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I don’t know if they’re fighting about the board vote this afternoon, or some other family drama. But I don’t want his dad to be there when I tell Cole.
I want that moment to be special, just for us. Maybe after work is better. When we’re at home together, relaxed, and happy.
I nod decisively and head back to my desk, resigned to have one of the least productive workdays in my life.
I feel like I’m glowing with nerves and happiness. I can’t wait to talk to Cole.
23
COLE
My dad struts into my office and slams the door behind him, like he’s got something up his sleeve.
He looks smug. And with the board vote later today, that worries me.
I cross my arms and lean back in my chair. “Unless you’ve got something time sensitive, I’m afraid I have to ask you to leave. I'm absolutely swamped with work until the board meeting.”
“Funny, that’s exactly what I want to talk to you about.” He walks over to my desk. “You’re going to change your position, and recommend everyone votes to buy Tree House Digital, like I want.”
The fucking arrogance of this man.
“And why the hell would I do that?” I ask.
“Because if you don’t, Amelia Maguire is going to tell everyone that you asked her to fake an engagement to you, in order to trick board members into voting your way.” He frowns and makes a tsking sound.
My pulse spikes. “Amelia would never say that.” Belatedly, I remember to add, “Because it’s not true.”
He smirks. “Amelia said that lying to her friends and family was getting to be too much. You know how sweet girls like that are. They don’t like to lie to people.”
I rise to my feet. “Keep her name out of your mouth. Stop lying. And get out of my office.”
“Not until I’ve finished my story.” He reaches into his pocket. “See, she could keep up a fake engagement for six months. But asking her to fake a marriage for a year? That was a bad gamble, my boy.”
My blood freezes. How does he know the engagement was for six months? Or that I offered to extend it with a yearlong marriage?
The only person who knows that is Amelia.
But she wouldn’t betray me like that.
My dad’s still talking. “I found the poor girl crying in a corner. Stressing about whether or not to sign this.” He pulls out a white napkin from his pocket and lays it on my desk with a flourish.
I stare. It’s mine and Amelia’s contract.
“The thing is Cole, you might have fallen for her. But she hasn’t fallen for you. And she didn’t know how to get out of such a big mess.” His voice is dripping with fake sympathy. “So I made her a better offer. And told her all she needed to do was tell me the truth. I promised her I’d take care of everything else, including giving you the bad news.” Any pretense at sympathy vanishes. He grins. “If this was chess, you just lost your queen.”
I barely hear him. I feel like I’m trying to breathe with a chest full of ice shards.
Amelia betrayed me.
I pushed for too much, so she stabbed me in the back.
Was she really crying? Because she was scared to tell me no?
Why the hell didn’t she talk to me? Why the fuckinghelldid she go tohim?
I told Amelia everything about my dad. I told her why I hated him, why I’d never trust him, or ever ask him for anything.
And then she turned around and sold me out to my dad the instant I asked for more.
