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She nodded, her shoulders slumped forward, her expression dejected.

Matthew wished he could step in, call her dad and demand that he release Winnie from his manipulative behavior and force him to acknowledge how he was ruining his daughter’s life. But just like Matthew had told Winnie, it was her choice.

Without another glance, he turned away from her, unable to bear the sadness in her eyes any longer, his vision clouded by hurt.

“I really am sorry,” she said, her broken voice breaking him.

“I know,” he said, staring at the target as if the arrows were pierced into him. “I only hope you find the courage to seek your own happiness. Wherever that may be.”

She didn’t respond, but a few moments later, her retreating footsteps sounded across the pathway behind him.

With all his power, he fought the desire to look back at her. It was time to let her go. Time to move on. Time to remember that even though he may not be a disappointment to his father, he would always be a disappointment to himself. Because he’d failed to capture the heart of the only woman he’d ever truly wanted, the only woman he’d ever truly loved.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

“Flight 311 will be boarding for Chicago at 11:31. Flight 311, boarding shortly.”

Winnie stifled a yawn as the announcement sounded out across the airport’s intercom again. She’d woken up at the crack of dawn, escaping Foxwood without running into a soul and zipping her way to Manchester Airport where she’d said her final farewell to the Aston Martin.

Of course, that was the easiest of her goodbyes. Mr. Wintour had been understanding, if not disappointed, and had suggested she return if she ever had the interest to. Mrs. Wintour had expressed her sorrow at not seeing her any longer. And Char had been straight-up confrontational—in the most loving way she could.

“I just don’t get it,” Char had said the night before, coming down to Winnie’s room after Winnie had sent her a text, alerting her of her departure. “You’re happy here. You’re happy with Matty. Why would you give it all up?”

Winnie had tried to explain, but how could she in a way that made sense to Char when Winnie’s own actions didn’t even make sense to herself?

She shifted on the flat airport seat, trying to get comfortable once again as another announcement for yet another flight echoed across the busy terminal.

She’d been staring at her phone for the last two hours, trying to distract herself by reading over the proposal sent by Kris & Sons, but nothing was sticking. All these fancy words about software creation and app manipulation held nothing to medieval knights charging at each other with horses and lances.

And all of that held nothing to being with Matthew.

Tears once again threatened to prick the center of her eyes, but she promptly blinked them away. She’d never cried so much in her life, nor had she ever felt so terrible. At least, not since losing Goldilocks and riding altogether.

But this sort of ache was different. It ran deeper because it held with it the knowledge of all that could have been—should have been—with the man she loved.

Saying goodbye to Matthew, seeing the hurt and betrayal in his eyes, had shriveled her heart nearly past the point of feeling altogether. So that’s how she remained now. Shriveled. Dry. Almost dead to the world with no more love to give.

So long as she had a brain to give Kris & Sons, though, Dad would be happy.

As if on call, her phone buzzed in her hand, and Dad’s name lit up her screen as a FaceTime call, replacing the document from Kris & Sons she’d once again been too distracted to read.

She knew why he was calling—to make sure she was at the airport. Why couldn’t he ever just trust her?

She shook her head and drew a deep breath, putting in her earbuds and pulling on her steely exterior before answering the call.

“Hey,” she said.

She didn’t bother smiling. Why pretend to be happy when she wasn’t? That wouldn’t get her a job, nor would it get her credit from Dad.

“Hey, Winnie,” he said, clearly not looking at her as his eyes darted around his own screen. “Just a second. I’m bringing in a few more of the kids for a quick call.”

Winnie nodded. It wasn’t unheard of for Dad to schedule a random chat no matter the time of day for everyone else, and those who were available would pick up. He usually called when he had something to boast about that just couldn’t wait to be shared.

What was today’s good news? Finding another bigwig client? Succeeding in convincing his daughter to leave everything she loved behind just to succor his own pride?

In a matter of minutes, all but one of Winnie’s siblings appeared across her screen. Spencer’s service wasn’t great in Nicaragua, but Sarah picked up at three in the morning in California—just finishing up the last details on a project—and Scott answered during a late-night shift at the hospital in Oregon.

“That’s the Knox family for you,” Dad praised. “Always working hard but willing to drop everything for family.”