Thad just started reviewing our upcoming collection’s budget when Alistair sauntered through my office door unannounced Again
“You look tired, Hazel, he said, sliding into the chair across from me without waiting
for an invitation.
I glanced up from my laptop. “Is there something you need? I’m quite busy
His eyes moved from my face to the scattered papers on my desk. “I heard about your
family’s financial troubles. That’s a tough situation.
The false concern in his voice made my skin crawl. “How kind of you to notice. Now, if
you’ll excuse me-
“Have you thought about my offer?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on my desk.
“The fifty million could solve everything.
“I told you yesterday, I’m not interested in your money or the strings attached to it. I kept typing, refusing to give him my full attention
Alistair sighed dramatically. Always so stubborn. That’s what I loved about you.
“Loved?” I couldn’t help the bitter laugh that escaped me. “Is that what you call abandoning me days before our wedding to marry my stepsister?”
His jaw tightened. “That’s not fair. You know Ivy is dying.”
And yet here you are, m my office, bothering me instead of being by your dying wife’s side! } finally looked directly at him. How devoted.”
A flash of irritation crossed his face before he smoothed it away with practiced ease.
Actually, I came to discuss something else. Something concerning
“And what might that be?”
“Sebastian Sinclair He practically spat the name. “What exactly is your relationships
with him
The question caught me off guard. I don’t see how that’s any of your business.
h becomes my business when my ex–fiancee starts parading around with my biggest
business rival
Eset down my pen, anger bubbling up inside me. “Parading around? Is that what you Fcall attending professional events together?
“Come on Hazel Everyone’s talking about how he can’t keep his eyes off you.” Alistair’s voice furned accusatory “How long has this been going on? Were you seeing him before our wedding was called off?
The audacity of his accusation struck me speechless for a moment.
“You’re unbelievable. I finally managed. “You left me for my stepsister, and you have
the nerve to accuse me of cheating?”
“I’m just trying to understand what’s happening between you two.”
“No, you’re trying to control a narrative that’s no longer yours to control.” I stood up. fury giving me strength. “My relationship with Sebastian–professional or otherwise-
is none of your concern.”
Alistair scoffed. “You think I’m jealous? I’m trying to protect you. Sinclair isn’t the knight in shining armor you think he is.”
“And what would you know about being a good man?” The words flew from my mouth before I could stop them. “A good man doesn’t abandon his fiancée days before their wedding. A good man doesn’t steal her wedding dress for another woman. A good man
doesn
This sort about me! Alistair’s voice rose to match mine. This is about you climbing the social ladder with a dangerous man who will discard you the moment you’re ne Jonger useful
Project much? laughed bitterly “That’s exactly what you did to me
Is that what this is about Revenge? His eyes narrowed. “You’re using Sinclair to get
back at me?
food you’re pathetic
I shook my head in disbelief Not everything is about you,
Alistain. I have a fe, a career, relationships that have nothing to do with you?
He’s using von to get to me. Our companies are competitors
“So this is about business? I threw up my hands. Of course it is. Your precious empire is threatened, so clearly I must be a pawn in someone else’s game.
“You’ve always been naïve about how the real world works, he said condescendingly
“Men like Sinclair don’t fall for women like you without an agenda
The msuit stung more than I wanted to admit. “Men like you, you mean. Not everyone sees relationships as transactions.
“Tm trying to help you!” Alistair stood up, his face flushing with anger.
Get out. My voice was quiet but deadly. “Get out of my office now,”
“Hazel-”
[GET OUT! I screamed, my control finally snapping. “You have no right to judge my life
for my choices! You lost that right when you chose Ivy!”
The silence that followed was deafening. Alistair stared at me, shock evident on his
face. I’d never raised my voice to him like that before.
After a moment, his expression changed. The anger melted away, replaced by something softer, more calculated.
“You’re right.” he said quietly. “I’m sorry. I had no right to say those things.”
I didn’t trust his sudden change in demeanor. “What do you want, Alistair? Why are
You really here?”
He ran a hand through his perfectly styled hair, suddenly looking vulnerable, “I was gealous, okay? Seeing you with him it brought up feelings I thought I’d dealt with.”
Don’t I held up a hand. “Don’t try to manipulate me with fake emotions.
“They’re not fake” He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper I miss you. Patel very day.
“You miss having me of your beck and call,” Feorrected him. You miss having someone
whe wichipped the gymsl you walked on
He didattery if stond, he changed tactics agin
need war helps, he admitted its by
Drevurse it was. It always came back to vy
What atstort her?
Alistan hesitated, seeming to choose his words carefully “She’s been asking about Your white kide bracelet
The bracelet. My most precious possession, a family heirloom passed down from my grandmother to my mother, and then to me. The last thing I had of my mother’s
“What about it asked, suddenly wary
“She remembers how much you loved it. She… she wants to see it before… His voice
trailed off meaningfully
Understanding dawned on me, cold and horrifying. “You want me to give my mother’s
bracelet to lvy?”
“Not give,” he quickly corrected. “Just lend. For a while.”
My laugh was hollow: “For a while. Until she dies, you mean? And then what? You keep
it as a memento of your beloved wife?”
would return it to you, I swear.”
Take you returned my wedding dress?” I shook my head in disbelief. “That bracelet is Fall I have left of my mother
“know” he said softly. “That’s why it would mean so much to Ivy:
“Because it would funt me to part with it? I couldn’t keep the disgust from my voice
Not Because it’s special. She knows how much you cherish it.”
“And that’s exactly why she wants it. I crossed my arms. “She’s always wanted everything that was mine?
Alistat looked desperate now. “She’s dying, Hazel. Can’t you find it in your heart to be
Polerous? Just this once?
Generous Trepeated incredulously “You think I haven’t been generous enough” 1 save six years of my life to you, I gave my blood, literally my blood, to keep you alive. And you repaid me by stealing my future and giving it to her
He winced at the reminder but pressed on, TH pay you for it Fifty million dollars.
Consider it rent?
The amount hung in the air between us. The exact amount my family needed.
“You want to rent my mother’s bracelet?” I whispered, horrified at the transactional
nature of his request.
“Think about it. Hazel.” His voice turned persuasive. “Fifty million dollars for a bracelet you’ll get back eventually. You could save your aunt’s business. Be the family hero.”
I stared at him, seeing for the first time the true depth of his moral bankruptcy. This
man, who I had once loved with my whole heart, was trying to buy the last piece of my
mother I had left.
“Get out,” I said again, but this time my voice was deadly calm.
“Hazel-
“How dare you.” My hands shook with rage. “How dare you try to buy my mother’s
memory. How dare you use my family’s troubles to manipulate me into giving up the
one thing I have left of her.”
“I’m offering you a solution!” he protested.
“You’re offering me blood money.” I moved to the door and yanked it open. “Leave now, or I’ll call security.”
He didn’t move his eyes calculating. “So you’d rather let your aunt lose everything than part with a bracelet temporarily? That’s incredibly selfish, Hazel
His words in their mark, but I refused to show it. “My answer is no. Now get out
Think about it overnight,” he said, finally moving toward the door “The offer stands.
Fifty million dollars. It could solve all your problems?
As he passed by me, he leaned in close. “And just so you know, fvy will get that bracelet oms way or another. Fm just giving you the chance to profit from the inevitable
The threat hung in the air as he walked aways, leaving me clutching the doorframe for support, wondering just how far he would go to fulfill Ivy’s twisted desire to possess the last piece of my mother had left
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