AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I nodded. I was petrified, but I could face anything as long as Bryce was by my side.
I took a deep, shaky breath. And then I started telling the truth.
“I didn’t meet my husband at Dunkin’ Donuts. It started a little differently than that…”
We told them everything. On national television. In broad daylight. About the escort agency, Bryce’s father’s blackmail, the fact that he was the newly appointed CEO of Windsor Enterprises, all of it.
The best part of the interview was the end.
“What do you want to say to your father?” The host asked Bryce.
He squeezed me against him as he considered it.
“Ah, I know.” He grinned. “By the way, Dad, congratulations. You’re going to be a grandpa!”
* * *
The network told us later that our episode was the most watched (and re-watched) in the show’s history. The hosts even sent us a gift basket, replete with a silver Tiffany’s baby rattle, a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne, and some sort of aromatherapy candle that was supposed to emotionally support you through the first trimester. I lit it, and it smelled great!
Not only was the candle lovely, doing the show had been a blessing. Telling the truth about my background had been scary. I was embarrassed for Bryce and Noah, but they both said they were fine. Bryce didn’t get fired. There was an uproar in the press, but that was the thing about telling the truth. Once it was out, there was no dirt left to dig.
In the end, it was like my mother said: sunlightwasthe best disinfectant. Thank goodness.
For his part, Gene didn’t take the news very well. He sent me several more menacing text messages, including phrases likeHow dare you, don’t you know who I am,andyou’ll pay for thisuntil Bryce took control and made arrangements to speak with him on the phone.
He put him on speakerphone so I could hear.
“Dad?”
“I can’t believe what you’ve done, legal’s going to undoeverything, and then you’ll be out on the streets—”
“No, I won’t. You’re being prosecuted for other things, too, like violating your fiduciary duty to the company.” Bryce smirked. “Regina Hernandez is making a list and checking it twice.”
“Son…” Gene sounded so enraged that I could picture blood vessels popping from his forehead. “You have no right to dismantle everything I’ve worked for. I built my company from the ground up. I don’t deserve to be treated like this!”
“I’m going to respectfully disagree with you on that. I know you had plans to have Noah abducted. What were you thinking? I can’t believe that you’d do that. That’s a whole level lower than I thought you were capable of.”
“I was desperate. You wouldn’t break things off with your wife, and she was going to make us all look like trash. And that’s exactly what’s happened. I can’t believe you married an escort!”
“The thing is, she was never really an escort. She was just broke and scared and needed the money to protect her family. But you never looked below the surface, and that’s your loss. I hope you rot in there, Dad. With all the additional charges, you won’t ever get out of jail again. Have fun! Hope you make some nice friends. I hear the food is great!”
He hung up and put his face in his hands. “I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
I nudged him. “I’m sorry you had to be related to that.”
“Ha,” Bryce said, me too.”
* * *
Bryce turned to me. “I have a surprise for you.” He grinned at me. “Remember I told you about that shower bench in Beacon Hill, Mrs. Windsor?”
I grinned back. “How could I forget?”
He picked me up and cradled me against his massive chest. “You won’t ever forget it after tonight! I had one installed in Maine.”
I laughed. “When the heck did you have time to do that?”
He waggled his eyebrows. “I’m on billionaire time, babe. And it’s always billionaire time.”
