“What is it?” Ryder asks, his tone overly modulated. There is a tight tension about him, like he’s expecting something to break any second.
I pull away from him. “Did you know Mira is managing a trust for you?”
He frowns. “No. I never heard anything like that.”
“Well, she is. It’s called The Reed Trust. And it invested in Bethany’s comic business.”
Still frowning. “That’s good, right?”
“I don’t know, you tell me.”
He starts to take a step forward, but something on my face stops him. “Paige, I don’t know anything about this trust. I thought Bethany had plans for the site but if she doesn’t…”
“She threatened to hurt Renni, you know.”
“Who?”
“Mira. She told me if I didn’t behave and make you look good, she would release some damaging information about Renni and her boyfriend.”
Ryder’s face starts to change. “Okay, hold on. When did this happen?”
“The day I came back to my job,” I say.
“She told you that herself?” Confirming the fact.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because I can’t run to you every time I have a problem with someone who’s essentially a coworker.”
“But blackmail? That’s more than just ‘a problem’.”
“I thought maybe you knew. I didn’t think she would say stuff like that without your blessing.”
He jerks back like I’ve just slapped him. “You honestly thought I was capable of something like that?”
“Ryder…you have to understand. At the time I didn’t know how far you’d go to continue with the ceremony. You told me how much your grandfather’s painting means to you, and you were willing to claim a baby that isn’t your own to get it.”
He’s looking at me like I’m some kind of incomprehensible creature, and sweat slickens my spine. I have to make him understand. “Mira also told me she’s done it before. What was I supposed to think? At the time, you made it clear that without you, my baby and I would be without money or any kind of benefits.”
He runs his hands over his face. The gesture muffles a sigh. “We never had a chance, did we?” Resignation leeches all power from his tone. His shoulders slump, and he looks…defeated.
“What do you mean?”
“To you, I was always just a source of money and security for your baby. And maybe some fun in bed. But I was never somebody you could lean on. Never someone you would ever go to for help because I’m just…not that kind of person to you.”
Something in his tone frays my nerves. I feel like I’m about to fall apart like an old, moth-eaten sweater. “It’s not like that. Ryder, we were both under enormous pressure at the time. I just didn’t think it would be good for me to burden you with the news or try to create unnecessary friction.”
“Mira is my agent. You are my fiancée. Can you not see which one matters more?”
“I’m a fiancée you’re going to get rid of after one year. Mira will be with you forever. She managed your career since you started acting. She helped you become a big star.”
“No!” he shouts, flinging his arms out violently. “She would not have stayed with me, not if she disrespected you like that! Don’t you understand? Don’t you get anything?”
I shake my head, sudden dread filling my he
art until I’m cold from the inside out. “What am I not getting? Help me understand.”