The next morning, Dom left early for a meeting. I woke up with renewed energy and a plan.
I kept replaying in my mind the evening Malcolm came to the hotel. He’d called me a coward. And I had been a coward for these past few years. Every time he wanted to meet me, there was someone from my family with me. The truth was, I couldn’t bear the idea of being alone with him. He was always more vicious if it was just the two of us. Even when only Francesca was around, he didn’t dare talk to me the way he did when he thought no one else could hear him.
But today, that was going to change.
I didn’t want to call him because I wasn’t ready to hear his voice yet, so I shot him a message.
Reese: I want to talk to you and Francesca.
Malcolm: Where?
Reese: Give me your address.
I wouldn’t have the meeting in a public place. If there was going to be a scene, no one else would witness it. I was done with these two.
The last time I’d been alone with them in the same room was when I caught them having sex. It had been an awful evening. In the span of fifteen seconds, my life fell apart, and my heart cracked in two. It hadn’t healed until I met Dom.
I was astounded when he texted me the address. They were living in a nice neighborhood. Why would he need money then? I called a car and Ubered there—I didn’t want to drive myself because once I was done with them, I knew I wouldn’t feel like driving.
I looked around when I stepped out of the car. The house they lived in was relatively small, but the rent still had to be enormous based on this location.
I walked up to the front door, knocking twice. It swung open immediately, Malcolm obviously having been waiting for me. Francesca was farther inside the room. I stepped in and felt the tension in the air. No one said anything at all.
‘Well, I’m here,’ I said when it became apparent that neither of them was going to speak. ‘I thought that after hounding me for so long, you’d have something to say when I finally saw you on my own.’
The two of them exchanged a glance. I realized on the spot that they’d hoped to corner me on their terms, like they did at the charity event. Perhaps that was why they signed up for it—not because they planned to donate any money or get any business contacts, but to reach me.
‘So, let me get this straight,’ I started, sounding braver than I felt. ‘You thought you could move back to Chicago and what? Intimidate me into giving you money?’
They remained silent. I looked from one to the other.
Finally, Malcolm spoke up. ‘Killing the spa business wasn’t fair, and you know that.’
‘I hope this is not your way of appealing to my conscience,’ I told Malcolm. ‘The deal fell apart because I found you fucking her.’
Francesca turned red. She glanced to one side, avoiding my gaze.
‘You two have spent far too much time thinking you can push me around. You destroyed me after using me as an ATM for years.’
‘No, we didn’t,’ Malcolm denied.
‘Really? All those trips and stuff I bought. I never minded because I always liked sharing my wealth with the people I cared about. But you two are on another level altogether. I just have one question: How long had this been going on before I discovered it?’
I looked straight at Francesca. She’d been my best friend for years before I met Malcolm. We’d been like sisters since college; we’d met on orientation day and had been joined at the hip ever since.
‘Almost since you started dating him,’ she said.
My heart started to crack again. I felt light-headed knowing now this had been going on for years. I’d made up so many scenarios in my mind, wondering when he might have turned to her. But they’d been cheating on me for years. My vision faded at the corners, but the knowledge only gave me strength.
‘I can’t believe you two are so callous. Especially after you had a baby.’
I wondered where the baby was. Maybe with Francesca’s mother. She’d always hinted she wanted to be a grandmother.
She turned to Malcolm. ‘Well, he can’t make enough money otherwise. His job barely covers the cost, and I want a certain lifestyle,’ she said, sounding more vicious than I’d ever heard her.
“So he turned to the only source of money he knew: me.’ The room faded away before slowly taking shape again.
How could I have been so utterly manipulated?
‘You don’t get to come here and belittle me in front of my wife,’ Malcolm snapped.
Strangely, I didn’t feel anything at his mention of the word wife. It didn’t hurt that they were together anymore. The betrayal was the only thing that had left deep marks, but I was starting to accept them as part of me. It didn’t mean I wasn’t whole or that I wasn’t worthy of love. It simply meant I had a past, just as Dom said.
‘You two aren’t going to get a thing from me.’
Malcolm turned white. Francesca looked at him in disgust.
‘So if that’s why you came to Chicago,’ I continued, ‘you can move back to wherever you came from. I’m not giving you any money.’
Malcolm set his jaw.
Yep, Declan was right.
‘I’m not that scared and hurt woman you left behind years ago. I’m strong. I know my worth, and nothing you can do is going to diminish it, so get the fuck out of my city,’ I sneered.
Francesca threw her hands up in the air. ‘God! You’re an idiot, Malcolm. I told you this would never work. I’m moving back to my parents’ with our daughter.’
‘Babe, you can’t do this. I promise I’ll get money one way or another,’ he pleaded.
But she just turned around, disappearing into one of the rooms.
I couldn’t even pity him. This was exactly what he deserved. ‘It feels horrible, doesn’t it? To be left like this?’
I walked to the front door with determined steps. He made no move to stop me. The second I was outside, I drew in a deep breath, exhaling slowly.
I couldn’t believe what I’d just done. I mentally high-fived myself.
I was free.
***
Dom
‘What do you mean, cancel all meetings?’ Charlene asked the second I stepped into the office.
‘I need to take care of something this morning.’
‘Is it related to the article?’ she asked as I sat down.
‘Do we have any reactions regarding that?’
She winced. ‘The publication reached out to you for a comment. I declined.’
‘Thank you,’ I said sincerely.
‘And the press that’s covering the next collection launch also reached out.’
I set my jaw. ‘That can’t be helped. We’ll just placate them.’
She raised a brow. ‘I must say, you’re taking this far better than I imagined.’
Only a few months ago, this would have bothered me enormously. But right now, all I wanted was to make sure Reese was okay.
‘Do you need anything else from me?’ she asked.
‘No, thanks.’
The second she left, I made a plan. I hadn’t bothered asking my investigative team to get Malcolm’s address when I first looked into him, but I had an idea about how to get it.
I didn’t have Declan Maxwell’s number, but since he was an attorney, I assumed I’d find his information online. His website had a phone number listed. What do you know? There’s at least one Maxwell listing their number. I called it immediately.
‘Declan Maxwell’s office. How may I help you?’ a guy answered.
‘Hello, I’m looking for Declan Maxwell.’
‘Are you a client?’
‘No.’
‘What can we help you with?’
‘Tell him Dominic Waldorf wants to speak to him about Reese.’
The other guy made a sound I didn’t comprehend, and then I heard a muffled ‘He says it’s Dominic Waldorf.’
‘Transfer the call to me,’ I heard another voice say—probably Declan himself.
‘He’ll be right with you,’ the same guy said.
A few seconds later, there was a static sound, and then Declan’s voice came on. ‘Dominic?’
‘Yes.’
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.
‘I need Malcolm’s address. I have a feeling you know it.’
‘Of course I do.’
‘I need to talk to him face-to-face.’
‘I’m coming with you,’ Declan said.
‘I appreciate the offer, but I’m handling this.’
‘Listen, that guy is a moron. He knows how to push people’s buttons.”
“He knows how to push Reese’s buttons and all of yours because he’s known you for years,’ I said calmly. ‘He doesn’t know me.’
‘Intimidation doesn’t work. I’ve done that for a few years myself.’
‘From what I’ve seen, it hasn’t gotten into his thick skull that Reese isn’t on her own. I’m going to change that.’
‘Fair enough. I’m going to message you the address.’
I left my office the second Declan texted me the address. I had a lot of adrenaline, so I just hopped into the car and drove straight to his neighborhood. I was seeing red, and I didn’t even have the guy in front of me. Seeing Reese like that last evening was excruciating, especially because she didn’t allow me to be there for her. She thought I didn’t realize she was faking sleeping, but of course I did. I knew her body; I could tell when she was awake and when she wasn’t. But I’d taken that as a cue that she needed her space.
Malcolm was in front of the house when I arrived, and so was Francesca.
Just my luck!
A few seconds later, I realized they were fighting. She was loading luggage into her car.
‘Come on, Fran. You can’t just leave.’
‘Yes, I can. You’ve promised me you’d get your shit together and start earning some real money for years. I’m done waiting. I’ve got a life to live.’
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Malcolm asked, noticing me.
‘Oh, for fuck’s sake!’ Francesca exclaimed. ‘First Reese and then this dude? What did you do? Plaster our address in the newspaper?’
She’s leaving him? Karma is good.
But then I registered what they’d said.
‘Reese was here?’ I asked.
‘Yes,’ Malcolm replied. ‘Came to do her own bidding for once.’
He looked beat. What did Reese tell him? Whatever it was, he deserved it.
‘So, what, I’m guessing you’re here to give me a piece of your mind, too? To feel like a macho man because you’re protecting her?’
‘At least he is protecting her,’ Francesca shot back. ‘You can’t even provide for your family.’
‘Fran, give it a rest.’ He turned back to me. ‘What did you even come for?’ he asked.
‘First, if you ever plant any more stories in rag magazines, you’ll be so fucking sorry. The reason I’m not going after you legally right now is to spare Reese. I’m glad she gave you a piece of her mind,’ I said calmly. ‘You deserve nothing less. I’m not here to get things off my chest. I couldn’t care less what you two do. I have no history with you. But mark my words, Reese is not alone. She doesn’t only have the Maxwells at her side now. She’s got me, and I’m not going to let you get away with any more of this shit. It’s my understanding that you’re working for Andamosi Investments.’
He took a step back. ‘No, I’m not.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve got contacts in all industries. Don’t try to deny it. And from what I’ve heard here, you’re not doing so great financially, right? So here’s the deal. Disappear from Reese’s life, or you’ll find yourself without that job too. Got it?’
‘Oh, for fuck’s sake. Malcolm, don’t screw that up too. You could barely get the job,’ Francesca said. ‘You’ll have to pay alimony, trust me.’
Damn, she was a piece of work. He was a scumbag, sure, but he was still her husband, yet she was kicking him when he was down.
Then again, it was exactly what he deserved.
‘How do you know that?’ he questioned me. “Not even Declan Maxwell found that out.”
‘You’ve paid off the wrong people. The Maxwells aren’t the only ones who can investigate you.’ I crossed my arms and glared at him. ‘So here’s what we’ll do. You will never attempt to contact Reese or the other Maxwells again. You will not go to the press. And you will never, not once, see Reese again.’
I didn’t wait to see their reactions, just turned around and got in my car. I had better things to do—like showing Reese that she was my world.
She’d come here without even telling me about it. It was time for my woman to understand that we were in this together.
