Page 68 of Endgame

‘My bet is that it’s a wealth-preservation move. Two families, consolidating.’

‘But Melissa has no family. It’s just her, and she wasn’t jumping for joy the last time I checked.’

‘Maybe protection? Kevin’s father is…not a nice guy. I think Kevin spends a lot of his life doing as he is told.’

‘You think he was told to marry Melissa?’

‘The whole Kevin and Melissa thing is weird. They both always seem to want to be elsewhere.’

‘Maybe that’s where they should be.’

Dominic launches me away from him in time with the music, then pulls me back in so he’s behind me, holding me close as we dance. This in no way feels like I am dancing with my boss and it makes me a little uneasy. I feel him lower his head to speak into my ear.

‘Would you rather be elsewhere?’

‘Yes.’

‘Where?’

‘Anywhere but here.’

Dominic releases my waist but keeps hold of my hand as we leave the dance floor. He leads me past the people milling around outside and through the gardens surrounding the pavilion until we find a quiet bench.

‘You’ve been sad all day. Would you like me to see if I can get you back home to Singapore tonight?’

‘No, thank you, Dom. We made a commitment and I’d like to see it through.’

‘But you look like you’re aching, Aari. You may have been charming and excited when you were talking about the app, but you’re clearly hurting. What’s going on?’

‘Melissa is a monster. She has hurt so many people that I care about and I’m finding it really hard to be relaxed at what is clearly a sham wedding. But the people she has truly hurt seem to be okay, so who am I not to be?’

‘The pain of the observer is often greater than the sufferer; as it is bolstered by the limitless power of imagination.’

‘Who said that?’

‘No idea. How can I help? I can call Lara, take you back to mine for a little while, walk you back to yours? This thing is pretty much over.’

‘I think I need a walk to clear my head. I really hope this is the end of Melissa and everything that comes with her, Dom.’

‘I hope so too, and, if it’s not, we’ll figure it out. You’re not alone any more, Aari, you’ve got Samir and me now. What you went through to get Ivory Bow to the other side of that disaster wasn’t lost on me. Just because you’re tough and strong and you can carry this company through alone doesn’t mean you should. You were smart to demote yourself, but you don’t need a CEO because you can’t do the job, Ariella Mason, you’re more than competent. You need a CEO because someone needs to teach, support and look after you until you decide you want it, if you ever do; and that person can’t be me because I have conflicting interests.’

‘Dom, I need to tell you?—’

‘I know you’re back together with him, Aari. I genuinely hope it works out because, above everything else, I want you to be happy. It’s just that I see you doing a lot of fighting for this guy. I just hope he fights for you too.’

‘He does. The way Caleb shows up may not be visible to anyone else, but it matters to me.’

‘Just know, you can come to me for anything, Aari. Anything at all.’ Dominic extends his hand. ‘Let me walk you back to your villa.’

Lara and Honey are sitting together sweetly on the couch, watching a film, when I get back.

‘Hey!’ they say at the same time, their eyes glued to the screen.

‘Looks like you both had a lovely evening. What are you watching?’

‘Some French film about a guy in a wheelchair that hires a male nurse from the wrong side of the tracks,’ Lara says, waving me away.

‘Want to join us, Aari?’ Honey asks, moving to the edge of the couch. She pulls Lara towards her so that Lara will be sandwiched between us. It’s cute.

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