Page 167 of Heartless Sinner

“Does Adelina know about this?”

“No.”

She narrowed her brown eyes at me. I knew that look. She wanted to call me an idiot. But she didn’t.

“I’d appreciate the discretion.”

“If she finds out from someone other than you or Daphne, she’ll be heartbroken. It won’t be you she’ll be angry with. It’ll be Daphne.”

Everything would always be pinned on Daphne instead of me in our situation. It was just the way the world worked. The mistress was the whore while the powerful man who cheated still got million-dollar deals.

I ran a hand through my hair. “Adelina won’t find out.”

She rolled her eyes at my confidence.

“Once this year is over, Daphne and I will go our separate ways,” I stressed.

“If you think it’s that easy, you’re a fool,” she huffed. “As much as I want to keep telling you what a bad idea this is, you have a bigger issue on your hands. I came to warn you that your father heard about what happened with Rachel at the club. He called me first to rant and said he was paying you a visit. He’s in the Oval Office now, but I don’t know for how long. Get. Daphne. Out. Now.”

I turned, left, and sprinted back down the hall. My bedroom door was shut. If I could stop my father before he made it there, Daphne would have time to get dressed. I kept running until I reached the Oval Office.

Inhaling a deep breath, I knocked twice, knowing this would be the longest night of my life.

My father called for me to come in.

I walked in, shutting the door behind me.

He slid his reading glasses off his nose. “I was just about to pay you a visit.” He tossed them onto his desk, then slammed his fist down on them. The frames snapped. “Sterling called.”

“Pretty late for a phone call,” I replied.

“His daughter called him in tears.”

Rachel deserves a fucking Oscar. Tears will sell the poor-thing story better than her being drunk and annoying.

I stared at him without blinking, pretending I had no idea why.

“She told her father she no longer wants to marry you.”

“That’s unfortunate.” I slipped farther into the room and sat on one of the sofas.

“Would you like to explain to me why she had the sudden change of heart?” His nostrils flared.

I shrugged. “No idea, but I did hear she’s been in a serious on-again, off-again relationship. She probably wants to give that another shot.” I crossed one leg over the other.

“Bullshit! My driver told me you brought a girl home from the club.”

I said nothing.

“A wig doesn’t fool me, son.”

Every muscle twitched under my skin. There was no use denying it.

“I regret allowing you to choose her.” Spit left his mouth with his words. “I knew she’d get in the way.”

“Nothing is getting in the way!” I shouted.

He eyed me with an expression that silently said, You’d better fucking lower your tone. People are listening.