Page 99

One was definitely my brother. I could tellfrom the exasperation when he said, “Believe me, it was great beingthe last to know!”
Wait, was Lauren here?Because it wasa woman’s voice that answered. But Lauren being here would make nosense.
“We were never exclusive, Scott!”
“You were going to leave your husband forsomeone who wasn’t ‘exclusive’?” He cursed. “Who the fuck am Ikidding? You were never going to leave him.”
“I’m sorry that things in my world aren’t assimple as packing up a one-bedroom apartment and fucking off! Doyou know what people would think of me? I have commitments, notjust to Jackson, but the foundation—”
A high, ringing whine filled my head.
The voice undeniably belonged toCatherine.
“I saw you were seated with my mother’sparamour…”
Conflicting feelings paralyzed me in mytracks. Was I going to vomit or scream? Because I was disgustedenough to do either. Scott had been having an affair withCatherine? And her child had tried to tell me. Gross, sogross.
On top of that, the way he’d reacted whenhe’d found out his best friend was fucking his sister, and thewhole time, he’d beenfucking his best friend’s sister?
His best friend’smarriedsister?
The audacity! The hypocrisy! The urge tolaunch myself through the topiary and punch my stupid brother rightin his big, fat nose!
“I forgot that your life is so much morecomplicated than mine,” Scott snapped back. “Because I’m a peasantand you’re the goddamn queen of Manhattan!”
“Fine! If that’s how you want to describeit, fine. But I do have more to lose than you do! I’m not going toput my stability at risk—”
“You’re not going to put yourwealthat risk!” Scott shouted over her.
“—because what? You love me?” She scoffed,as if it were the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard.
“Oh, that is rapidly declining as a factorin my anger, believe me.” He huffed a sigh, and I could vividlypicture the body language that went along with the sound. A handthrough his hair, a scowl wrinkling his brow. “If you didn’tbelieve any of the things you said, why did you say them?”
“Because I believed them at the time.” Thefight seemed to be going out of both of them. “Because I wanted tobelieve that I could walk away from this and into a differentlife.”
“You love the money too much,” heaccused.
“Could you walk away from it? For love?” sheasked.
And without hesitation, he said, “Yes. Foryou, I could have walked away from billions.”
His shoes crunched on the substrate, and Ipanicked, racing back to the house and through the door, praying hedidn’t see me when he emerged. I held my breath until I heard hiscar start. If he’d seen me there, he would have come in to confrontme right away. I sat in the alcove where Matt had left me, my heartpounding so hard that it visibly moved my shirt.
The front door opened and Catherine stormedin, shouting, “Alan!”
He entered the foyer, pushing his littlecoffee cart, his face showing no sign of irritation at beingbellowed for like a naughty dog. “Ma’am?”
“Get Nanny Grace and the children and tellthem that we are leavingnow.” Her gaze landed on me, andher eyes narrowed. She said nothing. Didn’t even acknowledge mypresence before snapping at Alan, “And for fuck’s sake, sendsomeone up for my bags. I’ve been waiting all goddamn morning!”
My mouth fell open as I watched her stomp upthe stairs.
Alan brought the cart over as if nothing hadhappened. “Two sugars, was it?”
I shook my head in disbelief. “Who the helltalks to another human being like that?”
But he didn’t remark on it at all, droppingtwo sugar cubes into the little cup and tipping the steaming carafeto pour. “We have some lovely pastries this morning. I could boxsome up for your trip.”
“No, thank you, I…” What was I going to do?Argue with the guy that he deserved respect from his employers? Heclearly wouldn’t agree with me.