Page 149 of Violet

Stephan

Screw her.

For the past week, Violet’s returned everything I’ve sent her. Or at least had them sent to Pen’s place.

My so-called aunt’s even chastising me. She seems to take great delight in letting me know Violet’s been rejecting my apologies.

And me?

I thinkbenderis the word. Drinking, gambling…

Shit. Tonight, I’m going to go out, paint the fucking town of Emporia red with a nice little starlet I met and befriended on my last film. She wants the exposure, and I want to show Violet I’m just fine without her.

I’m not, but I’ll pretend to be. I just can’t think of how to get through to her.

“Can you stop pacing, Stephan,” Pen says on the phone screen where I’ve sent the video call.

I eye her with the dislike I save for the battle-ax. “Why’d you call?”

“Darling, you called me. I just texted about the failure of your latest attempt to win your mate back. Who knew diamonds don’t work for some.”

“What the fuck does she want, then? I’ve tried everything.”

“Maybe the unfettered truth and a real apology. Maybe for you to do something actually meaningful.”

“I’mtrying.”

“You fucked up.”

I grab the bottle of bourbon and take a deep swallow. I’m fucking aware. And it hurts like I never imagined.

“She wants this bond gone,” I say.

“Do you blame her? Sophine and your father screwed up by not helping you with Cecilia, but things happen. Things out of our control. And Cecilia?—”

“That was me. I killed her. I killed the baby.”

“Oh, my love, that’s bullshit and you know it. You’re simply not that powerful. Life happened. And maybe part of that’s my fault. I should have stopped you when I saw you with her that first time. It was early enough.”

I frown, take another swallow. “You couldn’t.”

“I knew what she was. If you’re that powerful then I should have seen it.”

“Don’t be stupid.”

She offers a sad smile. “Some things are just not meant to be. You know that.”

I’ve had enough. “Violet doesn’t want me anymore.She’s rejected me. And I deserve it because I…I never deserved her. Talk to you later.”

“Stephan—”

I hang up and slump down on my sofa.

I know what happened, and I know I fucked up, and I know that I should have laid it out, bare bones, to Violet from the start.

But I didn’t. And I can’t take that back.

My doorbell rings.

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