funny how when you break up with someone, everyone voices their opinion on how wrong you were for each other yet, prior to that, no one breathed a single word.
“I did,” he tells me. “I wasn’t going to let either of you ruin your lives. But neither of you listened. What would I know? Just an old man out to ruin your life.”
“Dad,” I say softly. “You’re not an old man. You’re just my daddy.”
The sentiment makes him smile, placing his hand on top of mine. “Despite our earlier arguments, I’m proud of you, Emmy. You took the best of the situation and built it to bigger things. You’re an astute businesswoman, and if Forbes magazine named you the next best thing, you know you’re going places.”
“I was going places… this separating our assets is trickier than I thought.”
“So, you’ll get a good lawyer, pay your dues, then build yourself back up.”
Wesley and I had been tied financially in every way. The lawyers recommended we split everything fifty-fifty from our cash, investments, properties, and businesses. I’d hired a woman suggested to me—a shark in Hollywood who will fight to make sure everything’s divided equally and fairly.
“Thanks, Dad, for the confidence. I need to take it one day at a time.”
“You’re a smart woman. You never needed to be on that show to prove that to me. Sometimes I wish your brother would have fed off your brain cells.”
I laugh. Dad often put Ash down, but deep inside he’s so proud of him.
“Ash has his own way of thinking.”
“Yeah.” Dad grunts. “Know a good divorce lawyer?”
“Excuse me?” I stumble out my words. “Him and Alessandra?”
Dad nods, clearly not pleased with the outcome. “When you commit, Emmy, you commit for life. Remember that.”
I’m shocked but also not surprised. Alessandra and I rarely spoke since my stay in London. She was often busy with work, and to be honest, Ash didn’t seem invested in their relationship. I love my brother but he has no idea how relationships work let alone marriage. Not that I’m one to talk, obviously I have no idea either.
“So, um… how is Logan?”
“Busy. Training. You know they won their semi-finals? Tough game but they did it. A lot of mistakes, so they need to work their asses off to win premiership this year.”
I know they won. I’ve been following the game and watched it live. It’s my only way of seeing Logan, and every time the camera zoomed in on him, my heart retreated into hiding with a box of tissues and tub of ice cream playing Endless Love on repeat.
A masochistic cycle I can’t break.
I stare out the window, quiet and ignoring the pang that continually reminds me how much I miss him. There’s such an adverse reaction to us being together. Wesley’s followers didn’t hold back their opinions—slut, whore—you name it, I was called it. Logan’s hoard of passionate women did the same.
I’ve stepped away from all my social media accounts because despite my tough exterior, at times, I’m a crumbling mess inside.
We drive up the driveway while I hold back my tears when the house is in full view.
There’s no usual welcome from Mom. No knock me down until I’m almost on the ground, full of excitement and smiles. Nothing but an empty greeting which is exactly what I deserve.
We walk inside to find the house strangely quiet.
Dad places my bags down and opens the carrier. “What do you want me to do with George?”
Dad has taken to George, bending down and squashing his face with a baby voice. This man seriously needs grandchildren or something else to keep him busy besides our fucked-up love lives.
“Whatever you want, but best not to show him your closet. He has a fetish for male shoes.”
