Chapter 4

The moment her eyes met mine, Fay froze.

"Dorothy?"

Louis whipped his head around and shoved Fay away from him.

"Dorothy, it's not what you think."

"Sorry to interrupt."

I turned and walked out.

Two steps in, something felt wrong.

I turned back, and Louis had already rushed to the doorway to grab my arm.

"Just listen to me, I didn't—"

I stepped out of reach.

"It's fine, you don't have to explain. You're single now. It's your business."

I went around him toward the bed.

Fay was still sitting there, the satisfaction not quite wiped off her mouth.

I grabbed the sheets off the bed.

"Get up a second. My mom bought these for my wedding."

Louis blocked me, frowning.

"Don't be like this. Fay's a guest. You expect her to sleep on old sheets?"

I held on to the sheets and wouldn't let go.

"A guest? Since when does the man of the house wash a guest's underwear? Since when does a guest sleep in the master bedroom? Since when does a guest hang shamelessly off the man of the house?"

"Shameless? Do you have any manners at all?"

Louis's face went stony.

"I told you to wash them and you wouldn't, I washed them and now you're angry!"

"I was just swamped and put her in the master bedroom without thinking twice."

"And every time I try to explain what just happened, you won't let me. What exactly do you want from me?"

I stalled for a second.

"So this is all my fault?"

Fay stood up and bit her lip.

"Dorothy, I got caught in the rain and I was dizzy. I lost my balance just now, and Louis only reached out to steady me—"

Louis cut her off coldly.

"You don't need to explain. She's just looking for a fight."

I said nothing more, quickly bundling the sheets and duvet cover and stuffing them into the wardrobe, then striding for the door.

Fay's eyes went red in an instant, and she rushed over and clamped onto my arm.

"Dorothy, do you think I'm cheap? It really was a misunderstanding just now. I don't want to wreck what you two have. I'm not a homewrecker."

She sobbed so hard she could barely breathe.

She dragged me back toward the room, her nails scraping my arm, leaving a few streaks of blood.

"Don't go. I'll go. I'll leave right now."

"Are you done? You haven't performed enough yet?"

It hurt too much to hold back, and I wrenched free of her hard.

She dropped to the floor, her forehead knocking against the wardrobe, swelling up right before my eyes.

She cupped her forehead, tears falling in fat drops, but she shook her head desperately.

"It's okay, Dorothy, it doesn't hurt. As long as it makes you feel better."

Louis crouched beside her, carefully checking her over for any other injuries, then stared at me with no expression at all.

"Are you satisfied now?"

I raised my arm, streaked with blood.

"She started it—"

"Shut up! I saw it with my own eyes, you pushed Fay to the floor! You're going to lie to my face too?"

I stared at him blankly, my throat tightening.

"Louis, not even once. Can't you be fair to me even once?"

"Fair? What you want is to be taken sides with, no matter what. I can't do that, and I won't spoil you like that."

He scooped Fay up, shouldered past me, and rushed out.

Outside the door, Fay said in a small voice.

"Louis, I'm fine. We don't need to go to the hospital."

"How could you be fine? What if you have a concussion?"

"Dorothy seems really upset. Maybe you should stay. I'm afraid she'll storm off out of spite."

Louis didn't slow his steps.

"She already agreed to travel with me for a year, we pushed the wedding back, what more is there for her to sulk about?"

"If she wants to sulk, let her. She'll come running back on her own in a couple of days anyway."

Bang! The door shut.

I stood where I was, a wave of bleak sorrow rising in me.

This was the man I'd nearly given my whole life to.

It was laughable.

I laughed until the tears came, then tipped my head back at once.

No more crying. Crying over him wasn't worth it.

Once I'd pulled myself together, I called the agent and put the apartment up for sale.

Dragging my suitcase out of the elevator, I stopped dead.

A custom charcoal-gray Maybach was parked at the curb, and a striking man in a sharp suit was walking toward me.

"What are you doing here?"

He took my hand and guided me protectively into the car.

"You weren't answering my messages, so I came to find you."

His whole face was set with stubbornness, his long lashes flicking as he started to say something more.

Louis called, his tone airy and light.

"Do you know you were wrong yet?"

"Fay and I are almost home. Let's be clear, you are not allowed to give her any attitude!"

"And I want you to apologize to Fay, properly. You scared her like some lunatic just now."

I rolled the car window down.

Fay was walking this way on Louis's arm.

Louis had his phone in hand, his face grave.

"Dorothy, this is your last chance. If you make Fay cry again, then we're really done."

The moment she saw the car, Fay's eyes lit up, and she covered her mouth.

"Louis, I've seen this license plate on those short videos. I think it's the private car of Alden Simmons, the Simmons Group CEO."

As she spoke, she leaned in, eyeing it with excitement.

"Why would he be outside your apartment building? I wonder if we could see him in person!"

Louis went rigid all at once.

"Alden Simmons?"

He craned his stiff neck to look over, just in time to see me slowly rolling the window back up.

On the phone, his voice was dazed.

"Dorothy? Where are you right now?"