Page 413 of Savage Bosses

And then the bitch had manipulated Tati into leaving.Fuck!How could she have let that woman's words make her pack up and flee like that? All Tati remembered was being terrified for Bryce. And being ashamed for being the reason he'd allowed his rage to drive him to kill.

She hadn't been able to face him. She hadn't been able to look into his eyes without feeling guilty. So, like a coward, she'd fled. And though she'd regretted it before her plane even landed, she'd been too embarrassed and ashamed to turn back.

She'd left little breadcrumbs, hoping he'd follow them to her. She'd used her real name at certain places, hoping when he searched for her, he'd find her. Yet, that never happened. And she was pretty sure it was because ofhim... Patrick Cattaneo.

"Please, Tati, forgive me. I know I messed up. But I needed you to know the truth before... before it's too late for me," Julia pleaded between sobs.

As Tatianna sat there, her fists clenched and her mind a whirlwind of emotions, she knew one thing for certain; Melinda would pay for what she'd done. No matter the cost, Tatianna vowed to bring her to justice and make her suffer for her actions.

"Tati..."

"Julia, I don't know if I can ever forgive you," Tatianna said coldly, her voice heavy with the weight of the betrayal. "But thank you for telling me the truth."

"I'm so sorry, Tati. Please forgive me. Don't let me die with the weight of this on my soul."

Tatianna's breaths came in shallow gasps as the cold reality of Julia's words settled over her. Her hand trembled, barely able to keep a grip on the phone. She felt like she had been struck by lightning, every nerve in her body screaming with the force of the revelation.

"Tati, please..."

"Julia..." Tatianna choked out, her voice barely above a whisper as she tried to process the information. "How could you be a part of this?"

"I-I didn't know what Melinda was planning, I swear!" Julia sobbed into the phone, desperation evident in her tone. "I just... I needed the money, Tati. She offered me so much, and I-I was sinking in debt."

"So, you ruined me and Bryce's life so you could survive?"

"Please, Tati," Julia cried, her voice cracking under the weight of her tears. "I'm so, so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen. I just wanted to make things right before I go."

Tatianna's eyes stung with unshed tears, a whirlwind of emotions clashing within her. The desire to scream at Julia, to curse her ass out and hang up the phone, battled against the instinct to comfort her dying former friend. She closed her eyes and drew a shaky breath, trying to steady herself as she fought to find the right words.

"Julia, I don't know if I can ever forgive you for what you've done," Tatianna admitted, her voice tight and strained. "But... I understand why you came clean now. And I appreciate that, at least."

"Please forgive me, Tati. Please..."

Tatianna opened her eyes. "God forgives, Julia. If you need forgiveness, see a priest, confess to God," Tati said, anger seeping into her voice as Julia tried to force her forgiveness. "But right now, I can't forgive you. And I may regret it later, but that's something my soul has to bear. Just like this is something yours has to bear."

"I just hope that, somehow, you can find it in your heart to forgive me one day. Even if it's after I'm gone."

Tears trailed down Tatianna's cheeks.

"Maybe," Tatianna replied, the word tasting bitter on her tongue. "But right now, I have to focus on finding Melinda and making her pay for what she's done."

"Please be careful, Tati," Julia implored. "Melinda is dangerous. So is her family. And she won't go down without a fight."

"Neither will I," Tatianna answered fiercely, her determination shining through the storm of emotions roiling inside her.

"One last thing," Julia told her. "I think... I think Bryce is seeing Melinda now."

Something inside Tatianna died. She didn't know what it was. But her body suddenly felt cold, and her heart was no longer racing. She wasn't sure it was beating at all. It had to be since she was alive. Or was she alive? This didn't feel like living.

"Thank you for telling me all of this. I mean it. I hope you get better. Miracles happen every day. I've got to go now. Goodbye, Julia," Tatianna said, ending the call as Julia continued to apologize.

She stared at the blank screen as she tried to make sense of the swirling emotions within her. Her hands tightened into fists, her mind racing with thoughts and questions. How could this have happened?

All these years, she had blamed herself for the attack. She had believed that her carelessness had led to that horrifying night when her life and Bryce's had been forever changed. And now Bryce was fucking the woman responsible for it all.

"Damn it," she cursed under her breath.

Her nails dug into her palm, the pain grounding her as she tried to figure out what her next move would be.Mom. She needed to call her mom. Tati dialed her mother's number. Her mom answered on the second ring.

---