“Nothing has gotten into me. I guess I just realized what a sham this whole thing has been. I don’t want your money, and I don’t want to be your wife. You can keep everything.” I headed for my room. “My mother will be back in a week. I’ll be down to get her.”
“Hailey,” he called. “Please just talk to me. Tell me what I can do to fix this.”
“You think you can just throw more money at me?” I snapped. “That’s how all of you Wheeler men fix your problems, isn’t it? You just toss enough money at people until they go away. Well, I don’t want your money, and I sure as hell don’t want to be your wife anymore.”
He moved to block the door, his eyes searching my face for any indication of what he’d done. How could I tell him that I’d fallen in love with him when I was nothing but a beard for his lies? I didn’t doubt for a second that he’d cared about me in a friendly way, but there was no love for me. How could there be? He was a Wheeler; they dripped wealth and sex appeal.
I was nothing but a college dropout who happened to catch his eye and needed the money. Shoving past him with my suitcase in hand, I made for the front door. There was nothing left to say.
“I don’t care if you keep my name on the marriage license so you can get your farm, but I’m not going to stay here with you anymore. Like I said, I don’t want your money; I just want out.”
“Fine,” He bit back.
The words dug into me like the shards of shattered glass, burrowing deep into the open wounds of my breaking heart. The pain was almost unbearable. I’d been right. He was more than happy to let me go. The emotions I’d seen earlier were nothing more than a rich man’s show to try and get me to stay. The whole thing had been a lie, a fake marriage and fake love.
“Fine,” I fought the tears.
“You know, you should really consider acting classes. You really had me fooled there for a while.” He said. “I guess that just goes to show that you never really know someone.”
“You’re one to talk. How you were able to lie to your entire family like it was nothing, I’ll never know. But I can’t say I’m surprised. You can’t even be honest with yourself; how could I expect you to be truthful to anyone else. Enjoy your lonely life.”
“I will,” Jackson snapped. “And you enjoy—”
I didn’t hear the end of his sentence as I darted for the door. My old pickup truck sat parked on the other side of my mother’s little cabin. It had been restored, but I rarely used it since Jackson had bought me a new truck. I didn’t want the big black pickup anymore. The only thing I wanted was the beat-up old truck I’d started with.
If it had been up to me, or if I’d had a way, I would have ripped every new part from the truck and thrown it in his face. For months he’d led me to believe there was something more between us. Yet in a few minutes, he’d ripped it all away. Peeling from the driveway, I grabbed my cellphone and dialed Natalee’s number. She answered on the first ring.
“I’m coming home,” I told her through the tears. “Do you think I can get my old job back there?”
“What happened?” She gasped. “Oh, sweetheart. Don’t tell me you talked to him, and it didn’t go well.”
“I didn’t need to talk to him. He made it clear how he felt about me today. I don’t want his money, and I don’t want to stay here for another six months. I’m out. Please, don’t make me talk about it anymore right now. Can you just ask Ralph if he’s got any openings for me?”
“Of course, you know that he’ll be happy to have you back.”
I sobbed. “I wouldn’t be so sure. Natalee. I’m pregnant.”
“Oh my God,” she stammered. “What are you going to do? You have to go back! You have to tell him about the baby! You are carrying Jackson Wheeler’s child.”
“I don’t care if I was carrying the baby of the Pope. My mother raised me fine on her own, and I can do the same. I won’t let that arrogant, money-hungry asshole