No Strings Attached

Chapter Forty-Four

I blink, wildly.

"I've wanted to tell you this for so long. Guilt made me go get you and bring you here, it made me give you that job. I meant when I said I didn't expect you to get to where you are now... and I swear, you have gotten to where you are completely on your own."

"I know I have. YOU don't have to fucking tell me that. I've slaved over this job, for you. I've sacrificed for YOU!"

"Scarlett, I'm leaving everything to you. All of this. My entire fortune. Everything."

"No."

"Scarlett, I've loved you. I've tried to be in your life the best you would let me. I've tried to protect you–"

I hold up my hands. "Protect me? PROTECT ME? You made the man I love leave me!"

He looks down and I storm over to him.

"What the hell did you say to him? Huh? What did you say to make him leave?"

"He's not good for you, Scarlett."

"That is not your decision to make. You're a bit late on the parenting front, I'm afraid to say. What I do with my life is my goddamn decision and you will have no say in who I choose to be in it!"

"Why can't you see–"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HIM?" I shriek, past his half fast excuses.

He turns from me, sucking in a frustrated gasp. He picks up the packet on the table, holding it out to me.

"Please understand I'm not proud of this. I hated that it came down to this. I had to do something to get him to go."

I take it from his hands, opening the manila folder with a fast swipe.

My eyes scan over the words, the numbers with haste. When I realize what I'm looking at, my stomach drops to the floor.

"You blackmailed him," I whisper.

"This father's business was corrupt. He cheated out the IRS all the time, he worked with criminals under the table... his money was stolen."

Money Giovanni used to start his own business...

I look up from the papers, in disbelief. "You'd actually release this? This would completely discredit Giovanni. It would destroy his families life. The IRS would come after them. This would tarnish their family forever!"

"I said I'm not proud of it. But you need to know who you are in love with. Scarlett, he's no good!"

"Who the fuck are you to judge him?"

"I'm your father. I'm trying to look after you. I'm trying to do my best with the time I have left."

I begin to laugh, feeling scalding tears fall down my cheeks in a rush as my life comes down upon me– revealing itself to be a big, fat lie.

"Well, you do what you want with the rest of your life, Norman." I hold up the packet of papers detailing Giovanni's father's corruption, shaking them. "You say one goddamn word about this and I swear, I will destroy you. I will destroy your entire company. I will tell everyone who you truly are, what you've done! You won't get sympathy from me, Norman. I won't let you fuck up my life any further!"

"Scarlett, you can't do that-"

"Then don't fucking test me, Norman. I mean it!"

I throw the packet at him as hard as I can and he hits it away so the contents scatter onto the ground. I scoop up my purse, violent sobs escaping my lips as I try to speak.