“You didn’t tell me. You didn’t tell me that a strange woman kissed you for no reason.” Her voice felt cold. It hurt to talk after all the crying. “You kept this from me. I can’t help you if you don’t let me in. You don’t trust me.”
“But I do,” he assured her. “Emma, I trust you more than anyone.”
“You have a strange way of showing it,” she remarked. Her chest felt like it was going to explode. She hated seeing him like this, but he had hurt her too badly. If she gave in and let this go, he would walk all over her for the rest of their relationship.
“Emma...”
“I will do whatever the contract requires,” she informed him. “You don’t have to worry about that. I will smile for the cameras, tell them all that I forgive you and it was a simple mistake. I will hold your hand in public and tell everyone what an amazing father you are. I won’t reveal our contract or act out in spite. But I won’t ever trust you again.”
“What do you mean?” His voice caught at the end of the question, implying that he knew what she meant.
“As far as the public is concerned, we are a happy, loving couple.” Her voice shook on the word loving. “But we are done. I can’t trust you and you obviously don’t trust me. It’s not the kiss that did this. It was you.”
“Emma, please don’t do this,” he begged. “Please. I love you.”
“You love me?” Anger flared again. “You tell me that now? You only say it when it gets you something. I don’t believe you.”
“It’s the truth, Emma,” he told her, his eyes shining.
She wanted to believe him. She wanted to have him wrap his arms around her and tell her that everything was fine now. She wanted him to kiss her and make her feel special again.
And she would be fine. Until this happened again. Until he decided not to tell her that someone kissed him. Or worse, that he kissed someone. Given his nature, it was only a matter of time before he grew bored with her.
She didn’t want to go through this a second time. Better to stay firm now and not get hurt by him a second time.
“Your time’s up,” she whispered. “You need to leave now.”
“Emma, please. I love you. Please believe me.” His tone bordered on frantic and it tore at her heart. She held firm.
“Please leave, Jackson,” she said, pointing to the door. “If you need me to do anything, have your secretary contact me. Or Jane. I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”
She walked over and opened the door to the apartment, holding it open for him to leave.
He stood in her kitchen for a moment, completely lost.
“What can I do?” he asked. “What can I do to fix this? What do I need to say?”
Emma looked up at him, hardening her heart. “That was something you should have said yesterday. Today is too late. You’re too late.”
He closed his eyes and nodded. His steps from the apartment were slow and measured, as if he were forcing himself to move and using every inch of his willpower to do it. He stepped out into the hallway.
“I’m sorry, Emma.”
She couldn’t think of another time she’d ever heard him apologize. He was the billionaire CEO of one of the biggest corporations in the US. He didn’t have to apologize to anyone, but he was apologizing to her.
She didn’t care. It was too little too late.
She closed the door and walked away.
Chapter 34
Jackson
* * *
Jackson went back up to his apartment, got in the shower, and cried.
He hadn’t cried since he was five years old and his pet turtle died. He hadn’t cried like this when his parents died. He didn’t know that it was possible for a grown man to feel this much hurt inside.