“This will break Finn.” A tear slid down her cheek. “The divorce was so hard on him. You have no idea how painful it was. I was there every single night when he cried his heart out. Sometimes he would ask me why his father didn’t love him, and I told him not to think that. I promised him that Gary loved him.” She stared into Simon’s eyes, her vision blurring as she did. “I made a promise that I can’t keep. Because, if what you say is true, Gary doesn’t love Finn, does he?”
HELPLESSNESS WAS SUCH an unfamiliar feeling to him that, when it came, he often didn’t recognize it at first. Gary’s deceit was tearing her up inside, and he had no idea how to ease her pain. Seeing her so hurt made his heart squeeze painfully.
Simon had guessed that Heather wouldn’t exactly jump at the chance to pay Gary off, but he hadn’t expected her to push back so forcefully. He had considered Finn’s pain, but he hadn’t focused on Heather’s.
“I don’t know if he loves Finn, but I hope he does,” he finally answered. That much was true. He didn’t know if Gary loved his son, but he held on to the hope that he did. Held on to the hope that not even Gary could be that cruel. That unfeeling. He might be a selfish deadbeat, but deep down he had to love his own son.
His hand lifted to brush her tears away with his thumb. “What I do know is that you love him, Heather. Your love for Finn is so big that I don’t think anyone on earth loves their child more than you do.”
A sob tore from her throat and he reached for her. Simon pulled her into his arms and he let her cry. Her entire body convulsed with desperate sobs, each gasp for breath an ice-cold blade to his heart.
He hadn’t told her the truth to bring her pain. Regret made him hold her even tighter against him. Her tears were soaking through his shirt, but he didn’t care. All that mattered to him was finding a way to ease her anguish.
“I promised Finn,” she said between sobs. “I promised him that his father loved him. I lied. Oh, Simon, I lied to him. What kind of mother lies like that to her child?”
“You didn’t lie,” he said urgently. “You told Finn what you knew in your heart was true. Nobody could get to know Finn and not love him. I suspect that Gary is just a greedy coward.”
Moments slipped by, seeming to meld into hours. He held on to her for so long that his muscles stiffened painfully. But he ignored the sore ache in his body to keep holding on to her.
Finally her sobs died down and she pulled back to sit up. “I’m sorry I took my anger out on you.”
“You were probably right to be angry,” he admitted. “I was so caught up in the prospect of getting rid of Gary that I didn’t focus on how that would affect you. And I let my ego get in the way. I was so happy about having the power to get rid of your problems with my money that I steamrolled over you. You’re Finn’s mother, and it wasn’t my place to tell you what to decide.”
“Still, you’re right that I’ve been giving Gary a pass for his behavior,” she said. “Before you told me about his scheme, I really thought I was on my way to really standing up to him. But then my resolve crumbled when I thought about having to explain things to Finn. I let my fear get the best of me.”
He brushed a lock of her shiny auburn hair out of her face, smoothing it back so that he could get a good look at her. Her beautiful face was streaked with tears, her eyes puffy from crying. His heart swelled as he took her in. Nothing could diminish her beauty. Not tears. Not anger. Not anything. Because, more than her looks, it was her love that made her so beautiful. Love seemed to radiate off her. It was like she was shining from within, and he desperately hoped that even a tiny part of that was for him.
“You’re allowed to be scared,” he said gently. “I’m sorry for putting all that pressure on you. Gary has put you in an impossible position, and you have every right to feel however you want.”
She exhaled a shuddering breath. “There aren’t any good options, are there? If I agree to this payoff, then Finn won’t have his father. If I don’t agree, then I have to fight this custody battle. Either choice hurts Finn. Why is Gary doing this?”