Of all the questions, she chooses this one.What do I tell her?
The truth or nothing at all. I sigh, keeping my eyes on the dancing flame.
“Three years ago, Liam was named head of the Voss empire over me. After I worked my ass off for Voss. I was so damn upset.”
“So you left because you didn’t inherit your grandfather’s business? Why didn’t he give it to your dad?”
In my mind, I could still hear my grandfather berating my father over the dinner table.
“He didn’t think Dad had the backbone for business.”
The fire spits and crackles. Small embers try to escape, but they don’t move past the grate.
“Okay, I get what you’re saying. But the tension I feel sometimes, it feels like there is more to the story.”
“Three years ago, after Liam was named CEO, I rushed to my grandfather’s office, only to find my mother and him fucking.”
I hear a gasp and turn around. Noelle is looking like a fish out of water. Her mouth is opening and closing.
“Wow, that’s some white people shit right there,” she says.
In all the things she could have said, I chuckle. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
“Wait, so your dad knows?”
I clench my jaw. “He does.”
“And he is still with your mom?”
I nod. “Yep. When I told my dad, he did nothing. We fought, and I left.”
Her hand presses on my shoulder. “Is Liam your dad’s or your grandfather’s?”
I shrug because that never crossed my mind till she said it. “I don’t know.”
“That’s a lot to take in.”
The wind howls outside, rattling the window like it was trying to get in.
“What about Tessa?” she asks.
“What about her?” I sit up straighter, trying to ease my lower back.
She shrugs. “Why did you guys break up? Who cheated?”
I scoff. “No one cheated. I had work, and she wasn’t happy with anything. So—”
Noelle squints her eyes at me. “Instead of fixing it…you left?”
“I tried to fix it. She said she wanted more, and at the time, I didn’t have more to give.”
I remember the look on Tessa’s face when she said she was done. Her eyes were red from crying. Her cheeks were blotchy.
“I remember her telling me that I was never the man she wanted. I was a placeholder till her true love came.” I waited for the pain to hurt my heart like it did years ago.
Noelle sighs. “Was the breakup before or after your discovery with your mom?”
I swallow. “It was the same day. I came home after talking to my dad. I forgot we had dinner plans, and she ended it.”
