“All of my things were moved here, and my suite was given away,” she went on. “I’ll be sure to find something else tomorrow, but with the resort booked, I didn’t have the energy to think of another plan tonight.”
Of course. That’s why she was here. It had nothing to do with wanting to talk or forgiving him or even being ready to hear his side.
“I’m sorry,” he told her.
Now her eyes shot to his, and he didn’t know what hurt him more, the pain or the anger glaring back. She’d definitely had time to think, and from the fury radiating from her, things were about to get worse.
“Sorry?” she mocked. “What exactly are you sorry for? That you used me? That you knew who my father was and never once said a word to me? That you thought I was foolish enough to marry you, raise this baby with you and never realize that you were trying to destroy my father? Exactly what part are you sorry about?”
Ethan pulled in a deep breath. “All of it,” he admitted. “Except the part about using you. I never did that. Not for one second. If I could have spared you the pain, I would’ve. I never wanted you caught in the middle.”
“Yet here I am,” she fired back. “And you’re not too sorry or you would’ve come to me the second you supposedly discovered the truth.”
Ethan hated Robert. Damn it, he loathed that man with every fiber in his being.
But he had to admit he was angriest at himself. All of this couldn’t be blamed on Robert. He was just the one who put everything into motion.
Ethan’s cell chimed in his pocket, but he ignored it. A moment later, it chimed again.
“Better get that,” she said with a sneer. “Might be your brother and you can celebrate your win. But please have the decency not to gloat around me.”
Ethan’s guilt spread. “There’s nothing to celebrate.”
Harper cocked her head, crossed her legs and smoothed her dress out. “Oh, really? You mean getting this resort, no matter the cost, doesn’t merit popping open the champagne?”
He deserved her bitterness, her snark. He deserved so much more, and he was just waiting for the bomb to completely go off.
“Robert hasn’t signed the papers,” he informed her. “But that’s the least of my worries now. I’m worried about you, about us.”
&n
bsp; Harper laughed and shook her head as she looked back to the starry sky over the ocean. Despite the calm, relaxing atmosphere, the storm enveloping them was raging out of control.
“Us,” she muttered. “You say that like there was ever an us to begin with.”
“We’re engaged.”
“We were,” she corrected.
His heart sank as she started twisting off the ring he’d given her. When that had gone on her finger, he’d still been thinking of their relationship as brilliant and the best route to hold on to their careers and raise their child together.
But now? Well, now he wanted her to wear it because he liked seeing his mother’s ring on Harper’s hand. He liked knowing they were going to build a life together...a dynasty.
He foolishly had just started allowing himself to feel something, and now he could only feel pain—and guilt, since he only had himself to blame for ruining everything.
No, that wasn’t true. Robert had done his share, but Ethan should’ve told Harper the second he discovered the truth. He couldn’t blame her for not believing him now. The timing was just too perfect.
Still looking out at the water, Harper extended her arm and held the ring between her finger and thumb.
“Take it,” she demanded softly. “I was naive enough to think something would happen between us. I let myself...”
Her voice caught on that last word, and Ethan felt her pain. His heart ached in a way he hadn’t known for so long. This was why he kept himself closed off. Feelings and attachments always led to a hurt that couldn’t be ignored.
Another reason why he hadn’t seen through his plans of turning Robert in.
“I let myself fall for you,” she whispered.
Her words were so soft, they were almost lost in the ocean breeze. But he’d heard them, and the raw honesty of her statement shredded his soul.