Trevor was the CEO of TPMichelson & Co.–his word was law in Chicago.
Even Holden would sometimes sigh in relief, blurting out, “Thank heavens he’s not on th opposing side!”
And yet, the same man everyone feared to offend was actually asking her if she would give up on him.
“Trevor, whatever I had with Barrington ended a long time ago. The day I left him was the day it‘ over for us–there’s no going back,” she reassured him. “I’ve told you this before. Why won’t yo believe me?”
Xanthe wasn’t the type to explain herself, especially not repeatedly. But when it came to this she’d said it to Trevor more times than she could count.
He slowly released her, but his serious eyes stayed locked on hers. “Because seven years ago, he answered in a low voice, “you gave me up for him.”
“You never-” His voice cracked “-really liked me back then. I was just your backup plan.”
His explanation hit her like a stone. For a long while, she didn’t know what to say.
When she spoke again, she searched his eyes and began to clarify things.
“Trevor, look, it’s not that I didn’t like you. I just hated the feeling of being controlled–of having my life mapped out for me.
“We grew up together. Everyone–your family and mine–just assumed we’d end up together. It felt like I had this invisible label on me: yours.
“I was always the obedient daughter. I never once defied my parents. But marriage–it’s a big deal. I didn’t want to be told who to spend the rest of my life with. And I knew… if I stayed here, l’c
end up marrying you.
“You think I didn’t like you. But that’s not true. What I couldn’t stand was that my life felt scripted.
“And then you followed me to Springfield. That made it worse. It felt like I was a caged bird–a pampered canary with no say in her own life. So I started to resent you.
‘Right then Barrington came into my life. He was everything you weren’t–free, untethered. That kind of freedom was what I craved. So I fell for him. And I used him to push you away.
‘It wasn’t about not liking you, okay? I was just about not wanting a life where everything was being planned out for me.”
She could see it now–Trevor’s fear and insecurity.
After all, she had felt the same with Barrington during those three years they were together–the lack of reassurance, the guessing.
But Barrington had never given her the words she was giving Trevor now.
And maybe because she knew how painful that was, she didn’t want Trevor to go through it too. Trevor stared at her for a long time. He’d never expected her to open up like this.
He had always assumed she didn’t like him at all. Only now did he realize–he’d pushed her too
OFF Secretary Designed with Divorce Papers
1/2 9.7%
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hard and too fast back then.
“Xanthe… I-” He shook his head in regret. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see it that way before, I-”
“You don’t need to apologize,” she cut in gently. “I should’ve made things clearer back then, too But now, can you tell me what’s really going on?”
“Two things,” Trevor replied. “First–Barrington has his men looking for you. He’s already tracke you here, but I intercepted the lead.”
“Second-” He paused, his voice more careful this time. “Rumor has it Vionnet is pregnant… with his child.”
He watched her face closely as he spoke, searching for any flicker of emotion.
But from beginning to end, her expression didn’t change at all.
“So, what–you’re worried I’ll go back to him?” she asked.
“Come on.” She laughed bitterly in disbelief. “That asshole’s already got his mistress pregnant. Do you seriously think I’d volunteer to be a stepmother to someone else’s kid? Is that how little you think of me?”
Trevor shot back, “You’ve done worse for him years ago.”
That rendered Xanthe speechless for a second.
After a while, she cupped his cheek with one hand. “Listen to me carefully, baby,” she said firmly “No matter what happens, Barrington and I are over. There’s no future between me and him.”
She patted his cheek, as if to wake him up. “Our wedding? It will go on as planned, okay?”
“As for Barrington…” She exhaled, barely a sigh, her lips quivering as her shoulders sank like she was painfully done. “Help me keep him at bay. I don’t want him to know who I really am. Not yet.”
With her reassurance, something in Trevor visibly shifted. He even smiled.
“Okay.”
Meanwhile, in a hospital in Springfield, Vionnet covered her nose and mouth.
“I’m still carrying your child, Barry,” Vionnet said, her muffled voice tight with irritation even behind her hand. “Please don’t smoke around me next time.”
Chapter 11
