“Fair stopped being relevant at 1:17 this morning.”
Ethan walked closer.
“I made a terrible mistake.”
“You made many decisions.”
“I’m not Charles.”
“I know.”
That hurt him more.
Lauren continued.
“Your father may have engineered the opportunity, but he did not make you book hotel rooms. He did not remove your wedding ring. He did not make you lie to me.”
Ethan looked at Lauren’s belly.
“I’m still her father.”
“Yes.”
“So let me protect you.”
Lauren studied him.
“I need you to do something more useful.”
“Anything.”
“Go to the board meeting tomorrow.”
“What?”
“Act normal.”
“Lauren—”
“Your father doesn’t know what Madison gave us.”
“Probably.”
“Good.”
“He tried to hurt you.”
“We don’t know that yet.”
“We heard the recording.”
“We heard Madison accuse an unidentified man.”
Ethan’s jaw clenched.
“You think Charles ordered it.”
“I think believing something is not the same as proving it.”
