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But now it was as if a stranger stood before me.
Had I ever really known this man?
"You're the cheater!" That was all I could say. My mind was completely blank.
"Me? I haven't ruined anyone's business. Like you. I never tried to worm my way into a strange family and... profit from them. Like you." Carter shook his head. "I never would have thought you capable of such things. Thankfully, I realized who I was dealing with just in time."
"I could say the same thing," I blurted out. Was he serious? He screws his ex, lets me go down on him shortly after, and then has the nerve to lecture me. And deny his own misdeeds.
"I've told you before: Don't change the subject. Don't act like you're some innocent country girl." Carter shook his head again.
"I..." I began.
"I don't want to hear anymore!" Carter cut me off. "You just had plenty of opportunity to explain everything to me and come clean about what's really going on. You didn't do that. That tells me everything. I don't need to know anything else!"
He didn't need to know anything else?
"I was an idiot to believe that you..." Carter didn't finish this sentence. Instead, he took a deep breath. "I never want to see you again. I should really report you to the authorities, but I'll refrain from that for now. Keep playing your con games. Just not with me. Do you understand?"
I stared at him in disbelief.
Was this really happening?
The man I thought I loved was accusing me of the worst things and chasing me away? Right after we'd had the most passionate sex of our... our affair.
I swallowed.
"Get out of here!" Now Carter's grandmother chimed in on the conversation again. She waved her cane threateningly in the air.
I looked from Carter to his grandmother and back again.
Carter's words whirled around in my head.I never want to see you again.
And this from a man who had sex with his ex shortly before one of our meetings.
You imagined it all, Isabella. He never really liked you. You mean nothing to him. Less than nothing. Even less than that.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
Chapter 25 ~ Isabella ~
"Youhavenobusinesshere anymore. Go home!" Carter glared at me. Then he raised his right hand. His outstretched index finger pointed to the path leading to the large wrought-iron gate at the end of the gravel driveway. Beyond it lay the road.
He didn't want me here anymore.
And I didn't want to be here. With a man who had betrayed me in the worst way and was now insulting me too.
Carter was no better than Owen.
Get out of here, Isabella. You don't need this in your life again. You don't need someone like him. He'll only hurt you.
I turned around and walked away as fast as I could.
Which wasn't very fast. The heels of the shoes I had borrowed from Hayley for today were higher than those I usually wore. So I could only walk slowly if I didn't want to fall.
And I definitely didn't want that. Carter shouldn't see me fall.
Head held high, I tottered towards the gate. The tears I had struggled to hold back earlier now welled up in my eyes again. I blinked. In vain. A tear spilled from my right eye and ran down my cheek.