Page 118 of Trailer Park Billionaire

And I ruined that.

I betrayed you. I betrayed your trust. I betrayed what we had.

And I am so, so sorry.

I know what you’ve survived. What you’ve endured.

And I never should’ve added to it.

Now, all that matters is that you’re safe.

That no one—not my father, not my brother, not me—ever gets to hurt you again.

In the end, I just need you to know one thing, and I wish I could have told you in person sooner, but?—

I love you.

I know you have no reason to believe me, but I really do love you.

I hope, one day, you’ll find someone who is deserving of you.

I hope you’ll find someone who tells you the truth even when it’s ugly.

Someone who will stay with you. Forever.

Because you deserve that.

You always have.

—Ben

P.S. You’ve got custody of Reuben now. Please look after him and his kids and make sure they know that I love them (by giving them his favorite potato chips).

P.P.S. Alex will be fine, but if you can please make sure he doesn’t eat the raccoon’s leftovers.

41

HELENA

Ifold the letter back up with trembling hands. Not neatly. Not delicately. But with fists of rage.

How dare that asshole make it so difficult for me to hate him?

Then I turn to Alex. “Why can’t you bring me to him?”

Alex shrugs.

“What exactly is that idiot doing right now?”

I have a sneaking suspicion of what he might be up to. And I do not approve.

Ben’s friend looks like he wants to lie. He opens his mouth and closes it again, like a fish gasping for air in a tank that’s just been knocked off the shelf.

“I’m not supposed to say,” he finally mutters.

I narrow my eyes at him.

“He—look, it’s not?—”