She looks down at the table, teeth sinking into her quivering lip. “I can’t do it anymore,” she says quietly. “You need to choose.”
“Choose?” I echo. “Choose what?”
Her chin lifts stubbornly, shoulders straightening as she looks me dead in the eye. “Me or her.”
I stare back at her, uncertainty filling my chest. “She’s never had an unkind thing to say about you, Silvia.”
“Of course she hasn’t.” The laugh is quiet, fragile, and I wince. “She would never want to let you in on what she’s doing, not if she thinks it will threaten the hold she has on you.”
“It’s almost over,” I say. “Just keep trusting me.”
She’s right when she says we’ve been friends our whole lives, and no matter what else is going on, I don’t want to see her hurting, especially if it’s because of me.
She pulls her hand away, using a napkin to wipe her face until she’s picture perfect again.
“I knew you’d understand,” she murmurs, and my brow furrows. “I knew I just needed you to really listen.” Her hazel eyes shine at me, still wet but happier. “Will you let me know when it’s done? Will you tell me when it’s really over?”
My chest feels too tight, but I smile anyway. “Of course,” I promise, the words bitter on my tongue. “You’ll be the first to know.”
CHAPTER 6
Lily
“So, are you going to tell me why you’re home early?” my father asks carefully. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye as I use my fork to push a piece of steamed potato around my plate.
It still feels like there’s a hard rock sitting low in my stomach, a feeling I’ve had since I last ate yesterday, my appetite having vanished completely.
I clear my throat. “I told you. Declan had a work emergency.”
Just like he did the first time I told him, he makes a small noise of disbelief. “A man does not cut a honeymoon short for a work emergency,” he scoffs. “Even when he’s a CEO. It’s called delegation.”
I arch an eyebrow. “I’m surprised you know what that word means.”
He has the grace to look a little ashamed, both of us fully aware that he was just as absorbed in his own company when I was growing up. There were more milestone moments missed than there should’ve been, but I worked out my forgiveness for him a long time ago.
Now it looks like I’ve either married someone just like my father, or someone much,muchworse.
“Does that mean you’re moving out of Grandma’s cottage?” Dad asks now, slicing into his steak, his knife scraping against his plate as he presses down too hard. “Last I checked, you hadn’t even started packing.”
I shake my head. “I’ve got just over three weeks left off work,” I say dully. “I’m going to take that time to slowly move everything over.”
I don’t want to lie to him. I hate it, but can I really tell my dad the truth when I can’t even be sure what the truth is?
I need to talk to Declan, as much as I’m dreading it, terrified of what the conversation will reveal about the man I married.
“I’m glad it worked out this way,” I say, forcing a bright note into my tone. “The lead up to the wedding was so chaotic, I would’ve hated trying to move, then.” I send him a knowing look. “You know I can’t stand living between two houses.”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “Those two weeks before you finished renovating the cottage were hell on both of us. So, you’re at the condo tonight, then? I didn’t think you’d have the keys until you got back.” He frowns. “What about your furniture?” He finishes his meal, pushing his plate away and leaning his arms on the table, eyes on me.
“Declan moved his furniture into storage last week because Carter didn’t need it,” I say easily. “He called the real estate agent to arrange getting the keys early, and then the moving company. I met them there earlier today.”
He raises his eyebrows. “Money definitely talks in this town.”
I shoot him a dry look, pointedly looking around the formal dining room, complete with chandelier centered over the mahogany table. “I don’t think you’re one to talk, Dad,” I quip.
He shrugs unrepentantly. “I worked hard for all of this, and now I get to reap the benefits.”
Julie, our housekeeper, walks into the room from the kitchen, eyes bouncing between us. “All finished?” She frowns when she catches sight of my almost-full plate.
