Page 79 of Nothing Breaks Like A Heart

"Has he filled in the empty cases?"

"Yes. Every last one. And the last one is…well, you'll see it soon enough." He paused. "Where's your other half?"

"Talking to Bennett. They're working on some deal together. But Bennett seemed like he was already a little drunk, so I don't know how that's going to go."

"Has Andrew talked to you about Allison?"

"No. He's been very distant, focused on getting through what we need to get through, and nothing else. I think he stopped pretending, even though I never thought he was pretending. But now I do. I just don't know why he would have ever wanted to fake something with me. Why marry me? Why go through all this? I'm not rich. I don't have anything of value."

"You have connections," Ethan said. "Marrying you got him into the marketing campaign and gave him access to not only this resort and this villa, but also one of Victor's private and very exclusive parties."

"And now that he has those connections, maybe he's ready to walk."

"I doubt he'll walk too fast. He'll want this to play a while longer, make sure he's on solid ground with the Carringtons before he pulls the plug on his relationship with you."

I stared at him. "You make it sound like a foregone conclusion."

"I'm sorry. I thought we were done pretending."

His pointed words made me draw in a sharp breath, but then I gave a nod. "You're right. My defensive reflex has been to say you're wrong, to act like everything will be okay and that I haven't made the worst mistake of my life, that I still know the man I married. But I don't. I have no idea who he is anymore, and that's shocking to me. Now and then, the old Andrew pops up with his dazzling, caring smile and his attentive manner, but that's happening less frequently, and since Allison's death, it hasn't happened at all. He can barely stand to look at me. I don't know how we're going to get through the next twenty-four hours, much less the next few days or weeks. I can't imagine once we leave this island that we'll want to spend even one more second together. Maybe I should stop pretending right now. What am I waiting for?"

He put a hand on my shoulder when I finally ran out of steam, giving me a concerned look. "As much as I would like you to stop everything and get the hell out of here, I know it's not that simple, and so do you."

"Maybe I'm making it too complicated," I argued. "It's getting to be really hard to be with him, especially alone. Although, it seems like he's trying to avoid those moments, too. But you're right again. I can't bail now. I have to get through tomorrow's events so I don't lose my job, because I'm going to need it when this is all over."

He gave my shoulder a squeeze. "It's not too much longer, Lauren. You can do it."

"I have to do it. What is happening with the investigation? Is Allison's family coming here to the island?"

"No. The sheriff's office located her father. He's in Europe and said he would pay for everything, but he wouldn't be coming."

"That sounds cold."

"He said he hadn't seen her in fifteen years. Her mother hasn't returned any calls. She had no siblings."

"But she had friends. She had three guys on this island who cared about her. And when I looked at her social media, she seemed very popular. I'm sure a lot of people will mourn her death."

Ethan shrugged. "Social media doesn't always reflect the true picture of someone's life or their relationships. I spoke to Colin and Jay earlier. They expressed all the right emotions. But there was also a wariness in their answers, as if they didn't want to be looked at too closely. It was the same feeling I got from Andrew. I honestly don't know how any of them really felt about her, but there was definitely a relationship between all of them."

"I think Andrew cared about her. That's why he's upset now. Even though they weren't currently involved, they had a past."

"Does that bother you?"

"There are so many things that bother me, Ethan, I couldn't even tell you where that falls on the list."

He gave me an understanding smile. "Well, you don't need to worry about anything tonight. You should try to enjoy this incredible party."

"This is not my scene, Ethan. I didn't grow up with money. The only luxury I ever saw was in the hotels where my mom worked. But I was the kid who knew the back rooms, the kitchens, and the laundry—not the five-star guest rooms, the ballrooms, or the fancy parties."

"Well, this is your world now, at least for tonight."

I sighed. "I know. At midnight, my coach will turn into a pumpkin, and I'll be dressed in rags."

"And where will your prince be?" he asked.

"I honestly have no idea."

I gasped as the house and patio were suddenly plunged into darkness.

---