When Evan returns to the car, I ignore the look he gives me and just get in the car. Although he’s the last person in the world I wanted to see right now, at least he’ll be taking me away from this place. When Phillippa’s mother showed up and started practically attacking me, I didn’t know what to do. She demanded to know whether I had an affair with Evan. Of course, she called him Hector. When I said I didn’t, she hit me, and I never felt so humiliated in all my life. To make matters worse, she struck me so hard that I lost my balance and fell. That was when Evan showed up. Evan is furious. I can feel his anger emanating off him. He dumps my bag onto my lap and then starts the car. We’re not even out of the gate before he says, “You’ll leave tonight and I’ll deal with Julius accordingly. Are we understood?”A scoff leaves my lips. Does he really expect me to dump my future in his hands? I will never trust him to take care of this situation better than me. He doesn’t care enough;
Evan's POVIt’s late at night and for some reason, I can’t make myself go home. I’m on my third cigar now, and the bottle of whiskey in front of me is half-full. Right now, what I need is a distraction, and going back home is just going to remind me of the shit that’s been happening nonstop in my life. I took all my peaceful days for granted, and it’s a mistake I won’t be making again. I swivel around in my chair to stare out the window in my office that overlooks the city. The blinds haven’t been closed, so I still have the view. It’s breathtaking, and one of the things that I really loved about this office space before I bought it. I’m a little too drunk, but my thoughts are crystal clear. I’m not going to sit around and wait for her to ask me for help because that’s not going to happen. I have to act now that things haven’t gotten so bad. Thinking about that man in Julius’ cottage makes me angry. Who was he? I hadn’t questioned him about it but thinking of him now made me assu
Waking up in the morning is extremely difficult, mostly because I didn’t sleep much last night and I’m not looking forward to the day ahead of me. Every bone in my body is in pain, and when I go into the bathroom and look into the mirror, I see that my face is a little swollen where Phillippa’s mother hit me. I touch the bruise and it sends pain along my jawline. Angrily, I apply some makeup to my face and then get ready for the shit day this is going to be. I leave my apartment. I don’t have a way of locking the door, so I leave it at that. I stare at the stairs that lead up to the next floor, though, and I find myself thinking about Thomas. The time we spent together feels like a been distant memory at this point, and honestly, I hate it. I’m saddened. He was good to me. I should’ve known to stay away. I should’ve insisted.It’s too late for that now, so I exit the building and take what I think will be my last Uber to Evan’s house. I don’t think Julius will want to beat around t
I meet with Anthony in the hotel, and all I can do is cry in his arms for the longest time. What I’ve been through in the past few days was horrible, but honestly, I couldn’t be more happy with the conclusion of the story. At least I didn’t have to do what Julius wanted me to. What’s making me desperate is knowing how close I got to being used like a rag and tossed away. It was so close. I’ll certainly never again meddle in affairs that are too much for me to handle. That’s a lesson I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. “Is it over?” he asks me tenderly. “It is,” I say. I don’t quite feel ready to tell him that Julius Montgomery is now dead. I’m having a bit of a hard time registering that fact as well. I’m in a bit of shock, really. I just watched that man die in the most abrupt way possible. “Great. Let’s get going.”If I have to be completely honest, I never really saw myself packing and going home. I don’t know why that is. Now that I know that Julius planned on killin
I push open the door of my apartment easily and look around. Now that I’m safe and free from danger, I feel very lethargic. I have so much to do so we can get out of here by tomorrow, and to make matters worse, Victor isn’t happy with the decision. I thought he’d be happy. That was what gave me the strength to leave. Things have never been as messy as they are now. I put my bag on the couch, and sit down next to it. I stare at the screen of the television for a long time while I try to organize my thoughts. It’s impossible, though, because all I keep seeing is Julius being shot, and tremors travel down my spine in the process. He died right when he had to. Right when he was going to scare me for life. All thanks to Evan. Gratitude is the last thing I ever thought I’d feel toward the man who ruined my life and allowed me to hit rock bottom for years. I had to struggle to keep afloat. Having a baby so young with no means to provide for it was a challenge that I’ll skip in the nex
Evan’s POVThings have been a mess after Julius’ death, and I’ve had a lot of fucking cleaning up to do. Staging a murder as a suicide takes a lot of effort, particularly because you don’t want to leave signs that a murder could’ve been involved. I made it seem like he killed himself by placing the gun strategically in his hand, and cleaning up all the prints from absolutely everywhere that I could’ve touched. Now that the job’s done, all that’s left for me to do is stand aside and comfort the ladies. Phillippa has come back, and she’s devastated by the death of her uncle. It’s like the last few days haven’t happened at all. Honestly, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that it hasn’t been that long at all. It feels like weeks since she left to live with her mother. She’s now relying fully on me to comfort her and it’s like we never separated. Barbara is a different story. I don’t like the way she’s looking at me at all. She’s suspicious of the whole thing and
Two weeks later…Thomas nuzzles the side of my neck and wraps his arm tighter around me. “Good morning, my love.”I find myself smiling as I move inch to him. He begins kissing the side of my neck and I shudder with delight. For the past few weeks, we’ve been in the honeymoon stage of our relationship. Everything has been so wonderful and perfect. I’m glad that I decided to stay, even though my decision upset Anthony, who’s been on my side since day one. He wanted me to leave because he never trusted Evan and he thinks I’m making a mistake. I understand his concern, but at the same time, I can’t stop living my life because I’m afraid of Evan. I have to move on. And this is how I want to move on. For such a long time, I’ve been bitter, and my heart has been cold. Thomas made me feel alive again, and the more time we spend together, the more certain I become of my feelings. “Morning,” I murmur. “I wish I could stay in bed with you all day,” he tells me. “But I have work today. Unfo
“Listen here, you pretentious bitch!” I curse at the top of my lungs. I don’t care if there are people listening, and I don’t care how bad a scene will make me look. “I have nothing to do with Hector, and even if I did, it wouldn’t be any of your business!”This woman has crossed the line with me before, and I won’t let it happen again. If she thinks she’s dealing with someone who’s afraid of her, she’s mistaken. Her gasp is loud and full of indignation. “Excuse me!?”“You heard me,” I claim. “If you ever speak to me the way you have again, I promise you that you’re going to regret it!”“Oh, will I!?” she asks, stepping forward. “Maybe you’re the one who’s going to regret the challenge you’ve presented me with. Do you think that I don’t know that you and Hector are together? That you’ve both somehow planned Julius’ death!?”The mention of Julius almost makes me draw back, but I can’t show weakness. In the coldest voice I can muster, I say to her, “You’ve lost your damn mind. I had no