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Home / Mafia / My Best Friend's Forbidden Father / Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

All Chapters of My Best Friend's Forbidden Father: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

66 Chapters

21

TRENTON Everything happened too fast and too slow at the same time. Eudora walked up the path, her smile bright while I stood frozen at the spot, my brain moving with the speed of a freight train but still unable to recollect my thoughts. Stellan turned toward her, the manila envelope still in his hand, and the creepy smile he had on his face scared even me. "Get inside," I said to Bronwyn without looking away from Stellan. "Now." But she didn't move, rooted to the spot behind me in the doorway. "Dad!" Eudora reached us, her eyes landing on Stellan with confusion. "Mr. Grayson? What are you doing here?" "Eudora." Stellan's voice was unnecessarily sweet, she had to take a step back. "Perfect timing. I was just about to have a very important conversation with your father." "About what?" She looked between us, her

22

BRONWYN The train to Boston felt endless, every mile taking me further from Trenton and closer to a life that suddenly felt empty. I stared out the window at the darkness rushing past, replaying Eudora's face over and over. *I never want to see you again.* My phone buzzed. Trenton. *Please tell me you made it to the train safely.* I stared at the message, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. Part of me wanted to ignore it, to make a clean break like I'd said I would. The other part, the bigger part, needed to answer him. *On the train now. Getting into Boston around midnight.* Three dots appeared immediately. *I miss you already.* My chest tightened. I shouldn't respond. I should put the phone away and start the process of moving on. *I miss you too.*&n

23

Tears filled my eyes because I hadn't expected support from anyone. "Thank you," I whispered. "Don't thank me yet." His expression turned serious. "You need to understand what you're getting into. This town will talk, people will judge, Eudora may never forgive you, are you prepared for all of that?" "I don't know." I wiped my eyes. "All I know is that when I'm with him I feel more myself than I ever have before." My mother sighed. "You really love him." "I really do." "Then you need to figure out if love is enough," she said. "Because everything else is going to be very hard." They let me stay for dinner but the conversation was strained, we talked about the cruise and my work and everything except Trenton until finally I couldn't take it anymore. "I need to go," I said, standing. "Where?" My mot

24

BRONWYN The media explosion happened faster than I imagined possible. By noon the photos were everywhere. Not just the Pinehaven Gazette but regional news sites, gossip blogs, even a few national outlets picked up the story because a wealthy CEO having an affair with his daughter's best friend was apparently irresistible clickbait. *Real Estate Mogul Trenton Rhiggs in Scandalous Relationship with Daughter's Friend* *Age Gap Romance or Predatory Behavior? CEO Under Fire* *Betrayal in Pinehaven: Best Friends Torn Apart by Forbidden Affair* My phone wouldn't stop ringing even after I turned it off and back on. Reporters, old friends wanting gossip, people I hadn't talked to in years suddenly very interested in my life. I made it back to Boston by early afternoon, thinking I could hide in my apartment and wait for the storm to p

25

BRONWYN I stared at Eudora's message for ten minutes before responding. *Okay. When?* Three dots appeared immediately. *Tomorrow. There's a coffee shop on Fifth and Madison. 2 PM.* *I'll be there.* I set my phone down with shaking hands. Tomorrow I'd face my best friend for the first time since everything exploded. Tomorrow I'd either start rebuilding that bridge or watch it burn completely. My phone rang. I answered without checking the caller ID, assuming it was my mother. "Bronwyn." Huxley's voice made me tense. "Thank God you answered. I've been trying to reach you all day." "How did you get this number?" "I still have it from when we dated." His voice was smooth and concerned. "I saw the news. Are you okay?" "I'm fine."

26

I didn't have an answer that wouldn't prove his point. "I'm trying to save you," Huxley said when I didn't respond. "From yourself, from this situation, from the train wreck you're heading toward. But I can't do that if you won't let me help." "I don't want your help." My voice was cold now. "I don't want your advice or your fake concern or your manipulation disguised as strategy." "Bronwyn—" "What I want is for you to accept that we're over and move on with your life." I walked to my window, looking out at the photographers still camped outside. "You say you care about me but everything you've said in this conversation has been about control and image and using this situation to your advantage." "That's not true." "It is true." I turned away from the window. "You don't love me, Huxley. You love the idea of winning me back, of being the guy who

27

TRENTON The board meeting started at eight in the morning and I knew it was going to be brutal the moment I walked into the conference room, and some looked concerned while some looked hostile. Marcus, the oldest board member and biggest pain in my ass, didn't even wait for me to sit down. "We need to discuss the publicity surrounding your personal life." "Good morning to you too, Marcus." I set my briefcase down and took my seat at the head of the table. "I assume you're referring to the photos." "The photos, the articles, the scandal that's currently attached to our company's name." He leaned forward. "Rhiggs Development has built its reputation on integrity and family values. This situation undermines that completely." "My personal life has nothing to do with company operations." "It has everything to do with it when clie

28

TRENTONI hung up before she could argue and drove straight to Boston, ignoring calls from Brilliana and Jericho and half the board. They could wait. Bronwyn couldn't. But first I had one stop to make. Bronwyn's parents lived in a modest house on the outskirts of Pinehaven. I'd driven past it a hundred times over the years, never imagining I'd be standing on their porch asking permission to date their daughter. Allegra Larkin answered the door, her expression cooling when she saw me. "Mr. Rhiggs." "Mrs. Larkin. I was hoping to speak with you and your husband." "I'm not sure that's a good idea." "Please." I kept my voice respectful. "Five minutes." She studied me for a long moment before stepping aside. "James is in the living room." James Larkin stood when I entered, his handshake firm but

29

BRONWYN I woke up wrapped in Trenton's arms, sunlight streaming through my apartment windows. For a moment everything felt perfect and normal, then I remembered today was the day I had to face Eudora. My phone buzzed on the coffee table. I reached for it carefully, trying not to wake Trenton. It was an email from my boss and the subject line was: *We need to talk.* My stomach dropped as I opened it. *Bronwyn, the board has requested a meeting regarding your position with the firm. The publicity surrounding your personal life has created concerns about client relations and company image. Please come to the office at 10 AM today. This is not optional.*My worst fears were coming true. My hands shook as I made to drop the phone and am abrupt movement by my side from Trenton made me jump. "What's wrong?" Trenton's voice was rough with sleep.

30

BRONWYN "Ms. Larkin? This is David from Boston Business Journal. I'm doing a feature on women in marketing and I'd love to include you." "I'm not interested in press right now." "This isn't about your personal life, I promise. It's about your professional accomplishments, the Morrison campaign specifically." He paused. "Though if you wanted to address the recent publicity, it would give you a chance to control your own narrative." I looked at Trenton who was watching me carefully. "Let me think about it," I said. "Of course. My number is—" "I have it. I'll call you back." I hung up and stared at Trenton. "A reporter wants to interview me about work. He says it's not about us but offered me a chance to address the publicity." "Do you want to?" "I don't know." I sat on the

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