They offered to take me to dinner, and I accepted since there was nothing in the house. I’d deal with that later. We hit a local steakhouse and got a large corner table, ordering some wine to make a toast. I tried to calm my racing heart as I glanced around, seeing Rosie’s dad seated at a table with that looked like associates. They were talking closely, and he looked devastated as I frowned. What was happening?
Mom spoke as the wine was placed before us, and I watched as she called a toast to the condo and my new job. I had yet to see the building but knew that it would be good. I was going to be heading an accounting firm that took care of celebrity and wealthy clients. It was going to be great but as I glanced across the room again, I knew that I missed Rosie.
I walked through the empty rooms once I was alone. It still felt empty. I sat down with my iPad and started shopping for furniture, picking out living room furniture. I selected a black leather sofa set with a sturdy oak table and asked for it to be delivered by the end of the week. I clicked back to bedroom furniture and looked through beds for the guest room before looking at things for a nursery. She was too early into the pregnancy to know what it was yet, but cribs were neutral. I could get one in white for now and some furniture to match. I’d paint the room something to suit it once I knew more.
I set the device on my bed and closed my eyes. I hated this.
I heard my phone ringing beside me and reached for it wearily. When I saw that it was Rosie, I smiled and answered it, stunned by her angry voice.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: Rosie
I dialed Sterling’s number with shaking hands, barely able to control my tears. When he answered, I took a deep breath.
“When were you going to tell me that you’ll be working at my father’s first business?” I screamed as I walked further into the trees.
“What are you talking about?” Sterling asked with confusion in his voice.
“Your father bought the first business my family ever bought. Dad built it from the ground up and loved it. He might have turned into an asshole later, but he loved that building. Your dad knew who owned it and he bought it to hurt us.” I knew my words came out quick and sloppy, hoping that he understood me.
“What the fuck?” Sterling asked in shock. “He hasn’t shown me the building yet. I know nothing about it. I swear to that, Rosie.”
I started crying. I spent time there as a kid while he renovated the building into the banking firm that became the most successful in Washington. I had hope for my family in that building and dreams of what was to be. They all fell apart, but I still looked at the building as a good place. It was so beautiful with the elegant brick and charming architecture from the late nineteen hundreds. I loved it but now it was gone.
“It’s done. He bought it and it’s done. Do you see why we can never be anything and this baby won’t be a part of either family. Do you see?” I cried out as my heart broke again. I saw Violet walk into the trees, staring at me.
“I’ll walk. I’ll walk away and leave it all behind. I didn’t know, Rosie.” Sterling was pleading with me as I ended the call. I was so sick of the fighting over business between the families. I was tired of someone always trying to be better than the other. I hated them for splitting up people that cared about each other and grew up together.
“I’m done. I want to go to Texas as soon as possible and get away from this shit.” I looked at Violet as she moved forward to hug me.
“It will be okay, Rosie. I promise.” My phone rang, and I powered it down before slipping it into my pocket. I hugged Violet tightly, and she soothed me with soft words. She was going to raise this baby with me and he or she would never know who they were related to.
“I should have never told him. Sterling won’t let this go,” I told her as she sighed.
“He’s not the bad guy here, Rosie. His dad is. Sterling never knew that the building was yours. He wouldn’t do that to you.” Violet spoke, and I nodded. She was right. I was just stunned by my mother’s tearful call about the sale of the building. I didn’t want this baby to have any contact with his parents or even mine. I was willing to go to Texas and start completely over away from so much pain.