Page 21 of The Lies I've Told
I could see genuine pain in his eyes before I turned toward the door. I thought about asking him what he meant, but I got the feeling it was off-limits and not meant for me, a virtual stranger.
A stranger he’d slept with.
I tried not to think about that on my way back to my room, the one that sat next to his in the old family quarters. Aiden had left the door to his room partially open, and I thanked him for that small kindness, seeing as most of my stuff was apparently in here.
I took a cursory glance around the room. The first thing I noticed was the changes Molly had made. A long time ago, back before careers and responsibilities, this had been a safe haven for Molly and me. We’d run in here when we were scared, huddling under the covers of our parents’ large bed when the house would creak and groan in the middle of the night.
But seeing it now, I barely recognized it.
Everything from the paint on the walls to the furnishings had been updated, tying it in with the rest of the inn rather than separating it like before.
A part of me was indeed sad. So many memories had been shared in these two bedrooms that were always ours.
Just the family.
But I was glad to see my sister moving on. Once tied to this place physically and emotionally, she’d found that elusive balance everyone talked about. The perfect mix of career and family life.
Aiden had said I’d spoken of her with jealousy. Looking around at everything she’d accomplished while my own life was falling to pieces, it was hard not to be.
Grabbing my suitcase and other miscellaneous items that had been strewn about during my drunken night of debauchery, I headed out the door to my own room, thinking of only one thing—a long, hot shower.
But the moment I unlocked the door, my phone began to ring. I answered it without bothering to look. I’d already turned in my work phone and shut off all my email accounts, so who could it really be? No doubt, based on the time, it was my sister calling to check on things.
“Hello?” I said, a small grin on my face as I set my things down.
“Millie?” a distinctly male voice replied.
“Lorenzo?” I said, recognizing his accent almost immediately. “What do you want?” I didn’t bother covering up my disdain for the man.
When everything had fallen apart yesterday, he’d treated me like everyone else had.
Like a fucking whore.
“I am so sorry,mi amore. This was the soonest I could call you.”
His little nickname for me, which used to make me blush, suddenly felt wrong. It grated against my ears as I shut the door to my room and took a seat on the bed.
“It’s been twenty-four hours since I walked out of your office, Lorenzo. You couldn’t carve out a few minutes since then to check on me?”
“I’ve been dealing with the board. It’s been a mess.”
I shook my head, unable to believe his bullshit this time. I’d fallen for it one too many times. “It’s not like they haven’t had to deal with this sort of thing before. You’re not exactly discreet.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “But, usually, it isn’t made public to the entire company. Or the press.”
My eyes widened as the significance of that email took on a whole new meaning.
“The press?”
Oh God, what would my family think if they found out?
“You should be fine. No one cares who I have affairs with—at least, not anymore. I have had my share of distractions over the years. This is no different.”
Distractions.
That was all I was, just another distraction. I should have known.
When would it stop hurting?
