Phantom: Her Ruthless Villain (Ruthless Triad 5)

Oh, so he knew. And, of course, he’d called me over to commiserate. Dad had always had what my mother derisively referred to as a “bleeding heart,” but what the rest of the world would call basic empathy.

I usually appreciated that about him. But in this case, I really wished he hadn’t bothered. I already felt embarrassed enough that I’d wasted nearly six years with that lying cheat.

“What do you mean?” Skylar asked behind us. “What does Leighton have to do with the break-up?”

Dad released me from the hug to give me a surprised look. “You didn’t tell her?”

“Tell me what?” Skylar demanded.

I grimaced and admitted, “Garrett and I broke up because I discovered he was cheating on me with Leighton.”

“What?!” Skylar screeched. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t want to hear a lecture about how I would have been able to keep my man if I catered to him more,” I answered, voice frank.

“I did warn you about those New York women. Nest of vipers, that city,” Skylar insisted. “I told you about how they eyed my Clem like he was a steak they wanted to eat.”

Yes, she had—several times.

She and Clement had come to visit me in New York once—just once, but that had been enough to seal her opinion of the place, along with a binge-watch of all six seasons of Sex in the City before her trip.

“But in this case, I’m on your side, Livvy,” she continued. “Dad’s right. Of all the people to cheat on you with, why did he choose that little girl? And Dad, I’m sure even you could not be more ashamed.”

Skylar threw him a challenging look.

And I had to admit I was also curious about where his alliance lay in the face of all of this.

So I was glad when Skylar demanded to know, “Does this affect the possible acquisition of Glendaver by Easton Whiskey that Clement was telling me about?”

“Aw, well, I did want to keep Glendaver in the family. That’s why I wouldn’t even consider their merger offer until after Garrett proposed….” Dad said.

“So it’s off, then,” Skylar declared, her voice a little triumphant. Neither of us had loved watching our parents’ bitter divorce play out. But Skylar had taken his remarriage to another blonde woman with another blonde daughter half her age particularly hard—like both she and mom had gotten swapped out.

Dad winced. “Hey, Sky, let’s focus on Olivia right now. I’m afraid she’s going to need all the support she can get. That’s why I invited you both here instead of just her.”

My stomach rolled with a new dread as I realized my father hadn’t wanted to just give me a hug and say he never liked Garrett anyway.

“What, Dad? What is it?”

10

Skylar and I had driven over to Dad’s house in silence. And we drove back in silence as well—but this time, it was because we were both in a state of shock.

Neither of us spoke until she put the car in park and asked, “So how do you want to handle this?”

“I don’t know.” The words sounded like they were coming from somewhere in the distance. But as far as I knew, I was the one speaking.

“Should we make a formal announcement at dinner or maybe pull Mama aside…”

I could only imagine my mother’s response.

First, she’d blame it on Dad. Then she’d find a way to make it all about herself.

My ultimate betrayal would become another twist in her divorce saga. Just like she’d turned my formerly triumphant adoption story into a plot point about how her marriage simply could not be saved after she and Dad split.

“I don’t know,” the faraway voice that apparently belonged to me answered Skylar again.

“Are you still going to the hunt’s afterparty tomorrow?”

She answered that question for herself without giving me the chance to respond. “Why am I even asking? Of course, you’re not. You can’t go to the party now. It would be too humiliating.”

“I don’t know, Skylar! I don’t know!” I answered. But I stopped and got a hold of myself when I realized I was shouting. “Just…tell Minerva I won’t be able to shuck peas and peel potatoes this year. Please apologize to her for me.”

With that, I climbed out of the car.

“Well, I’ll tell her, but I don’t think there’s any need to apologize since she shouldn’t have—”

I couldn’t. I just couldn't deal with Skylar today. I slammed the door on her latest opinion about me and my actions, and I ran. Ran the same way I did that night when I found out Garrett was cheating on me. This time all the way up to my room.

I’d made my bed and cleaned my room this morning, just as I always had since figuring out as a child that some servant with a long list of things to do would have to clean up after me if I didn’t do the job myself.