< Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Tonight, they’d only brought one car. Sylvia wanted to leave on her own, but Gordon’s mansion was halfway up the mountain, impossible to
catch a cab from.
Ronan climbed into the back seat, his irritation turning the air heavy enough to choke on.
As soon as they reached the bottom of the hill, Sylvia spoke up.”Just drop me by the road here.”
She still hadn’t found a place to stay and would have to go back to Cora’s for now.
Ronan tugged at his tie, frustration etched into every sharp line of his face.”How long are you planning to keep living in Crestview Gardens?”
He honestly couldn’t fathom what exactly he’d done to set her off so completely that she insisted on escalating things this far.
“Mr. Gordon, do you need me to remind you again? Our relationship is over. We are on the verge of divorce. What happened at Grandfather’s was nothing but an act.”
If they were finished, what point was there in going back to the same house?
Better to leave it to him, so he could bring whoever he liked without having to bother with her.
He pressed his fingertips against his temple, her relentless mentions of divorce giving him a vicious headache.
“Stop the car.”
The driver obeyed instantly, braking to a halt along a brightly lit stretch of road downtown.
“Thank you.”
Sylvia’s voice was calm as ever. She opened the door and stepped out without a backward glance.”I’ll have the dress cleaned and sent back to you.”
“If you
don’t want it, throw it away.”
There was no reason for anything he’d given her to come back.
She really did know exactly how to rile him.
“Fine. I hope you’ll also keep your promise and remove the listing for Apricot Manor.”
With a sharp click, she shut the door and walked off into the night.
Her attitude seemed even colder than before.
The driver shifted nervously.”Sir, where to now?”
“Lotus Manor.”
Ronan clenched his jaw, fury and a faint, inexplicable ache tangling in his chest. Even walking away, she still had to get in a last word about
that house.
By the time she was outside, night had fallen. The air was far cooler than it had been during the day. Sylvia pulled the sweatshirt she’d worn over her gown back on to keep the chill at bay.
When she reached the apartment, she found Cora actually home for once. Her friend eyed her outfit and arched a brow.”What’s this look supposed to be? Avant-garde?”
Sylvia bent her head to untie her shoes and didn’t answer.
“Don’t tell me Ronan’s gotten so stingy he won’t even get you a decent dress?”
Cora knew how it went every time Sylvia visited the Gordons. Those people picked her apart for sport. If she’d really shown up looking like this, they’d have flayed her alive.
Inside, the warmth of the apartment seeped into her bones. Sylvia went straight to the bathroom to shower and slipped out of the sweatshirt.
Seeing the gown underneath, Cora finally nodded in approval.”That’s more like it.”
When Sylvia came back out, hair damp, Cora was on the couch, waving her over.”Come look at this.”
Sylvia spotted a pile of papers and assumed it was something to do with coding, her expression turning serious.
10.00
14.5%
But when she got close, she realized the entire table was covered in printed listings for rental and for-sale properties.
She stared at Cora, saying nothing.
“What are you looking at me for?” Cora snapped. “You said you were finding a place. I figured you’d been some pampered housewife too long to know how to do it yourself, so I picked some options. Just tell me which one you like.”
Sylvia had honestly thought she was still angry about the plan to move out.
“You’re not mad anymore?”
Cora huffed and turned away.”Mad? About what? If you want to waste your money living alone, go right ahead. Maybe I’ll finally get some
peace.”
In reality, she agreed Sylvia needed her own place. It was just complicated, since she wasn’t officially divorced yet.
Sylvia could hear the affection under the grumbling and felt her throat tighten.
She sat down beside her to study the papers.”Which do you think looks best?”
By the time they’d reviewed every listing and narrowed down a few options, it was late. Sylvia retreated to her room, ready to collapse into bed, when her phone rang. It was her mother, Amanda, calling.
They rarely spoke. Her mother, Amanda Ferguson, had been in the hospital for years.
Sylvia suddenly felt nervous, worrying that there was something wrong with Amanda.
“Darling, have you been busy lately?”
Sylvia hesitated.”Not really. I quit my job.”
She hadn’t planned to keep that a secret.
“You quit? I thought you liked it there.”
Back when she’d insisted on joining Gordon Airlines, she’d been so determined, despite studying something totally unrelated in college.
Amanda had watched her pour everything into it. And now she’d walked away as if it were nothing.
Sylvia tightened her grip on the phone. She couldn’t bring herself to explain about Lacey, about how it all felt poisoned now.”I was tired. I just need a break.”
On the other end of the line, Amanda was silent for a moment.
“I see… Well, that’s fine. Gordon Airlines belongs to the Gordon family anyway. If you ever want to go back, I’m sure all you have to do is ask him.”
Amanda’s tone was so matter-of-fact, so full of the illusion that she and Ronan were still a loving couple.
Sylvia bit back a laugh, brittle and hollow. If she ever tried to go back, Ronan would probably take pleasure in humiliating her.
“Mom, was there something you needed?”
“You haven’t brought Ronan to visit me in so long. Can’t I call you just to hear your voice?”
This made Sylvia guilty.
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