Chapter 19
She thought her heart had already died.
And yet hearing him say it so matter-of-factly, hearing him ask her to endure pain and disgrace in place of the woman he loved, still sent a sharp, cold ache through her chest.
Slowly, she pulled her hand back.
“You don’t want her to suffer,” she said. “So you’re willing to sacrifice me instead?”
“That’s not what this is,” he said quickly. “It’s just the best solution. Samantha really can’t handle it. But you’re strong. You can endure it. Afterward, I’ll make it up to you. I swear. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.”
Katherine stared at him.
“What exactly would you be compensating?”
He opened his mouth, but she didn’t let him speak.
“I married you for five years. I endured you keeping Samantha in your heart. I endured your neglect. I endured you making me lose our child for her sake. I endured you abandoning me on that cliff for her sake. And now you want me to take public punishment for her too.”
At last, a tremor entered her eyes.
It was not rage.
It was sorrow so deep it felt endless.
“This,” she whispered, “is what you meant when you promised that next time you’d choose me?”
Nicholas went pale.
Before he could answer, heavy footsteps sounded outside. Servants moved aside. Officials entered.
They asked, “Who is responsible for organizing the spring gala?”
All eyes turned to Nicholas.
He stood there, fists clenched so hard the veins rose on the backs of his hands. He looked at Katherine—pale, still weak, eyes empty—and then he must have imagined Samantha crying, terrified, and alone.
Time stretched thin.
Then, slowly, Nicholas raised his hand.
And pointed at Katherine.
“It was her.”