My hands clenched into fists. “No, Dad.You’rethe one usingme. You’re taking advantage of my passion, expertise, and love for this hotel to fix what you screwed up. And what do I get in return? Nothing! Absolutely nothing. Not even a thank-you. Only criticism and accusations, because the world refuses to buy your lies.”
My dad tensed his jaw, and the vein on his forehead bulged like a third eye glaring at me. “Watch your mouth.”
“I’m just speaking the truth. The Darlington wouldn’t be in this mess if you’d kept your dick in your pants. Or at least had the decency to only sleep with women who wanted you, instead of forcing yourself on ones who didn’t—like the perverted old manyou are. How you can look at yourself in the mirror every morning knowing what you’ve done is beyond me.”
“You can’t talk to me like that!” my dad snapped, spit flying through the air.
I grimaced in disgust and rose smoothly from my chair. Planting my hands on my desk, I fixed my dad with a glare. “I can, and I just did. I’m so sick of acting like you’re not the biggest pile of shit around here. Kate just did what she had to do to survive. You, on the other hand, did what you’d always wanted to do, with no regard for the consequences or for anyone else. I’m done keeping quiet about it,” I said resolutely, my frustration ringing in my ears. “I won’t let you and Mum sabotage my relationship with Kate. So either you get your act together and have my back, or you get lost and stop wasting my time. I have work to do.”
I adjusted my jacket demonstratively, sat back down, and opened my laptop. I felt the intensity of my dad’s glare but ignored it, knowing how much it would infuriate him. Several seconds passed before he turned to leave. His footsteps receded, only to stop once more.
“I hope you don’t end up regretting this,” he said, then shut the door behind him.
I exhaled loudly, leaned back in my chair, and closed my laptop again—opening it had just been a ploy to get him to leave. Ever since Vivian had stormed into my office this morning, I hadn’t had a single moment alone to gather my thoughts—most of them about Kate. Had she already seen the interview? Or was she still sleeping? She had been in bed when I’d left for the office. Part of me wished I could keep the interview from her. She shouldn’t have to hear what Randell was saying about her, even if it was untrue. He wasn’t talking about the real Kate, but a version of her that shehad been forced to become—both by life and by Randell himself, leaving her with no choice. It wasn’t fair to throw that in her face now.
I speed-dialled Rakesh. The poor guy had just as little time off as I did these days. He answered after the first ring, as if he’d been waiting for my call.
“Hi, Henry. What can I do for you?” He sounded tense.
“I assume you’ve seen the interview.”
“Yes.”
“Do you know what it means?”
“More paparazzi.”
“More paparazzi,” I echoed. “Hire more security. I want every entrance monitored around the clock. No more press entering the hotel unauthorised. And make sure that our guests can come and go without being harassed. Make our chauffeur service available to them free of charge for the next few days.”
I could hear the faint sound of Rakesh taking notes. “Will do.”
“Thanks. That’s all for now.”
Rakesh said goodbye, and I ended the call.
My head was spinning, and although I’d slept well—as I always did with Kate beside me—I was exhausted. Not just from this morning, but from the past few months, which had completely shattered my nerves. I had no idea how to piece them back together, but now was not the time to dwell on that.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the little box. I washed down a pill with the remaining whisky in my glass. Just then, my phone vibrated—a message from Giulia.
Kate was in her office.
51
British High Society in Shock! Scandalous Criminal Past of Henry Darlington’s New Girlfriend Revealed!
INsiderheadline
Kate
The door to Giulia’s office flew open, and Henry burst in, looking anxious and frazzled. The buttons on his jacket were undone, and his hair was dishevelled from raking his fingers through it. His eyes darted restlessly around the room until they landed on me. His entire body seemed to relax instantly. I attempted a smile.
I sat on a small sofa in the corner of the room holding a cup of tea, though I hadn’t taken a single sip—I had been too preoccupied with eavesdropping on the conversation taking place across the corridor. The voices had eventually become too faint to hear, and after that, I had been too consumed by my worries. I still couldn’t believe that Randell had gone to theINsiderto sell them my life story.
“Giulia, can you give us a moment alone?” Henry asked.
She nodded and left the office.
Henry locked the door behind her and strode towards me. I felt like we had grown closer since I had told him about my past. Everything had been perfect—perhaps too perfect—but now this dark shadow loomed over us. The same dark shadow that had been responsible for my mum’s death. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing Henry to Randell as well.
