Page 114 of Rival Hearts

“That’s not how this business works,” Alex said. “And I can’t ask my brothers to do something like that. It’s not fair of me to make a choice based on their money.”

I narrowed my eyes, trying to understand, but the truth was I couldn’t see it the way he saw it. All I heard was that if he did the right thing, he would lose money.

“So, this is either about saving the environment or making a lot of money.”

“No,” Alex said.

“What do you mean, ‘no’?”

“It’s a lot more complicated than that. I’m not your father, Charlotte.”

For some reason, bringing my dad into the mix hit a nerve, and I was suddenly furious.

“You know what?” I snapped. “It sounds a lot like you’re exactly like my dad.”

Alex was furious now, too.

“This isn’t about the money!”

“Of course it is! If you change, then you lose money. If you don’t, then you keep money. What am I getting wrong about that equation?”

“It’s not that simple,” he said again.

I shook my head. “You keep saying that, but I’m not seeing how there’s anything complicated about that fact.” My head hurt, and blood rushed in my ears. This wasn’t what I’d come here to talk about, but this was bigger than a baby right now.

Because if this was how Alex was going to be, I couldn’t be with him. How could I tie my life to someone who was exactly the person I’d been trying to avoid?

I’d thought Alex was different. Sure, he had a lot of money, but he was nothing like others in his position, always running after the money.

It turned out I was wrong.

Alex was exactly like the rest of them, and I wasn’t willing to live that life.

“I have to go,” I said.

“You’re just going to leave?”

“What do you want? Should I stay? Talk about this? We’re not going to see eye to eye.”

“You’ve already decided you want to see me in a certain light. It doesn’t matter what I do, you’re never going to see things differently.”

“Don’t pretend to know what I’m thinking,” I said hotly. “And I’m not just leaving because I’m not willing to talk about it. I’m leaving because I don’t think this thing between us is going to work.”

Alex stared at me. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. This isn’t working.”

“So, you’re just going to walk out on this, on us?”

I squared my shoulders. I hated that this was what it was coming to. “I guess that’s what I’m doing, yeah.”

Alex shook his head, and for a moment, he looked completely shattered. But then he slipped that expressionless mask back into place, and he was the cold businessman again, the man underneath, vulnerable and sensitive, gone completely.

“Fine,” he said coolly. “If that’s what you think is best.”

“I do.” I turned on my heel, marching out of the door. I could barely see where I was going with the tears blurring my eyes, but I wasn’t going to stop and turn back, and I sure as shit wasn’t going to tell him I was wrong.

Leaving him was the right thing to do. How could I live with someone, date him, love him, when he was just like my dad had been all along?