Page 20 of Sweet Wicked Vows
“I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic.”
“Dad wants to throw a party to announce the marriage to everyone. He wants to do it before he gets any worse.” I chewed on my bottom lip. We were only months away from losing him completely. I swallowed the lump wedging itself in my throat. “I was hoping you might be able to help me with that.”
Her face lit up. “Totally! Send me some of the dates you are thinking about, and I will check my schedule. I know for a fact there is availability in theGolden Halo Galleryat the end of the month. Maybe I could try and push forward with the opening of my newest gallery early for you.”
Violet and I attendedNYUtogether. While I studied journalism, she originally studied business and politics—her mother’s idea, not hers. However, she soon discovered howmuch she hated it. It wasn’t an easy time for her, with her guilt to try and make it work for her mother’s benefit.
By the second year, she knew she needed to make a choice.
Rather than leaving university altogether, she changed her degree to art. It nearly gave her mother a heart attack.
But her natural artistic skill and good eye for spotting talent allowed her to blossom into the woman she was today.
After university, Violet threw herself into the art world. She started out as a valuer, then a seller, and quite quickly, she moved into opening her own art galleries and selling high-end pieces to people all over the world.
Her galleries were known not only for showcasing beautiful masterpieces, but also for hosting amazing events for those able to pay the eye-watering price tag.
Violet excitedly started jotting ideas down into her phone. She talked animatedly about different venues and the connections each of them brought, and I tried my best to focus on her and not the text messages lighting up my screen.
JAXON: Flight in at noon.
JAXON: See you tomorrow, wife.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Flynn carried another box into the hallway. “There’s no shame in admitting you’ve made a mistake and coming back home with me.” He dropped it with a thud. “Quickie divorce, and we can pretend the whole thing never happened. Say the word, and I’ll start taking the boxes back home.”
“I haven’t made a mistake.” The lie rolled off my tongue. “What difference does it make with me living here or back at Dad’s place? You’re barely in the house.”
“For your information, I haven’t left the house since the boat party,” he said. “I thought you’d be proud of me.”
“Super proud,” I said, deadpan. “Well done for not getting blackout drunk or high for over a week.”
“That foot up your ass is seriously wedged in there tight tonight.”
I closed the front door, sealing the humid temperature of the night outside. I decided to stay the night before Jaxon arrived, wanting to get my bearings of the house that my dad bought for me once I graduated.
I never actually moved into the house, mainly because I spent most of my time at Laurence’s place. He didn’t want to live too far away from his own family and insisted that I spend all my time at his penthouse. Although it wasn’t official, because Laurence wanted to wait until we were married, I basically lived there.
That was until Dad fell sick.
The second the doctor told us the prognosis, I moved straight back home.
Something Laurence wasn’t happy about.
Looking back on it now, I was able to safely say that it was the turning point in our engagement. Possibly too blinded looking after Dad, I ignored the change in Laurence’s behavior.
Walking through the hall into the kitchen, I opened the cupboards and fridge to find nothing.
There wasn’t a single knife or fork.
Flynn appeared behind me with a bag in his hands. “Poppy said you might need some things until you get sorted.” He unpacked the bag. Two mugs, two wine glasses, two forks, two knives, and two plates. “She also said to tell you that she’s grown too fond of your coffee machine and that she isn’t sure she can part with it now.”
Acid burned the back of my throat. This was it. I was movingaway from Dad, away from being at his side.
This was a mistake, right?
A stupid, foolish mistake.
I fought against the burning gathering on my tongue. “That’s okay she can keep it, but you will need to remind her to clean it at least weekly.”