Page 131 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

She felt like realization had just exploded within her.

She had chosen to do the hard thing because her love was strong.

She had seen herself as sort of a victim of it. Of her circumstances.

But he was right. She had chosen this.

“You’re right,” she said. “I could’ve walked away. But I didn’t. Because I... I care about you.”

He looked at her, even though he could not see her. Those dark eyes landed on her unerringly. “You shouldn’t.”

He said it so final. Heavy. Like he’d set a stone on her chest.

He didn’t want her to care.

This was how it was going to be. He was going to resist this. All the way.

No matter the conversations they’d had, no matter the way that she knew him. No matter that she had been trying to show him that he could have a life apart from pursuing revenge against his father, he was going to make this impossible.

“Let’s go,” she said.

“To?”

“The doctor. And the paparazzi might come after us. But I believe that my work wives have planted a story about us jetting off to St. Tropez. It is also entirely possible that your private jet is making a decoy flight there.”

“Genius,” he said.

“If nothing else it should get us out of here and to the hospital without being inundated. And then perhaps we can sneak back to your town house.”

“I had just learned how to live here.”

She felt that. All the way down to her bones.

She packed up anything important, the clothing that had been sent for her, and any remaining food, and put it in the back of the new car that had been delivered for them a few days earlier.

She was tasked with driving them back to the city. She wasn’t entirely comfortable with driving on the other side of the road, but she managed, and navigated them to the doctor.

They did a scan of his brain, and the neurologist explained that he still had fluid pushing against his optic nerves.

“The best thing to do would be to go in and drain it.”

“That sounds hideous,” she said.

“Whatever will work,” he said.

“We can do surgery tomorrow morning. Do you wish to stay here tonight?”

“No,” he said.

She tried not to put too much stock in that. That he had made the choice that would allow them to be together. That would allow them to be together this last night.

Last night? Nothing is going to happen to him.

Maybe not. But if this fixed his vision, he wouldn’t need her around anymore. It would be revenge, as usual. And his reputation... Well. It was going to take more than an engagement for her to fix it. It was going to take the truth. And he was going to have to find it in himself to be somewhat... Real. She knew he could do it. The question was, would he?

When they returned to his London home, he made love with her like the clock was ticking. It was. She understood that.

And then she couldn’t hold it any longer. She looked at him, watching her fingertips drift over his face. What a familiar sight he was to her. But she wouldn’t be to him.