“The fact that you even have to ask that is so incredibly insulting.”
“That’s not an answer,” he says.
“You want an answer?” I reply, trying to hold on to my composure as best as I can. “Fine, here’s your answer. No, I didn’t say anything to Ellie, because, despite what you might think of me, despite how horribly you treated me in the beginning of all of this, I still found it within myself to be loyal and keep our secret just that . . . our secret.”
I go to move past him, but he stops me. His facial features have softened now, and so has his voice. “You . . . you really didn’t say anything, Lottie?”
“No. I didn’t.”
His eyes search mine and his expression slowly turns to one of regret.
“Shit, Lottie. I’m—”
“Don’t,” I say, holding up my hand. “Don’t even bother.” Able to catch him off guard, I slip past him and head down the stairs, him trailing behind me.
I barely register his pleading for me to stop over the pounding of my own heart, over the sound of it cracking, shattering.
I thought we trusted each other. I thought we’d established a connection, a bond so strong that nothing could penetrate it. I thought we were moving toward more, but apparently, I was wrong, because, with the flip of a switch, he turned on me.
How could he possibly ever accuse me of such a thing? Have I not proven myself? Have I not done everything he’s asked, and done it exceptionally well? Have I not shown how he can trust me?
I charge toward the front door, where Huxley catches up to me.
“Lottie, wait.” He steps in front of the door, his breathing labored. “I’m sorry. Okay? That was stupid of me to ask.”
“You didn’t just ask, Huxley, you accused.”
“I know.” He pulls on his hair. “I was thrown off, okay? I wasn’t expecting to hear that Dave knows about the fake engagement.”
“So, the first thing you do is blame me?”
“No, I mean—hell, I was told Ellie told him. What was I supposed to think?”
“What were you supposed to think?” I ask incredulously. “You were supposed to trust me. You were supposed to approach me with the problem so I could help you find the solution. But you shouldn’t have come charging in here, blaming me. Not when I was—” I catch myself before I admit to what I was going to tell him tonight.
“Not when what?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Nothing.” Raising my chin, trying to be calm, I say, “I should’ve known this was all too good to be true, that you were going to end up hurting me somehow.”
He takes a step back. “Talk about fucking assumptions.”
“Uh . . . did you not just do that? Did you not just hurt me?”
“Not on purpose. I’m kind of fucked right now, Lottie. In case you haven’t noticed. This could ruin my entire business.”
“Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you started lying to everyone about having a fiancée and baby on the way. This is no one’s fault but your own.”
“I’d do anything to secure that deal,” Huxley says, snapping back at me.
“Including blaming me for something you should’ve known I never would’ve done.”
He scrubs his hand over his face. “You hated me early on, Lottie. It was a question I had to ask.”
“No, it wasn’t.” I close the space between us and poke his chest. “You should know I’d never screw someone over, especially when it comes to business, not after I was fucked over by someone I thought I could trust. I lost everything, Huxley. Angela took away the one thing I thought I was good at, made me feel small and not worth a goddamn penny. She denigrated me. After being treated so poorly, having everything ripped out from under me, do you really think I’d turn around and do that to someone else?” When he glances down at his feet in shame, I say, “No, I wouldn’t. I might have disliked you in the beginning, but that dislike would never have enraged me to do something as low as tell Ellie the truth about us.”
I move past him and open the door.
“Lottie, stop. Where are you going?”
I type out a text to Kelsey telling her to come get me. I know she won’t ask any questions, she’ll just show up and ask questions later. I just need to get out of here. I can’t possibly be around him.
“Kelsey is coming to get me.”
“I’m sorry, okay? I lost my cool. Let’s talk through this.”