Chapter 47

Renee’s POV

I leave the office for the second time today, but this time my confidence has plummeted. Just when I thought Eric was going to be completely on my side, he still left some of himself to Mia.

Even when we were married, he always had a soft spot for her. Even if he claims it’s because he owes her mother a favor, he’s the Alpha of the highest rank pack- he doesn’t owe anyone anything. Not even me. So, why am I so upset that he didn’t treat me differently?

I lean back against the mirrors in the elevator, letting the cool glass press against my silk shirt. I close my eyes and wait for the ride to be over.

I don’t think there’s anything Mia could do that would lead to Eric leaving her. He’s always had that kind of loyalty to her and that’s exactly why I left him. Suddenly, it’s as though I’m back in time five years. Nothing has changed. Not even my expectations that he would be different.

How am I going to explain this to Debbie? She was kidnapped, likely traumatized, and all that happens is her kidnapper loses her job.

I drive to Jaspers in silence. I pull up to his house which is modest considering he’s a doctor and can afford something way nicer, but I appreciate that he still chooses to live more simply.

His brick house is lined with garden lights and neatly trimmed hedges. I park in the driveway and his front door opens before I get out of the car. I see Debbie running up to me, back to her normal self. At first I think something is wrong, but I quickly see that she’s excited about something.

“Jasper says I’m healthy!” Debbie shouts as I push the car door open. I hear Jasper laugh from behind me.

“I said she is much healthier,” He corrects. Still Debbie jumps up and down clapping.

“That’s great, honey,” I tell her and I try to sound enthusiastic, but she instantly stops bouncing.

“What’s wrong?” She asks sadly. I flick my eyes up to Jasper who is looking at me with an equal amount of curiosity.

“Debbie, why don’t you let me debrief your mom on all the medical talk,” He says and I silently thank him. “Go do some of those exercises I showed you,” Jasper tells her.

“Okay!” Debbie readily agrees. She zips past me and back into the house. Jasper comes up to me and wraps his arms around me.

“Let me guess, Mia is off the hook?” I feel my body deflate as though the weight of trying to keep my act together in front of Debbie has fallen off.

“Basically,” I say wiping my nose.

“He thinks he owes Mia’s mother his entire life because his own mother is dead and he couldn’t save her,” Jasper explains so nonchalantly. I pull back and look up at him in amazement.

It’s such a profound discovery. I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised of Jasper’s acute attention to detail being that he is a doctor. It also makes complete sense. I shake my head. If I didn’t believe they were brothers before I do now. Only someone who’s known Eric their entire life could piece that together.

“I’m not excusing what happened, only explaining why it did,” Jasper says. A wind rushes past up and I wrap my arms around myself. “Let’s go inside, we can talk more in the kitchen,”

I follow Jasper inside, passing Debbie on the way to the kitchen She’s in the living room running through some obstacle course.

“Keep it up!” Jasper encourages her and Debbie is so enthralled with what she’s doing, bobbing and weaving through Styrofoam building blocks that she barely acknowledges him.

I’ve only been to Jaspers a couple of times, but he’s changed a few things since I was here last. His once pale blue kitchen walls are now a deep burgundy giving the room a warm feel, a shap contrast to the cutting winds outside that tell us winter will be here soon.

Though it’s only two in the afternoon Jasper offers me a glass of wine. “I can tell it’s that kind of day,” he says pouring the red liquid into a glass.

I take the stem of the glass and bring my nose to it, it smells rich. “Doctor’s orders,” I say and tilt my glass towards him as a cheer.

“That’s right,” He says.

I take a sip the wine slides down my throat smoothly and settles into my stomach where warmth spreads over me.

“Why don’t you just quit?” Jasper says once I set the glass down on the counter. I laugh.

“Good one, I needed that,” I say and rub my temples.

“I’m serious,” Jasper says. I bring my palms to the side of my face and look up at him to see if he’s joking. He’s not.

“I can’t just quit,” I say and motion towards Debbie in the other room. Jasper shrugs.

“Blue Moon Group isn’t the only way you can make money,” He says.

“It’s the only way I can make enough money to pay for Debbie’s care,” I point out. Jasper moves my wine out of the way.

“Well good news for you is I think she’s almost done with all that,” He says and though he doesn’t mention it- I know we’re both wondering what that means for our relationship when Debbie is finally cured.

“Well, until then,” I say with a sad shrug. I reach for my wine, but Jasper pulls it away even further.

“Hey,” I complain. I look at Jasper and he’s looking at me as though he’s just discovered something great. “What is it?” I ask.

“Open your own design company,” He says. There’s no way I just heard him correctly. “Why not? You’re the best designer they have, you’d become even more successful than they are,” Jasper says as though we’re discussing something as mundane as the weather.

“With what money?” I retort.

“Mine,” Jasper fires back. I shake my head. “Think of it as an investment,” Jasper says reading my mind, knowing I can’t take any more hand outs from anyone if I ever want to be independently free.

“I don’t know,” I say slowly as I try to think of other excuses as to why I shouldn’t, but I can’t.

Sure it’ll be hard work, but everything in my life has been hard at least this will be something hard but beautiful. The best part is, it’ll be completely mine. I won’t have to answer to anyone, I won’t have to live in fear of Eric discovering who I am.

Sure Mia is gone from the company, but that doesn’t mean she won’t stop trying to make my life miserable. I look in the direction of the living room to where Debbie is. I could finally afford to give her a good life out of the crappy apartment. I think of how proud of me she’ll be, and the message I’ll be sending her.

Then I laugh. Debbie is the one who conquers life’s challenges despite her illness, she’s the one who never shies away from a hard task. She teaches me. I think of what Debbie would do.

I look back at Jasper. “All right,” I agree. “I’ll open my own business,” Jasper smiles and slides my wine back over the counter to me.