Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
D illy was furious as she headed back down to the harbour, but something made her stop in her tracks and turn around. She wasn’t going to be talked to like that, and she deserved answers. She marched straight back to the flat, hearing raised voices as she approached the door.
‘Look at what you’ve done. You just can’t help yourself, can you? You don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have me either, is that it? You’re angry because I finally came to my senses and walked away from you. You didn’t think I would choose nothing over you, but I did and I’d do it again. I would choose no money, no car, and no house over staying married to you a moment longer. I came here to get away from you, but you couldn’t let me live my own life, could you? I don’t want you, Lydia. When will you accept that?’
‘But you choose her ?’ she shouted, her voice rising. ‘A slip of a girl who was once in your classroom.’
‘Stop right there,’ Max snapped. ‘Dilly is no longer in my classroom and is very much a woman, unlike you, who gives women a bad name. You lie and cheat, and you have the evidence growing inside you.’
Dilly stopped just outside the still open door. Neither of them had noticed her but she could clearly see Lydia’s face turning bright red with fury.
‘I will never want you again, ever,’ Max continued. ‘What you did at that auction was spiteful and all just because you thought I was having a relationship with someone who was buying the lighthouse. You are unbelievable and I’m glad I have nothing to show from all those years I was unfortunately married to you, not even the job I loved, because there will at least be no reminders of you. Get out, Lydia. And as for your baby, we both know the truth. It’s not mine.’
Dilly watched in horror as Lydia picked up a large, heavy candlestick and hurled it at him. Max brought his hands up to protect his face but the candlestick struck his shoulder, and soon blood was seeping through his T-shirt. Horrified, he looked at Lydia. ‘I should be calling the police right now. Get out of my home and my life.’
‘I’m already calling the police,’ Dilly called out, beginning to dial on her phone.
Lydia began walking towards the door. ‘You won’t want to do that. I can ruin your reputation within seconds,’ she threatened before walking out. Dilly checked she had kept going and quickly shut the front door.
‘Put the phone down, Dilly. She isn’t worth it.’
‘But you can’t let her get away with it. You’re hurt.’ Dilly walked to the sink and ran a clean cloth under the water. ‘You’re bleeding. Let me take a look.’
‘This isn’t the first time she’s done something like this.’
Dilly took a sharp breath at the look of distress and resignation on his face. ‘It’s okay, you don’t have to talk about this now.’
‘I do,’ he replied. ‘There’s so much to tell and I’ve no clue where to begin. I haven’t told a soul.’
‘Why?’ asked Dilly, tentatively cleaning the wound.
‘Because I feel humiliated and it’s painful. It makes my stomach churn.’
Dilly could relate to all three. ‘But surely you need to report this to someone.’
‘What good will that do? Lydia’s family is wealthy and has powerful connections, including a high-profile journalist working for a national newspaper. Lydia has never cared about the truth or fairness. She would not hesitate to fabricate a scandalous story about a famous artist and her former teacher. She would revel in the publicity, playing the victim and claiming that you’re the reason our marriage ended, conveniently omitting the truth. The thought of her deceitful narrative taking centre stage makes my blood boil.’
‘But this isn’t right. Have you any antiseptic cream and dressings?’
Max pointed to a top kitchen cupboard. ‘Believe me, I know it’s not fair, but I have to do what’s right for me, for you.’
Dilly nodded. She didn’t want to push it. There was silence as she dressed the wound. ‘There, it’s all done now. Shall I make you a drink?’
‘I’m okay, unless you want one?’
She shook her head and Max gestured towards the settee. They sat down. ‘Your dad spoke with me. He told me you thought I’d set you up at the auction. I didn’t set you up, Dilly. I would never do that to you. But I did come to Puffin Island because of you, I’ll admit that.’
Dilly looked puzzled. ‘Because of me?’
She tucked her legs under her and hugged the nearby cushion, wanting to hear what Max meant by that. But first there was a more urgent burning question on her mind.
‘Is Lydia actually pregnant?’ she asked, her voice trembling with emotion.
Max nodded slowly. ‘I believe so,’ he said quietly. ‘But it’s not mine.’
He took a deep breath. ‘If I hadn’t discovered her lies, I might have stayed for the sake of the baby. But I’m not staying in any relationship to look after another man’s child.’
The words cut through Dilly like a knife. From the minute Max had walked into her gallery, her intent to never let another man close to her had crumbled. Max was the exception, and now here he was, telling her harsh truths. She had considered telling him about her own situation, but what was the point if he never wanted to look after another man’s child? Still, despite the pain his words caused, she wanted to hear his whole story.
‘Tell me about it,’ she said.
Max looked through the window towards the sea and focused on the lighthouse. ‘I suppose I should start at the very beginning. It was September, and I had just landed a brand-new job at a college, teaching art. It was something I’d always wanted to do. I loved painting and all things creative, like galleries, museums. And then, you walked into my class, and my life changed for ever.’
Dilly’s eyes widened with surprise. ‘Me? How?’
A small smile tugged on Max’s lips. ‘Because there was something about you from the first moment I saw you. You were pure, full of laughter. You lit up my life like no one had ever done before. I never said this to anyone because, for obvious reasons, I couldn’t, but you were the most beautiful girl I had ever set eyes on. You may have been the reason I loved that job so much.’ He looked towards her. ‘And for the record, you’re still beautiful.’
Dilly felt a lump in her throat. ‘I had no idea you felt that way.’
Max looked at her earnestly. ‘I had to keep it professional, but you were different. Every time you spoke about art, your passion and creativity shone through. It was contagious. I started looking forward to my classes because I knew you’d be there. But I had to keep my distance, for both our sakes.’
‘We were all so jealous you were married,’ she shared with a smile.
Max cocked an eyebrow. ‘That’s good to know but no one needed to be jealous. College was my safe haven where Lydia couldn’t reach me, and I could be me.’
She listened intently, her heart pounding. ‘What do you mean? What happened after that?’
Max’s face clouded with sadness. ‘Lydia happened. I was never enough for her, and there was a part of me that liked the concept of trying to prove her wrong. I know they say opposites attract, but we were poles apart. Before I started work at the college, I was a struggling artist and I thought I’d made it when I was invited to showcase my work at a local hotel. That’s where we met. Lydia was meeting a potential business customer and I was immediately intrigued by her. I overheard her making a phone call and realised she was making fun of me, calling me a halfwit painter who didn’t have a cat in hell’s chance of ever selling one of his paintings, never mind making a living from art.’
Dilly’s eyes widened. ‘She said that?’
Max nodded. ‘Yes, but then I sold my highest-priced painting to a celebrity and suddenly Lydia was impressed. When she leaned into me and said that if a celebrity bought the piece, then the artist must be worth meeting, I held out my hand and introduced myself as the halfwit. By way of an apology, she offered to take me out for dinner. I should have run in the opposite direction.’
‘But you didn’t.’
Max sighed deeply. ‘No, I didn’t. I was flattered and curious. Despite everything, there was a part of me that wanted to see where it could go. We had a whirlwind romance and were married within six weeks.’
Dilly’s mouth fell open. ‘I didn’t know that.’
‘Her family had wealth, influence… everything she could want. She took me to the finest restaurants, threw extravagant parties and showered me with gifts. I was mesmerised by the world she’d introduced me to.’
He paused, a shadow of sadness passing over his face. ‘Meanwhile, I was just a painter with a battered old car and shoes I’d had for years. I wasn’t materialistic in the slightest. I didn’t care about designer labels or luxury lifestyles. But Lydia didn’t see it that way. To her, my image didn’t fit the polished, glamorous look of her social circles, but I had “potential”.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘She began dressing me in uncomfortable designer clothes, pushing me into a world that felt foreign and very suffocating.’
Dilly’s eyes widened with empathy. ‘That must have been hard for you.’
Max nodded. ‘It was. I started saying no, insisting that it didn’t matter how I dressed. I was me, and I wasn’t going to change just to fit into her world. But that’s when things began to unravel. Lydia’s attitude shifted and her temper started to flare. The charm and grace she’d shown me initially gave way to… let’s say… a more volatile side.’
His eyes were full of shame as he looked down. ‘She became increasingly controlling and demanding. Every disagreement turned into a full-blown argument. She wanted everything her way and didn’t care how it affected me. I felt trapped in a relationship that had become more about maintaining appearances and less about a genuine, loving connection.’
Max hesitated. ‘And then… she started making snide remarks about my work, belittling my art, and my passion. It wasn’t just the clothes anymore, she wanted to reshape me into someone I wasn’t. I felt like I was losing myself.’
Dilly reached out and rested her hand gently on his. ‘It doesn’t sound a good situation to be in.’
‘It wasn’t. She started lashing out at me.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Physically attacking me.’ He pointed to the scar on his cheek. ‘This was my very first war wound.’
‘You mean there’re more?’
Max nodded. His expression grew darker as he continued. ‘It gets worse, if that’s even possible. Lydia’s temper was escalating. The outbursts became more frequent and intense and were usually about me not contributing enough towards the bills. You see, she thought I was going to be another Damien Hirst when I sold that first painting, but it was one of the few paintings I ever sold. Lydia told me I needed a different job because her plan couldn’t be implemented.’
‘What plan?’
‘Lydia had the idea that if celebrities bought my paintings, we could wine them and dine them as a thank-you and she could swoop in and talk about her cosmetic surgery business, as they would know the type of clients she was looking for. Just before the wedding she also asked me to sign a prenup.’
Dilly’s eyes widened.
Max nodded. ‘Yes. I had nothing to bring to the marriage financially, so the prenup mainly just meant I wouldn’t gain anything if we split up. But I didn’t care. I wasn’t driven by money like she was, I just wanted to create art. After we were married and I wasn’t as successful as she’d anticipated, she saw my painting as a hobby, not a career. That’s when I took the job as an art teacher, hoping I could still paint on the side.’
Dilly interrupted, confused. ‘She didn’t allow you to paint at all?’
Max shook his head. ‘No, she didn’t. Having paints in the house wasn’t allowed. Our home had to remain pristine, all white, with no trace of the artist’s life I led. The furniture was too expensive, and she didn’t want any potential mess. I didn’t feel in a position to disagree as she’d bought most of that furniture.’
Dilly’s heart filled with sympathy. ‘It all sounds so incredibly suffocating.’
Max sighed deeply. ‘It was. That’s why I loved staying behind at college with you. You understood what I was about. After class, I could be myself without fear of judgment or restriction. I was totally at ease with you. We both loved art and the deep discussions we had about different artists… she would never have entertained such conversations.’
He leaned towards her, his fingers trembling slightly as he entwined them with Dilly’s. Dilly looked at their joined hands. ‘That’s something I’ve wanted to do from the second I set eyes on you.’
‘It’s the same for me. Being with you has allowed me to be me.’
Dilly squeezed his hand gently. ‘Did you ever think about leaving back then?’
‘Of course, but every time I plucked up the courage, something happened that meant I couldn’t.’
‘Like what?’
Max recalled the painful memories. ‘There was one time where I’d reached breaking point. I told Lydia that enough was enough, that she needed help, and that I was leaving. It was a Friday. I didn’t have anywhere else to go except to the home of a fellow teacher I was close to. He had offered me a place to stay if things ever got too rough, though I never told him the full truth about the things Lydia would hurl at me, both literally and emotionally. I think my exact words were “we’re just growing in different directions”.’ He paused. ‘I made the decision to leave that day. I was nervous when I got home, but Lydia wasn’t there, which gave me a chance to start sorting through my things.’
‘Did she come home before you could leave?’
‘She did and was distraught. She found me in the middle of packing and immediately begged me to stay. She said she was going to get help, that she realised we had a reason to try and fix things. Then she dropped the bombshell. She told me she was pregnant.’
Dilly’s eyes widened again, in shock and sympathy. ‘She told you she was pregnant as a way to keep you?’
Max nodded slowly. ‘Yes. I was torn. I was exhausted from the emotional turmoil and the constant strain of our relationship, and the news of the pregnancy added another layer of complexity. I stayed for a while longer, hoping her pregnancy would bring about real change. But it was just another facade. She wasn’t pregnant and so she faked a miscarriage.’
Dilly couldn’t even begin to imagine how all that would have affected Max’s emotional state.
‘It didn’t stop there. We’ve had cancer scares, car crashes… a suspected brain tumour.’
Dilly couldn’t stop her mouth from falling wide open. She had been through her own ordeal with Giles, and as she weighed up both situations, it was impossible to determine which was worse… someone who pretended to love you to steal your money or someone who spun every lie in the book to keep you by their side. She looked at Max, her heart aching for him. ‘She must have loved you so much if she went to those lengths to keep you.’
Max shook his head. ‘I don’t think it was love. In fact, I don’t think she ever loved me. It was more about control and possession. I was a project. Lydia was used to getting what she wanted, and when she felt it slipping away, she did everything she could to hold on to me. I mistook her desperation for love for far too long.’
Dilly’s eyes softened with understanding. ‘I guess sometimes it’s hard to see the truth when you’re in the middle of it. I know that feeling all too well.’
‘The morning of the viewing she showed up here with the excuse that some legal papers needed signing. She asked me where I was going, and it was my own fault that I actually told her. She thought we were together, which of course she didn’t like, and that’s why she tried to sabotage your sale. You didn’t see but I literally frogmarched her out and the only way I could keep her under control was to get in the car with her. I had no clue whether you’d actually won until your dad told me. I’m so sorry for upsetting you. It’s the last thing I ever wanted.’
Dilly locked eyes with Max and felt a whirlwind of feelings rising inside her. She had loved this man from the moment she’d walked into his classroom, true love at first sight. Even through her relationship with Giles, Max had often crossed her mind but she had pushed the thoughts away, assuming that he was happily married. Yet here he was, laying his heart bare, revealing the sham his marriage had been. He was still staring at her with an intensity that made her want to hug him tightly, never to let him go. At the same time, her heart was screaming that this was the perfect moment to lean in and kiss him, something she had always wanted to do.
But it didn’t matter how much she wanted that kiss because she knew she couldn’t act on it. She was carrying someone else’s baby, and Max had just confessed he wasn’t prepared to raise another man’s child. The harsh reality of her situation was eating her up inside, tearing her apart. She had waited so long for this moment, and now she had come so close – only to realise it couldn’t happen.
Max’s gaze softened, his fingers still intertwined with hers. ‘You are the reason I came to Puffin Island, Dilly. I came looking for you.’
Dilly’s heart ached, knowing she had to protect herself and her unborn child, even if it meant losing Max.
She nodded and changed the subject, trying to break the tension. ‘Tell me about Lydia’s pregnancy. Who is the father?’
Max exhaled heavily, his voice strained as he tried to explain. ‘It’s my so-called best friend’s. The guy from work I stayed with when Lydia and I were having troubles. They had an affair and that betrayal was the final straw for me. I couldn’t stay there, in that environment, knowing what they had done behind my back. I left that job about a year ago and took whatever work I could find just to make ends meet. At first, Lydia stayed away.’
Dilly blinked, her mind racing to process everything he was saying. ‘Your best friend? Max, that’s awful. But why would Lydia say the baby was yours? How did you even find out about it?’
Max shook his head, frustration evident in his eyes. ‘I don’t know, Dilly. Maybe things aren’t going well between them, and she’s trying to manipulate me again. But… I need to be honest with you. A couple of months ago, we did have a moment, and I regret it every single day. I went back to the house to collect the rest of my stuff, even though I had already been gone for a year. I know there’s no excuse, but… when I arrived, she was being overly nice to me. She suggested we have a drink for old time’s sake, and one bottle led to another…’ He trailed off, his words hanging in the air, a confession he wished he didn’t have to make. He rubbed a hand across his face, clearly ashamed. ‘I should have known better. I shouldn’t have let my guard down, not after everything she put me through. But I was vulnerable, and she knew exactly how to exploit that.’
Dilly felt a tiny sting of betrayal, which was daft as she hadn’t even known Max then. It wasn’t her place to judge him, but his revelation hurt more than she expected it to.
Max looked at her with raw vulnerability. ‘She left the house early the next morning to go to work and the bathroom bin was overflowing. Just like old times I emptied it outside and that’s when I saw the pregnancy test. Lydia was already pregnant by the time we slept together, but she doesn’t know I know. Dilly, I know I’ve made mistakes. More than I can count. But what happened with Lydia… it was nothing more than a moment of weakness, and I regret it deeply. I want to be honest with you about everything because you deserve that. But I also need you to know that I’m here now, and I’m ready to move forward, if you’ll let me. I promise that Lydia’s games will never affect us.’
Dilly took a deep breath, trying to sort through her conflicting feelings. Max was laying it all out for her: his mistakes, his regrets and his hopes. She appreciated his honesty, but it didn’t make the situation any easier.
‘Even though it’s been a double betrayal it’s actually given me my life back and allows me a fresh start and the chance to go after the happiness I know is out there, the happiness I deserve.’
Max was looking at her in that way again. Dilly knew he meant happiness with her and wished she could wind back the clock and never have met Giles. But she had and now, despite everything he had done, she was carrying his child.
‘And what about you? I thought you’d be settled down with a gorgeous man. There was never anything about your personal life online. The only thing I ever saw was the article about your mum and Anton.’
‘Do you fancy that drink now? I know it’s your place but I’ll make us one before I dive into my personal life, because, between you, me and that lighthouse through the window, it’s been an incredibly eventful day and I’m beginning to question my own sanity.’
‘I have beer in the fridge.’
As Dilly went to stand up, Max gently tugged on her hand, pulling her back down beside him. She didn’t resist. She didn’t want to. He peered up at her from under his dark lashes. With her heart hammering against her chest, she knew he was going to kiss her. He lowered his eyes to her lips as he slowly leaned in. Dilly didn’t stop him and their lips meeting for the very first time ignited a fire that had been smouldering between them for a very long time. The kiss was tender, the chemistry between them undeniable. It was the kiss Dilly had dreamed about. She knew she should pull away and be honest with him then and there, just like he’d been with her, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
She was being selfish, aware of the fireflies fluttering wildly in her stomach as she kissed him again, this time more passionately, the kind of kiss that could lead to them ripping each other’s clothes off. She gave a tiny moan, enjoying every moment yet knowing there was a huge possibility her heart was going to be broken into a thousand pieces, and maybe his too, when she shared her pregnancy news.
They pulled back and stared at each other in a contemplative silence, both smiling as he leaned forward, hooking a stray strand of hair behind her ear like it was the most natural thing in the world. Dilly didn’t want his kisses to stop. She kissed him again, pulling him right on top of her, all her worries about a broken heart evaporating as her hands slid up his shirt. She gave a tiny groan as his fingers began to trace the contours of her body.
‘Are you sure you want this?’ he whispered.
Dilly didn’t answer, only nodded. ‘Can we go somewhere more comfortable?’ she murmured.
Max took her hand, and led her slowly to the bedroom. ‘There’s always been something about you,’ he whispered.
‘And you,’ she replied in between kisses.
Feeling her whole body trembling, Dilly looked into Max’s eyes, then at the dressed wound on his shoulder. She hugged him. ‘No one is ever going to hurt you again, not on my watch.’
‘You’re sounding like a lighthouse keeper already.’
Dilly smiled. ‘I’m so sorry you’ve had to go through what you have with Lydia.’
‘Hopefully, it’s over now. Someone else has witnessed her actions so it’s no longer my word against hers. Now, where were we?’ He leaned in and kissed her again as Dilly pushed him gently down on the bed then pressed herself against him. She ran her hands over Max’s body, his strong arms, his toned torso, whilst he kissed her neck. Every nerve in her body tingled as he lifted her top and slowly unhooked her bra. Dilly felt scared yet excited. Even though she had waited for years for this moment, something in the back of her mind was telling her she shouldn’t be doing this, she hadn’t been completely honest with him, and that wasn’t fair… but it was too late now. She didn’t want this to end. She would just have to accept that, at some point, she would have to face the consequences. With an overwhelming desire to spend the night with him burning through her, she embraced the moment, determined to banish all regrets and worries.
‘I’ve wanted this for as long as I can remember…’ she began.
Right on cue, Max took her breath away, making her feel alive and desired in a way she had never imagined.