Chapter 46


    Sophie crossed to the ind bar and grabbed the drink she’d made for him.


    “I thought you could start with a nice bourbon before dinner,” she told him, handing him the tumbler of


    amber liquid. “I’ve set us up over next to the balcony so we can still see the beautiful view, but not


    freeze.”


    Nigel tipped back the drink and sat the ss back on the bar. He shoved his hands in his pockets, but


    remained silent. Work must have really kicked him down today. She’d never seen him so worn or quiet.


    “I have good news,” she told him. “I got in touch with my brothers and they can be here tomorrow. I’d


    love for us to all do a nice dinner if you think you can leave the office early enough.”


    She turned toward the ind to start filling the tes with pasta.


    “Your brothers,” he repeated slowly. “Would that be Vaughn and Ken ckwood?”


    The te dropped from her grasp and shattered onto the floor.


    “And that would make you Sophie,” he added.


    Sophie nced over her shoulder. Nigel held up his phone to show her a muted video from her


    YouTube channel.


    “I had no idea you were so popr until I discovered this,” he went on. “Sophie ckwood, a YouTube


    sensation and brilliant interior designer.”


    Sophie gripped the edge of the counter. “Give me a second to exin.”


    “A second? Oh, I think you’d need much longer than that, don’t you? I mean, you’ve clearly been


    nning this for a long time.” He dropped his arm and shoved the phone back into his pocket. “How


    long would you have gone on with this charade, Roslyn?”


    Tears pricked her eyes, but she needed to put up a strong front and not be seen as weak. She needed


    him to understand her actions, her reasoning. He understood family loyalty, didn’t he?


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    “That’s why I wanted you to meet my brothers,” she exined. “I wanted to tell you everything with


    them here so they could help me exin what we were up against.”


    Sophie started to step toward him, but nced to the shards of the broken te near her bare feet.


    “You’re going to cut yourself.”


    Nigel muttered a curse under his breath and stepped over the mess, the broken te crunching


    beneath his shoes. He gripped her by the waist and lifted her up and over, setting her down safely a


    good distance away.


    Even in his anger, he was still a gentleman. How could she not be in love with him? He obviously cared


    for her or her actions wouldn’t have hurt him so much.


    That sliver of information gave her hope. She knew he’d be hurt no matter how he discovered the truth,


    but she just wished she could’ve been the one to tell him. Now the betrayal seemed so much harsher.


    “Who told you?” she asked.


    Nigel shook his head. “That doesn’t matter. You’re the one who lied and used me.”


    Sophie recalled the sh of red yesterday.


    “Miranda,” she murmured.


    “What?”


    Sophie held his gaze. “Miranda told you, didn’t she? I saw her at the office yesterday.”


    Nigel’s eyes widened. “You saw her and didn’t say anything? Afraid of getting caught?”


    “I have valid reasons for everything I did.”


    The muscle in Nigel’s jaw clenched and he propped his hands on his hips. “Miranda didn’t tell me


    anything, so clearly she doesn’t know you’re here.”


    In that case, Sophie had no idea how he found out, but it really didn’t matter. All that mattered was that


    she’d hurt him. She had to find a way to make him understand why she’d done this. Would he believe


    her if she told him she’d give up the vendetta against Miranda for a second chance with him?


    At this point, no. The shocking news was too fresh, the pain too raw.