Tears burned down my cheeks.

He was right.

Eight years ago, I foolishly believed that if I just had enough time, I could warm Christopher’s heart.

But today, I understood how naïve I had been.

For eight years, he had taken countless women to bed.

And now, he didn’t even bother to hide it anymore.

I knew what would happen if I didn’t go. The video wouldn’t just stay on my phone. By tomorrow morning, every major media outlet in Boston would have it.

The Anderson Family had been a pillar of this city for over a century.

I couldn’t drag my father through another scandal—couldn’t let my mistakes taint his legacy.

Christopher had spent years making sure my life was miserable, doing everything in his power to break me.

I didn’t know when his love had twisted into such cruel, unforgiving hatred.

How had we ended up here?

A sharp pain suddenly tore through my lower abdomen.

I gasped, pressing my hand against the wall as a fresh wave of blood gushed from my body.

I had no time to deal with it.

Biting down on the pain, I forced myself to stand, grabbed my things and walked out of the ward.

Ten minutes later, I sent Christopher the hotel room number.