Page 156 of Bitter Secrets

As she reached the end of the couch, her hand curled into a fist. She forced her fingers to unfurl and swing by her side as she headed toward the high table displaying a festive arrangement of ruby amaryllis and berry sprigs.

“And you know Daiyu’s father as well.” She belied her inner tension by hopping onto a high chair and crossing her legs. “What a coincidence that we have so many mutual acquaintances.”

She fixed a smile on her face as she waited for him to address her veiled accusations. He stood there with his drink in hand and that poker-face that made her want to throw something to get a reaction from him. She drank enough Scotch to make her chest feel like it was on fire. When she exhaled, she was surprised smoke didn’t come out of her mouth. As one minute passed and then two, she betrayed herself by rapping her fingernails on the table before she caught herself. Clearly, he wouldn’t be pressured into an explanation, but she had to know… She dropped the smile and asked the question that plagued her ever since she reconnected with Penelope.

“You made a point to acquire as many of my father's contacts as possible, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

Even though she already knew the answer, his confirmation made her heart skip. “Why would you do that?”

He sipped his drink instead of answering, stretching her nerves to the breaking point.

“You wanted to prove that you could take them from my father? Or, are you giving them a false sense of security, so you can fuck them over later?”

“Why would I do that?”

“You want to destroy anyone associated with my father.” When he didn’t contradict her, she leaned forward. “Roth, I’ve known these people all my life. They’re my extended family. These aren’t strangers you’re playing with, these are my childhood friends.”

“It’s just business.”

“Just business,” she echoed. “That’s all this is to you?”

She stared at him as memories of the dinner they shared with the Davies slipped through her mind. She thought of baby Mariah, the townhouse filled with laughter and love, and William embracing Roth before they took their leave. None of that made a difference to him. His deadpan expression made her heart sink to her toes.

“Right. I forgot who I was talking to for a second.” She downed the last of her Scotch to drown out the foul taste in her mouth. “That’s what it always comes down to with you. That’s why you married me twice. Just business.”

Ice spread through her chest, making it hard to breathe. She focused on the cheerful red amaryllis and tried to find a pocket of calm as everything in her went into mad revolt. London seemed to be their chosen backdrop to battle, so it was only right that she continued their tradition.

“Next time we need to put on a show, I’d appreciate you letting me in on it. You don’t have to con me anymore. You were upfront this time around. I get it. I’m a prop. Don’t waste time feeding me lines. Just tell me who you’re trying to convince, and I’ll do it. That’s what I agreed to. You should trust me that much, at least.”

Her insides shriveled up to protect itself from this conversation, but what was a little more pain? She was a glutton for punishment. That was why she remarried him, right? She was so rigid, her back didn’t touch the chair back.

“I didn’t walk away when Kaia told me I should. I kept our story intact even after you attacked Thea and admitted you deliberately targeted me. I agreed to this, knowing you got a vasectomy without telling me!”

She surged off the chair. She couldn’t sit still when her insides were roiling. Her skin felt tight and hot, and she was a little lightheaded. She wasn’t sure whether that was from the Scotch, lack of sleep, or the fact that she was mercilessly cutting into raw wounds that hadn’t even begun to heal. A little voice in the back of her mind told her to stop and get away while she still had an ounce of dignity, but her mouth had other ideas.

“You’ve manipulated me, stole my freedom, exploited my weaknesses… You realized I was, what was it you said? Neglected and lonely?” She let out a harsh laugh as she ran both hands through her hair and resisted the urge to pull as her control slipped away. “You were spot-on. The one time you were truthful with me was the first time I came here—when you made it abundantly clear I had no place in your life. Leaving you was the best thing I ever did for myself. If I hadn’t, you would have thrown me out, and I’d have nothing.”

His stoic expression fanned her ire. Nothing touched him. She could cry and rage, and he wouldn’t feel a thing. So, why should she expend so much energy to contain herself? Since he shackled her to him, he could deal with her ugly, emotional outbursts. Maybe he would tire of her nagging and leave her behind on his next business trip. Or better yet, get rid of her altogether. On that optimistic thought, she started for him.

“I didn’t know you were such a good actor. You had Johnny and Aleixo eating out of the palm of your hand.”

And me.

The wave of shame made her queasy. She paused to lean against a chair for a moment. She examined him as he stood there with his glass in hand. So proud. So unmoved.

“No one could convince me that you didn’t have my best interests at heart. Even when you left me behind and called once a week for just a few minutes, I was so pathetically grateful.” Her mouth stretched into a shaky, self-deprecating smile. “You didn’t even have to say you loved me. I just assumed…” She shook her head. “Such a cliché. Sad little rich girl with daddy issues. A perfect set-up for a man like you.”

The window behind him lit up as lightning split the sky. The sound of the rain intensified and was punctuated by rolling thunder. It took everything she had to hold his gaze, but she was a fucking Hennessy. All those years of verbal and emotional abuse prepared her for James Roth. She would get through this.

“You put thousands of jobs at risk to get revenge on a dead man. Paid millions for a staged wedding to ensure society believes we’re star-crossed lovers, so you could set your plans in motion.” She tilted her head. “When does it end, Roth? How many people have to suffer before you’re satisfied?” Her hands balled into fists at her sides. “How long are you going to punish me?”

CHAPTER18

He didn’t move or speak. What did she expect? She bowed her head and gathered her strength to walk away. A heavy clack made her lift her head in time to see him set his tumbler on a glass table before he started toward her. Every fiber of her being screamed a warning, but she held her ground. What else could he do to her?

When he loomed over her, she searched his eyes, hoping to see guilt or remorse for the trauma he caused, but there was nothing. Not a flicker of emotion in those black pools that cataloged her every move.

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