Chapter 78
“Carter’s out of town on business,” Kelly said lightly, her smile touched with a faint, weary grace. “That’s the only reason I could meet with you today. Otherwise…”
She let the words hang in the air awhile, then continued, “Otherwise, he’d never have allowed me to leave the hospital.”
“Is that why you asked me here? Just to show off?”
“I heard you and Carter are talking about divorce,” Kelly replied. “I don’t know if you’re really serious or just putting on a show, but it doesn’t matter. It won’t change a thing.”
Unlike Nate’s blatant arrogance, Kelly’s every word and movement carried an unshakable confidence.
“Between the two of us, he will always choose me first.”
Sharon listened in silence, then said, “If that’s true, why did he marry me, not you?”
Kelly gave a small laugh. “Because I let him go. The things you can’t have always seem more desirable, don’t they? Otherwise, how do you explain the way he treats me now?”
Just then, the waiter arrived with their coffee. The rich aroma floated up between them-warm, sharp, with a bitter edge that lingered in the air.
Sharon didn’t bother playing along. “Is Wendy with you?”
“No,” Kelly answered with a smile. “She’s with Carter. She’s the reason I tried to take my life. You think he’d let her off that easily?”
Sharon’s gaze locked on her. “You’re saying she’s in Carter’s hands?”
Kelly raised her brows in mock surprise. “Isn’t she your closest friend? She stood up for you, yelled at me, offended Carter, and you don’t even know where she is?”
“Then… you know where she is?”
Kelly’s expression shifted, just slightly. “No. I don’t. But from what Carter implied, he’s giving her a taste of her own medicine. Making her brush past death, like I did.
“What she said to me that day, yes, it shook me. But she wasn’t the real reason I tried to take my life. I don’t want things to go that far. I really don’t. But I can’t talk him down. Carter’s determined to do this for me… to get revenge. If I can’t stop him, maybe you can. You’re his wife. And Wendy is your friend, after all.”
Sharon understood now-understood what this meeting was really about. Kelly wasn’t pleading on Wendy’s behalf. She was showing off. Showing that Carter would go this far, would hurt her friend, for her sake.
The steam rising from the coffee began to fade.
“If you don’t want anyone to die,” Sharon said evenly, “then tell me where Wendy is.”
Kelly shook her head. “I’m sorry. I really don’t know. I only came here hoping you’d speak to Carter.”
She checked her watch and stood up. “His flight’s about to land. If he doesn’t see me waiting, he’ll worry. I should go.”
She picked up her bag and walked away.
Only after watching Kelly’s figure disappear into the crowd did Sharon slowly unclench her fists.
Julliard had told her Wendy wasn’t taken by Carter. But Kelly had just said Wendy was in his hands.
1/2
Who was lying?
After settling the bill, Sharon left the café.
She didn’t go home. Instead, she headed straight for the hospital.
She already knew where Kelly was staying. The room number hadn’t been hard to find.
