Page 103 of The Glittering Edge

Charles’s smile fades. “With the company.”

“Barrion Heating and Cooling?” Giovanni laughs. “Sorry, Chuck, I don’t have a college degree.”

“The company is failing, Gio. We just closed the worst year in our financial history, and if we have another one like this, I’ll be forced to shut it down.”

“Tough,” Giovanni says, and he turns to leave.

“You’ll want to hear me out,” Charles says.

Giovanni laughs. “I’m confused, Chuck. Why do you think I’d ever agree to help you?”

“Because of our shared history,” Charles says, and it’s clear he’s not talking about the two of them. Their shared history is a person.

Giovanni glances at the framed photograph of Ellie Barrion above the fireplace. “What about her?”

“Your wife didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“You see, I had a hunch,” Charles says. “It’s odd that Ellie would’ve agreed to marry me so suddenly. I’d wanted her for years, so why did she choose that moment to say yes?”

Giovanni looks suddenly stricken.

“The way your relationship ended was so abrupt, it was like…” Charles pauses thoughtfully. “Like death. Like something significant between you had disappeared.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about—”

“A love spell.”

Charles’s words echo in the empty library.

“That’s what you used, wasn’t it?” Charles says. “Ellie never truly loved you at all.”

“You’re wrong,” Giovanni says, his voice cracking.

“Not according to your wife.” Charles smiles. “You don’t think she was so distraught over my visit, do you? She was upset because I guessed the truth, and she couldn’t hide it. I’m surprised you told her.”

“She deserved to know,” Giovanni says. “I’m not that man anymore. I’ve grown up.”

Charles smiles again. “But Ellie doesn’t know.”

Giovanni’s green eyes are wide. Then he’s laughing, hysterically, bent over and resting his hands on his knees, tears coming out of his eyes.

“Of course,” Giovanni says. “Ofcourse. You’re blackmailing me.”

“I’m asking you to use your magic to help my company. We need everyone to gain confidence in us again.”

“You mean help you lie. Change the numbers people see in your financials. Make it so that peoplewantto invest in Barrion Heating and Cooling.”

Charles raises his hands as if to sayYes, good job, you’ve got it.

“And if I don’t?” Giovanni says, even though it’s clear he already knows what will happen. He just wants Charles to say it out loud.

“I will share with Ellie that her entire youth was ruined by a selfish witch’s love spell,” Charles says.

“She’s with you now,” Giovanni says. “She won’t care.”

“Oh really?”

---