She Drew Our Love, She Drew Our End Chapter 07

She Drew Our Love, She Drew Our End Chapter 07

His voice came out hoarse.

“Emmie, don’t do this.

“I know you lost your dad and you’re hurting, but I can be there for you.”

I said nothing.

Sloane came over, cradling her injured hand.

“Future Mrs. Prescott, couples fight. They make up. You don’t keep score forever.”

“Yes, we were wrong about your dad’s heart condition. But maybe take a look at your part in all this too.”

“Why were you always asking Ethan for money during those five years?”

“Your dad’s already gone. Take the win and let it go.”

Her gaze slid over me from head to toe.

“Unless you really want to bury him on a $9.99 budget.”

“And don’t worry. Your dad didn’t die for nothing.”

“You’ve been gone for days. My boy’s been out of his mind looking for you.”

After every line, she gave me that smug, half–amused look.

It didn’t hurt anymore. It only made me sick.

I cut her off and met her eyes.

“This whole pretend–mom thing is getting creepy. You should see a therapist.”

“And you might want to head home. My attorney’s demand letter may already be waiting for you.”

Sloane’s expression changed instantly.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

I was done wasting time on them. I called a car and turned away.

But Ethan stepped forward and grabbed my wrist.

“Emmie, why are you helping him? You know…”

“Get off me!”

Revulsion rolled through me. Ltore my wrist free, pulled out the small bottle of rubbing alcohol I carried, and scrubbed at the skin he’d touched.

It started to burn within seconds.

I kept spraying until the sting drowned out the memory of his hand on me

I met his eyes coldly.

“Because when I was desperate, he wired me $1.5 million without hesitating.”

“That was the price of five years of my time.”

“That’s when I learned five years of my life could be worth $1.5 million, instead of a thousand sticks all

marked under ten bucks.”

I turned and got into the car.

Ethan reached for me again,

but Nathan Sterling stepped between us.

“Ethan, touch my employee again and her attorney will send you another demand letter.”

Ethan’s eyes turned bloodshot.

“Her? Who gave you the right to speak for her? Who the hell are you to her?”

He lunged as if to hit Nathan.

I stepped back out of the car and moved in front of Nathan.

Then I held my phone inches from Ethan’s face.

Pain twisted across his face as he stared at me.

“Emmie… is this really what we’ve become?”

I looked at him without feeling a thing.

Then I pulled Nathan back into the car with me.

“No. There’s hate too.”

Enough to last a lifetime.

In the car, Nathan and I might as well have been sitting on opposite sides of a galaxy.

I turned to him politely.

“Mr. Sterling, thank you. But next time, you don’t need to step in. I can handle him.”

Nathan rubbed his temple and gave a quiet laugh.

“I know you can handle yourself, Ms. Reed. Somehow, I still can’t seem to stop myself from stepping in.”

“Call it a hero complex.”

I turned toward the window.

“Mr. Sterling, you helped me when I needed it most.”

“I’m grateful. But that’s all it is.”

He sighed and didn’t say anything else.

That night, I sensed someone outside and lifted the curtain.

In the dark, all I could see was the red ember of a cigarette.

I dropped the curtain, locked the door, and secured it again.

Mom, finally looking a little stronger after some rest, came out and asked softly,

“What’s wrong?”

I pressed my lips together.

“Nothing. Just making sure no trash gets inside.”

Better if he stayed downstairs.

If he came up, my attorney could always send one more letter.

Maybe if I stacked up enough of them,

one would finally put him away for life.