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“I’ll rip her fucking thumbs off so she’ll never text again,” Bryce said, his voice matter-of-fact. “How’s that for a threat?”
“Ha! It’s good. It’s perfect.” I nodded, nervous energy bubbling inside of me. I hated lying; it was a relief to tell the truth, even if it was embarrassing. Even if Bryce was threatening to rip Lydia’s thumbs off.
“But that’s why I didn’t tell you, Bryce. I didn’t want you to freak out, I didn’t want you to go after them, I didn’t want you involved. You already paid them a ton of money. You have your own stuff going on—that’s the only reason I hid this from you. I didn’t want you to worry when you already have so much on your plate.”
“Chloe… You have to be able to come to me with your problems. I’m your husband.” He sighed.
“I know that! And I would have, I swear, under normal circumstances. But with everything going on with your father and the business, it just seemed like too much.” I reached for his hand across the desk. “Do you understand that?”
He squeezed my hand, giving me courage. I continued, “They talked to a lawyer about getting Noah back. I made a deal with them, Bryce. I agreed to give them more money so they can’t ever take him from me. From us. Akira’s drawing up the paperwork and taking care of everything. We won’t have to worry anymore. They won’t be able to come back after this, I swear.”
“Babe.” Bryce looked into my eyes. “Why do I feel like you’re apologizing? You didn’t do anything wrong. Except give them more money, which they don’t deserve. How much?”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. I took care of it. They’re my family—my problem.”
“Chloe. Do you hear yourself? What do you think you’ve been doing for me? Helping withmyshit-show of a family.”
“But that’s the whole reason I’m here,” I argued. “That’s what you’re paying me for.”
“You know what I think, Chloe?” Bryce asked.
“What?”
“I think you’d do it for me even if I was broke.”
My brow furrowed. “Why do you think that?”
He laughed. “Because I’d do it for you, and you’re broke.”
“Ha. That’s…sweet.” My lips twitched up into a smile. I felt so much better that I’d told him the truth.
“Everything’s going to be okay. I have to take a call, but I’m here for you. I’m so glad you came to me with your problem. I want you to trust me, Chloe. I want us to be there for each other.” Bryce came around the desk and kissed me on the head. “And I know you want to handle this on your own, but we’re in this together. Except for the part where I rip Lydia’s thumbs off—I’m going that alone.”
I couldn’t help it: I laughed.
Then Bryce hugged me, and I hugged him back. He said he would have his personal attorney reach out to Akira so they could craft an agreement together, making sure it was airtight—making sure that Lydia and my dad never came after Noah again.
I left his office feeling ten tons lighter.
That is until I bumped into one of the maids in the hallway. “Mrs. Windsor—I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” she said, keeping her voice low, “I have a message for you.”
“Oh?”
She nodded. “Mr. Windsor would like a word.”
“Really?” I asked, confused. “I just left his office.”
“TheotherMr. Windsor,” she said, her eyes wide. “And he said it was important.”
THIRTY-FIVE
the other mr. windsor
TheotherMr. Windsor?
My stomach dropped. “Does he want to see me right now?”
She nodded. “And you know, Mr. Windsor doesn’t—”
