Page 115 of Until You (Forgive Me)

Christian jumped as Star’s hand landed on his back and rubbed soothing circles. He looked over his shoulder at her, wishing his coffee was another glass of whiskey.

He gave her a half smile before returning his focus to his coffee mug. He wasn’t sure what everyone wanted from him.

“Okay, this has to stop.” Scarlett walked up and spun Christian’s chair around to face her, her hands on her hips as she glared at him. “Sorry, Star, but I am sick to death of seeing my brother mope around. Chris, you need to get over yourself and move on.”

Christian pushed off the chair and stepped past his sister. He didn’t need to be having this conversation right now. He wanted to nurse his broken heart and his hangover in peace and quiet.

“Don’t walk away from me, Christian Dupree. You need to listen.”

“Scarlett.”

It was Seb who tried to intervene.

“No Seb, this has gone on for long enough. I can’t simply sit by and watch my brother self-destruct.” Scarlett’s voice caught.

“I can go,” Star said, moving towards Theo.

“No,” Scarlett said, rounding on Star. “You need to hear what I’m about to say, too. This involves you. It involves all of us.”

Star stopped in her tracks and waited.

Christian watched as Scarlett took a deep breath. “I don’t know what was in the letter yesterday, and I won’t ask, but it physically hurts me to see you like this.” Scarlett’s eyes filled with tears. “For nine years, I’ve watched you work yourself into the ground for our family. You gave up Lily, married a stranger and signed away your rights to Skylar. You then single handedly rebuilt the company our father had all but destroyed. You not only rebuilt it, but you took it to the next level.” Scarlett angrily brushed away the tears that had started to fall. “Lily died, but it’s like you died with her,” Scarlett said, her tears now in free fall.

Seb appeared at her side and took her into his arms, her head nestled into his neck. Typical Seb, he had never been able to stand a woman’s tears.

Christian stood and stared at his sister. “What do you want from me?”

Scarlett looked up. “I know you loved Lily with all your heart. I know you love Skylar. But these past few months. I’ve had my brother back. You’ve smiled and laughed. You’ve left the office at a reasonable time, you’ve socialised, and you started to live again. Isabella, she made you live again. I’m scared, Christian. I’m scared that now she’s gone. I’m going to lose you all over again.”

Christian could not help himself. He stepped forward and pulled his sister in for a hug.

“You won’t lose me. I never left.”

Scarlett cupped his face. “But that’s where you’re mistaken. You checked out, Christian. You’ve been a working robot, not the fun-loving person you were before everything that happened. These past couple of months have been a reminder to us all how far you have fallen.”

“Isabella is gone. She left me. Not the other way round.”

Why was everyone blaming him for her departure?

“Did you ask her to stay? I know my friend. She was in love with you.”

It was as if the look Scarlett was giving him was burning holes in his chest.

“She had commitments in Thailand,” Christian said.

He was getting sick of explaining himself.

“Did you ever tell Isabella you wanted her to stay?”

There was a long pause. Christian sighed. He knew his sister well enough to know she would never give up.

“No, I didn’t ask her to stay.”

“Do you love her? Did you want her to stay?”

Christian could not prevent his eyes from moving to Star. Her face was a mask of sympathy. Christian watched as she stepped forward.

“I may be out of line here, but I think you may need to hear this from me.” Her eyes moved to her son, who, despite the drama, was still sound asleep in his car seat. “When Damian returned, I didn’t think I could love him, not the way he deserved. I’d reserved all my love for Skylar. As time moved on, I realised love isn’t finite. I love Skylar with all my heart, and that love or the amount didn’t need to change, as I let myself love Damian. Instead my heart and it’s ability to love simply expanded. Now Theo has arrived, it has expanded again. From Lily’s diary and her letter...” Star’s voice caught. “From her diary and letter. I know what you two meant to each other. You loved with all your heart. But Christian, by allowing yourself to love Isabella, if you do, that doesn’t diminish any of the love you felt for my sister. You can love Isabella too. The same way you love Skylar. The heart has an endless capacity to love. Lily is the last person who would want you to go through life not finding love again, and personally, I think. She would have loved Isabella.”

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