Page 136 of Every Broken Promise
Bravo.
You had to give it to men. They possessed the real talent to diminish a woman’s accomplishments and render them insignificant.
“Then you should have brought someone else,” I said.
Tears threatened to spill. I was angry, ashamed, and felt foolish, but I knew I couldn’t fall apart yet. That was what worried me the most. Just what was Ronnie planning when he broke into my room?
“You have a chance here to do what’s right,” he stated.
Before I could question what he was talking about, he threw a copy of the paper that went out today back home.
With shaky hands, I reached for the paper, using the opportunity to lift off the bed slightly. I was now on the edge of the bed with one foot on the floor, ready to run. The paper was the least of my worries, but I still indulged Ronnie so that I could buy myself some time.
The first thing I noticed was that my “Around Town with Hart” segment was missing, but the column wasn’t.
The paper shook in my hands as I read the piece of crap that was written instead.
My anonymous column had a whole piece dedicated to the Kanes.
FORTY-SEVEN
It wasa smear campaign against the Kanes.
“Why would you do this?” I managed to choke out despite the pain.
All I could think of was telling Ty that I had something special planned for this weekend for him. My article on their business was supposed to come out. All the love I had for their family shone through every sentence.
Ronnie sat up straighter, and a humorless laugh left his lips.
“Oh, please, no one cares about your little boyfriend’s shop.” This time, he did let out a laugh that had the hairs on my arms rising. “I’d say what was written was more along the lines of what the people wanted.”
Up until now, I kept thinking I should play it safe and try to reason with him so I could get out of this unscathed, but all I could think about was Ty. He knew that the anonymous segment was mine.
Did he think I wrote that?
I was going to be sick.
It was like prom night all over again. One huge misunderstanding that could cost us everything.
“Get out of my room!” I snapped, pointing to the door with one hand while I reached for my phone with the other.
My legs were starting to hurt from the uncomfortable position I was in. I was ready to run at a moment’s notice. Ronnie still hadn’t made a move to get off the couch. The only bad thing was that the passageway to the hall was blocked.
“You were meant to be mine!” Ronnie screeched. “I did everything for you. Gave you chances, made your life easier, and what did you do? Go back to a man who didn’t value you.”
Ronnie’s face was red, his anger seeping out of him. I shouldn’t be surprised he knew about my past—he was a reporter, after all—but the ick I felt from that had the bile in my throat rising.
“Blowing off work to hang out with him, walking to him late at night, spending nights at his house…all for what? You’re just waiting for him to drop you again?”
I was going to throw up. It was one thing for him to look at me, but the stuff he was saying meant he had been watching me.
My eyes blurred once more, and I had to blink furiously to try and get my shit together.
“You’re going to break up with him,” he declared more calmly.
I choked a sob.
“Or else in the next issue I’ll reveal that you are the anonymous writer.”
