Minutes later, Marcus stands in my office, his shoulders hunched, his eyes downcast.
I circle and take a step toward him. “Look at me.”
His eyes dart up, glassy with shame.
“You’ve been working in my house for years. And you exposed my family’s past for cash?”
Tears gather in his eyes. “Mr. Hayes, I… I didn’t mean for it to… My wife, she’s… she’s dying. The treatment costs—”
“Don’t,” I snap, slicing through his excuses. “Don’t use her as your shield. You could’ve come to me. You could’ve asked for help. You think I wouldn’t have paid for her treatment?”
His lips tremble. “I—I didn’t want pity. I thought it was harmless. Just… just information. I didn’t know they’d twist it like that.”
I step closer, towering over him. “You betrayed me.”
His tears spill over, his voice breaking. “I’m sorry.”
For a long moment, the only sounds are his sobs and my own ragged breathing. I want to fucking destroy him. But another part of me, the part Anna has softened, sees the man’s desperation.
I turn to Jack. “Make sure his wife gets the best treatment. But he’s done here. He never steps foot in my house again.”
Marcus collapses into tears, sobbing out apologies and gratitude. Jack signals for security to escort him out of the office.
As soon as the door closes, I stride to my desk and snatch up my mobile and coat. “I need to go to my wife.”
Jack rises to his feet. “Of course you do.”
“Make arrangements for Marcus’s wife,” I add, pausing at the door to glance over my shoulder. “She won’t pay the price for his mistake with her life.”
Jack nods once. “Consider it done.”
With that, I make my way to the elevator and down to my car. I don’t even remember the drive. My mind is fixed on Anna, on the look in her eyes when I walked away.
Last night, she gave me a ray of hope that we were moving forward. I just hope she hasn’t changed her mind, especially after I left her alone with her doubts this morning.
The city lights fade behind me as the car pulls into the driveway of my home. My chest feels heavy, every beat hammering against my ribs. The moment I step out, I don’t waste a single second and head straight for the house, a fierce urgency to reach my woman burning through my veins.
The house is quiet when I step inside. I pull in a deep breath and move into the living room, and the sight there nearly undoes me.
Anna is curled on the couch with her knees tucked to her chest, her phone clutched tight in her hand. Even in sleep, her brows are drawn together, worry carved into that beautiful face. It’s the kind of look that makes me want to burn the world down for even touching her peace.
I crouch in front of her and watch her breathe, her chest rising and falling in a delicate rhythm and strands of hair fanning across her cheek. Slowly, I reach out and brush one away.
Her lashes flutter. She blinks, confusion clouding her eyes before she jolts upright. The phone slips from her hands and hits the floor. Her gaze locks onto mine, fear and desperation warring in her eyes.
“I swear, Landon,” her voice cracks, tears welling in her eyes. “I didn’t do it.”
I can’t help but smile. Not because it’s funny, but because she’s crazy to think she ever had to beg me to believe her.
I reach out, my fingers brushing along her cheek. “I know.”
Her lips part in disbelief. “You… you trust me?”
“I always have.” I nod. “You are the one person in this world I will never doubt.” I lean in, and her breath hitches. “And I didn’t walk out this morning because I doubted you, Anna. I left because I knew your name would be dragged through the dirt, and I couldn’t let that happen. I needed to find out who did it.”
She whispers in a broken voice, “I thought… when you left… I thought I lost you again.”
I shake my head and cup her face in both hands. “Never. Not again. Leaving you in that room today was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it wasn’t to hurt you. It was to protect you.”
