Page 57 of Best Served Hot
‘Everything you did. Tricking your way into this job so you could ruin my life? Cheating on me? Sending your new girlfriend to blackmail me? You’re OK with doing all that because I deserve it?’ asked Ethan off-camera.
Video Nicole smiled. ‘I guess I am.’
Ethan paused his recording there, grinning. ‘Well, I think that’s all I needed. So now you two haven’t got a leg to stand on. I get to keep my money, and you get to keep your mouths shut about anything I might have done. Way better than a postnup.’
‘Was that sitting in your pocket, recording us?’ Nicole asked.
‘Yeah. I’m amazed you didn’t spot it.’
‘Jesus, just when I think you can’t sink any lower,’ Nicole sighed. She wasn’t angry, just fatigued.
Alex was right there with her. This bloody thing wouldn’t end.
‘I’m just protecting myself in all this,’ Ethan told her smugly.
‘This isn’t about that. We could have just done this like I said, through lawyers.’ Nicole stared at him, disgusted. ‘But you had to go lower.’
Ethan glared at her. ‘Don’t try to shame me. It can’t be done.’
‘I’m starting to get that,’ Nicole said.
He rolled his eyes. ‘Look, shut up, alright? I’m not done. We’re still doing the postnup. I’ll have my solicitor send it to whatever hovel you can afford now. Sign it, and then we can do the divorce. I’ll have your shit put in a storage bin, and I’ll send you the keys. The locks tomyhouse are already changed, by the way.’
Nicole stared at him like she was trying to set him on fire. ‘And what about Alex?’
He smiled. ‘Oh, but that’s the best part.’
‘I already know you’ve made some calls and burned my name, right? We’ve done this part,’ Alex said quickly. She was ready to get the fuck out of there and take Nicole with her. She didn’t want to listen to any villainous speeches.
But Ethan was having his nasty moment and would not be hurried. ‘Not at all. I realised something. Now I’ve got this video. It’smuchbetter if I let you work. Then you’ve got something to lose. You can wait for this to come out for the rest of your life, and every success you ever have can only make it worse. Every credit, every award, you’ll know I can show up whenever I please and take it all away. You’ll never know peace.’ He looked at Nicole. ‘Either of you.’
Alex had to hand it to him. That wasn’t bad revenge. She realised what an amateur she’d been this whole time.
‘My God, Ethan. That’s impressive,’ Alex told him. ‘Hats off, man. You are a true and total bastard in a way even I didn’t give you credit for. Really. Kudos.’
Ethan smiled. ‘You were the one that said I wasn’t a person. So why play by the rules anymore? You two brought me to this. Remember that. And hope that one day, I don’t decide to royally screw you both. You can only pray I forget about you. And hey, I might, I guess?’ He shrugged. ‘I guess it depends on how happy my life is from this point, how little any of this comes to mean. So you better hope life is kind to me.’
Nicole actually laughed. She sounded very tired. ‘Ethan. Quit twiddling your moustache. We know we’re beaten.’
That caused Alex to wonder.Werethey beaten? Was there truly nothing they could do? Ethan was sadistic. But how smart was he? And howthorough?
‘Yeah, we’re flattened. Enjoy it,’ Alex said flippantly, looking at Nicole, trying to keep a glint out of her eyes. ‘Nicole, shall we?’ she said, gesturing at the door.
Nicole took the hint instantly. ‘Yep. Let’s go.’ They walked towards the door.
‘Goodbye,’ Ethan said to the pair. ‘Have a terrible life.’
‘Yeah, whatever,’ Alex said, rushing through the door.
Nicole didn’t even acknowledge the comment.
When they got a way down the corridor, Alex was about to tell Nicole that they needed to discuss a thought she’d had. But Nicole was already on the right page.
‘Cupboard?’ she asked.
‘Cupboard,’ Alex agreed.
Thirty-Three
