Chapter Eight
Larkin’s mind went blank. For a long moment, he just stood there, the words refusing to make sense.” “Resigned?” he repeated. “When did she resign? Why didn’t I know about this?!”
The assistant answered cautiously. “Sir, she submitted her resignation to HR. It had your signature.“}
*She handed off some tasks to me before leaving yesterday,” he added. “She said she left the resignation letter on your dining table. Have you seen it, sir?“%
Larkin didn’t wait to hear the rest. He was already moving, taking the stairs two at a time. When he reached the dining room, his eyes landed on the two documents lying neatly on the table.
His breath caught.”
The word [Divorce] stabbed at his eyes like a blade.}
He had always treated Dionne like a stand–in–but he had never once thought about actually divorcing her.”
As much as he didn’t want to admit it, after all these years together, he had started to feel something for her–feelings he couldn’t quite
name.
The idea that she might be the one to leave had never even crossed his mind.
Now it felt like a giant hand had clutched his chest, squeezing so hard he couldn’t breathe.”
On the other end of the line, Ryan hesitated, concerned by his boss’s long silence. “Sir? Are you alright?”
Larkin didn’t answer right away. He kept staring at the signature on the divorce papers–his own, scrawled in ink that felt like betrayal. He drew a shaky breath. “Find her,” he said, voice rough. “Find out where she is.“}
The edge in his tone left no room for hesitation.
“Yes, sir. I’ll get on it right away.”
As soon as the call ended, Larkin sank into a chair, the strength draining from his limbs. His head dropped into his hands.
“No wonder she looked sad when I signed those papers,‘ he remembered. ‘So she planned this all along. And that night when she brought up wedding arrangements… Was she planning a wedding with someone else?‘
But the thought barely formed before he instinctively dismissed it.
‘No. Dionne was heartbroken, not in love. And in all these years, she’s never once looked at another man. There’s no way she’s moved on. Not so fast like that.
His thoughts were still racing when a voice startled him from behind.}
“Larkin.”
He turned to find Farrah standing there, her hands trembling, mascara smudged beneath her eyes.
“I’m being torn apart online,” she cried. “They’re saying horrible things. If this keeps up, I’m done. My career’s over!”
Her voice cracked. “You have to help me. I can’t take this kind of scandal!“}
Before, he would’ve dropped everything to protect her. Farrah had always been the one he couldn’t let go of.
But Dionne’s departure had made him realize something.
He didn’t care for Farrah like he used to.
His obsession had been born from the thrill of the unattainable. Now that he truly understood his feelings… the one he loved was Dionne.§ After a long pause, Larkin finally said, “Farrah, this whole situation is your fault. Once the truth about the stolen painting came out, people weren’t going to stay blind.“2
“Instead of spinning more lies, it’s better to come clean,” he suggested bluntly. “I’ll hire the best PR team to help you control the narrative. Give it some time, and the public will forget.”
Her face twisted in disbelief. She stared at him, her eyes fierce. “You want me to admit to plagiarism? That’ll destroy me!” she snapped. “You know what the other heiresses are like. They’ll laugh at me, Larkin. I’ll never live it down!”
In the past, whenever she said things like that, Larkin would feel sorry for her.
But not this time.
“And what about Dionne? Was she supposed to endure all of that?” he snapped. “Farrah, everyone makes mistakes–but if you mess up, you have to own it.”
He looked at her, eyes filled with disappointment.
“And I have to say, you’ve changed, Farrah. You used to be kind and genuine. You’d never steal someone else’s work and let another person take the fall for it. What exactly did you learn during your years abroad?“}
Her lips parted, stunned. The Larkin who used to worship her–gone. The man who once chased after her like she hung the stars–was looking at her like a stranger.
Her voice trembled “Larkin… Do you… Do you not love me anymore?”
He didn’t answer%
She took a step closer, desperation thick in her voice, “You’re in love with Dionne, aren’t you?“N
