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“How did you get these?”

Zander smiles. “Let’s just say money can’t buy everything. But it can buy very good attorneys and investigators.”

“So, what do you say?” Jarek asks. “Want to take him down for good? And more importantly, do you want to come back to the house with us?”

“No more hiding?” I ask. “No more being afraid of the next scandal?”

“No more hiding,” Pascal says firmly.

“But what about your family? And Jarek’s studio? Your investors?” I look from one to the next. “Exposing Reid doesn’t mean everyone’s going to be fine with the four of us.”

“They don’t have to be,” Zander says. “I’ve spent my whole life so afraid of losing people that I tried to control everything. I’m done letting fear make my decisions.”

“And I’m done letting the studio run my personal life,” Jarek adds. “If they don’t like it, too bad. I’m not pretending I don’t love you so somebody else can feel comfortable.”

Pascal takes my hand. “My family will have opinions. They always do. But my personal life belongs to me, Nina. Not my mother, not the board, and definitely not the public.”

For a second, I can’t speak.

They’re not promising it’ll be easy. They’re promising I won’t have to face it alone.

I hadn’t let myself believe I could go back to them without all of us paying for it. I didn’t want to get my hopes up just to have them crushed. But this changes things.

Taking down Reid won’t fix everything.

There’s still Pascal’s family, the studio, the investors. But if they’re willing to try, I am too.

“And I never have to choose between you?” I ask. “You meant that?”

“You never have to choose,” Pascal says.

“Wait right here.” I let the door swing mostly shut and dart back inside.

I don’t even bother changing out of my sweats. I run to my bedroom with the file under my arm and grab the two bags I still haven’t unpacked. Maybe part of me knew all along I wouldn’t be happy here without them.

A couple of minutes later, I’m back at the door, bags in hand, keys in my pocket, still in sweats but at least wearing a coat. I hand the file back to Zander and grin at Jarek. I don’t even need to say yes. It’s written all over my face.

“Wait, what about the concierge I hired to replace me?” I ask as we pile into the car. “She was supposed to start yesterday.”

“Taken care of,” Zander says. “I canceled before she arrived. And before you ask, she’s being paid in full.”

Of course he thought of that.

“And what about keeping this going after the holidays? How is this actually going to work?”

“We’ll figure it out.” Pascal sets a hand on my knee. “Right now, we have something more urgent to deal with.”

“The stuff in the file?”

“No. The Beaumont Charity Gala.”

Oh my god. With everything that’s happened, I’d almost forgotten!

“What day is it?” I’ve lost all track of time since I got back. No schedule, barely any sleep. The last two days just swallowed me whole.

“December 22nd,” Jarek says.

“The gala is tomorrow night!”