CHAPTER 32
Maddox fired Parker immediately. And word made it around that the engagement was off.
Maddox realized that Danny’s kids were probably celebrating. But Maddox was miserable.
He told himself he was angry because Mila cheated on him. But he wasn’t sure that was the real problem.
So, he threw himself into work. That’s where he belonged. His father had been right; relationships were just a distraction.
But when Juliet stopped by the office to retrieve some paperwork for Jalen, her look of pity reminded him of Mila all over again.
When she seemed hesitant to say something, Maddox snapped, “What?”
Juliet pursed her lips and her eyes hardened. “Nothing.”
He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “What is it? Just tell me.”
Juliet sniffed. “I was debating, but you probably don’t care anyway.”
“I’m sorry.” He looked up. “Just tell me what you need to say.”
After a moment, Juliet said, “I just thought you’d want to know that Mila accepted another job offer.”
He could feel his stomach twist up despite how hard he fought not to show it. “Back to New York, I suppose.”
“Farther than that.” Juliet hugged the manilla envelope to her chest. “She’s working with a clothing line owned by Savannah’s mother’s company now. In Italy.”
His head snapped up. “Italy?”
Juliet nodded. “I guess she wanted a fresh start. And if she returned to New York, it wouldn’t help. But she’s doing all right. She’s settling in and likes it so far.”
His head started to hurt. He felt emptier knowing Mila wasn’t anywhere near him now. And she clearly didn’t want to be.
Juliet urged him to get some rest and after she left, he curled up on one of the couches in his office. But not because he was tired. Because he was pathetic.
He wanted to curl up in a ball and disappear and he never felt like that. Even in the tensest moments of his career, Maddox was ready to take on any battle. But now that a woman had scorned him–and not just any woman–he wanted to hide in a house in the middle of nowhere until he died.
And he wasn’t embarrassed about what people thought. Maddox didn’t care what they said. He knew it was simply because he loved her.
Maddox wiped a hand down his face and stared at the ceiling. He didn’t know how to cope with these feelings now that the anger was fading.
How was he supposed to live day after day knowing Mila was off in another part of the world? Even though he could go to Italy right now, she felt out of reach.
When did he turn into this person?
More to the point, how was he supposed to go on now that it was too late to go back to his old, detached self?
Maddox shut his eyes. Maybe he did need sleep. But he ached knowing Mila would still be gone when he woke up.
Before Mila left San Francisco, she considered going to Parker and demanding he own up to what he’d done. But she realized immediately that he’d been paid generously to do all of that, and she had no leverage against him. Confronting him might make it worse. So, she gave up the idea and left for Milan. Surely with time, it wouldn’t matter so much.
Under any other circumstances, she would have been thrilled with her new life. But considering why she had moved it wasn’t as exciting as it should have been. Her main consolation was that she was nowhere near Maddox or her mother. And she could live without fear of bumping into anyone important.
After about a month passed, someone came to visit. Mila was shocked–and a little horrified–to find Jackson at her apartment door after work.
“It’s over with my fiancée,” he said quickly. “Someone waited for the right moment to drop some photos and it worked. At least for them.”
After hesitating, Mila realized she had nothing to worry about now and let him in. “If you want to fix things with her, I don’t think this is the right way.”
“That’s the problem,” Jackson said after shutting the door. “I don’t think I want to fix them.”