Chapter 234
Preston Winslow wanted to steer the conversation somewhere light, but the words stuck in his throat. In the end, it was Jonathan who broke the silence.
“Preston.”
At the sound of his name, Preston snapped to attention, as if a schoolboy caught daydreaming in class.
“Do you think Niamh still loves me?”
“…What?”
The question threw Preston completely off guard. There had been no preamble, nothing to suggest Jonathan was about to lob such a pointed topic into the air. Preston hesitated, weighing his answer..
If he was being honest, it was painfully obvious that Niamh loved Jonathan to pieces. Jonathan had wealth, looks, charm, and a magnetic presence–who wouldn’t fall for him?
A couple years ago, Preston would have scoffed and called Niamh pathetic, deluded, hopelessly infatuated, thinking far too highly of herself.
But now, “She probably doesn’t love you anymore.”
He lied, for reasons he couldn’t fully explain. He didn’t want Niamh to love Jonathan–and, oddly, didn’t want Jonathan to believe she did, either.
“Jonathan, you’re with Marina now. Niamh must have realized she should give up. Besides, hasn’t she been wanting a divorce for ages? It’s for the best, really. Once it’s over, you–sorry, she–will finally be free.”
Preston thought he’d struck the right note, but Jonathan’s frosty demeanor only grew icier, so much so that even Preston’s horse seemed to want to sidle away.
“Ride with me for another two laps.”
“Oh, come on, Jonathan-”
Before Preston could finish, Jonathan nudged his horse forward, galloping off again.
***
In a dimly lit bar tucked away on a quiet street, Marina and Michael sat huddled over their drinks.
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“Thanks for helping me out with all that,” Marina murmured, head bowed, a shy blush coloring her cheeks. She knew Michael adored her when she acted like this–modest, a little nervous, eyes cast down.
“You don’t have to thank me,” Michael replied, his voice warm and steady. “Now that I’m back, no one’s going to mess with you. Not while I’m around.”
“Michael…”
She glanced up at him with wide, innocent eyes, her makeup giving her an even softer look.
“That Niamh is something else,” Michael said, shaking his head. “Even with the divorce looming, she won’t stop trying to squeeze more shares out of Jonathan. If she doesn’t get what she wants, she just drags the whole thing out. Jonathan’s a fool, thank God he has you by his side.”
He reached out to gently run his hand through Marina’s silky hair. Marina blushed, shrinking away ever so slightly.
Michael took the hint and withdrew his hand, smiling to himself. He preferred women who were gentle, loyal, uncomplicated. Maybe it was because of his own struggles–he’d never been good at controlling his temper, and back in high school, getting into fights was almost routine.
The moment he’d met Marina, he’d fallen hard. And he knew she’d always had eyes only for Jonathan.
Back then, he’d even thought about forcing Marina away from Jonathan, but the idea ended with Marina sobbing inconsolably. Michael’s heart broke for her; he didn’t want to ruin the gentle image he cherished.
So he’d made a decision: to be the good guy, to support her from the sidelines, to tie his happiness to hers.
Around Marina, Michael felt a rare sense of peace, like the restlessness inside him quieted for a while.
“Michael, you’re too good to me. I honestly don’t know how I could ever repay you enough.”
“Just promise me you’ll be happy. That’s all I want.”
He wanted to reach out, to brush her cheek, but stopped himself at the last second. Marina noticed, color rising in her face, and she squeezed his hand–just for a moment–before letting go.
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17.25
Chapter 4
Michael pushed his gold–rimmed glasses up his nose, a smile spreading across his face, more genuine than ever.
“If you ever need anything from me–anything at all–just ask. I’d go through hell and back for you.“.
Marina shook her head with a sweet smile. “Oh, it’s nothing really. I’ve just been busy prepping for the Luminous Divas Fashion Week, and as fate would have it, Niamh’s my main competition this year.”
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