“Sorry!”
Niamh frowned, her expression darkening.
“Why are you apologizing to me?”
“Because… because…”
“Because you already knew Jonathan and Marina were having dinner here.”
“Busted, huh?”
Niamh nodded, folding her arms across her chest.
“So what was the point of bringing me here? Did you want me to see Jonathan and your beloved Marina playing happy couple, hoping I’d finally give up?”
“That’s not it. Not at all.”
Preston Winslow waved his hands quickly, surprised at just how badly Niamh had misunderstood.
“I just wanted you to see with your own eyes–Jonathan really isn’t worth your love.” As soon as Preston said it, he seemed startled by his own words. Niamh, too, looked taken aback.
But the words were out, and there was no taking them back now. Preston had no intention of trying.
Niamh studied his face for a moment, searching for a lie, but Preston didn’t look like he was deceiving her.
“You don’t need to go to all this trouble anymore. I don’t love Jonathan–haven’t for a while.”
As she said it, a bitter taste crept into Niamh’s mouth.
“Really?” Preston sounded skeptical.
“Really.”
“So… that means the rumor’s true? You really sold the ten percent of Thomas Group shares Jonathan was going to give you after the divorce to Michael?”
Niamh’s eyes widened in surprise, but then she thought about it–Michael or Marina
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Chapter 29
could easily have let that slip. It made sense Preston would have heard.
Besides, Preston said she “sold” them, but she’d actually written them off as a gift, no strings attached. Clearly, Preston was just repeating the gossip.
“Yeah,” Niamh admitted without hesitation.
She didn’t feel like getting into a long explanation.
“That’s brutal!” Preston’s jaw dropped. “We’re talking about ten percent of Thomas Group! You realize Michael’s been trying to short Thomas Group lately? If he pulled it off, and then you handed him that ten percent, the whole company could end up in the Burtons‘ hands. We’re talking a bombshell here…”
Niamh listened in silence, her mind drifting back to that night: Jonathan’s furious face as he flung her signed letter in her face.
“Niamh… do you really hate Jonathan that much?”
Niamh looked up at Preston, her eyes saying everything.
“Do you think I shouldn’t?”
Preston opened his mouth, but no words came out.
“Well… if you hate him that much, you should hurry up and find yourself a new boyfriend–make Jonathan regret everything.”
The suggestion caught Niamh off guard.
“Just… whatever you do, steer clear of Michael. The guy’s got a history of anger issues–used to get into fights all the time in school, even hit women once. Jonathan can’t stand him.”
Niamh nodded. She didn’t need Preston to tell her–she had no intention of ever
seeing Michael again.
Preston called Michael “unstable,” but when Michael had kicked her cane out from
under her, he hadn’t looked sick–just cruel.
To Niamh, Michael was just plain rotten.
The conversation ran its course, and Niamh headed for her car.
Preston stood on the curb, watching as Niamh’s white BMW disappeared into the distance before finally getting into his own car.
Outside The Grand Emporium, the city was wrapped in darkness.
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Downtown Aldenville sparkled with dazzling lights.
In the upscale neighborhood of Ebonwood Hall, Marina returned home, arms full of glossy luxury–brand shopping bags–clothes, jewelry, perfume, watches–gifts from Jonathan.
One shopping spree, and she’d spent more than most people’s yearly salary. Jonathan’s generosity was the reason her mood had lifted.
The house was quiet. Galloway was already asleep, and Marina assumed Edna must be too. But after her shower, as she slipped into her pajamas, she heard a soft knock at the door.
Marina opened it and found Edna standing on the threshold.
“I need to talk to you,” Edna said, stepping inside. “About you and Jonathan.”
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