Page 53 of Little Gray Dress

“A plan to steal Jack from you.”

“My God,” Liam says next to me under his breath. “She is crazy.” He looks at me, his eyebrows narrowed but eyes wide.

“I’m not crazy.” Greta glares at Liam, presumably having overheard his comment. “I was just in love. I asked Madison to make sure that Jack dumped Emi. What happened is not what I expected, or planned, but it worked.” The nonchalant shrug of her shoulders makes me want to run across the room and strangle her.

“Are you telling me that you sent Madison into my office that day?” Jack immediately pulls his hand from hers and walks away from her.

“Not exactly.” Greta follows him. “She did that on her own; I just told her when to do it. Madison knew Emi was coming to meet you for lunch that day, so she made sure Emi would catch you… uh… ya know.”

“No… I don’t know. Catch me what?” Jack suddenly turns towards her, his face flushed and showing a glare I’ve never witnessed before.

“You know… with her.” Greta’s shoulders shrug again.

I immediately look at Jack. Our eyes lock. She did this. She ruined my life. She ruined our life. She did it on purpose, and she doesn’t even care. Suddenly I find myself feeling dizzy, my hand over my mouth and unable to say anything. I feel like I need to sit down before I fall over. I glance around the room, panicked. Everyone looks as shocked as I feel.

“I wasn’t with her,” Jack says, and turns to me. “This is what I’ve wanted to talk to you about.” He walks over to me but doesn’t get too close because Liam suddenly grabs my hand protectively. Jack frowns when he sees it but turns his gaze back to me. “I didn’t sleep with Madison that day. Or any other day, for that matter. I was gone that morning at a meeting across town, which you knew about. When I came back she was in my office, nearly naked, and threw herself at me. I tried to push her away, but she was all over me and I didn’t want to risk hurting her. When you walked in she had pushed me on to the couch with her and it just…” Jack’s eyes glisten over with emotion and he stops talking for a moment. He sighs heavily while running a hand through his hair again. “I never slept with Madison, Ems. She kissed me, yes, but I never kissed her back. I would never have done that to you.”

I stand stunned. I felt Liam drop my hand a moment ago, my free hand still covering my own mouth. I blink back the tears as quickly as possible but one escapes, sliding down my cheek and causing Jack to reach up and wipe it away.

His hand stops at my neck. “I’m sorry I let you down.” When his voice cracks, my tears spill over like a waterfall that I can’t control. He didn’t cheat on me with Madison? How could he not have said this for two whole years?!

“I can’t…” I say to Jack. “There’s something else.”

“What?” he asks.

I force myself to breathe and quickly wipe away the tears. “It wasn’t just Madison.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. It’s because of her.” When I glance at Greta she has an evil grin on her face knowing exactly what I’m talking about. “I saw her, at our apartment later that day. I went to talk to you, but before I could get out of the elevator I heard your voices and you let her into the apartment. Our apartment, Jack.”

“You saw that? Why didn’t you tell me?” Jack is standing with a hand in his hair again, his jaw hanging open and brow furrowed in confusion.

“Come on… I walked in on you… doing I don’t know what with Madison, and then later that same day I find practically the same thing with Greta! What was I supposed to say?”

“Nothing happened between Greta and me. Yes, she showed up at our apartment, and yes, I invited her in, but it was to tell her to back off. She’d been relentless with the texting and calling my office. I’d avoided her the whole time and I’d finally had enough. I needed her to know that her and I would never happen. I needed her to see how serious I was when I asked her, for the thousandth time, to leave me alone. She was there maybe five minutes and I sent her home. Right?” He looks at Greta, who nods with tears streaming down her face.

“He didn’t want me. Because of you.” She spits the word you like it’s poison. “When I did finally win him over, we were perfect until you showed up again. Right, baby?” She tries to sidle up to Jack, but he shakes his head and backs away towards his mother.

“No, we’re not perfect, we were never perfect. In fact, we’re over.” He doesn’t even look at her when he says it; he stares at the floor and then looks up at me his eyes filled with regret. Yet again, it nearly tears out what’s left of my heart.

“WHAT?!” she squeals. “You’re going to let her do this to us?”

The moment the words come out of her mouth, the sorrow in his eyes turns to a rage I’ve never seen in Jack, and he turns his attention directly to her.

“YOU did this to us,” he growls at her. “And I use the word us loosely. I’m not sure what we ever even were.” His finger is nearly touching her face as she backs away from him in fear. “You lied from the very start, you manipulated your way in.” He stops and stares at the floor. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it. I’ve been so hung up on—” He glances at me before turning back to Greta. “I can ever look at you the same again.” He looks at his mother as if they are having a silent conversation. “You need to leave.” Jack backs away from Greta before turning away from her altogether, not even waiting for her answer.

I look at Greta, whose face is now a mix of horror, disbelief and heartbreak. I’ve never seen anything more fitting for a girl who is pure evil. A piece of my heart starts to heal instantly, and I don’t feel even a little bit bad about it.

I thought I wanted to see Jack miserable, but that was before I knew what I now know. Seeing Greta finally get what she deserves is far better.

“Before you leave,” Amelia says, “you may hand over my mother’s ring.” She holds her hand out to Greta and we watch her pull her hand to her heart quickly.

“What? Jack…” She calls to him. He’s now standing near the reception entry doors. His tie has been loosened and his hair is ruffled from him continually running his hands through it.

“Goodbye, Greta.” He looks at me and then over at Liam before dropping his head and leaving the room.

“You bitch!” she screams at me before Amelia steps in between us.

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