This time, I couldn’t bring myself to react and just leaned back into the seat, my energy gone.

“Thanks for confirming about the marriage thing.” My tone was defeated.

Maxwell stood, fixing his suit.

“Anytime, Addi. If you need me to reach out to a few others to corroborate my claims, let me know.”

My gut turned to stone.

There were more.

Of course there were.

Having to sit next to another person confirming my worst fears about my father sounded like a fucking nightmare, but his sureness meant he was telling the truth.

“No, thank you, but… How many were there?”

He walked by me, placing his hand on my shoulder.

“Do you really want to know?”

No. But somehow, I feel like I needed to. At least to get this over with.

“Yes.”

“I personally know four, but I estimate he offered you to not less than fifteen people, considering his connections before his death.”

I let out a sigh. Maxwell squeezed my shoulder before letting go.

“One more thing, though,” he said. “Most of them were made after he was in hot water.”

That knocked the air out of my chest.

He tried to sell me to save himself.

“Thank you,” I forced out.

“Take care, Addi.”

He left without looking back, and I could finally let my tears fall. With shaky hands, I grabbed my phone and typed in Alec Mercer into Google.

The first link that came up was the New York Times post about his downfall.

I kept scrolling, looking at all the headlines. All the ones detailing him stealing money. Taking advantage of his employees.

I didn’t dare click on any of them. The tears were filling my eyes at such a rapid pace that after a few scrolls I couldn’t read any of them anymore.

I placed my phone face down on my lap, sitting there in my sadness.

Fuck. Just one look. Read just one of them.

Picking my phone up, my fingers hovered over a link.

Do it. Just fucking do it already.

Warren’s warm hand was suddenly on mine, pushing the phone down.

I turned to him, my arms wrapping around his waist.

I led him on last night. I made him think he had me, only to turn him away. And somehow, he’s still here. Like he knew I needed him.

“I don’t want to be here anymore,” I said, my voice muffled by his torso. “I’m going crazy.”

His arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer, and we just stayed there while he held me. He didn’t call me out on it. He didn’t say anything.

Minutes went by until he finally asked, “So you’re saying I need to fire Maxwell for hurting my prized possession, hm?”

I was grateful for the levity. And as much as I didn’t want to be owned, Warren calling me prized sent butterflies racing through my belly.