Chapter 29
A lot happened in the past seventy-two hours.
After Dean told me the truth, we got a message from production telling us to meet back at the house as soon as we could.
Everyone was there. Hina, Kat, Shaan—who didn’t care about any of it—Rhys, who looked worried for us.
I didn’t need anyone to tell me who revealed the secrets because when Irene came out to tell us her father pulled out his investment from the show and they had to stop production, my accusations were confirmed.
Only Austin Kane, supposed friend of Irene, and fan of her father would do this. All those days seeing him stammer over a phone call or go red with embarrassment after being reprimanded told me all I needed to know.
Austin wanted drama, something interesting to get people talking, but it backfired on him and now he ran away, impressing no one—especially not his idol.
With the investment pulled out, Irene doesn’t have the winning money. She told everyone she’d figure out the logistics and get back to us. Then we were free to go .
Despite hating abrupt endings and having to say goodbye to Hina and Kat—who tell me they’ll visit me—we part ways.
Dean and I flew back together, and it was the end.
At least I can check love off my bucket list.
I haven’t answered any messages from mom, Nadine, or Rosa. I’ll talk to them soon, but I need a minute to reconvene everything. Telling them about Dean’s life isn’t my business and when it comes down to it, I’ll defend him no matter what.
Rivera’s Roses hasn’t been the most booming floral business in Toronto, but I have a few loyal customers.
One who likes to order assortments of my favourite florals every month.
They live in Calgary and leave hefty tips each time.
I’m getting back to them because they haven’t placed an order since I left for the show, which I didn’t expect.
Making sure they’re alive and all that, you know.
A ping comes from my phone.
My Man
How are you, my love?
Better now that you’ve texted.
My Man
I can leave work for you.
And forget how to be a provider? Absolutely not.
My Man
I’ll take up being a better lover.
How would I ever get anything done?
My Man
You wouldn’t.
My cheeks burn.
“Hello!” My door bangs multiple times. Someone taps against it like a drum. “It’s me,” they bellow out the chorus of Adele’s famous song.
I roll my eyes. I don’t need a peephole to know which pervs came to see me.
When I hold the door open, Azar pushes Sunny to the side and engulfs me in a hug, lifting me off the ground, and making me dizzy by twirling me around.
“We’re going to be in-laws!”
“You deranged gnome, put her down!” Sunny slaps him on the head.
He drops me, glaring at Sunny and rubs the spot she hit him.
Then Sunny runs to me while screaming. We’re jumping in a circle, hugging, and then Azar joins us.
I’m laughing, they’re laughing.
When we stop, Azar runs a hand through his hair and sighs. He walks over to my kitchen, cupping water in palms and drinking from it.
I stare at his messy hair, the kindness in his eyes, and wonder how he watched his brother stab his dad, his other one take the fall, and still remain as lovely as he is.
He catches me staring. “What?”
“Nothing,” I shake my head. “Just imagining what you looked like at twenty.”
Azar’s brows furrow. He stares and stares, Sunny says something about the new books I ordered, when his eyes widen. He knows I know.
He looks at Sunny and I shake my head .
At first, I think he’ll walk out because knowing that your closest friend knows about your past without you telling them is terrifying—but he releases a breath. His shoulder hunch down, his whole chest falls with it, it’s relieving. For him. For me.
When he walks by me, “Do you believe him?” Azar asks.
“Always,” I reply.
That satisfies him. “Good.”
Then we move on to talking about other stuff.
“When I saw Dean on the show, I was like what the actual fuck is he doing there?” Sunny takes apart the empty delivery boxes. “Then I saw him looking at you, Nova, and goddamn. I burned up from it.”
“It couldn’t have been that noticeable,” I sit down next to her.
“It was,” Azar sits beside me. “He’s liked you for a while. I’m surprised it took him this long.”
My head whips around to face him. “You didn’t think to tell me your older brother had a crush on me?”
He shrugs with a goofy smile. “It wasn’t my place.”
“Leave him,” Sunny waves. “He likes fate interrupting.”
“And if fate didn’t?” I push.
“ Then I would’ve intervened.”
“Of course,” I roll my eyes.
Azar stands up, “Gotta pee. One sec.” Then dips into the bathroom.
I turn to Sunny. “Tell me Ate wasn’t as mad as she seemed.”
“Girl,” she shakes her head. “She was pissed. I had to calm her down.”
“Does she hate me?” I ask. “Don’t tell me she hates me.”
“She’s your sister,” Sunny gives me a pointed look. “She could never hate you.”
“Did she talk to you about the…” I look over to make sure the ba throom door is still shut. “Lawsuit?”
Sunny shakes her head, leaning against the couch. She twirls a coiled curl along her finger. “She told me she’s trying to find a way around it, but she’d have to go to Cornwall and with her due date in a month, it’s hard to travel.”
“Of course,” I say. I’d been in Switzerland for a little over a month. When you get back into the real world, you forget that time doesn’t stay still. “What about my mom and dad?” I’d put Ma on mute after that night I spoke to her. Not my brightest moment.
“She called me twice. She apparently needs to tell you something quickly.”
“They don’t know about the lawsuit, right?” It’s not like it matters if they know, but I’ve spent my whole life being the perfect kid. I don’t want them thinking this is my way of seeking attention.
Sunny shrugs. “She didn’t mention it to me.”
We continue talking about logistics, complaining about the situation in my bank account when an email from them pings through.
Please don’t be interest. Please don’t be ? —
Eyes burst out of their sockets.
I stand up, clutching the phone with dear life. There’s no way…
“What?” Sunny stands too, looking at my screen. She releases a sound that’s somewhere between a gasp and a screech. “Did your sister do it?”
$15,000 deposited in my account.
Nadine could have been a contender if I didn’t see the recipient’s name in capital letters.
We spent weeks together. Every secret, every moment, every pain—I’ve told him.
Honesty means a lot to me, he knew that.
But more than honesty—trust matters. Trust and respect are intertwined to create the product that I now feel as love, but he didn’t see that.
Still doesn’t if he goes around doing something like this.
Devastation meets anger and they turn into an inferno, ready to burn all that’s around me, down.
There’s only one Vuk brother that could’ve done this, and it isn’t the one wiping wet hands on his pants.
“Where does Dean live?” I ask. I’m on autopilot. Grabbing my purse that doesn’t have money, putting my phone inside.
“Nova,” Sunny grabs my arm. “Think first.”
The glare I send her is catastrophic. What the hell is he thinking, sending me money?
“What happened?” Azar looks confused. He never knows what his brothers are up to.
“Nothing—”
“It’s not nothing ,” I snarl. “Your big brother decided to be a hero as usual.”
Azar doesn’t get it. He looks at Sunny, then me.
“Text me his address. Sunny,” she meets my troubled gaze with concern. “Tell him about the lawsuit.”
Then I’m out of there.
“I’m sorry, Miss. I can’t let you go in.”
I stare up at the sky and curse every bone that hasn’t been impacted by calcium deficiency.
“I don’t think you heard me,” my laugh comes out forced. “I know Dean.” I pull up a picture on my phone.
“Ma’am, he is not in the picture.”
Surely enough, you can see his throat and a blur of his beard. Great. Amazing. Exactly what we need around here.
“I know him,” or at least I thought I did .
“It’s policy,” he gives me a pitiful look. “I’m sorry.”
That’s when I realize why he’s looking at me full of sympathy.
Wet tears fall from my eyes. It’s slow, I try to keep them at bay, but it hasn’t worked.
I don’t know why I’m crying—what the point of it is.
Dean could very well have an incredible reason for depositing money in my account. His reason matters to me.
Swiping angrily on the apps of my phone, I dial his number.
He picks up on the first ring.
“Nova.”
I close my eyes. Some people drown in water. I don’t. I become defenceless against his voice. It swims into my ears, wraps itself around the outer shell, and hypnotizes me. Dean’s voice echoes with earnest respect and gentle love. I admire the talent he hones it with.
“I’m in front of your building, they won’t let me in.” I meant to say it rudely, but it comes out dejected.
“Won’t happen again,” I can already hear him dialling a number in the back. “Is everything okay?” He asks, dismayed.
“We’ll talk when you get here,” I hang up.
The security guard holds a finger to his ear, listening to someone. He looks at me then nods. “You’re allowed in, Ma’am.”
He lets me through.
If I came here mere hours ago, I would have thanked him. Possibly talked about his life, where the name Josiah came from, how he got his job here. But there’s a dark cloud hanging over me and the only person that can remove it won’t be home until the evening.
Dean texts me the code to his apartment, telling me to take the elevator all the way up. Of course he lives in a penthouse. Almost forgot how rich Vuk Securities was until he dumped it in my account.