Chapter 11
The morning light was just starting to filter through Mom’s drapes when I opened my eyes
to find Nathan sitting in her vintage chair across the room.
His Tom Ford suit looked slept in. First time I’d ever seen him disheveled.
“If those papers aren’t signed, you’re wasting your time.” My voice was steady.
“Emma…” His face crumpled. “I won’t sign them. I can’t.”
“Then get out. I just had this place deep cleaned. I can still smell your cologne.”
He was quiet for so long I thought he might actually leave. Then:
“You want the truth? Fine.” His voice cracked. “When I moved Claire to another department, she broke down. Told me she was the reason her drunk father got behind the wheel that night. That she’d begged him to pick her up. That she was why my parents died.”
X
He ran his hands through his perfect hair. “I lost it. All that control I’d built up just… snapped. I grabbed her throat-”
“Save the dramatic monologue, Nathan. I really don’t need your carefully crafted narrative.”
“It was one time, Emma. One drunk mistake-”
“Stop.” I felt oddly calm. “Want to know something interesting? I saw everything.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. Classic Nathan – always calculating.
“That day in your office? I came back. Saw her under your precious mahogany desk. And that cute little birthday party? I was there too. Watched you take her upstairs.”
He went completely still.
“Did you enjoy yourself, Nathan? Was it good?” –
1.42
The Perfect Husband’s Secret
52.6
Every second I watched you play devoted husband in that hospital made me want to Vomit. And now you’re here, swearing on your life it was just once“? God, you really can’t Help yourself with the lies, can you?”
“So this is the real Nathan Pierce? The one behind the perfect CEO facade? just another rich guy who gets violent when he’doesn’t get his way?”
I watched him crumble with each quiet word, sliding down the wall to the floor.
“You always showered after her. What was that about? Afraid I’d smell her perfume? Or did you just feel dirty?”
“That dining room in her house exact copy of Le Bernardín, right? For all those late–night
FaceTime calls?”
“My birthday as her door code – matching our penthouse. So you wouldn’t slip up when we got home together. Always the perfectionist, aren’t you?”
“Must have been exhausting, Nathan. All that… performance.”
Why not just be with them? Play happy family in Greenwich? Give Cooper the father he
deserves?”
“And please – stop with the love declarations. Every time I think about you coming home from her bed, kissing me with the same mouth… makes me physically ill. I can’t even look at our building on Fifth without wanting to throw up.”
“Just get out.”
“And Nathan?” I finally turned to look at him. “Have your people talk to my lawyers. I don’t want to see your face again.”
I rolled over, done with the conversation.
The sun was fully up now, Manhattan coming alive outside.
He left like he’d lived our whole marriage – silent, calculated, leaving no trace.
