ame him though she guessed it still made her angry that he was so stubborn he didn’t even want to listen to her explanations. She’d been just as deceived as he was but he hadn’t wanted to hear it. He hadn’t wanted to believe it, either.
There was a fine line between love and hate. Wasn’t there a movie titled that? Or a song? Well, truer words had never spoken.
And as a sob escaped past her lips, Stephanie realized she would never be able to get Justin back. Not if he hated her just as much as she loved him.
It would be impossible.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Justin stared at the ocean view spread out before him, scrubbing a hand over his face as his lawyer’s words penetrated the fog in his brain.
She didn’t know this article was coming out. Stephanie Shaw signed a contract keeping her identity a secret with the magazine. She was duped just as you were.
“So what you’re saying is that she didn’t know the cover story was coming out.” His voice sounded flat, lifeless.
Much like he’d felt the last few days. Ever since his world had come crashing down around him.
“No, she didn’t. Zoe Rush, her boss admitted as much when she was questioned by her employers. They terminated both Ms. Rush and a Caleb Whitmore this morning. They were the ones responsible for the article and photos.”
“What happened to Stephanie?” He winced when the words left his mouth. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t ask about her no matter how curious he was.
And he was damn curious.
“She gave notice when she spoke with the managing editor and publisher this morning, just after they’d terminated the other two. They’d hoped to keep her but she admitted she didn’t want to stay.”
“And so where is she going now?”
“Your guess is as good as mine, Justin. She didn’t tell them her plans. Not that it’s any of my business.”
Justin was silent, thinking. He should call her and make sure she was okay.
No, he shouldn’t. He had no right to and besides, he didn’t want to.
At least, that’s what he told himself.
“She had nothing to do with that story and City Magazine has seemed to take care of the situation in a very prompt manner. Do you want to continue the lawsuit? I can put the paperwork in motion right now,” his lawyer assured.
“No, don’t bother. I only said it as a threat anyway. I just wanted to get to the bottom of it.” He’d wanted to find out if what Stephanie said was true.
And it turned out that it had been. Every blessed word of it.
Justin hung up the phone and tossed it onto the couch with a grunt, frustration coursing through his veins, making him bone weary with exhaustion.
Making him pissed at himself.
He replayed what happened between him and Stephanie over and over, remembering every cruel and shitty word he’d said. How she’d tried to explain herself and he wouldn’t listen. What a stubborn asshole he’d been, sending her out of his house with tears flowing down her face and a broken heart.
He’d been so angry he’d literally seen red. Couldn’t believe her betrayal, the callous way she’d treated their relationship as nothing more than subject matter for her column in a magazine.
That’s what he’d assumed. And he’d been wrong. Completely and totally wrong.
But how was he supposed to know that at the time? Anyone else would’ve reacted the same way he did, especially after everything he’d experienced his entire life. He couldn’t feel guilty about it.
He did, though. Of course, he did. He felt absolutely shitty, terrible about the way he’d treated her. And he wanted to ask her forgiveness.
Loving her that much made him want her back in the worst way.
Grabbing the phone he’d just tossed, he punched in her cell number but it went straight to voicemail. His thumb hit the end button and he closed his eyes, breathed deep.