Page 291 of By His Vow
“We need an update on your project.”
My heart sinks. I’ve got numerous emails sitting in my inbox with questions and queries about the renovation at the retreat, but the subject line alone stopped me from opening them.
How can I when all I see when I think about that place is her?
“Everything is on track,” I lie, hopefully confidently.
“Everything?” Dad asks as if he knows differently—which he shouldn’t, because he’s refused to get involved with it. He’s sticking to his guns about it being a bad decision, and honestly, I’m glad because it gives me free rein, and when I’m proved right, it’ll feel so fucking good.
“Yes. I have a few minor things outstanding but we’re hitting deadlines, and progress is good.”
Thankfully, the conversation moves on to something else, something that captures Dad's attention more than my retreat, and I’m able to let my mind drift again.
I hate it. I hate not being focused and fully involved in my job, but there isn’t anything I can do about it.
A knock on my door drags me from my thoughts once more, and when I spin around to look, I find Melissa poking her head into the room with an apologetic expression on her face.
‘I’m sorry,’ she mouths before holding out a manilla envelope.
Pushing from my chair, I reach for it and turn it over.
“Thank you,” I say quietly before looking down at my name and address written in beautiful script.
I’m about to throw it onto my desk and return to pretending that I’m listening, but something makes me second-guess that decision.
So, with everyone still chatting on my screen, I tuck my finger under the flap and pry it open.
It takes me a second to register the logo on the paper I pull out, but the second reality hits, the entire world falls from beneath me.
I drop the envelope on the desk and push to my feet, moving away from it as if it physically burned me.
“Kingston? Is everything okay?” Dad asks, although he sounds like he’s in a tunnel and getting farther away with every word.
The room spins as I stare down at the paperwork.
She’s…
She’s divorcing me.
My heart races as disbelief floods through my system.
She was meant to be having some time, some space to figure everything out.
She’s not meant to be serving me fucking divorce papers.
“Kingston?”
I’m unaware of each of the screens going black. I don’t even register that my knees buckle and I fall back into my chair.
She’s divorcing me.
That means…she’s sacrificing everything.
I’ve no idea how much time passes as I sit there staring at the paperwork. It could be mere seconds, or it could be hours.
My office door opening barely cracks through my daze, and a large hand landing on my shoulder scares the living shit out of me.
“Fuck. Dad,” I gasp, turning to find his assessing eyes focused harshly on me. “You scared the shit out of me.”