Page 89 of Relentless

“Of course, those cowards backed him,” she snarled, feeling her chest tightening. Replaying the last year of their marriage through her mind like a Shakespearean drama, she realized Shep had merely been lying in wait for his golden opportunity. He had undoubtedly practiced the sob story of his broken heart to the point of perfection, and had presented his case with such conviction that he had nearly convinced himself of his victimhood.

“It was one time!” she pleaded to the empty, silent darkness surrounding her. The truth didn’t matter when an entire stadium full of people had heard her confess. She gritted her teeth, feeling a surge of indignation. “You cheated too, you son of a —”

Her words were interrupted by the heavy church door swinging open, casting light onto the bright white snow.

Much to her aggravation, Maeve appeared in the doorway.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

Her concerned expression made Harper want to put her fist through the brand-new stained glass window.

“I’ve had about enough of this, and enough ofyou,”Harper bit back. A harsh rasp entered her tone as she choked down her loss of composure.

Maeve dared to reach for Harper’s wrist. “Harper, you’re sheet white,” she observed. “Will you talk to me?”

She swept Maeve’s hand away as though it were a disgusting bug. “Don’t touch me,” she threatened.

Maeve took a step back, respecting Harper’s boundaries.

“I’m sorry, Harp.”

Even her calm reaction set fire to Harper’s temper. Everything within her wanted to lash out and hurt someone, especially Maeve.

“I don’t need you — I never have,” she snapped. “I was better off when you left.”

Harper felt her sister analyze her as though she were trying to read her inner thoughts.

Maeve inhaled a long breath, glancing behind her at the ongoing situation in the church. “I’m going to get Oakleigh, and she can take you home.”

Harper’s lip curled in disgust. “Do that.”

Maeve disappeared inside the church, allowing Harper’s focus to return to her phone screen. Her stomach turned, noticing that Delia had still not responded.

“Fine, I’ll just call you,” she mumbled. Scrolling through her contacts, she tapped on Delia’s name. It rang until rolling straight to voicemail.

Swiping her thumb, she tapped again on her social media feed. She slammed her finger down on Pacific Crest Christian Church’s currentlivestream.Wrapping her arm across her middle to preserve any remaining heat, she scanned the scene. Her eyes locked on the litany of familiar faces who had helped Shepard twist the knife.

Shepard Davenport was standing on stage with the elders. Their hands were on his shoulders, solemnly praying around him.

His charade had fooled them all.

She brought the screen closer to her eyes, which threatened to freeze open in the frigid temperatures. Blinking away the blurred image until her vision cleared, what she saw made her already chilly blood run ice cold in her veins. Amongst those standing beside him in solidarity — wasDelia.

Bile crept into her throat.

“No, no, no,” she begged.

Harper was finally understanding the plot.

Delia was doing precisely what she had promised. She was controlling the narrative atHarper’sexpense. Watching her future crumble before her eyes, she frantically called Delia again.

Focusing on the livestream, she hoped to see a flash of recognition in her best friend’s expression. Perhaps it would remind her of the decades of history they had together — or even the weighty, reputation damaging secrets that Harper held loosely in her grasp.

On screen, Delia pulled her phone from her pocket. Her lip curled into a smirk as she promptly declined the call. She edged closer to Shep, putting her hand on his shoulder and ran her thumb across his smooth shirt. He reached up and grabbed her hand, offering her a look of gratitude.

Their subtle gestures told Harper everything she needed to know. The two had been doing much more than justscheming.

“Thatidiot,” she choked out. If Shep thought that Delia would ever leave her fabulous life for him, he was a bigger moron than she had always assumed. He was a fling, a notch in her belt. Even when Delia had the entire world at her fingertips, she had always been envious of Harper.

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