Chapter 16 

I went to my father’s house. 

He’d remarried when I was eight to another professor, and they had my half–brother. I’d kept my distance over the years, not wanting to disrupt their carefully built life. 

But right now, I desperately needed family. 

They were startled to see me on their doorstep – all three rushing around, offering water, fixing a plate of fresh fruit and cheese. 

I fell into a deep sleep on their couch, surrounded by the familiar smell of books and coffee. 

I slept longer and more peacefully than I had in months. 

– 

When I woke, it was evening. They were all reading quietly in the living room – the two professors and their brilliant son. 

$ 

My stepmother immediately went to the kitchen, returning with a bowl of homemade soup she’d been keeping warm. She called my name awkwardly, offering to heat up more. Then she pulled my brother into another room, giving Dad and me space. 

Dad studied me carefully. 

“You’re hurting, aren’t you, sweetheart?” 

I broke down. 

Everything hit at once – discovering Claire, finding out about Cooper, the accident, two months trapped in that mountain house. 

My entire life had imploded, one revelation after another. 

I hadn’t even had time to process the pain before being thrown into the next nightmare, each crisis forcing me to become someone harder, someone different. 

The Perfect Husband’s Secret 

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Yes, I was hurting. But what hurt most was remembering Nathan risking his life to save me. 

And I’d left him in that ravine. 

Dad listened to everything without interrupting, his academic’s patience letting me find my own words. 

After a long silence, waiting for my tears to slow, he spoke gently: 

“Nathan’s too powerful and too obsessed with you. He’ll keep causing problems. So we fight back – divorce him, take the company.” 

I stared at him, surprised by this calculating side of my scholarly father. 

He smiled. “Divorce is messy, but not impossible.” 

“And the company?” I asked between hiccups. 

Dad’s eyes narrowed. “The first lesson I taught your mother about business: never put all your eggs in one basket.” 

“She trusted Nathan, but she wasn’t naive. Years ago, she invested in his main competitor. That company’s grown quite impressive now.” 

“Don’t worry, honey. You have me.” 

As I was leaving, I couldn’t help asking: 

“Dad, why did you and Mom really divorce?” 

He smiled gently. “Your mother and I were fundamentally different people. Together, we just drained each other. Marriage should help you become your best self. Sometimes divorce does the same thing.” 

You’ve handled all this with remarkable strength. I’m proud of you.” 

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