Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 22685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Morning coffee on the porch. Evelline in his arms. And Evelline, oh God...giving him the ring that he had thrown away.
His finger felt naked, wrong without the silver band she’d crafted for him. When had it become so much a part of him?
“Sir?”
Relief slammed into him upon hearing his driver's voice, and he started breathing a bit more easily. “Luther, thank fuck. You haven’t left—”
“I didn’t know I was supposed to go anywhere.” The older man’s weathered face creased with concern, taking in Hunter’s disheveled appearance and wild eyes.
"Janelle didn't tell you? Evelline—"
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Mr. Ferguson," Luther interrupted uneasily. "Matt’s outside. Says he needs to speak with you.”
Something violent surged inside of him upon hearing the other man's name, but this time—
No more.
He was done letting his anger fuck things up.
"Send him in."
This time, he would choose to hear the other man out—
A red-faced and sniveling Matt came to face him.
No matter mat.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Ferguson.” Matt’s voice trembled. “You’ve always been so good to me, but I... I...”
The entire story came tumbling out, and Hunter felt sick to his stomach as he listened to the younger man talk about Janelle seducing him eight years ago and blackmailing him later with videos of their time together.
“But I can’t take it anymore.” Matt’s hands shook as he handed over his phone, allowing Hunter to read his cousin's threatening texts. The videos Janelle had taken were there, too, and God, oh God...
“I can’t hurt Eve again, Mr. F-Ferguson. Not when it was never her fault..."
Indeed, it never was. The one at fault was Hunter, for being blind to who Janelle was all this time...while choosing to turn his back on Evelline the moment things became less than perfect. And he had done it because it was just fucking easier. Just fucking safer to throw her out...rather than letting his feelings for her grow out of control.
"I p-pretended to force myself on her—”
Something snapped inside Hunter, his fist connecting with Matt's jaw the moment he heard the younger man's confession, and he remembered the look on his Evelline's face.
No, fuck, no.
He had seen she was afraid.
But at that time, he had only thought she had been afraid of him...for being caught cheating.
How the hell could he have been so fucking blind?
Hunter wanted to beat the younger man into a bloody pulp, but the way Matt only stumbled back and continued crying told him it would be pointless. Matt had obviously learned his lesson while Hunter...he was the one who had hurt Evelline the most with his lack of trust.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Ferguson. I'm s-so sorry."
Hunter asked Luther to take the younger man away. “Get him sorted with HR tomorrow. Basic reference, separation pay, whatever he needs to start fresh. His mother’s medical treatment, how much it would cost for him to take a couple months off to look after her. Give them everything they need. Just make sure they're out of Texas by tomorrow.”
He watched Luther lead Matt out of the stables, but this time, all he could see was Janelle with her innocent face. All her life, she had acted like this angel who didn't want their money. But he realized now it was all for fucking show.
Janelle had known she would have inherited everything if Hunter were not to marry or have children. His cousin would have also known that he wasn't the type to leave her penniless even if he did end up having his own family.
But Janelle, it seemed, was such a fucking narcissist that she wanted the world to think she didn't care about money...even if she did. She had wanted her fucking cake, but she had also wanted to eat it. And that was why she had gone through all these lengths to get rid of—
Fuck.
Panic hit him out of the blue.
Where the fuck was Evelline?
He called his head of security, demanding for their last sighting of Evelline, and the other man's answer made his blood run cold.
“Miss Ramirez left with Miss Montgomery about twenty minutes ago, sir. In Miss Kemp's car.”
The phone slipped from Hunter’s numb fingers.
No, fuck, no.
Janelle was fucking psychotic. He knew that now. But could his cousin be crazy enough to make an attempt at Evelline's life?
Blood pounded in his ears as images of what Janelle might do flooded his mind. He couldn't remember feeling this fucking helpless...that all he could do was squeeze his eyes shut.
Just like Evelline had taught him to do, not so many days ago, when she had told him about how everything had changed for her—
I know how stupid this sounds, but I thank God for letting my life hit rock bottom. It sucked to lose everything, but it was also at the worst point in my life that I realized what really mattered. That He was always there, always was, always would be...and so I never have to be alone again.