“I’m sorry, this is my lawyer. I need to take this.”
She nods and turns her attention back to her book while I excuse myself from the library.
“Yes?” I answer, already itching to go back to Agotia’s side.
“I apologize for the late hour, sir, but I thought you would want to know this as soon as possible. We just got word back from the doctor from whom we have requested to do the DNA test.”
“And?” Now I was anxious to hear what he had to say.
“And she lied.”
"You mean the baby is not mine?"
“No, about being pregnant at all. She was never pregnant at all. Which means you have the power here. We have grounds to sue her for defamation if you want. The doctor has also not informed Bridget’s team of the results yet, which means we can break the news however you see fit.”
“Do nothing.”
“Sorry, sir. What?”
I felt as shocked as my lawyer sounded, but I was done with Bridget. No more allowing her to control my life.
"Do nothing. No lawsuit, and do not leak the results to the press. You can send a cease-and-desist letter informing her that she cannot mention my family or me to anyone without legal consequences. Otherwise, let her go."
It was another pause before he spoke again.
“And what about Agotia?”
“What about her?” I asked, no longer interested in this conversation.
“Do you want me to begin the divorce proceedings? Now that you are free from any threats Bridget might make, there is no reason for you to be married any longer. You can return to New York and run the company from here.”
It was my turn to be at a loss for words. This phone call was everything I had been working towards all summer. Breaking free from Bridget and waiting for all the bad press to die down was why I came to Voss and married Agotia. Yet, now that I had the opportunity to return to New York as a single man, I realized I did not want to.
“Do nothing until I tell you otherwise.”
I hung up before he had the chance to respond. I watched Agotia from the library doorway as I thought about everything I had just learned, not only about the situation with Bridget but about myself. Deciding I needed a few more minutes to process everything; I walked to the kitchen. Asta, as expected, was there preparing meals for tomorrow; I allowed myself to concede that it was her I was searching for.
"Alex," she greeted fondly, "what can I do for you? Are you hungry? I still have some dessert in the fridge if you'd like."
"No, I'm not here for the food. I'm here for advice."
I had anticipated that my admission would stop her in her tracks, but she continued whisking away instead.
“Go ahead,” she prompted when I had stayed silent.
"I'm in a situation I don't know how to explain."
"Start at the beginning, and we'll go from there."
So, I did. I recounted the mess with Bridget and the media circus I had left in New York. I told her about my phone call with Callum and the agent, who both suggested a new, happier relationship was the way out of things. Then I told her about the first night I had spent with Agotia, how we were the answer to each other’s problems.
Asta didn’t bat an eyelash when I mentioned that the entire marriage was a sham, only an effort to save our businesses and reputations. She didn’t interrupt either, so I continued. I gave her the sweeping details of the snuff box situation and how I had initially thought Agotia was in on it with Lucas. I even told her about our kiss in the woods, though I wasn’t sure why.
I paused my story when I realized that Asta had stopped her movements and was listening to me with her full attention. After hiding the truth from everyone but Nori, it felt so freeing to get it all out in the open. It quieted the swirl of chaotic thoughts in my mind, at least a little.
"I must admit, Alex, I don't see the problem."
"I just got a phone call," I explained, "from my lawyer. As it turns out, Bridget was lying about the pregnancy. I have already decided to keep that information private and send her a simple cease-and-desist letter instead. I am free of her."
