I Fled the Wedding and Came Back With a Contract Husband Chapter 12

I Fled the Wedding and Came Back With a Contract Husband Chapter 12

He turned to her. “You lied to me for five years. You and your father lied to everyone. Sophia, I’ve done

everything I could.”

Sophia’s lips trembled, her tears falling. But she had nothing to say.

I watched him for a moment. “Whatever you do with her, it’s not my concern.”

“I know.” He said. “I’m not saying this to win you back. It’s the explanation I owe you.

I didn’t answer. I walked out of the Hartwell estate.

The oak tree in the yard swayed in the breeze. Sunlight filtered through the leaves in golden patches.

I stood on the steps, looking up at the sky. The weight in my chest finally loosened.

My phone buzzed. Derek: [How’s today going?]

I typed: [Okay.]

He replied: [Let’s have dinner tonight. You’ve been running nonstop. Time to eat properly.}

I smiled. [You pick.]

He said yes and sent an address. Seven o’clock.

I pocketed my phone and walked down the path. At the gate, I paused.

On the oak tree, carved into the bark, were Nathan’s/old letters-“EMILY”-stretched and distorted with

age, but still visible.

I reached out and touched the scarred wood. Then I turned and walked away.

Five years ago, I’d wanted to burn this tree. Five years later, it was still here, the carvings still there, the person still there. But some things just passed.

The wind lifted my hair. A street vendor was selling ice cream. I bought a vanilla milkshake, warm and

cloyingly sweet.

I drank it by the lake, watching the lights of the opposite shore flicker to life.

At the restaurant Derek had chosen, he was already waiting in the booth. Two place settings, a glass of

water for me, tea for him.

“I ordered what you like,” he said. “That shrimp you mentioned last time.”

“Your memory’s that good?”

“I don’t eat with you often. I make it count.”

The food was good. I ate two bowls of rice.

He didn’t pry, just occasionally put something in my bowl and said his housekeeper made it better, he’d have ‘her cook for me sometime.

I-set down my water. “Derek, the Hartwell house of cards collapsed today.”

“Yeah.”

“Sophia is my father’s illegitimate daughter. Nathan’s divorcing her.”

He set down his cup. “How do you feel?”

“I need to settle my mother’s care first. Everything else can wait.”

“Right.”

He dropped it, eating quietly. In the warm glow of the restaurant, his profile was soft. I said, “Derek. Thank

you:”

He looked up. “For what? I didn’t hit anyone today.”

“For being here.”

He looked at me a moment, then put down his fork. “There was a line in the contract you probably didn’t

read.”

“What line?”

“It was renewable every two years. If you felt like renewing, you could.”

I paused. “You’re saying-