Chapter 27 #2
Tension builds in my throat. I don’t want to hide it from him. I can’t. But every part of me whispers that the moment I open that laptop, I’ll lose him.
My eyes fill with tears at the thought. By tonight, my dad will truly have ruined all aspects of my life.
“Zoé, you’re scaring me.” He grips my thighs. “Please talk to me, beautiful.”
I wish I could, but my throat is so tight, it’s impossible to speak. So I open my computer, where my dad’s mega hotel complex on Emile’s land glares on the screen.
He scans the text, and I hold my breath. His frown deepens, the crease between his brows sharpening as he reads. He leans back slightly, confusion tugging at his features.
Then I see it. The way his jaw ticks. The way it locks tight.
“That fucking bastard,” he seethes. “I knew it. I knew he’d pull something like that.”
My stomach free-falls. “Matt, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know he’d do that. I feel so awful. I swear to you I didn’t know. I would never—”
“Zoé, hey, hey.” He presses his hands to my face, sweeping his thumbs across my wet cheeks. “It’s okay. Breathe. I’m not mad at you, honey.”
I exhale shakily, rubbing my palms on my pants, the pounding in my chest relentless. “You’re not?”
“Of course not. Have you not heard a word I’ve said for the past month? I know who you are, and you’re not a heartless monster.” He pulls a chair in front of me and sits. “Tell me what happened.”
It takes a minute to compose myself, but eventually, I straighten and wipe my face with the back of my hand.
“I called my dad today to update him on the land,” I croak out. “He told me he’s taking over. The board doesn’t want my lodge idea. They never did. My dad only wanted to secure the land.” I choke out a sob. “He used me.”
He blows out a breath, raking a hand down his face. “Okay, this is bad. Really bad.”
He pushes himself to his feet and paces to the other side of the room. I follow his every move, my heart thundering in my ears at the same pace as the pulse in his neck.
“I’ve been looking for a loophole since I found out, but I haven’t had any luck.”
I’m not helpless anymore. I’m not scared or intimidated by my own father. Matt gave me the tools to fight back, and I intend to use them now.
“There’s gotta be something .”
“I’ve tried to call him, but he isn’t picking up.”
He runs his hand through his hair, the same path my fingers followed last night. “I don’t mean to be blunt, Zoé, but your dad isn’t open for negotiations.”
“I don’t think I am either. This is my project.” My thoughts are reeling at a speed I can’t keep up with. I can’t think properly, can’t focus clearly. “I…I’ll check with my team, dig into the legal stuff a bit. Maybe there’s something that’d make him back off.”
He sits on the couch, his elbows on his thighs, and sighs with defeat. “We’ll figure it out. But we have to do it fast. Because the minute this gets out—”
His phone rings. He picks up.
“Yes?” He rubs his jaw, his knee bouncing. A low fuck escapes his lips. “Now?” A pause. “Okay. We’ll be right over.”
“What is it?” I ask, my heart in my throat.
“Emergency town hall meeting.”
“Why did you come?” Matt grits out between his teeth when his parents arrive with Daphne.
“Rob texted that it was an emergency meeting. We had to be here,” his mom says. “What’s the big deal?”
Matt pinches the bridge of his nose, exhaling. “I wish Daph would have stayed home, that’s all.”
The ride here was filled with silence and buzzing nerves; both of us were lost in our thoughts. Matt whispered, “It’s gonna be fine” as he squeezed my fingers again and again, and I’m not sure if that was meant for me or to reassure himself.
“Do you know what it’s about?” his dad asks.
His eyes dart to me. “Not sure.”
I swallow. The tightness in my chest hasn’t gone away since the email landed in my inbox, but now it’s spread to every part of my body. It takes everything I have to push my feet forward.
When we get in, the place is packed, familiar faces greeting us with warm smiles and friendly waves as we find seats.
Rob walks to the podium, his features unreadable. Behind him, a white screen I haven’t seen before has been set up.
“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” he starts, voice grave.
“I had a very interesting call this afternoon, to say the least.” He finds me in the crowd, his expression cold and harsh.
That’s when I know that this is the end for me.
“And since this was a decision we made together as a community, I believe it’s your right to know.
” His knuckles are white where he grips the podium.
“The hotel project Ms. Delacroix presented was nothing but smoke and mirrors. The representative from Imperial Excellence I spoke to this afternoon confirmed that this”—he picks up a little clicker, and my father’s mega complex proposal appears on the screen behind him—“is what we can expect a year from now.”
The gasps across the room are loud and sharp, suffocating the air with a tension so thick it wraps around my throat. In every direction, people turn to me, their faces confused, betrayed. Sad.
“You’re okay,” Matt whispers. His words are meant to be soothing, though his own body is a wall of nerves. He laces his fingers with mine, and I focus on the warmth of his skin.
“What does this mean?” Patty, who’s in the front row, breaks the agitated hum of the crowd.
“It means that Ms. Delacroix has led us on with her lodge project.”
I shoot up. “I did not . My father took over without my knowledge.”
“That’s not what your colleague said when we spoke,” Rob accuses. “It was his understanding that you knew all along.”
“These are lies ,” I yell, my face hot. “I only received the proposal a few hours ago. Probably at the same time you did. Before that, I wasn’t aware of any resort project.”
“And we’re supposed to believe you now? You betrayed us,” Ruth shouts from the other end of the room.
Others pipe up, demanding answers and hurling accusations, each comment as harsh as the last. I slump in my seat, head down, my breath coming in small puffs of air.
“The bastard set you up,” Matt seethes through his teeth, his hand gripping mine. “I’m gonna fucking…”
He continues to spew his anger, but I tune out all the noise. This is a repeat of my first town hall, only ten times worse. These are my people.
People I’ve grown to love and care for.
And they’re all looking at me like they really believe I played a sick, twisted puppet game with them. Rosie, a storm raging in her eyes. Carl, shaking his head in disappointment. Cooper, his arms crossed, his stare cold.
“She’s a liar,” Patty shrieks. “She used us.”
The crowd erupts like a wildfire, pointing their fingers at me, throwing their hands up in desperation.
The world blurs, moving in slow motion. Their faces twisted with rage, their mouths deformed by their fury, their scowls marring their features as they shout and demand I explain myself.
But I can’t. I can’t breathe. I can’t move. I’m being pushed underwater, my father’s hand the one holding my head down.
And then a high-pitched voice rises above all the others. “Zoey is not like that! She’s kind! She’s my friend!”
Daphne .
No, no, no, no, no.
My heart shatters at my feet as her voice climbs a few octaves, flooded with hurt and confusion. “ Stop being mean to her! Stop it! ”
Deb tries to settle her, to reel her back into her seat, but her efforts are in vain. Instead, she gets more worked up. Her plea turns ferocious as she screams her last words over and over again.
“Can somebody make her stop?” Patty asks loudly.
Matt is on his feet in an instant, his finger pointed at her. “ Fuck you, Patty .”
He rushes toward his sister and scoops her up in his arms without a second thought, shielding her from the noise, then strides through the door and disappears from my sight.
I exhale a tiny breath, knowing he’s taking care of her.
But as thankful as I am that she’s got him, he’s no longer anchoring me. This time, when the current pulls me under, he’s not here to bring me back up.
My breaths turn shallow, my blood roaring in my ears as my hands shake.
“Everybody, please. Let’s settle down,” Rob shouts.
It’s pointless. Nobody listens.
My face is burning, my mind is reeling, my throat is closing.
“I have to go,” I whisper, then louder. “I have to go. I’m sorry, I have to go.”
I stand and wade through the crowd, dodging unhappy cries until I’m stumbling outside, gasping for air.
Matt is there, crouched in front of Daphne, rubbing her arms. His eyes snap to mine.
“Zoé?”
“I’m fine,” I say, staggering toward my car. “Stay there. Take care of Daph.”
He stands and takes a step toward me, but I hold my hand up, as if to push him away. “Daphne, Matt. She needs you.”
He calls me again, but I’m already in my car, driving away.