“What the fuck do you want me to say, Nate? That I so desperately wanted to beyouthat I stole your idea not once but twice because the measly little things you do in your spare time, I couldn’t come up with even if I hired the best aerospace engineers?”
The confession takes me aback, and I almost feel bad for the guy.
“What do you want me to say, Nate? That after the spark went off on your plane, I spent hundreds and thousands to plant headlines in the media and hire an ex-boyfriend so you could sink while I rose to the top.”
A stunned laugh bubbles up from him as he wipes his bloody nose on the back of his hand.
“And to think it was working until you came and ruined it!” he continues. “I went to great lengths to hire the kid who set off that spark to steal your presentation, and somehow, you still made it work! Do you know how much it all hurt, Nate? I came from everything and built nothing of myself, while you came from less and became what I should have been.”
Envy. That’s where it all stemmed from.
But focusing on others’ actions never brought anyone closer to their own goals. Everyone had their own set ofskills—things they were good at—and he was better off discovering what his were on his own rather than resorting to comparison.
The ironic thing is, Winston Wallace fell into that same boat.
“After everything that happened, I wanted the final say—especially after that goddamn standing ovation. So I found your new weakness. Ms. ViviennefuckingBrown.”
My fists clench tightly by my side, and my eyes narrow in his direction at the way he says her name.
“Imagine my surprise when I found out that you were responsible for killing the parents of the very woman you claimed to love. It was too good to be true—Nate Archer’s idea brought his fake fiancée’s parents to a quick and fiery death. The news was buried,obviously, thanks to my parents, who thought I could rise above the ashes. But look at me! Carter Crawford—the fuckup—now disowned by the only people who were supposed to love him. Isn’t that just wonderful?” Bloodshot eyes lock onto mine, glassy with anguish.
My heart pinches for the guy.
I shouldn’t feel bad, given what he did, but I can see how his past shaped him.
His parents are successful; his last name is a legacy. Though the good guy in me wants to forgive him, put it in the past, and move on like none of it happened, that will depend on how he answers this next question.
“Why would you go to such lengths to pursue something you aren’t great at?”
Carter winces at the question, turning his head to the likes of an old hangar—one I hadn’t noticed before. The doors are wide open, and a single plane sits within, covered in a thin sheet of dust. Bold red paint is slashed over the black Crawford Aerospace logo.
“It’s not that I wasn’t good at it,” he speaks through a locked jaw. “I just didn’t work hard enough for it. I should have hired better people. Let you finish the project to completion before I stole it. Tore down your self-esteem a little more so you’d stick with me.”
And for the first time since I’ve gotten here, I laugh—so loud it knocks the air out of my lungs till I’m hunched over, holding onto my stomach.
Carter looks me up and down in disbelief. “This isn’t funny,” he says defensively.
I shake my hand in disagreement. “It’s a lot funny, Carter. You confess that you paid your way through university, admit you should have worked harder, and somehow, the blame for your fuckups is falling on everyone but you. People don’t get places in life without putting in the work.”
I want to go off on him a bit longer. Berate him for his stupidity and lack of acknowledgment for his own actions. But it’ll never sink into his brain. From the moment he was born, everything was handed to him on a silver platter. He's not used to hearing no. People like that don’t change overnight.
Plus, I accomplished the task I set out to do. I have the truth. There was no reason for me to stay here any longer.
With one last look in the eyes of the bloodied man, I walk back toward my car, the snow softly crunching in the eerie silence—until a shout halts me in my tracks.
“You may have gotten everything you wanted, Archer, but you still lost the girl.”
Heat flashes through me at the mention of Vivienne, and when I turn back to see the bloodied, joker-like smile on his face, I snap.
It might be true for the time being. She may never want me back after I’ve spent the last few days avoiding her calls and the knocks on my door. But I wasn’t going to let herorhim get away that easily.
I march back to him, reveling in the satisfaction of watching my fist collide with his jaw. His face whiplashes in the other direction, and a couple of teeth knock right out of his gums.
I grab him by the collar and force him to look me dead in the eyes. Every word coming out of my mouth drips with venom. “Mark my words, Carter, I’m getting the girl back, and you’ll watch it all happen from behind bars.”
With that, I let him go, watching him fall back to the ground with a loud thud. He looks completely out of it, faded, and I make a mental note to call an ambulance after I leave.
“Oh, and apologies for the teeth. If you can’t afford the dental work, call me. I’ll cover it.My treat.”
