Page 67 of In This Together

‘Regardless of what makes her happy?’

God, he was poison. He’d been poison since the day they met. Always talking into Sofia’s ear, making her think she needed him, that she wouldn’t find someone else. Sofia wanted the complete picture – career, husband, family – and Jay preyed on that.

‘What you’ll figure out one day, maybe sooner rather than later now that you’re sober – for however long that lasts – is that what’s best for Sofia will also make her happy. You’re scum, Jay. You’re a leech. You wanted Sanfia Records as much as you wanted Sofia, and don’t you dare tell me that isn’t true. You came from nothing and you thought your dreams of being a music producer would be made by Sofia. So you’re right, nothing would make me happier than to see her rid of you. Not because I don’t like you, which I don’t, but becauseshedeserves a hell of a lot better than you.’

She paused as her voice rose, glancing around to make sure they had no prying ears. It wouldn’t be good to be seen cursing the patient, would it?

When she looked back to Jay, she was surprised to find his eyes on the brink of tears and his skin red as he stifled a sob.

Now, she looked around wondering what the heck she was supposed to do with a crying Jay. She had said things in the heat of the moment that she had wanted to say to him for a long time. Yet it didn’t make her feel good at all.

‘I know she does,’ he said, before quickly swiping at his cheeks and sniffing back his upset, straightening his back as if his blip in composure was over and never to be seen again.

What surprised Andrea more was, though she didn’t feel good about releasing her venom, faced with a broken man, in tears, she still felt nothing but loathing for him.

‘It’s why I’m here,’ he said, stronger and clearer than just seconds before.

‘Some things are too little, too late, Jay. Sofia will stand by you, of course she will. It’s what she does. But why should she? What did you ever do for her?’

He gazed out to sea, as if contemplating, then told her, ‘You’re a bitch.’ It wasn’t said viciously or in distress, it was matter of fact, which was somehow worse. Like the first time your parents tell you they’re disappointed in you, rather than being angry, like the first time your sister keeps something from you as big as the fact she’s engaged because she knows you wouldn’t approve, and the worst part is, you know it’s true; you understand their reasoning.

Was she a bitch? She had been screwing Rosalie’s dad, a married man, for six months; of course she was a bitch.

She was here now, meddling in business that most people would consider wasn’t hers, even though she thought she was doing it for love. She loved Sofia liked she was her daughter, not her sister.

And that was perhaps the scariest realisation of all – she could be a bitch in the name of someone she loved like a child.

She thought of the thing that was maybe growing in her stomach.

She couldn’t be a mother. She wasn’t fit to be a mother.

She needed to get out of here and back to some place where she could take a test and find out what was going on with her.

Reaching into her purse, she retrieved a white envelope and slid it across the table to Jay, drawing his attention from their surroundings.

‘What’s this?’ he asked, holding up but not opening the envelope.

‘It’s an offer. A business proposal.’

His eyes narrowed.

‘Open it,’ Andrea demanded.

He read the short letter and took in the figure printed on the cheque attached to it.

‘You want to buy Sanfia Records?’ he asked.

‘Not entirely. I want, on behalf of my label, to acquire your shares in Sanfia Records and I think you’ll find that sum more than fair value.’

He looked at the cheque, then at her, then back to the cheque. For God’s sake, he was slow.

She waited for his brain to catch up with the opportunity that had been presented to him.

‘Let me get this straight. Stellar, of XM Music Group, wants to acquire Sanfia Records?’

She tried but failed to stop her eyes rolling.

‘Soph will never go for this. Has she agreed to this?’

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