Chapter 50
JETT
All weekend, I’m miserable as fuck.
Brooke misses Cari deeply, asking about her constantly, which only intensifies my own guilt and sadness. It’s hard enough coming back from Bermuda, and harder still to walk into an empty apartment. But it’s soul-crushing to know that Cari won’t be a part of our daily lives.
Even though she hasn’t ever been to my apartment, this place feels suffocating without her. Not having her in my life, and in Brooke’s life, seems like an impossible situation. This void that now faces me, bleak and bottomless, cannot be my life.
Brooke’s questions about Cari are endless, her sadness palpable. “When’s Cari coming back, Daddy?”
“She’s busy, angel.”
“She’s always busy now,” Brooke mutters, her small voice breaking my heart.
Dropping her off at camp the next morning is brutal. She clings to my hand longer than usual, her eyes darting to the door like she’s hoping Cari will magically appear.
It's not just me who needs Cari—Brooke does too. But Cari won’t come back.
My father’s fingerprints are all over this. If I had any doubts, Cari’s behavior confirmed it. He said something to her—something cruel enough to make her walk away. He couldn't get me to commit to the arranged marriage, so he's done something to make Cari walk away.
I never expected her to do it, to listen to him, but the old man has a way with his words. He is cunning, and Cari would do the right thing by me and Brooke. He’s done it before—manipulated, twisted, broken things he had no right to touch. But this time, he’s gone too far. Cari thinks she’s doing the right thing by leaving.
For Brooke. For me.
But I know better.
Cari is a part of our lives, and it's not just Brooke who wants her there, I want her there. Not fleetingly. Not for a vacation. For something more.
She can't see it yet, she's scared and doesn't want to mess things up. But I won’t let her go—not without a fight.
What we had in Bermuda wasn’t just a fling. It was everything. It was real. And I’ll be damned if I let my father take that away from me.
There’s a strong chance the snake tried to pay Cari off. My father offered me money to marry the heiress, so it’s likely he offered her something too. That’s the way he operates—calculated and always trying to control the board.
But, as I've come to learn, not everything in life is for sale.
Cari may think she doesn’t belong in my world, but I’ll show her she does. She belongs by my side. Not some heiress that I’ve never met and don’t know. I'm going to make our relationship public, no matter the consequences, because losing Cari isn’t an option.
***
I stay away from her when we get back to work. I need to focus. I need to find a nanny and a new assistant—these things are urgent and I must deal with them. The more pressing issue, the one that really matters, is what I’m working on.
I walk into the office on what is supposed to be Cari’s last day. A part of me still wonders if she’ll change her mind and tell me she doesn’t want to leave. There’s a heaviness in the air I can’t shake. Ordinarily, I’d make a show of it—flowers, a generous gift, something to mark her years of service. Maybe even a small gathering with the PAs, my brothers, and some of the other staff.
She emailed me this morning. She doesn’t want any of that. She called it “a sad day,” and begged me to respect her wishes and not make a spectacle. She’s probably going to struggle to say goodbye, just like I will. But unlike her, I’m not ready to let this end. I'm a risk taker. A man who likes surprises.
I head into back-to-back meetings, hating that I can’t even be around her on this milestone day.
It’s late afternoon by the time I see her. She’s with the other PAs, saying goodbye with hugs and promises to keep in touch. I watch from a distance as they gush over her, their voices raising with affection.
Then they leave, and Cari stands there, alone, surrounded by the little gifts and tokens of appreciation piled on her desk. She looks sad. I have deliberately kept out of her way these past few days, and I can already see the hurt in her eyes. She thinks I've reverted to being cold and keeping her at bay. That I didn't care about her, on her last day.
Nothing could be further from the truth. I walk up to her desk. There are flowers and chocolate boxes and little gifts on her desk from work colleagues.
Her eyes meet mine with hesitation. “Thank you for respecting my wishes,” she says softly, gesturing to the lack of ceremony.
I nod. “Can you come into my office, please?”
“Jett … no. I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She looks smaller somehow, her shoulders tense, her gaze distant. She looks like she’s already decided this is the last time she’ll see me. I want to tell her everything—how hard it’s been to keep my distance these past few days. How much I wanted to pull her into my arms and tell her she’s not going anywhere.
But I don’t. Instead, I stay rooted to the spot, my fists shoved into my pockets to keep them from reaching for her. “Just come with me.”
She follows me into my office, looking unsure as she hovers near the door, clutching her bag, clearly ready to bolt. I’m so tempted to put my arms around her. I'm desperate to reel her close to my chest. I so badly need to feel her lips on mine. I dream about her being back in my life, my bed.
But I manage to keep my distance, putting my desk between us to keep me in check.
“I need you to do something for me,” I say, keeping my voice even.
Her brow furrows. “Jett—”
“Trust me, Cari. Please. Be here. At this time.” I hand her a slip of paper. Her fingers brush mine as she takes it, and the heat lingers, shooting straight to my heart.
“What is this?” Her tone is edged with suspicion.
“You’ll know soon enough. Seven-thirty. Don’t back down. Walk in with your head held high.”
Her eyes search mine, as if trying to decipher some hidden message. For a moment, I think she’s going to refuse. But she nods, tucking the paper into her bag.
“Okay,” she says quietly.