Page 67 of Best Kept Vows

“You know we’re not doing well.”

“Yes.”

“I…”—I shook my head, unable to put the words out into the universe by telling Stacy—“I’m selling Boone Metals.”

She didn’t look surprised at all. “High time.”

“You’re not upset?”

“Am I sad that the company I worked for is going to be sold? Yes. Will it be sold piece-by-piece, or will a new owner keep it as is? Who knows! Either way, I’ve had a good run here. I turned fifty this year, and I’m thinking of maybe retiring from the corporate gig.” Stacy looked relaxed as she spoke.

“How will the rest of the team respond?”

“No one will be surprised. There will be uncertainty, of course, but companies are bought and sold all the time.”

“Will you,please, stay through whatever the transition looks like?” I requested.

“Yes, I will.”

After Stacy left, I exhaled deeply, feeling, oddly, lighter. I’d just made a choice based not on ego or legacy but on clarity and conviction, and it felt damn good.

My father had been right—I’d wasted years chasing approval, forgetting the only people whose approval truly mattered.

Now, I was determined to change that.

I looked at the photograph Jane had sent me of my wife again—and I needed to fuck up this asshole so he’d stay the hell away from Lia.

CHAPTER 23

Ophelia

“Sebastian, what are you doing here?” I asked when I saw him at my doorstep, his suit jacket over his shoulder and his eyes…sadandhappy. Very confusing!

“Can we talk?”

I licked my lips and stepped aside so he could walk into the apartment.

He threw his jacket on an armchair and sat on the three-person couch.

He looked serious, and I was worried. “Is it Abraham?” I asked.

He smiled. “No, Lia. Come, sit next to me.”

I wanted to say no, but that was petty. The truth was, he was upset, and I wanted to be with him and take care of him. I’d loved him for more than half my life, and I knew I’d always love him, no matter where I was living right now.

“First things first. I just fired Jane.”

I raised both eyebrows. “How come?”

He pulled out his phone and showed me a picture of me with Lev. “Jane took this, and then she followed you.”

I sucked in a sharp breath.

“This was thesecondtime she behaved unprofessionally, so we let her go.”

“I…this is so weird. Why would she take this photograph?”

“To show me that you’re canoodling with other men so she and I could now be together.”