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“The man owned a chain of casinos. Are you telling me he had no money?” I lift an eyebrow. “I’d heard rumors about the money he threw around—was it all for show?”
“No, he had money. He just didn’t leave me any. Well, that’s not entirely true. He left me with five thousand dollars and the belongings I owned when I marr—moved in with him.”
Just say the word. Married! You fucking married a man twice your age!I want to scream at her.
Harper hangs her head. “I’m working here because I need money. This was the only place I could get an interview. My friend Alyssa tweaked my resume and applied for a job here without me knowing. Believe me, this was the last place I wanted to be.”
“You’re joking, right?”
She shakes her head and stares at her hands. “I’m not joking.”
“What about your parents’ estate? The cabin?” I ask. Her gaze flicks up to mine. The lake where we spent so much of our time. A place where we planned our future together. I clear my throat. “I was sorry to hear about their accident.” I truly was. They’d welcomed me into their home and treated me like a son.
Except for the day of Harper’s wedding. I’d arrived at their house, desperate to see Harper. Desperate to believe it was a bad joke. The truth was written on their faces. With sad expressions, they turned me away. I’d left my pride at their doorstep and yelled for Harper. Hoping she’d hear me call her name. I tried barging inside the house. It took three security guards to drag me away. I don’t remember much after that. I woke up in a hospital bed, connected to tubes with machines beeping around me.
I’d loved her so much. Over time, that love turned to hate. A much better emotion to deal with.
“Derek took it all. After he died, everything went to his sister.”
Before I get to ask why Derek would have possession of her parents’ inheritance, the intercom buzzes on my desk. “Mr. Lavigne is on the line for you,” Bianca snaps.
“I need to take this,” I say to Harper. I pick up the phone. “Fabien, thank you for calling me back.”
Behind me, I hear the click of the door closing. I turn back around. The room’s empty.
Chapter Twelve
HARPER
Iclosethedoorbehind me and lean against it. Squeezing my eyes shut, I take deep breaths to settle my racing heart. When Finn said he was going to propose, I had to lock my knees, because they were shaking so hard I thought I’d fall to the floor. All I ever wanted was to be Finn’s wife. To have his babies. Then Derek came along and crushed my fantasies under the sole of his Prada shoe.
Finn had kept the engagement ring all these years. A ring I would have proudly worn. But he didn’t keep it because it evoked beautiful memories for him. No, he needed the reminder of what I’d done.
God, I hate what I did to him—to us. The damage cut so deep. Unrepairable. Unless… I tell him the truth. I wanted to in his office, but he didn’t want to listen. He looks at me with so much hate, will he ever want to hear what I have to say? And if he did, how much can I tell him without it destroying his relationship with his father? Can I cause him more pain? I need time to think. Sort things out in my mind, and hopefully figure out what’s the right thing to do.
At my desk, I pick up my mug. Before I can get any work done, I need to settle my nerves with a cup of tea. Making my way to the kitchen, I find Bianca and Tamara sitting at a table with coffee mugs and a plate of cookies sitting in front of them.
“Hey, Harper. Just in time for chocolate chip cookies. Flora at reception baked them, and they are divine!” Tamara takes a bite, and her eyes roll back. “So good.”
Switching the kettle on, I search the cupboard for tea. As I wait for the water to boil, I grab a cookie and take a bite. I moan as the chocolate goodness melts in my mouth.
“Told you they’re good,” Tamara says as she takes another one off the plate.
I can’t help noticing the scathing look Bianca is throwing my way. I know she’s curious as to why I had Finn’s jacket and probably livid that he chose to speak to me over her. I inwardly sigh. I don’t think there’s anything I can do to get her to like me.
Once the water has boiled, I make tea, ignoring the evil glare Bianca’s sending my way.
“I see you’ve given Finn back his coat.”
Tamara looks between Bianca and me and frowns, obviously unaware of what’s going on. She’d left the club before Finn had given me the coat.
“I bumped into Fi—Mr. Alessi last night as I was leaving a club. It was cold, and he was kind enough to lend me his coat.”Not that it’s any of your business Bianca, I want to say. I keep my face as neutral as possible so she can’t read too much into things. If she knew Finn kissed me, she might explode.
Bianca narrows her eyes.
Keep eye contact. Don’t show fear.
“Oh, I have something absolutely adorbs to show you both.” Like Tamara could sense the tension in the room, she pulls out her phone from the pocket of her flared skirt. I was never more relieved for the distraction. “Look at this photo of the King Charles Cavalier I’m adopting from a shelter. I’m so in love. Erica and I can’t wait to pick her up.” Tamara holds the phone out for me to see.
