Page 38 of Forgive You

I let out something that’s half a snort, half a laugh, but regardless, it’s filled with contempt. “I can’t believe I loved you once. How can you do this to me? To your brother?!”

I only had a sibling for a short period of time, but I can’t imagine trying to destroy his life just to get what I want. Isn’t there this secret code that siblings are supposed to stick together? That they should take care of each other? Protect each other?

“Oh, please,” Jacob sputters. “You never wanted to take over Bradford anyway.”

“I wanted to do it differently! I never said I didn’t want it.”

Sure, I was gonna update stuff, processes, look for different ways of marketing that my father is hesitant to use because “it all works just fine.” But I never said I didn’t want to take over Bradford Real Estate.

I love being a real estate agent.Loved.I’d enjoy strolling through each new listing, taking a glimpse into everyone’s home unapologetically. I had plans to expand our reach to the rest of the country, and I even was planning to aim at luxury homes in Charlotte at some point.

Now that’s nothing more than a pipe dream.

“Come back to me and we can do it together.”

“Are you serious?”

“Come on, babe. Give me another shot.”

Oh my god.He really fucking is. He thinks that after assaulting me, blackmailing me, and manhandling me in front of his brothers, he still has a fucking shot? That I would actually take him back? Have I been that much of a pushover all these years?

I guess the answer is clear, and it doesn’t help my self-esteem.

I should have broken up with him long before I did.

“You had enough chances.”

“I know. But I miss you.” For a minute, the gravity of his words hits home, but then his vicious side returns like he’s stepping into his true form again. “But I suppose you replaced me with Jason, haven’t you?”

He has the fucking balls to sound indignant, as ifIam doing all this shit tohim.

“He won’t talk to me, Jacob!” I yelp, frustration aching in my bones as I move back to the kitchen. “I can’t talk to my parents! I can’t talk to Charlotte, because she’ll know what’s up within a heartbeat and march into that office,myoffice, and kickyoursorry ass. You’ve completely isolated me.”

They all knew something was up the moment I packed my bags and caught a plane to California, but they all are too understanding to pry, probably praying I’ll tell them what the fuck is going on eventually.

But this motherfucker has me in a fucking chokehold, and now I can’t even fucking tell them all the other shit I’m worried about because I fear it will lead to them asking questions about everything else.

Emotion overwhelms me, threatening to drag me under like it has all weekend.

“I’m sorry, okay?”

No, he’s not. Jacob Spencer doesn’t have a regretful bone in his body, or he wouldn’t be doing this to me.

I shake my head, willing the sadness to disappear from my eyes. “Sorry for what? If you’re so sorry, you would tell my dad the truth. You wouldn’t lie to them the way you are. You can’t turn my family against me like this.”

Vigorously, I start to pull the remaining groceries from the bag and slam them onto the counter one by one.

“Your dad will forgive you. It might take a while. But you know he will. You’re the apple of his eye.” He says it with so much blasé that it’s uncanny.

He needs mental help, I swear.

“The apple who stole 50k from him, if I let you have your way.” I chuck the fruity loops into the cabinet. “Look, I moved to LA, I will stay here, and I will give you my share of the company. But you will return that money and we’re gonna come up with some kind of excuse.”

I’ve accepted that I won’t have a future at Bradford Real Estate. I even debated starting my own company, and maybe when I’ve regained my confidence, I fucking will. But what I won’t accept is him stealing from my father and blaming me.

It’s one thing to make my folks believe I don’t want the company, but it’s a whole other letting them believe I’m a fucking thief.

“No, Julie. We won’t,” he snarls with a sneaky little laugh.

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