Page 152 of In Love and Revenge

‘But you thought he was guilty,’ she says in a voice so quiet I have to strain to hear her. ‘You told me as much. You thought he was guilty up until I moved in with you and ...’

I curse Dominic internally. He pushed me to return the favour of his help after the Wyndham deal went south. And I agreed. There was no connection between me and losing Fairfax Guardian’s money, and George Thorne’s case, because I’d given the money directly to Dom to invest for me. If the court knew that I had a financial stake, then I would have been considered biased and unable to be called as an expert witness.

I could have said no, but back then all I could see was red. And a gaping hole where two hundred and forty million should have been.

I wanted to watch justice be served. Only, they had the wrong bloody person. And Dom set up all the ‘evidence’. Now I’m about to pay the price for my own arrogant pig-headedness.

This is on me.

‘Aurora, please . . .’ I urge.

She finally lifts her eyes to mine and the coldness in them makes my heart freeze.

‘This has all been some twisted revenge scheme, hasn’t it? Because of the money you lost.’

‘What money?’ my father booms.

‘It doesn’t matter,’ I toss in his direction, my gaze fixed on Aurora.

‘Two hundred and forty million. It’d be enough for most people to want revenge,’ she says.

‘How bloody much?’ My father flies to his feet, his chair toppling backwards on to the floor. ‘Was that money from Fairfax Guardian?’

‘Was!’ I snap, looking at him. ‘I repaid it myself. Every damn penny.’

I turn back to Aurora, but she’s already on her feet.

‘Thank you for dinner, Hillary,’ she says. ‘It was delicious. But I’ll be leaving now.’

‘Aurora?’ I stand and grab her hand, but she shakes me off and storms from the room.

I don’t acknowledge anyone else. I race after her, my blood thundering in my ears, and panic clawing at my windpipe.

I’ll suffocate without her.

I cannot lose her.

She’s mine.

‘Aurora?’ I yell, chasing her down the hallway.

She’s at the front door by the time I catch up with her. I reach for her hand, wrapping it in mine and bringing her to a standstill.

‘Please,’ I pant. ‘Don’t walk away from me. We need to talk about this.’

‘Is it true?’ She whirls to face me, rage simmering in her eyes, making the blue spark like electricity’s running through it. The sight of it is like a dagger in the gut.

‘I was going to tell you.’

‘When?’ she shrieks, yanking her hand from mine. ‘After I moved in with you? After I fell in love with you?’

‘Tonight, I swear. Once we got home, I ...’ I scrub a hand around my jaw. ‘I wanted to get your father acquitted first, and then—’

‘Then what? Hope I’d shrug it off because I’d be too distracted having him back to care?’

‘No, of course not—’

‘You sent him there!’