Page 26 of This Is Our Forever

“They were nice,” I interrupt, still processing the day’s events.

He snorts and shakes his head. “They loved you. I’m the one in the doghouse.”

I laugh. “You can handle it, big guy. They adore Dylan so I think they’ll get over their problem with you pretty fast.”

“You think?”

“I know.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

NATHAN

The conference room is a pressure cooker, tension simmering beneath the surface.

Dad drums his fingers against the armrest, impatience etched into every tap. Janet from HR shuffles papers, her gaze fixed on the stack in front of her, while Marcus, our company lawyer, studies his tablet with laser focus.

I glance at my watch for the third time in as many minutes. Brad’s tardiness is just another item on the ever-growing list of grievances. How did I not see through his act sooner?

The door swings open, and he strolls in, fifteen minutes late and still exuding that false confidence. His eyes widen at the sight of the group, but he recovers and plasters on that familiar, insincere grin.

He stops and surveys the room. “What’s the occasion? Are we plotting a hostile takeover?”

I slide a thick manila folder across the table. “We’re ending your employment. Effective immediately.”

His smile fades, revealing his true emotions. “You can’t be serious. On what grounds?”

Janet clears her throat and begins listing the complaints. Sexual harassment. Substance abuse on company property.Misuse of company resources. With each accusation, Brad’s complexion pales further, the mask slipping away.

“This is bullshit,” he snaps, cutting her off mid-sentence. “It’s because of that white trash whore, isn’t it?”

Heat rushes to my face, rage burning under my skin. My fists clench beneath the table, and I struggle to stay seated. “Don’t you dare speak about Amelia that way. This is about you and your actions.”

His mouth twists into a bitter smile. “Oh, please. You’ve always been such a goddamn sanctimonious ass. Did you ever think maybe I never wanted to be your friend?”

The venom in his voice is startling, the pretense of friendship long gone. “The only reason I stuck around was to keep Daddy’s money flowing. It was alwaysNathan thisandNathan thatwith him. The golden boy who could do no wrong.”

He lets out a harsh laugh, his eyes filled with malice. “You want the truth? I’ve hated your guts for years.”

The admission shouldn’t sting, not after everything, but it does. I think back to the drunken nights in college, him standing beside me at my grandfather’s funeral, weekends at the lake house. Was any of it real?

I lean forward and meet his gaze. “If you hate me so much, why sabotage my relationship? Why go after Amelia?”

“Because I could.” His sneer widens. “It was too easy. Your precious Amelia—so trusting, so naïve. And you, so self-absorbed you never saw it coming.”

Dad’s hand grips my arm, and I force myself to breathe. “None of that matters now. Open the folder.”

His fingers twitch as he flips it open, the smirk slipping as he takes in the contents. Photographs spill across the table—Brad snorting lines off a nightclub bathroom sink, Brad with hishand up a woman’s skirt, Brad slipping an envelope to a known bookie.

“You’ve been under surveillance,” I say, keeping my tone level. “There’s more than enough here to ruin you.”

Marcus, the company lawyer, shifts in his chair. “The last page details the funds you’ve been siphoning from your department. I suggest you read it carefully.”

Brad’s hands shake as he flips to the last page. His face drains of color as he scans the breakdown of his embezzlement.

“This is a mistake. I can explain—”

“Save it.” I push a pen across the table. “Sign the termination agreement. Walk away now, and we won’t pursue legal action.”

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