Page 189 of Original Sin

‘Katie forgave me, you know,’ he said, staring out. ‘We’d separated but I convinced her I’d changed. We went on a holiday to patch things up, but … well, that’s when she died.’

‘And Susie?’

He slammed his fist against the wall. ‘I lost my wife, Brooke!’ he shouted. ‘Forgive me if things haven’t been too easy for me.’

He turned and stepped towards her. She could see the muscles in his jaw flex as he tried to contain his emotion. He took a deep breath.

‘Brooke, I love you.’

He raised his hand to touch her cheek. His knuckles were grazed. She flinched and moved away.

‘Just go, Matt,’ she said calmly.

She walked over to the door and held it open. ‘Please, just go.’

He walked past her, his face bleached with emotion, then paused in the doorway.

‘But what about us, Brooke?’ he asked.

‘There is no us, there never was,’ said Brooke sadly, and closed the door. And in that moment, Brooke realized she was right. And she knew exactly what she had to do.

CHAPTER SIXTY–FIVE

Sitting at the back of Wendell Billington’s Gulfstream, Liz waved away the stewardess offering her a cold glass of Dom Perignon, wishing this whole damned wedding would just hurry up and finish. It didn’t help that she had always imagined she would be flying on this jet alone with him, side by side as business partners and as lovers, yet instead Wendell had graciously lent the G–5 to the Asgill family to fly from New York to Key Biscayne. She looked out through the small porthole window at the carpet of clouds below and curled her fingers into a fist. In four days’ time it would be New Year and, frankly, Liz couldn’t wait. This year had been ghastly and she needed to move on, leave it all behind her. Okay, so Wendell might have pulled out of financing the Skin Plus spin–off but she would find somebody else, she could meet the challenge – she would enjoy the challenge – and as soon as this dreadful wedding pantomime was over she would start looking for backers. She might even meet that investor at the wedding.

Glancing down the aisle she saw Brooke engrossed in a magazine and Leonard asleep in a cream leather chair. She was sleepy herself, although the small bed behind her was occupied by a mountainous linen dress bag that contained her sister’s gown. She groaned silently as Meredith stood up and approached her. Just what she needed.

‘You’re quiet,’ said Meredith, taking a seat opposite Liz.

Liz smiled thinly. ‘Well the party hasn’t started yet.’

‘Are you sure it’s not because of Rav?’

Liz almost laughed out loud. She had finally killed off that romantic charade a week ago and her mother seemed to think it mattered.

‘Rav and my relationship had run its course,’ she said politely.

‘Well, it was good of Wendell to let us use the jet, wasn’t it?’ said Meredith, changing the conversation.

It stung just to hear his name. She had spent the whole Christmas period feeling numb, emotionally exhausted. If she was honest, Liz had been deeply hurt by Wendell’s rejection. Somehow he had got under her skin and made her drop her guard, then when she was just softening –hell, even considering a relationship, for Christ’s sake – he had delivered his knockout punch. Liz Asgill wasn’t used to being on the canvas, her first instinct was always to go on the offensive; but this time … well, this time she wasn’t sure she knew how to strike back.

‘Wendell’s just asserting his power and financial position by giving us the jet,’ said Liz caustically. ‘He’s reminding us who’s boss.’

Meredith touched her hand on her daughter’s knee. ‘That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.’

Liz felt her back stiffen. ‘If it’s about the financing for Skin Plus, I have two meetings lined up in the new year,’ she said quickly.

‘What I have to tell you may make you reconsider,’ said Meredith. She sat back in her chair and paused.

‘I want you to be CEO of Asgill’s.’

Liz looked at her mother unblinking, not willing to let one trace of emotion show.

‘What about William?’ she said. Her brother had not taken the jet with them. Liz had thought it strange at the time, but now it was beginning to make sense.

‘He is stepping down. I spoke to him yesterday. It’s a very long story, but suffice to say William wants to spend more time with his family.’

Liz wasn’t sure if she had remembered to breathe. ‘What happened?’ she asked.