Chapter 90: NEVER MEANT TO HURT ME?

LAURA

“Just tell me what you want, mom. Why do you keep harassing me?”

“I’m simply trying to be in your life, Laura.” She sighed and ran her bony fingers through her hair. “As you can see, I’m not getting any younger.”

Was that part of the things agitating her?

“I don’t need you in my life. I believe we’ve made that clear enough.”

“It’s inevitable to be in each other’s life because we’re related by blood.”

Good God. How could she sit there with a straight face and say that? When was the last time she saw her son?

“What more do you want from me?” I shot at her. “Despite how you treated me, I’ve given you everything you asked for. I’ve given you money, I have you a house—”

“And now I’m asking to meet my grandson.”

I bolted to my feet before I could think. “That is never happening!” Then I shoved my hand deep in my bag and retrieved a cheque of ten million.

“Here!” I slammed it at her chest, shaking with rage. “This is the last you’re ever going to get from me! And if you don’t stay away from me and my son, I’ll be forced to take legal actions against you!”

She scoffed. “Look at you go off. We’re family, Laura. You can’t restrict me.” She snatched the cheque from my hand and shoved me back.

“A filial daughter who doesn’t even care to ask about her sick father.”

I turned around and stumbled out before she managed to guilt trip me into thinking I was the bad one here…the one to blame for such a fucked up family.

When I stumbled out to the patio, José was standing there with a deep set frown. “Everything okay, ma’am? I had some shouting and came over to make sure everything is—”

“Everything is fine, José, thank you,” I interrupted quietly, pressing my fingers against my forehead in a bid to quell a forthcoming headache. “Let’s get out of here.”

In the car, I got a call from Layla.

“Ms. Hayes, are you on your way to the office yet?”

“Just heading over, Layla. All good?”

“I just received a call from Pierce Holdings. There’s an interview scheduled with a fashion magazine, and you’re needed over there right away.”

I shut my eyes and heaved a deep sigh, resting my head against the soft leather. Not now. I mean…I’d managed to avoid Tristan for days now. Why did this have to come up now? And did I not talk to him about running me through these things first before deciding? Did I not warn him about unscheduled gigs and meetings?

“Ms. Hayes?” Layla’s voice drifted into the speaker. “Are you there?”

“Yes, Layla. I’m just wondering what would happen if I skipped this one.”

“Uhm, well, do you want me to give them a call back?”

“Don’t worry about it, Layla,” I said after a moment of considering it. “I’ll handle it.”

After the line clicked dead in my ears, I sought out José’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “Please turn the car around. Pierce.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Tristan was just heading out of his office when I arrived.

And when those blue eyes fell on me, they burned with a mix of guilt and relief. Did he think I wasn’t going to come? Was he, perhaps…on his way to get me?

“Ms. Hayes,” he came towards, fiddling with his tie, looking ridiculously handsome, “thank you for coming, especially on such short notice.”

“What’s this interview about?” I tried to keep my tone as professional as possible. It would be foolish to let him catch a hint of the emotions warring inside me.

It was difficult, given that every time my eyes met his, I was hit with sharp memories of that night in Milan.

He jerked his thumb towards his door. “Let’s talk in my office, shall we?”

I tilted my chin and cleared my throat. “Sure.” Even though a voice in my head begged me to stay out here.

I followed him into the vast space and as soon as the door shut behind me, he picked up a remote and pressed a button. The glass surrounding with blind with a thick film over it. My heart skipped, because now…no one on the outside could see what was happening in here.

“Please, sit. The interview crew are en route.”

I planted my feet and squared my shoulders. “I’d rather keep standing.” I arched my brow. “And about the interview?”

He heaved a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. “Laura, listen—”

I turned my face away. “Don’t do this, Mr. Pierce.”

“Just hear me out, will you?”

“What?” I snapped.

“Before anything else, I would like to let you know something important. ” He let out another heavy sigh, and I wondered if he was really agonized. I mean, he was quite good at pretending. Scratch that. Really good.

Because how the hell did he manage to fuck me so good when his wedding was just a few days away?

I threw my hands in the air in frustration. “What is more important than the interview right now, for goodness’ sake?”

“The fact that I never meant to hurt you.” The words spilled out so suddenly that it caught me by surprise.

My heart trembled with the need to believe those words, but I should be past the stage of believing this man had any good intentions for me.

“You never meant to hurt me, huh?” A sardonic laugh tumbled past my lips. “Well guess what, Tristan, you did. But you know what?” I took a step towards him, rage and pain bubbling in my chest. “I don’t bloody care. Not anymore. Not after I’ve seen who you are.”

His jaw tightened. “You don’t know me, Laura.”

“Exactly! So quit the theatrics and let’s get down to business!”

He stared at me for a long moment, his jaw ticking, and my own emotions warred in my chest as I waited for him to say something.

Eventually, he did. And it was not what I had hoped to hear.

“Businesd it is, then.” Turning away from me, he pulled out his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

I stood there, shaking like a wet, withering leaf.

Did I not ask for this? Why did it break my heart that he did not further try to convince me that he really never meant to hurt me?