Chapter Fifteen
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
I took too long to reply, because Ashley spoke again. “Shall I send him away?” she asked, sounding uncertain.
I considered it, but it would cause more trouble than it was worth. I had to assume Mike was here for a reason, though I doubted he was here to apologize.
“No, you can send him in. Thanks, Ashley.” I set the phone down, my heart thumping.
What was he here to say?
A knock sounded on my door. I sucked in a deep breath, rolled my shoulders back, and composed myself.
“Come in,” I said, thankful my voice came out calm.
The door swung open, and Mike stepped into my office. He was dressed in another suit jacket and slacks, and given the time, he must’ve used his lunch hour to come see me. “Brooke.” He hesitated. “Thanks for seeing me. I won’t take up too much of your time, but I need to talk to you.”
“About what?” I asked.
Mike shot me a pointed look. “The fact that you and my dad are together.”
My stomach dropped, but I tried to keep a neutral expression. “You’re mistaken. I’m not dating your father, Mike.”
“Oh, come on,” he said, waving a hand. “You were holding hands. I saw the way you two were looking at each other. Don’t try to fool me—it’s insulting.”
I parted my lips to speak, but no words came out. Sure, I could’ve argued that technically, last night we weren’t officially dating, but we hadn’t exactly been platonic friends, either.
“I’m not here to judge you, even if I think it’s sick,” Mike continued. “You don’t need me to tell you he’s way too old for you.”
“That sounds a lot like judging to me,” I said.
He ignored that. “I’m here to warn you about him. Last night, I lost my temper, so you might’ve dismissed everything I said. But I was telling the truth, Brooke. He’s not a good person. I promise you, he will ruin your life. He destroys everything he touches.”
My stomach churned. No one ever wanted to hear words like that about someone they cared about.
“‘Destroys everything he touches?’” I echoed. “That sounds a bit melodramatic. What has he done that’s so bad?”
Mike shook his head and started pacing around my office. “Why are you so eager to defend him? He’s already got his claws hooked into you, hasn’t he? What did he offer you? It couldn’t be money because he’s broke. Was it sex?”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “We used to date, Mike. I thought you’d have more respect for me. Do you honestly think I would be with someone just for their body? Speak to me like that again, and you can get out of my office.”
He put his hands up. “I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s just that…I know how he is around women.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“He seduces them, then he uses them.” Mike stopped pacing and glared at me. “For fuck’s sake, he cheated on my mom. On his wife .”
I thought Mike was here to talk nonsense, but suddenly, my heart jolted to a stop. I had to take a second to find my voice.
“Sorry?” I said. Was my head ringing? It felt like it was ringing.
Mike stepped closer to my desk, eyes hard. “He cheated on my mom. That’s why they got divorced. She put up with his shit for so many years, but that was the final straw.” His gaze raked over me, his expression grave. “He didn’t tell you that?”
“No.” My voice was so quiet it sounded distant. “He never explained why he got divorced.” Cold dread seeped through my bones, pooling in my gut. No. Robert didn’t seem like a cheater. He seemed so kind and honest. Did he really cheat on his wife? The mother of his child?
“I bet he didn’t,” Mike said scornfully. “Did he tell you anything? Did he ever explain why he’s jumping from rental to rental, working a dead-end job when he used to have his own company?”
I shook my head. All I knew was that his ex-wife and her new husband owned it now. But how did that happen? How did he lose everything?
“I just assumed it was bad luck…” I said, trailing off, unable to finish the sentence. I didn’t know enough to defend Robert.
“‘Bad luck?’ No, it was all him,” Mike snarled. “He lost everything in the divorce because the divorce was his fault. He was a shitty husband, and he’s a shitty father. Don’t be surprised when he turns out to be a shitty boyfriend too.”
His words were like needles, piercing and puncturing my lungs. I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“That just doesn’t sound like him.” My voice was small and childlike as my eyes fell to my desk.
Mike dropped his hands on my desk with a thud, shaking me out of my thoughts. “You’re too smart to be this naive, Brooke. You fell for his woe-is-me trap and got attached to a manipulator.”
His words were like a slap to the face, making me recoil.
No. I refused to believe it. Sure, Robert was vague about his past, but someone who had held me while I was crying couldn’t be some evil villain.
“Please leave,” I said to Mike.
He blinked at me. “What?”
“Leave my office.” I pointed at the door to emphasize my words. “I want you to get out. Now.”
His shocked expression turned icy, his lip curling with disgust. “I’m going,” he said, stepping away from my desk. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The door swung shut behind him with a resounding thud, leaving me alone with too many emotions to process.
After Mike left, I breathed in and out slowly, trying to relax. Honestly, I wanted to get up and run all the way home, but I had the rest of the workday to get through.
I picked up my phone and pulled up my messages with Robert. We barely texted each other during the day because we were so busy, but my thumbs hovered over the screen, ready to type all the questions swirling around in my head.
Did he really cheat on his ex-wife? What had actually happened in the divorce?
But I didn’t text him. This wasn’t the kind of conversation to have over text. I needed to hear his answers in person—to see his face and know if he was lying.
I curled my hand into a fist.
Robert couldn’t be a liar. He couldn’t.
I felt nauseous for the rest of the workday, but I tried to focus and do my best. When the end of the day finally arrived, I thought I would feel some relief. Instead, I felt scared.
What if Mike had lied to me? Seeing his father with someone new might have made something snap, and he could have said anything to tear us apart.
But then I thought about the Mike I knew in college. Yes, he’d been reckless—the type to drive too fast, or drink too much at parties. Sometimes he’d tell small white lies. When he was on the phone with his Mom, he’d pretend he was eating healthily when I knew for a fact he was living off a diet of pizza and beer. He’d lie to professors and say his computer broke, in order to get an extension on his assignments.
But as far as I knew, he’d never lied to me. He’d never done anything malicious.
Stupid? Yes. Purposely cruel? No.
I would have to hear the truth from Robert. Now more than ever, I needed to stay calm and level-headed.
If only that were as easy as it sounded.
When I entered my apartment, I heard Robert moving around in the kitchen, the smell of stir fry filling the air. He greeted me normally, saying the food would be ready in ten minutes.
“Great,” I said, hoping my voice sounded normal. “I’m going to get changed.”
I was grateful for the excuse to hide in my room. As I took off my blazer and blouse, I tried to shake off everything that had happened that day. But when we were seated at the dining table, eating together, my stomach churned with every bite, despite the fact that the food was delicious.
“Is it too salty?” Robert asked from across the table, his brow furrowing.
I realized I’d been slowly chewing the same bite for way longer than I needed. I quickly swallowed, almost choking. “No, it’s fine.”
My voice came out strangled, making his frown deepen. That didn’t help.
“It’s good,” I assured him before finishing my bowl, pushing past the nausea that had haunted me all day. “Thank you.”
Robert nodded and took my bowl. “I’ll fix you a bowl of leftovers for tomorrow.”
I merely nodded, my eyes trailing him as he headed into the kitchen to wash the bowls. Then I caught myself. What was I doing? Inspecting his every move as if I was waiting for him to mess up and prove Mike’s damning words right?
Relationships were about trust. Despite everything that had happened today, I trusted Robert. I’d trusted him enough to cry in front of him, to let him see the most vulnerable sides of me.
Yes, Mike had planted seeds of doubt in my mind, but now that Robert was right in front of me, I couldn’t bear to ask him about the accusations. Maybe Mike had his own interpretations of the past, but that didn’t make them the truth.
“Did you have a good day at work?” Robert called from the kitchen.
“It was a bit stressful,” I admitted. “Sorry I’m not very talkative today. I had a lot going on.” I didn’t want to lie to him, but if I mentioned anything about Mike, any chance for a peaceful night would implode.
“Don’t apologize,” he said. “Do you want to have an early night?”
“I wish I could, but I’ve still got some work to catch up on.” That was the truth, at least. I’d been so distracted that I hadn’t finished everything for the day. “How was your day?” I asked.
“Same old,” he said, putting the leftover stir fry into the fridge. “I think some of the guys know I’ve got a girlfriend, though.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah,” he said, with a guilty smile. “Apparently I was grinning to myself like an idiot.”
I laughed. “That’s cute.”
“Actually,” he said, “I got you a present. A little something, since our celebration last night was cut short.”
“Robert, you didn’t have to.”
“I know,” he said, “but I wanted to. I saw it on the way back from work and I thought of you. I’ll give it to you later.”
I smothered a smile, touched he was so thoughtful.
Five minutes later, we were both on our laptops at the dining table. We had a routine. It was somewhat comforting after such a big shake-up. As I waited for my computer to turn on, I saw Robert looking at me.
He took a breath. “I’ve been meaning to tell you something.”
My stomach flipped. Did he know Mike had visited me today?
“I’ve been looking into finding a better job,” he said.
My brows jumped up, and my worry disappeared. “You have?”
He nodded. “After my divorce, I took the first job I could get. It’s not the worst gig, but it’s definitely not the best either. They only pay me enough for me to get by.”
“What made you want to start looking for something different now?” I asked, tilting my head. It had been years since his divorce.
“You.”
My cheeks warmed. “Me?”
“You’re the most determined person I’ve ever met. Spending time with you has made my own ambition come back, and I realized I want something better for myself.” He took a breath. “I want to be the kind of man who’s worthy of you.”
My blush deepened as a small smile tugged at my lips. I could hear the sheer resolution in his voice, and I liked it.
“I hope you find something good,” I told him. “But you’re already perfect,” I added.
He shrugged, and for the first time, I realized just how much he beat himself up. It wouldn’t have helped that his own son dragged his name through the mud. He hid it behind smiles and laughter, but I could tell his self-esteem wasn’t the strongest.
I saw it because I’d been like that too. Despite all my achievements, I always felt like I wasn’t good enough, just because of what my family said. I worried that I was selfish and greedy, but now I knew I wasn’t. I wasn’t a terrible person. Robert had helped me see that.
That evening, we went to my bedroom. Robert changed into his pajamas, then found me in the bathroom, where I was applying my skincare products. He approached me from behind, his strong arms circling my waist. “I’ll be waiting for you in bed,” he murmured, kissing the top of my head.
I met his eyes in the mirror’s reflection and smiled at him. Just his touch had left my skin warm and tingly, and the sensation had lightened my mood. I was looking forward to burrowing my head into his chest before falling asleep. After everything that had happened today, I wanted to feel safe and secure.
He left, and I finished my skincare routine. I still had my earrings in, so I took them off too, placing them in their appropriate places in my jewelry box.
Maybe I should switch up my jewelry. I hadn’t worn a watch in a while.
I opened another one of my jewelry boxes, this one dedicated to watches and bracelets. As soon as I opened the lid, though, I froze.
One of my gold watches—the most expensive one I owned—was missing.
I quickly checked the rest of my jewelry collection, thinking I might’ve put it in the wrong spot, but it wasn’t there. I hurried to my wardrobe, looking for it among my handbags and accessories, but it wasn’t there either.
It was gone.
“Everything okay?” Robert called from where he sat in bed.
He must’ve seen me digging through my stuff in a panic.
I turned, looking at him through the open door of my wardrobe. “Did you take anything from my jewelry box?” I asked. That’s when I noticed he had something in his lap. A rectangular present, wrapped in light pink wrapping paper, and topped with gold ribbon.
His eyes widened. “What? No, of course not.” He put the present on the bedside table. “What happened?”
“There’s a watch missing.”
“I didn’t take anything,” he said, getting out of bed. “I’d never touch your stuff without your permission.”
“Right,” I said, still panicking. For some reason, all I could think of was Mike’s voice, echoing in my head. “It’s just that I can’t find it anywhere. It’s worth a lot of money—over ten thousand dollars. I need to make sure you didn’t accidentally take it—”
“Are you accusing me of stealing your watch?” He started to walk over, and there was no doubt about it—he was offended, his eyes filled with pure incredulity.
I felt myself shrink. “Sorry. Of course you didn’t. I…”
He moved closer to me, expression softening. “Maybe you misplaced it?”
“I definitely didn’t displace it,” I said. I didn’t lose things. Especially valuable things.
“Well,” he said, “we can find it in the morning. It’s late.”
“Right,” I said, instinctively stepping back. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”
It didn’t feel like nothing, though.
He reached for me, but I must’ve flinched, because he stopped himself and frowned at me. “Are you okay, Brooke? You’ve been tense all day.” His expression grew worried. “Have I done something to upset you?”
I opened my mouth, ready to say no. Instead, what came out was: “Mike came to see me at work today.”
A series of emotions washed over Robert’s face. “He did? Why?”
“He wanted to warn me about you.” My voice was small. “I was trying to ignore everything he said because I thought they were baseless accusations. I’ve been trying to enjoy the evening with you, but I guess he really shook me up.”
Robert exhaled, looking suddenly very tired. “What did he say to you?”
“You really want to—”
“Yes,” he interrupted. “Tell me. Please.”
“He told me you cheated on your ex-wife,” I said.
He deflated, and my heart felt like it dropped to my feet. Still, I continued talking. “He said that’s why you lost your company. He said you were a manipulator and that you’d ruin my life.”
Robert rubbed his face. His silence felt like it lasted for hours.
“Obviously, it’s all rubbish,” I said, sounding a little desperate.
Tell me it’s lies. Tell me, please—
“It’s true.” Robert’s voice was quiet.
My throat tightened as my eyes went wide. “What?” I asked.
He took a step back. He didn’t look sad or angry. No, it was worse than that. He looked resigned.
“I’m sorry, Brooke,” he murmured. “I shouldn’t have dragged you into my mess.”
He turned around, and I grabbed his arm, stopping him from leaving. “Stop. What are you doing? We have to talk about this.”
“There’s nothing to say.” He wouldn’t even meet my eyes. “Mike told you the truth. I cheated on Emily, and that’s why she divorced me. I’m a bad man, Brooke. A bad partner. This entire time, I’ve been pretending—thinking I could be good, that I could be worthy of you. But now I see how stupid I was.” He pulled out of my grip. “I need to leave. I can’t cause you any more trouble.”
“What?” I said, my voice breaking. “You can’t leave, just like that.”
But he’d already left my bedroom. I chased him down the hallway, into the second bedroom, where he was throwing clothes into his suitcase, and shoving possessions into cardboard boxes.
I couldn’t believe it. “Robert,” I said, half convinced this was all a mistake. “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s late and…and a minute ago, everything was fine.”
He didn’t answer, just kept packing his things.
My panic rose. “Don’t do this. We have to talk about this. You can’t just go.”
“I’ve overstayed my welcome,” he said, his shoulders rigid.
“You haven’t!” I insisted. “I want you here. I want us to talk and figure things out. Just last night, you said you wanted to be with me. What happened to that? You can’t—” my eyes started to prick with tears “—you can’t just leave me.”
He zipped up the suitcase and turned to me. “I know you’re hoping for some sort of explanation for why I did the things I did to my family, but there isn’t one. Deep down, I’m a bad person.” He looked at me with eyes full of sorrow. “I don’t want to hurt you like I’ve hurt everyone else. I’ve been deluding myself, thinking I could be better, but the truth was going to come out eventually. I’m sorry for deceiving you.”
“You can’t just leave!” I exclaimed. I wasn’t just shocked — I was angry. Minutes ago, we’d been preparing to go to bed together. Now, he’d completely changed his mind? How could he do that? “Don’t go, Robert. We can figure things out.” I sounded pathetic, but I didn’t care. “It’s late. Just stay until the morning at least.”
He stood up, the handle of his suitcase in hand, and that’s when my mind went blank. I started to beg, like I’d lost my mind. “Don’t go. Please. Please don’t leave me.” Hot tears spilled down my cheeks. I hadn’t even realised I’d started crying.
He cupped my jaw, his fingertips wiping away some of my tears. “You’re so bright and beautiful, Brooke,” he murmured. “I care for you so much. But if I stick around, I’ll destroy you, just like I destroyed my family. I can’t do that to you. I’m sorry.”
With that, he walked past me, his suitcase rolling behind him, a box in his arm. I wanted to stop him. I wanted to scream that if he really did care about me, he wouldn’t treat me like this. If he really cared, he wouldn’t reduce me to tears. But I couldn’t find my voice.
Distantly, I heard the front door of the apartment close. My home was silent except for my sobs. And just like that, I crumbled into pieces.