Chapter Seven%
Brixton didn’t hesitate. He turned to his assistant with a calm, decisive nod. “Do as she asked.“%
No questions. No conditions. When it came to Dionne, he didn’t need a reason–his trust in her ran deep, unwavering.
But trust, to Dionne, was something that didn’t come easy anymore. Not after everything.!
She studied his face, wary. “Brixton, we barely know each other. Why are you helping me like this?”
At first, she’d wondered if he wanted something–if there was some angle she couldn’t see. But after everything that had unraveled, she realized there wasn’t much about her worth scheming for anymore.”
He didn’t answer right away. Just adjusted the gold–rimmed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, then gave her a quiet, unreadable smile. “You’ll understand once we get home.”
She opened her mouth to press further, but he cut in gently. “With me, Dionne, you don’t need to keep your guard up. After all, I’ve been waiting for you… for twenty years.”}
Her brows pulled together. ‘Twenty years? Has he been waiting for me even before I was born?‘%
The thought flashed through her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. No one could wait that long for another person.
No matter how much she asked after that, Brixton refused to say another word.”
“You’ll know when we get home,” was all he said.”
Elsewhere, Larkin’s original plan had been to take Farrah back to her parents‘ place. But the house was surrounded by press–cameras, mics, flashing lights–like wolves circling a wounded deer.
Instead, he brought her to his villa.
The second they stepped inside, Farrah crumbled. She collapsed onto the couch, sobbing hysterically, mascara streaking down her cheeks.>
“It had to be Dionne!” she shrieked. “She’s the only one who had those drafts! She’s trying to destroy me!”
Her hands trembled as she reached for him. “Larkin, please–you have to help me! If this gets out of control, I’m finished! She always listens to you. Just make her admit it, say she did it. Do something!”
Her complaints bounced off the marble floors, sharp and relentless.
Larkin stood still for a beat, the weight of her accusations sinking in. Slowly, he ran a hand through his hair.
“Farrah,” he said at last, voice low but steady, “those designs belonged to Dionne in the first place. She was the one accused of plagiarism. Of course she’d be furious.“>
Farrah stared at him in disbelief as he continued.
“But you–if you hadn’t tried to pass her work off as your own, none of this would’ve happened.”}
“I’li handle the situation. I’ll talk to her,” he promised. “But whether or not she agrees to make a statement, I can’t promise anything.”
With that, he left her sitting there, frozen, her sobs suddenly silenced by the closing door of his study.
Farrah stared at his retreating figure. In the past, no matter what she’d done, Larkin had always defended her, protected her. He never walked away.
Not like this.
For the first time, dread crept under her skin like a chill. ‘Is he… falling for Dionne?‘>
Upstairs, Larkin stood in front of the floor–to–ceiling window, staring out at the endless gray. He rubbed his temples, trying to ease the tension pressing in on all sides.
Back then, whenever he looked like this, Dionne would appear behind him–quiet, thoughtful–offering a massage, or setting down a glass of water exactly when he needed it.”
Yes, Farrah had been in the wrong, but what was done was done. If someone had to take the fall, it was better for one person to bear it than to let both of thern get dragged down.”
Thinking back to what had happened that afternoon, his brow furrowed even deeper.”
She hadn’t come out since he returned. She was probably still upset.}
With a sigh, he made his way to her bedroom–but when he opened the door, he was met with an empty room. Every last item had been cleared out.
His face darkened. ‘She ran away? For what?!‘
He pulled out his phone and sent her a message–but was immediately met with a red exclamation mark.
‘She blocked me?!‘
Next, he called her. But it went straight to voicemail.
His pulse spiked. Dionne had built her life around him–every decision ran through him. She never even signed a contract without his approval–much less leave without a word.
But this time, she’d really gone.
With a roar, he hurled the phone across the room. It shattered against the wall, splintering the silence.”
He stood there, breathing hard. Hating this. Hating the emptiness. Hating the way things had spiraled so far out of his control
Sull, pride kept his fingers from dialing again B
STOP
7:08 PM
Still, pride kept his fingers from dialing again.§
‘Let her be mad,’ he told himself. ‘She’s obsessed with me. Give her a day–she’ll crawl back.’0
But when the clock struck eleven the next morning, she still hadn’t returned. Not a message. Not a call.
A flicker of unease began to rise in his chest. He called Ryan, his assistant.§
“Check Dionne’s schedule. Did she go on a business trip?” She used to travel for work often; it wouldn’t be unusual. There was a pause, then Ryan’s hesitant voice came through. “S–Sir, did you forget? The secretary has already resigned.“}
