Page 106 of Obsessed with the Heartbreaker

“Well, that’s…I cannot say I’m not surprised,” Connell said after he recovered from the shock. “I don’t understand how anyone could reject you. Idiots! Just tell me who they are and I might just get the urge to call them and tell them what they’re missing out on—”

“No.Don’t.”

Connell gave me an understanding yet stubborn look. “Antony, I think it’s very noble of you to want to do this by yourself, but getting a little help won’t hurt anyone—”

“I’ve decided I won’t be doing any internships this year, so there’s no point.” Putting my cutlery down and giving up on eating for now, I added, “As much as it would be a smart career decision to get started early, I realized I was doing it for the wrong reasons.” My gaze met Henry’s for a beat, and under his steady, unrelenting attention, I added, “I want to get my head straight first. Actually allow myself to enjoy college. Live a little.”

Something flashed in Henry’s eyes and I felt a foot slide against mine, making my entire lower body tingle.

A tightening grip on my hand reminded me we weren’t alone, though, and I turned to my mother, who, instead of questioning my decision, was smiling warmly at me.Compassionately. “You’re not upset?” I asked, voice suddenly tight.

I’d been so worried about breaking the news out to her, worried that she’d be disappointed and try to mask it, worried that she’d realize I wasfailingat my only job…

“Not at all.” She kissed the top of my head, threatening to tug way too many emotions out of me too early in the evening, but somehow, it was Henry who saved me from embarrassing myself.

“Speaking of internships,” he started, putting down his own cutlery with a clank on the plate, “I guess it’s a good time to announce that I won’t be continuing with your business.”

“Henry, dear—” Marina started while her husband was silent, jaw tight.

“I willnotbe continuing with your business, as I’ve saidmanytimes before, and I’ve already got several interviews lined up for my own internships.”

Did he really?

When had all of this happened?

“Is this you trying to punish me?” Connell asked. “Are you really doing this just to spite us?”

Henry’s face was pure determination. “No, Father, this isfor me. For a long time, Iwastrying to spite you and get back at you, but not anymore.” His eyes fleeted to mine, looking a bit shiny but so steady, I wanted to reach out and hold his hand. “I’m doing this for myself, and for my own happiness. Antony helped me see that.”

The latter statement seemed to shock Connell more than the first one. “You mean…” He looked between the two of us. “I thought—”

“That’d I’d try to punish Antony for actually trying to help me, even when you wanted him to somehow manipulate me into doing your bidding?” Henry’s tone was cold as ice. “I think Antony deserves an apology.”

“No apology necessary,” I said quickly.

“Antony.”

“No.” Everyone was staring between us like this was a tennis match and not a dinner, but now I’d started telling truths, not even a hurricane could have stopped me. “I don’t want an apology, because I’ve been trying for so long to prove that I was worthy. Worthy of your help,” I said, looking at the rest of the table. “Worthy of my parents’ legacy. Trying to live up to their standards, even when they never told me I had to, and trying somehow to…prove to myself that I wasn’t a failure. I tried to be the best all the while feeling like the worst, like I was failing at life for not having everything, but didn’t realize that I already have a life. A life that’s worth my attention and friends that already see me as worthy. Henry helped me see that.”

My voice cracked as I said his name. It felt like my feelings must have been written all over my face and I didn’t have the energy or the will to hide them—not from Henry, not from everyone else, all quietly astonished at our show.

“Oh,” my mother said, the first to break the ice. “Is that right?”

Her tone wasn’t inquisitive at all, more like…amused. I glanced at her, trying to decipher it, but she just covered her smile by drinking a sip of her wine.

“I see that…our Henry hasn’t been entirely wasting his time, then,” Connell started, speaking like he was trying to benicebut he still didn’t get it, did he?

My hand tightened around my fork in an attempt to not do something stupid, but my rant came out of me with the ferocity of a forest fire.

“Henry hasn’t been wasting his timeat all. I don’t know how else to say this, Connell, but your son is every bit as worthy of your praise and respect as I am. Maybe he’s not constantly trying to be at the top of his class just to have a stupid valedictorian title, but he’s more than successful. He’s a natural at what he does. He’s thoughtful, determined, and a wonderful leader and friend. He makes people actually want tofollow him, inspiring both respect and trust in everyone who knows him, and people obey him because he’s proven himself time and time again to be worthy of that trust. He might be an asshole,” I didn’t even bother apologizing for cursing, I was so heated up. “But everyone loves him anyway. So, I’ll be very blunt, but you should give him a break and open your eyes to realize the wonderful son that you have, because everyone would be lucky to have him in their life, and it’s you who’s wasting your time by trying to make him be something that he isn’t. He’s not someone who’s just appealing on paper because of good grades—”

I didn’t think it was exaggerating when I said that everyone was a bit appalled at my outburst. I was losing heat and my chest was tightening becauseGod, this sounded like a love confession already, and so it was right then that Henry had to decide to go on a rampage of his own.

“You’renotjust appealing on paper because of good grades,” he said, glaring at me before looking at everyone else. “Antony is always giving himself a hard time because he’s good, hard-working, and possibly the most stubborn person other than me in this fucking room, but you all should stop enabling him and making things worse by only asking him about his grades and his career and instead let himbreathe. He doesn’t need anyone’s help to achieve anything in life because he’ll do wonderfully on his own, and not only would anyone be lucky to have him as an employee, but also as a friend, and I, as stupid and hard-headed as I can sometimes be, know from experience.”

Fuck.

I didn’t know why the fact that Henry was actually admitting to us beingfriends, at least at some point, hit me harder than anything else. I felt almost numb with shock and fearful hope, and no one else in the room existed for one long blissful moment.

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