Page 50 of Vow to Hate You

“It’s yours.” I let my hands fall on her thighs when she moved to stand. “No games, Talie. I wanted you to have a room like I have my office. Use it for whatever you want. Or claim any other room in this house. You want your own space, you have it.”

Distrust lined her face. “What are you doing?”

I sighed. “We’re both here, Talie. For good. I don’t want to spend the rest of our lives fighting.”

Her eyebrows scrunched as her stare burned through me. Silence dragged on, the crickets chirping away as I let her process my words. My hands stayed resting on her legs when she didn’t push me away. I’d been wanting to have this conversation all week, and she wasn’t leaving until it happened. Things needed to change, and neither of us were leaving the patio until we made peace. I decided to do this the nice way first.

“Sylvia told me something interesting,” she finally murmured.

“Told you what?”

“How you bought this house three years ago. You told me you bought it before we got married. Why?”

I masked my surprise, choosing my next words carefully. “Would you have believed me if I told you when I bought it?”

“I don’t know. But I want to know why you did.”

“I bought it because you loved this house. It was your dream to live here.” I squeezed her thighs, watching shock flit across her face. “I might be furious with how you left and stole from me, but I knew you’d be back. We’remarried. We’re with each other through the good and the bad. It’s been bad. I want some good. So, I bought the house because I knew you wanted it. I waited to decorate so you could make it the home you want.”

Her lips parted, but not a sound came out as she listened to me. We’d been going back and forth ever since she came home. While I was enjoying the games we were playing, her anger was simmering beneath the surface. If we didn’t talk about it, things would escalate, and then none of it would end well for either of us.

“Where is this coming from?” she asked with a roll of her eyes. “Did eating seafood scare you that badly?”

I chuckled. “By all means, Talie, please keep up your little pranks. But be prepared for payback. I don’t want you to change. I only want to wipe out the past. Let us start fresh.”

“No.”

Her answer was firm and instant.

I frowned. “Talie?—”

“There is no starting fresh when we’re still living a life I ran from five years ago.” There was no resentment in her voice, but a hint of hopelessness. “What’s changed, Damian? You work for the family business. My father and yours are already trying to make sure I obey their rules. Nothing has changed—and nothing will if we stay here.”

Before I could respond, she shoved my hands off her thighs, jumping to her feet. Without sparing another glance at me, she strode inside the house, closing the door behind her. I sighed, scrubbing a hand down my face.

I’d hoped this conversation would have gone how I wanted it, but Talie wasn’t bending. Our next talk would go differently.

CHAPTER 21

talie

“We’re going out tonight,” Char said as she walked out of the closet. “After we shop. Where are all your clothes?”

I was lying on my stomach, and I shifted on the mattress, eyeing the two large suitcases in the corner that my mother sent me. I still hadn’t unpacked. Maybe because if I did, then I’d be admitting how I was here to stay. Char glanced around the bedroom I’d been using since moving here.

I sighed. “I can’t wear any of those clothes here.”

“You can tonight.” She unzipped one of the suitcases and began pulling out my clothes. “You don’t have plans with Damian tonight, do you?”

“No,” I mumbled. “I haven’t seen him all week.”

“You two get in a fight?”

“He asked me to forget about the past so we can start fresh.”

She looked at me, raising an eyebrow. “That doesn’t sound bad. You guys actually liked each other when you were younger.”

“I told him no,” I replied as I climbed off the bed. “I won’t do it, Char. I’m never going to become the wife everyone wants me to be.”

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