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I take a deep breath. “We both sign the NDA. Neither of us can discuss what happened in our marriage or divorce proceedings. It’s protection for both of us.”
Emery stands up and punches the back of her chair. “I don’t care what people have to say about me. It’s onlyyouthat does. You’re scared I’m going to tell people you fucked our surrogate.”
“You fucked half of London,” I fire back. I cross one leg over the other and let her overreact.
“You were theworsthusband in history, yet I stayed quiet and followed every order. And now you’re trying to leave me months before our baby arrives? Are you trying to hurt me?”
I don’t care about you.
Not voicing my thoughts, I say something more appropriate. “This marriage is hurting us. Look at what we’ve become. Is this how you want to spend the rest of your life? Is this what you want to bring a baby into? We don’t love each other.”
Emery stares at me.No.She stares rightthroughme. Her gaze pierces through my flesh right to my soul. Tears brim in her eyes as she navigates through her thoughts. “I love you, Xavier. Are you really going to do this to me? I have nothing outside of this family. You’re taking awayeverything. You might as well kill me.“ She turns to our lawyer. “Put it in writing that if I end up dead,he,“ she points at me, “put the bullet in me.”
Harold, our lawyer, cuts in as he pities the lonely woman. “Mrs Rivers, sign these papers. You have enough here to live a comfortable life. You have a baby coming. Wouldn’t you rather spend your energy on raising a happy child than fighting for a dead marriage?”
Emery wipes the few tears that managed to escape. “I want sole custody. That is the only way you make me go away silently.”
I cut Harold off before he can argue on my behalf. “Fine.”
“Mr Rivers—“
“Make the changes,” I order while staring at Emery. “Give her whatever she wants concerning the baby.”
You’d think she would bounce off the walls now that she got what she came for. She can pledge her love, but she and I both know what this marriage was to her – a free path to having her own baby.
But she cries harder. “You don’t even care to fight for your child. Why did I fool myself into believing you’d fight for me?” She doesn’t back away from my harsh stare. “Is she worth it? Is she worth killing me for?”
Yes. A thousand times, yes.
After finalising a few more changes, we head out of the office. The start of June finally brings some warm weather. The sun is high in the sky, giving me a great feeling about today.
I turn to Emery. “You can take the car home. I’m going to walk it back to the office.”
She looks surprised at the offer. “How are you going to get home?”
“I’ll figure it out. I need the walk to clear my head.”
Emery nods at me but doesn’t move. Her eyes are the tunnel to her emotions. Everything about her looks the same as the day we met – sad and longing.
When she caught me watching her fight with the wind, she graced me with an embarrassed smile. She was the first woman after Caitlyn that made me feelsomething.That conversation with her was the first time I felt somethingother than grief since my dad died.
When she goes to walk away, I hold her back. I lift her chin so she’s forced to look at me. “I wish it didn’t have to come to this. When I met you, I thought you were my perfect one. But too much changed. Only so long can we pretend we are happy with who we see in the mirror.”
She strokes my face. “You’re too busy looking into the future. Be careful, Xavier. The past is always just behind you.” Her warning chills the air and has bells ringing in my head. “Do you love her?”
“Yes,” I answer without hesitation.
She nods as she takes a step back. “Then let her go. Nothing good comes from being loved by you. Your mother learnt that. My guess is Caitlyn learnt that.” Her sad smile is haunting. “I’ve learnt it too. Let me go,” she pleads. “I’ve never cared for money or diamonds. All I wanted was a family. Release me from your love, and let me go.” As she turns around, the sun reflects off her tears.
She gets into the car, and I walk away.
Kian makes me further irate as he fires another excuse at me. The tops of his ears turn the same shade of pink as his face. I watch him stumble over his words, feeling flustered under my harsh glare. The fool failed to secure a contract any trainee could have done with their eyes closed. My anger towards him stems from his asking Savannah out a few weeks ago. She rejected him, but he thought he could get away with watching her ass as she walked away. My company doesn’t tolerate sexual harassment.
“You’re fired,” I bark while he’s mid-sentence.
“Xavier—“
My eyes narrow. “Mr Rivers,” I correct him.
