He Avenged His Lost Love by Ruining Mine

At my father's funeral, Clay Henson spoke without warning:

"The truth is, your father caught me and Priscilla Vance in bed together. That's what triggered his heart attack."

I stared, my eyes going wide, certain I'd misheard.

Priscilla. My father's girlfriend.

Clay read the disbelief on my face and let out a low, scornful laugh.

"You heard me right. We've been together since college. I only got close to your father because Priscilla's family needed money for medical bills."

"When he collapsed in the doorway, he struggled for forty minutes. But we were too caught up in each other to hear him. By the time we noticed, he was already gone."

He looked at my father's portrait without a shred of guilt, the corner of his mouth curved upward.

"Your father kept the woman I loved for five years. So I slept with his daughter for five years. Now we're even."

"I've made my fortune. Priscilla is free. And now I'm going to marry her."

My whole body went rigid, my palms cold as ice.

Just last week, Priscilla had been arm in arm with me, dragging me to pick out a wedding dress, telling me I'd be the most beautiful bride.

Clay reached out and took my hand, smiling.

"Don't be afraid. I'll still give you a wedding. In everyone's eyes, you'll still be Mrs. Henson."

"Priscilla says you two are as close as sisters. She doesn't want to hurt you. She just wants to register the marriage and set right what we lost."

"One week from now, at the courthouse registry office, you'll come and take our photos."

——

So it turned out that when the heart breaks past a certain point, you can't even breathe.

I clutched my chest and forced out the words, my voice thin with grief:

"Why are you telling me this?"

Clay lowered his eyes and laughed softly, hooking a finger beneath my chin.

"Probably just to see the look on your face right now."

"Back then, I dropped out of school and gave Priscilla every cent of my tuition. It still wasn't enough to pay for her mother's treatment. And your father swooped in while she was vulnerable and forced her to be with him."

"I was just as devastated then as you are now."

He glanced toward my father's portrait, contempt glittering in his eyes, the contempt of a man who'd won.

"Let him watch his daughter suffer like this. Call it my final revenge."

The words tore through my heart until it bled.

Years ago, I'd turned down the childhood betrothal my elders had arranged for me.

And of all people, I'd set my heart on Clay, who back then owned nothing but a small shooting club.

My father doted on me. He gave Clay the capital to start his business, opened doors for him, handed him connections.

He'd backed Clay's company every step of the way, building it into something powerful.

Clay used to say meeting me was the greatest luck of his life, that he and my father would be the two great trees standing behind me.

That he'd protect me, cherish me, for the rest of my life.

Now one of those trees had fallen, and he was the one who'd brought it down.

And he was telling me these five years had been nothing but revenge.

Clay lifted his hand and wiped the tears from my face.

"Why are you crying? I never said I didn't like you. But I failed to protect Priscilla all those years ago. You owe me the chance to set that right."

"Besides, you're far too sweet in bed. I'm always afraid I'll hurt you, so I have to go to her to really enjoy myself. Now someone's there to share the burden. Isn't that better for you?"

Looking at that face, so familiar and yet so strange, I felt a chill crawl up my spine.

Clay was about to say more when Priscilla suddenly appeared, shouting:

"Enough! Her father's mistakes have nothing to do with her! Can't you see she's trembling?!"

She grabbed my hand, her face full of guilt.

"Margery Sullivan, I never meant to keep this from you. I just didn't want to hurt you."

"I swear, registering the marriage is only to lay our regrets to rest. The moment it's done, I'll divorce him right away. Okay?"

But Clay seized her wrist, his tone domineering and unyielding.

"Not a chance. I've waited five years for you. This time, I'm never letting go."

Watching him declare his claim over another woman without the slightest restraint.