Page 116 of Rio

I’m going to publicly defend the woman I love and I don’t care if it costs me my position in the company.

I need to vindicate her.I need to restore her career—or at least salvage her name.Maybe she doesn’t want to go back to Tovey & Roth.Maybe that chapter is closed.But her reputation deserves better than what the old man did to it.

She deserves to know that when I said I loved her, that I cared about her, that I wanted the best for her—that I meant it.It wasn’t just empty words.

I want the old man’s actions exposed and challenged in real time.I want the damage to be visible, but the fallout must be strategic, and calculated.

Knight Enterprises can’t be burned to the ground, not while there’s still so much tied to it.

We can’t afford to walk away from it, and no way can we afford to ruin it.The old man’s authority will be wounded, not destroyed.He’ll be hit with something.Up to him how he weathers it.Personally, I don’t care what this costs me.I want an apology to Raquel.I want her name cleared, her reputation restored.I want her life to be put back together again.

It’s the only reason I’m doing this.

***

RAQUEL

“Come on.”Dani grins, looping her arm through mine.“It’s going to be fun.”

We’re having a girls’ night out.Kind of.At Jett’s apartment.It’s a place I’veneverbeen to.I get to see where the others live—Jett, Dex and Zach.

We arrived in New York earlier today.Dani spent a week with me, and it’s been wonderful.Exactly what I needed.I felt a little guilty, having her to myself, keeping her away from Dex, and from her work, though she worked online, often in the early morning, before I got up.

It’s been weird.Going from having my every hour diarized, every minute accounted for and billed, to suddenly havenothingto do.It’s been oddly freeing.But what saved me was having my bestie by my side, seeing me through the pain and taking care of me in my darkest hour.She had work and deadlines, and a life, but most days she stayed close.We watched rom-coms.Ate too much.Drank even more.I let myself fall apart in the safest place I know—next to her.A place Rio would once have had.Dani made me laugh when I didn’t think I could.She helped me forget.She helped meheal.

My heart still hurts, but it’s not quite as raw.

Occasionally, I’d overhear updates about Rio.Not from Dani directly—just things she’d let slip.He’s so mad at his father, and he’s working on something.Investigating.I didn’t press, and she didn’t offer much.But then one morning she looked at me and said, “Let’s go to New York.You need a change of scenery.We need a girlie night, somewhere else, out of this apartment.Away from here.And, you need to meet Cari.”

Cari.

Jett’s girlfriend.I’ve only met her a few times; when all the Knights came to our home in São Paulo, the day before Dex and Dani’s wedding, and then at the wedding.She seemed nice.Sweet.The perfect young mum to little Brooke.

I hesitated, because—well—Rio’s in New York, but in the end, I agreed.Ididneed a change.When Dani told me Cari had offered to host us at Jett’s apartment, in the afternoon, I didn’t know what to expect.

“Doesn’t she work?”I ask.I recall Dani telling me about Cari’s flower shop.

“She’s taking time off today.”

“For me?”

“She’s lovely.”Dani tugs me toward the door.“We’re growing close.You’ll always be my bestie, Raquel, but it’s nice to have someone here too.Someone who gets it.Cari offered to host, and I thought—it’s perfect.”

I glance at the sleek apartment block as we approach.I’ve never been here.I’ve only ever seen the apartment block where Rio and his brothers live.This place also feels expensive.

I pause at the door.“What if Jett’s home, with his brothers?”Though Rio likely won’t be here.He and Dex are close.

Dani laughs.“Relax.They’re still at work.There’s no Jett.No Dex.No fancy black-tie dinner tonight, and that would be at their father’s penthouse.That’s not something we’d willing want to attend.Relax, hon.It’s only the three of us, a couch, wine, and too many carbs.”

“You promise?”I still feel nervous, and I don’t understand why.I was fine, until we landed in New York.Somehow knowing that I could run into Rio, makes me feel anxious.

“I swear.Now get in there.”

The door opens before we can knock.Cari stands there, smiling softly.“Hey, Raquel, welcome.”To my surprise, she leans in and gives me a warm hug which I wasn’t expecting.

“Thank you for inviting me over.”I hold out a bag with chocolates, wine and a cuddly toy for Brooke.

“You shouldn’t have, but thank you.”She takes the bag, and she and Dani hug.“Thanks, for convincing her.”