Things were moving too fast for Simon, but he knew that if he denied her now, she would only distance herself further—starve herself, avoid him.
“The attic,” Rachel continued, her fingers curling at her sides. “You told me not to go there.”
“Rachel,” he said her name, this time almost like a warning.Don’t go there.
“What’s in there, Simon?”
Simon closed his eyes, choosing to ignore the question. What she did not know would not hurt her.
“You say you want to be honest. You say you don’t have a mistress. That it’s not another woman keeping you away, but this—this thing that you won’t tell me.” She inhaled sharply. “So tell me. If you truly want transparency, if this conversation is meant to mean anything, then you must be fully honest. Otherwise, it’s all been for nothing.”
She was right. If he held back now, if he continued to push her away, then all of this would be pointless.
Then, finally, with great reluctance, Simon sighed. “Fine.”
Rachel looked like she could not believe what she was hearing. She took a hesitant step towards him.
“But I will only show you. I will not explain everything—not tonight,” he continued. Rachel opened her mouth to argue, but Simon cut her off. “That is my condition. If you want to see, then you will have to accept that some answers will come later.”
“Fine.” It was Rachel’s turn to say the word. “Show me, then.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Follow me.”
Rachel did not have to be told twice as she followed him out to the west wing of the house. There was a nervousness to his step that was palpable. He was walking too fast for her, and she was having trouble keeping up.
But it was enough that he had even agreed to show her. So she did not complain. Instead, she picked up her step.
They reached the end of the corridor, where there were stairs that led up to the attic door.
“Do you really wish to see?” Simon asked her, stopping in front of the stairs.
“Of course, yes,” Rachel nodded furiously. “Please do not go back on your word now.”
“I am not planning to,” Simon replied. “But I am only asking you one final time.”
Rachel felt her heart beat louder in her chest. What was in there that made Simon so hesitant?
“I am certain,” she nodded. “But it is not me that needs to make up my mind. Do you wish for me to see?”
She watched him wrestle with his own emotions, and then added.
“Do you trust me enough to?”
Her words seemed to work, as he nodded and began to lead her up the stairs.
“Follow me now,” he said again as he began to unlock the door. The door opened with a click, and he pushed it open.
The moment had arrived. When Rachel followed him inside, she was immediately hit by the scent of old wood and dust. It appeared that no one had been inside here for a long time.
Simon lit up some candles so that they were able to see.
The room was larger than Rachel had imagined. It had an odd stillness to it, as though time had stopped entirely.
“You can look around,” Simon said in a low voice. He was watching her.
She felt her heart flutter. He trusted her enough to let her do this.
