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I felt like I was underwater, drowning. Gene Windsor had an army he could fight me with. He hadpilesof money, an endless supply. No doubt that even if his assets were frozen, he’d just hawk a fifty-million dollar painting or two and keep coming at me.
“I want you to leave, and it has to seem natural. My son cannot find out that I’m behind this. If he does, I’ll make damn sure that you lose everything.Everything. And I’ll make it ugly, Chloe. I’ll make it hurt.”
I couldn’t catch my breath. I felt like an undercurrent had snatched me and was dragging me out to sea. The safety of the shore was disappearing; I was never going to get back there.My brother, he was going to hurt my brother…
“What do you want me to do?” I could barely get the words out.
Gene appeared to have no such angst. He sat back, grinning, and recrossed his ankles. His stupid, ugly, ridiculously expensive loafers mocked me. “I want you to do exactly what I say.”
THIRTY-SIX
twinge
It wasthe best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the best because I no longer had to sit across from Gene Windsor. It was the best because he hadn’t hurt me, Bryce, or my brother—not yet.
It was the worst because I knew that he was going to. Unless I did precisely what he asked, Gene was absolutely going to take the company from Bryce. He would also absolutely do something terrible to Noah. He’d said he would make it hurt; I didn’t doubt him for a second.
So I couldn’t say anything. Not to my husband, not to anyone. If I went off-script, Gene would blow up my whole world—he would hurt the people I loved. I loved Noah too much to risk it.
I loved my husband too much.
I set about following his instructions. I called Olivia and said I would do the morning talk show like she’d asked. I ordered a specific dress for the wedding. I called Akira Zhang to ensure that Lydia and my father agreed to the proposed contract and would sign it. Then we could send them the money, which would keep them quiet. At least for now.
I went through the motions of my day, dreading each second, sweating each detail. From that point on, I would be living a lie.
And I had to sell it as though my life depended on it.
Because it did. It absolutely did.
* * *
Lucky for me, Bryce was in meetings until late that night. He climbed into bed next to me. I pretended to be asleep as he slipped his arm around me and pulled me close. Tears pricked my eyes, but I refused to cry: there would be time for that later when I was alone again.
I clung to my husband and fell into a restless sleep.
When my alarm went off early, he was already gone. He’d left a note on my nightstand:
Meetings all day again. I’m going to miss you.
You’re going to do great today—I’m so proud of you.
Love you.
xx
Bryce
It was better that we were apart. If I had to be around him right now, after everything his father had said to me yesterday, it might break me.
I got up, took a listless shower, and shuffled to my bedroom. “There she is,” Midge said, but when she got one look at my face, she put a hand over her heart. “What’s the matter, hon?”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” I lied. “I’m just nervous about taping this segment for the talk show. You know me—I don’t exactly love being the center of attention.”
“Oh honey, I know.” Midge bought me to the makeup chair and started gently combing my hair out. “But I think with the new headlines, it’s going to be alotmore pleasant. You’ll see. It won’t be so bad.”
“What new headlines?” I’d been so upset, I hadn’t even bothered to get on the internet.
“Ooh, you haven’t seen them? This’ll cheer you up.” Midge grabbed her phone and opened it, scrolling to something before she handed it over. “Much betterthan that other crap. I’m loving the new direction.”
