Confidential. Yeah, right. What the fuck did he have to be so secretive about? Armaan wasn't like me. He was an open book. What had he been up to all this time? He'd kept track of my movements and activities but I knew so little about his life in the years we had been separated. I'd deliberately kept myself away so as to not get too involved with him again.
Whatever. He spied on me all the time. Ethics was basically a non-issue with us most of the time, anyway. With a small frown, I ripped open the binding around the folder and drew out some papers from it before going through each one.
I couldn't really believe what I was seeing.
Oh my God.
I had to actually sit down after reading the contents of those documents. The contract. The NDA. Jasper and Armaan. Three million fucking euros. A full year.
Resting my head in my hands, I closed my eyes for a minute, trying to wrap my brain around it all. Jasper would probably never have approached me in London if it hadn't been for all this. This whole affair might not even have happened. He'd been so desperate, thinking he could do everything for everyone and still go back to Cole and Skye. And Armaan had just exploited Jasper's need. His situation. To satisfy me. Hoping I would come back.
But Jasper Wells hadn't sent me back. He'd sent back Armaan's money. He'd asked me for a loan two years ago which had been a substantial amount and I hadn't questioned him on what it was for. Shit.
I couldn't believe this of Aaru. He'd never do this. He wouldn't hurt people this way. He wouldn't just use a man in this manner knowing what it would mean for Cole and Skye. Armaan cared about people. He cared about his friends and family.
The evidence was right there though and I felt the urge to cry about it so much. Because Armaan, my sweet Armaan, had resorted to these unethical methods because of me. I had driven him to do this. I'd made him this desperate and cruel. I felt so sorry for Jasper. I wish I had known before exactly how bad things had been for him. I'd have given him all that money freely, no strings attached. Fuck.
Putting everything back in its proper place, I picked up the box to head out but at the end of the corridor, just before I reached the living room, I paused because his whole family was gathered there. They were noisy and all dressed up as if to go out. I took in a deep breath and walked with my head held high, determined to ignore them but my laces had come undone and I almost tripped because of that, some of the books from the top of the box flying out and landing on the floor.
Heads turned to look at me but I didn't acknowledge anyone because there was one person in particular whom I didn't want to see. I was about to put the box down to tie up my laces when I felt hands touching my sneakers, taking care of that task for me.
I looked down at his head of dark, glossy hair where he was bent at my feet, his long fingers working on the laces. Too much. It was all too much to take in. I needed to breathe. I needed to stand under a cold spray of water and just go numb. What was I supposed to feel right now? Why did it hurt so much?
Armaan finally straightened and stood next to me, looking deep into my eyes. I saw his throat working to swallow and he gave me a kind look before brushing back a strand of my hair. "You need help with that?" he asked gently, nodding towards the box.
I shook my head wordlessly, dragged my gaze away from his and took two steps. My throat was so tight, so fucking tight. I glanced at him over my shoulder and managed to croak, "Be happy, okay."
Then I walked. I kept walking and breathing deeply while telling myself not to cry. Not to feel. I couldn't hurt anymore. I didn't want to break anymore.
It was over.
****
Chapter Twenty
Skye
Early Monday morning, I was at the gallery going over some paperwork. Yesterday had been so wonderful. Cole, Jacob and I had had a lot of fun, determined not to let the trauma of the past cloud our present. The fear that Jasmine would expose my secret had driven me to make the most of my time with Cole.
I was pretty sure Jasmine wouldn't be able to help herself from destroying whatever little peace I had left and telling Jasper about Jacob. Then Jasper would care for her even more while hating me. Cole would come to know as well and I'd lose him too. Everything would be taken from me. Jasmine was so rich and powerful. She would pull some strings and find a way to take Jacob from my life. And since Cole didn't have a problem with her, they would all live happily ever after and make me the villain.
I had done the unthinkable. To keep a child away from his own father just because he had hurt me. It hadn't been Jacob's fault. I had taken that right away from them both. I had taken two years from their relationship and would be taking so much more.
Because try as I might, I couldn't confess what I had done to either of them and face their judgement and anger. Their hatred and pain. Cole would be devastated. He had always been there for
