“Can we go over the lines one more time?” I whispered.
Moving my hand from his knee to his lips, Stefan gave my knuckles a soft kiss.
“Of course,” he said, squeezing my hand. “First of all, he’s going to start with a lecture about how you’ve behaved. Probably saunter around the room with his chest all puffed up. And I can guarantee you he’s been going over his speech all afternoon. So don’t interrupt.”
“Right.” I nodded, my knee bouncing rapidly in time with my racing heart. “Contrition.”
We had run through this over and over again. How Konstantin would chastise me for my selfish behavior and how I would pour on the apologies.
“He’ll call you ungrateful and spoiled,” Stefan prompted. “He might yell. It’s okay if you’re scared. Don’t hide it. He’ll like that.”
I hung my head, practicing how I would react.
“I’m sorry,” I recited. “I know I’ve been acting like a child. Everything in life has been so easy for me up until now, and…I guess this is the first time I’ve had to learn that this kind of money doesn’t come from legitimate businesses. It’s been a hard lesson.”
“Good,” Stefan said. “The entitlement angle is good. It’ll make it more believable for him when you play the shame card.”
What made this part of the speech so easy was that it was partly true. I had been given a lot of opportunities and financial help in my life, and I was well aware of that fact. And there were times I did feel ashamed about it—especially now that I knew what kind of man my father really was. Stefan had coached me to lean into my feelings, to let some honesty bleed into the lies I would tell. Otherwise my words would ring hollow and false.
I cleared my throat and continued. “But the truth is, I love our lifestyle. And more importantly, I love my husband—and I’ll stand by him and whatever methods he chooses to provide for us. I have no plans to interfere or fuss about any of your dealings ever again.”
“And?” Stefan gestured for me to continue.
I swallowed. “And I will be more grateful and understanding going forward. I will be nothing but supportive.”
It made me sick to say the words even in practice, but I knew it was for the best. That this final lie would hopefully be exactly what was needed to lay the pathway to Konstantin’s end.
It was all for the greater good.
Thank god Stefan and I were doing this together. I knew I wouldn’t have been able to make it through the night—let alone the car ride over—without him supporting me.
“I believe in you,” he said now. “You’ve got this down. What you’re doing is incredibly brave and it’s going to make a difference.”
Nodding, I tried to smile, but it was strained. We were minutes away.
“I have something for you,” he said, pulling a small square box out of his pocket.
When I opened it, I found a pair of sparkling pendant earrings nestled in the velvet. Their beauty nearly took my breath away. The drops were round clusters of pavé diamonds set in platinum, and they had an Art Deco look to them. Subtle but incredibly sparkly.
“They’re gorgeous,” I said, taking them in with wide eyes. “I love them.”
“I wanted these to be a symbol of the two of us,” Stefan said, unhooking them from the velvet. “That we’re a pair now.”
I felt my chest get tight with emotion, and I blinked back the sting in my eyes. “Thank you,” was all I could manage.
“We belong together. Always,” he said. “Deal?”
“Deal,” I told him.
He swept my hair aside and helped me put them on. Somehow, having this gift from him, feeling it close to my body, calmed me in a way I hadn’t expected. I felt ready to face my father-in-law. Stefan and I were a team, and we would take down his father—and mine—together.
The Town Car arrived at Konstantin’s apartment and dropped us off in the front of the luxurious building. Our fingers entwined, Stefan helped me out of the car and we headed inside.
It was quiet when we entered the penthouse.
“In the library,” Konstantin’s voice echoed through the marble entryway.
“The library?” I whispered to Stefan.
