Page 76 of Ruined

An attendant usually cleared guests for entry near the gate, but this time, Aldrich looked through the digital camera on the gate’s wall and let me in through the smart system.

He opened the front door. A cream-colored robe clung to his shoulders, his gray chest hair visible through the opening. His eyes were bloodshot. Vomit stained the breast of his robe. An open bottle of whiskey was clutched in his hand.

“What the hell do you want now,” he muttered. He was drunk, slurring his words.

“I sold your company,” I said. My assistant had helped expedite a sale while I was at the academy, confirming the amount that afternoon. All we needed was the notarized purchase contract from the buyer. Aldrich tilted his chin up at me and blinked his eyes. “Three million dollars.”

“What?” he hissed. “That’s pennies compared to what it’s worth. You damn fool.” I smiled for the first time since Haley had left me. There was some pleasure in seeing his reaction. “This is outrageous. A fucking travesty. You lost money, Lucas. You damn fool.”

Money wasn’t what I needed from that exchange.

“I’m offering you that sum to help you in your transition,” I said, my voice cool.

“You stupid fucking fool,” Aldrich sneered.

“I’ll have my assistant talk with you about transferring the funds.”

I walked towards the door, stopping at a picture on the wall. Isa and Aldrich on their wedding day, that same smile that she had given me for years, a smile that I thought was mine. The same smile that had betrayed me.

And I had betrayed Haley worse than I could have imagined.

Moving forward, there were things I couldn’t change. But involving someone in my own stupid schemes wasn’t fair. At the very least, I could honor them by letting them know my intentions. I didn’t have to keep secrets from them.

“By the way,” Aldrich said, his voice suddenly clearer. “how was it over at the academy today? Did Nora go to the dance practice after all?”

The hair on the back of my neck stood up. “Nora?” I asked.

Aldrich laughed. “Don’t play dumb with me, Lucas. Tell me. Did Nora stand up to her sister for once, and practice with the rest of the team outside? Or did she hide like her cowardly sister wanted?”

My head pulsed. “Stay the fuck away from the academy,” I yelled. “From Nora. From Haley. Or I will fucking—”

“Do you think your threats matter to me?” He straightened his stance. “Kill me, Lucas. Try it. I have nothing left to lose. With Haley’s sister on the line, what will you do to honor the woman you love?”

His laughter echoed as I peeled out of the driveway. I had to wait for the idiot to open the damn gate. I called Haley repeatedly. Pleading for her to answer.

I didn’t know what Aldrich was capable of. Even if he hadn’t murdered his wives, there was an infinite amount of pain that he was capable of inflicting on the innocent.

I couldn’t let that happen.

Answer the phone, Haley, I thought. Answer me.