“I know, I know.” My father’s dejected expression says it all. “Thana was cooking the books, falsifying data to hide her treachery and theft. Since I was on shaky ground, this was the kiss of death for the hotel. She stole a lot of money from us. A lot.”
“How could she?”
“I’ve asked myself that question a million times, ladybug. I’m so angry with myself for being so blind. I admit, things weren’t looking great, but her treason did me in.”
I knew the woman was two-faced, I didn’t know she was a criminal. “You’re going to press charges, right?”
“Without the investigation, I wouldn’t have enough proof. But there’s a mountain of evidence against her. I’m going all the way. I want Thana to pay.”
“I’m a hundred percent behind you. Is she still living at the house?”
“When she got back from San Diego, I pretended like nothing had changed until the investigation was wrapped up. Since we hadn’t been intimate in a while… it didn’t change much?—”
I lift a hand to stop him. “I don’t need to know that part, Daddy.”
“All that to say, it was a struggle to bite my tongue and not lash out at her, but I wasn’t going to do anything to cause her to become suspicious.”
“Please tell me you’re going to ask for a divorce?”
“I’m done with her. I served her with divorce papers this morning. I’m giving her until tomorrow night to pack her shit and get out of our lives.”
“Good for you.” I nod my approval. “You’re too good for her. She doesn’t deserve you.”
“No, she doesn’t,” Daddy says.
“I gather she didn’t take being served with divorce papers well.”
“She came barging into my office, livid. She had the audacity to deny her wrongdoings. I promised myself I would keep my cool, but I lost it and it turned into World War III. That’s why you couldn’t get a hold of either of us this morning. When Thana started throwing lamps, chairs, and whatever she could get herhands on at me, my executive assistant called the police. I’m glad she did. God knows how things would’ve turned out. We were both so angry.”
“At least it’s over,” I say. The news of my father kicking Thana to the curb and out of his life should make me want to celebrate. However, Daddy shared so much heavy stuff, it’s impossible to rejoice. “That’s why you said earlier it was the two of us against the world again.”
“There’s more.”
That’s not the answer I expected. “Daddy, your cheater of a wife was stealing money from you. How can there be more?”
My father considers me for a long beat. “This is… pretty bad, ladybug.”
“Daddy, you’re scaring me. Whatever it is, tell me.”
“You know I’m behind this morning’s PR stunt.”
“You’ve already confessed that much.”
“But you don’t know why I did it.”
“You’re going to tell, right?”
“We no longer own the Villiers Grand.”
Everything pointed to it, Phoenix alluded to it, and although not yet mentioned, it was implied in the conversation. Still, hearing my father say it without sugar coating it is like having my heart pierced by an arrow.
“Phoenix König was willing to buy the hotel as is,” Daddy says. “As it stood, I would’ve had to put in money I didn’t have to get it up to par to secure the most from the sale.” He falls silent. “Phoenix is the only buyer I approached who was willing to accept all my terms––even the most outrageous ones.” Another pause. “It may seem like I sold you to a powerful billionaire to save the hotel, but I have my reasons?—”
“I’m not marrying that man. He’s a complete stranger. How could you, Daddy? This isn’t the early nineteen hundreds.” The floodgates open. “You can’t marry me off like that. I’m not acommodity. How come I don’t have a say in this? Why would you do that to me? Is it that you don’t love me?”
“I love you with every piece of me, ladybug. I did this for you?—”
“No. Just no.” I shake my head.
