Next thing I knew, he threw his glass against the wall. “Fine. You want to know so badly, I’ll tell you. I was the one responsible for you coming to Seattle!” he shouted.

I stood there in shock, trying to wrap my head around his words. “What?” I asked quietly as I shook my head.

He closed his eyes for a moment before answering me. His voice lowered. “I made a business deal with Brendon to make you leave him in exchange for his company overseeing the construction of one of my new hotels. I arranged it all.” He turned away from me.

“What? Why?” I began to fiercely shake.

“For you. You didn’t deserve to be treated like that. He didn’t deserve you. You looked so unhappy and so sad. It affected me, Gabrielle. In a big way. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew I needed to save you.”

“Save me?” Tears started to pour down my face. “Who the fuck are you? God? Do you know why I left him? Do you know what he did?”

He shook his head. “No. I told him I didn’t want to know.”

I walked over to where he stood and grabbed his arm, forcing him to look at me. “Then let me enlighten you!” I said through gritted teeth. “I came home to him fucking another woman in our bed! Do you know what that did to me to see that? DO YOU?!”

“I’m so sorry.” He reached for my hand and I backed away.

I closed my eyes tightly for a moment and prepared myself for his answer to my next question.

“Did you have anything to do with me getting laid off from my job?”

He looked at me with tears in his eyes. “Yes.”

I threw my hands over my mouth and sank to my knees. It felt like a thousand knives were being thrown at me.

“Gabrielle, are you okay?” He knelt down in front of me.

“Don’t touch me.”

“I need you to listen to me. Please. What I did was wrong, but you were never going to leave him. You told me you endured that emotional abuse for six years. Six years, Gabby, and day by day, he took everything away from you. I couldn’t let you go through that anymore. He gave you up for a damn business deal. I brought you here and I gave you everything you lost back. I gave myself to you completely, which I’d never done before. I knew you were different from anyone I’d ever known, but I didn’t expect to fucking fall in love with you. I saved you! You have to see that. I’m so sorry, baby. Please, I’m begging you. Please forgive me.”