Naturally, I’m upset,” I answered in a cold, mechanical manner.
“Yes, I can only imagine the extent of your turmoil.” His lips twisted into an evil sneer. “After all, it appears he has made it out alive.”
That was the last drop I was willing to take from this insolent man. Anger boiled up inside me, and the dam of my endurance with Henry Wyatt was forever broken. I slapped him as hard as I could. Suddenly, consequences held no importance whatsoever and I felt encouraged to release years' worth of bottled up rage I held against him.
“You pathetic worm,” I raised my voice, and looked straight into his challenging eyes. “Don't you ever dare speak to me like that again!”
Henry rubbed his cheek and smirked even harder than before, shaking his head. “My, my, my...It has been mere hours since Mr. Damiani had an accident and the little mouse has already turned into an angry cat. One can’t help but notice this entire fiasco has done wonders for your confidence. Tell me, has your amateur of a lover already been informed about the unfortunate setback?” He leaned closer, and his features settled into a mask of derisive condolence. “Poor thing. The pressure must be wearing you down. I'm sure Mr. Damiani will be pleased to hear his accident disturbed his beloved wife to such a great extent.”
I lifted my chin even higher, refusing to give in to this bastard. He thought he had me in the palm of his hand, but I held a hidden ace up my sleeve, and it would have a devastating effect on his attitude.
“I'm sure he'll be thrilled, but he might be taken aback by the news of your complete indifference.” Something darkened in his eyes and—savoring my victory—I leaned closer to whisper in his ear. “Don't mess with me, Mr. Wyatt. We both know you have a very good motive that makes the status of my husband's welfare one of your greatest interests. Keep taunting me and I might just expose all of your dirty laundry to the two kind detectives who were here.”
He glared at me with pure anger like he was completely shocked by my threat. The improvised speech filled me with the same amount of surprise because I was never the one to make threats...only receive them.
“You bitch...” Henry found his voice that now rang with a hint of worry instead of taunting.
It was my turn to sneer. “Don't test me. You seem to be distressed, so I'll let this one slip, but the next insult might cost you a lot more than you’re willing to pay.” This was the first time I had seen Henry Wyatt speechless, and it felt good. It made my mind drift away from the hell I was about to face. It made me want to savor the moment. “Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me for as long as you are willing to trade your silence for mine. Now, I suggest you do your job and clean up this mess while I pay an overdue visit to my misfortunate husband.”
I walked out of the room without glancing back, but I was aware Henry remained frozen on the spot, staring after me in absolute disbelief. As I raced down the halls of this huge mansion, the members of our staff stole glances of pity my way, but none of them said a single word to acknowledge my presence. I realized it was good some things never changed.
The moment I stepped out the front door, I saw a black SUV parked in the driveway. My bodyguard Broderick stood next to it, waiting for me in the pouring rain. He walked toward me, umbrella in hand, and I didn't dare regard him because I would be tempted to fall into his embrace and cry my eyes dry until I had no more tears left.
“I’m sorry to hear the awful news, Olivia,” he said in a somber tone, and we both knew what he meant.
Finally, I met his stare and our eyes spoke more than words could have.
“Thank you, Broderick,” I muttered quietly, and broke our intense gaze.
He exhaled. “Let's get this over with.”
He ushered me to the car, making sure I didn't get wet. When he opened the back door for me, it seemed like he wanted to say something, but decided against it. The ride to the hospital passed by in complete silence, and the further we drove, the harder it became to breathe. I'd had years to