Madge heard past the bullshit. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t she tell me?”
“Would you have let yourself hear her?” I asked, happy to stir the pot. “Your husband certainly couldn’t be bothered.”
“That’s not how it happened. She came to—”
I stood up straight, cutting him off. “You know what, Warren? I don’t fucking care about your side of the story. The only version of events that matters to me is Celia’s, and thank God after more than twenty years, she’s finally seeing justice and that shitty piece of human garbage is behind bars. Countless lives that man destroyed, and you could have prevented all of it.”
I was well aware that Ron had ruined my family long before he’d ever set a finger on Celia, but it still felt good to pin it on Warren. If he had been more involved in his brother’s hand in his business back in those days, he could have prevented what happened to my father’s company too, though I suspected he would have turned the same blind eye to his business practices as he had to Celia’s confession.
Strangely, after all the years I’d wanted to destroy Warren for the demise of my family, it was only anger for Celia that incited me today. “Your brother is in jail for the rest of his life, but you still have amends to make. I came here today to be sure that happens.”
Warren stood, his full height still several inches below mine. “I don’t owe anyone anything, and I’m not giving out explanations or apologies for something that happened—”
I took a threatening step toward him. “You don’t want to finish that sentence. Because if it ends with you dismissing all of this as something that’s ancient history, then I will not be responsible for my actions, and I promise you, you do not want to find out what happens when I’m this mad.”
I let that sink in, not just to menace him, but also because I needed some composure before going on. As much as I wanted to break every bone in his body, it wasn’t the goal.
“I already think your daughter is too good for you,” I said when I was the tiniest bit calmer, “and if she walked away from you completely, I would be elated. But she loves you, both of you, for some unimaginable reason, and because I’m devoted to that woman with my entire being, you will fix this. You will do right by her. You will step up—years too fucking late, mind you—but you will finally step up and show her that she is more important to you than you’ve ever led her to believe. Do you understand?”
Madge shook her head. “I don’t feel well. I need to lie down.”
I watched her leave the room with disappointment. From what I knew about my mother-in-law, I expected she would spend the next week in bed. No wonder Celia hadn’t gone to her as a child. She would have had to coddle and soothe her mother when it should have been the other way around.
Madge was a lost cause.
Warren, though, the man whose amends mattered most, still stood in front of me, silent, half cowering, half ready to do combat. I watched the bob of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed and the way his eyes darted, calculating his next move.
I could have punched him in the throat for even considering anything other than what I demanded. “Do you understand?” I asked again, my voice practically a growl.
His shoulders sank then, as though he finally felt the weight of his betrayal. “I’m not sure how to do that.”
I nodded, because I’d assumed a response like that, an unwillingness to even try to figure out what his daughter might want or need from him. Even knowing it was coming, it made me want to remove his balls with my bare hands.
With gritted teeth, I forced myself not to launch myself on him. “Good thing I figured it out for you already.” I pulled my mobile from my jacket pocket, opened up my email app and hit send on the message I’d drafted on the ride over, the device plugged into the car charger as I’d typed. “I’ve sent you a statement. I recommend releasing it word for word since I don’t trust any of your alterations would be suitable. Of course it’s your decision whether you decide to release it or not, and if you can find a better way to make amends with Celia, then go ahead. If you can’t, I recommend you stick to this script.”
He scowled as he circled around me to his desk. A few clicks later, I watched his eyes scan the screen as he read what I’d sent, his skin going pale. “I can’t just release this. Not without coordinating with Murphy and the board. There could be financial repercussions from saying something like this. It isn’t just about our family here.”
“Atonement isn’t supposed to be easy,” I said, coldly. “In my experience, it only means something when it comes at a price.”
“I don’t know,” he said, rubbing his fingers over his brow.
I’d had enough, my patience completely worn out. “Take the time you need to make it real, Warren,” I said, putting the discussion to a close. “Difficult as this may be, you and I both know this is the least you can do to make things right.”
I left without a glance back, and only when I was in the lift did I finally sigh with relief. I felt good. Well, better than I had. Adrenaline surged through my veins and for the first time in the last twenty-four hours, I remembered an emotion that wasn’t based solely in rage.
But I was still angry. And still a wreck. Still not in any sort to be around my wife, so when I got back to the hotel, I grabbed the dry cleaning waiting for me at the front desk and changed for my work day in my new hotel room instead of going back to the one I shared with Celia.
Fourteen
Celia
As soon as Elsa arrived in the morning, I handed off Cleo and set off for Midtown. I was frustrated and paranoid, worried Edward would follow me and think the worst so I took a cab instead of calling for Bert, and I left my cell at the hotel.
The phone was a source of distress, anyway, and it felt good to be unleashed from it. I’d spent most of the night texting and checking for replies from my husband. He didn’t answer any. He hadn’t even read any after midnight, which increased both my anxiety and my anger.
Because what was he planning to do?
What had he already done?
Was Edward the one harassing Hudson? It was still possible. Based on his reaction, I was certain that Edward hadn’t known Hudson had been the man I’d been protecting before last night, but that didn’t mean Edward hadn’t gone after him for another reason.
I comforted myself with the fact that the threats I’d read hadn’t been in Edward’s handwriting. That got him off the hook, didn’t it?
Whether it did or not, I clung to it as truth.
But then I couldn’t stop playing out other worst-case scenarios in my head, imagining what Edward would do to Hudson if he hadn’t done this. Imagining what he’d do in return. God, it was awful. They were both so powerful, and while I’d seen the best of each of them, I also knew how diabolical they could be at their worst.
It made my stomach hurt to think about.
When I could distract myself from ruminating, I didn’t feel any better. In some ways, I felt worse. Fuck Edward for putting me through this. Fuck him for disappearing on me. Fuck him for being so rigid and domineering and manipulative.