Page 44 of Entwined
My face flushed with a mix of surprise and regret. “You should’ve told me,” I murmured, the words coming out before I could stop them.
He let out a bitter laugh. “He did it on purpose, Joey. He knew how I felt about you.”
I pursed my lips, a wave of anger rising within me. “It’s your fault, Vaughn. You should’ve said something. You had so many years to say something, to do something. And the history between our families is so messed up.”
Vaughn’s expression hardened, a flicker of pain crossing his features. “You reminded him of your mother, and he was forced to marry mine.”
I sighed, the weight of his words pressing down on me. “He loved Poppy.”
“But not like Margaret,” Vaughn said, the finality in his tone making my heart ache.
The room fell into a heavy silence, both of us lost in the tangled web of our shared past. The years of unspoken feelings, the manipulation, the lost opportunities—they all hung between us, a silent testament to what could have been. But as Vaughn stood there, watching me with those familiar eyes, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was too late for us to ever be friends. Or if maybe, just maybe, we could find a way to rewrite our story.
Chapter 18
As the anniversary of Colson’s death passed, a somber tension settled over us all. We paid tribute to him in our own ways, each trying to cope with the loss. I finally found the courage to step into our bedroom, a place I had avoided for too long.
Vaughn had helped by asking the staff to donate Colson’s clothing, and he, Easton, and Simone had chosen pieces of jewelry or watches to keep. I kept Colson’s wedding ring in a box on my dresser, while I still wore my diamond-encrusted wedding band, knowing that someday I would have to remove it and move on.
Three days after the anniversary, Vaughn was in a foul mood, snapping at everyone, nearly bringing Simone to tears during a meeting in his office. She came to me afterward, her face flushed with frustration.
“You have to say something to him,” Simone pleaded, her voice trembling. “You’re not at the mansion, and he’s been impossible. He’s been drinking a lot, sitting in Daddy’s office all night.”
I sighed, rubbing my temples. “He’s sad, Simone. I understand.”
“I miss you there,” she admitted, reaching across my desk. Her hand was cold, trembling slightly. I took it, squeezing gently.
“You can stay with me if you want,” I offered. “I don’t see Easton much. He spends most of his time with Priscilla.”
Her eyes brightened slightly. “He’s going to marry her; I just know it.”
“How are your wedding arrangements going?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation to something lighter.
She shrugged, her smile fading. “Logan’s dragging his feet. Vaughn has him so busy that he doesn’t have much time.”
I frowned, feeling a surge of irritation. “I’ll talk to Vaughn. Maybe I can convince him to let Logan take some time off.”
Simone’s eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands. “Someplace warm. Maybe Fiji.”
I chuckled softly. “Anywhere you want.”
She sprang up from the chair, her energy suddenly restored.
“Simone, where are you going?” I called as she reached the door.
“To tell him!” she said excitedly.
“Not yet,” I warned, shaking my head. “I need to talk to Vaughn first. Don’t tell Logan anything.”
She bit her lip, smearing her lip gloss as she hesitated. “Can you do it now?”
I exhaled loudly, feeling the weight of the request. “All right.”
Simone nodded and hurried back to her office. I stood, steeling myself for the confrontation. Vaughn had been pushingeveryone hard, and Logan had been caught in the crossfire, toiling for months without receiving two quarterly bonuses or his yearly review. That was Vaughn’s responsibility, but he had neglected it.
I decided it was time to address everything at once, consequences be damned. I was tired of tiptoeing around everyone else’s emotions while my own grief festered. Colson was gone, the man I thought I would spend the rest of my life with, and now I was alone. And I was angry—angry at the world, at fate, and at Vaughn for his behavior.
Ignoring Vaughn’s assistant, I barged into his office unannounced. I immediately regretted not knocking when I caught the unmistakable sound of low moans. Vaughn was watching pornography, a smug grin on his face as he took a sip from the glass on his desk.
