Page 68 of The Secret We Keep
“What’s that?” I let out with a weary sigh.
She bats her thick lashes up at me when she’s closer. “I’ll be moving back in to this place with the girls as soon as Aaron’s will is finalised.”
I frown. “What are you talking about?”
All traces of her attraction towards me fall away. This is her real reason for coming here tonight. I can tell by how she’s taking pleasure in seeing my shock. “My name is on the deed to the flat, remember?”
I scratch at the stubble on my chin, knowing I should never have agreed to putting her name on it. I jumped through rings to get this place, but I won’t forget this one solicitor trying to warn me againstwhat I was doing. I should have listened when I had the fucking chance. “Why put on your little performance? Why not come and tell me straight?”
She shrugs. “I figured you might be desperate.”
“For you?” I spit out harshly.
Hannah’s smile is sinister. “I bet you haven’t been with anyone since me.”
“Why’s that so important to you?” I counter.
“It’s not,” she bites back. “I just know how good we were together, that’s all. No one will come close to what we had.”
“What we hadstill didn’t stop you from sleeping with other men.”
“Oneother man,” she hisses like it matters. I have no doubt there were more I didn’t know about. “Anyway,” she begins again, “I’ll have the solicitor email you when I’ll be moving back in here. We’ll need to clear out some of your shit before the girls can move in.”
“Hannah—” I try to begin, but she cuts me off by pressing her finger to my lips.
“Don’t say another word, Paddy.”
I bat her hand away, to which she smirks.
“We have another chance to do things right.” She swallows before she grimaces as if she’s suppressing the pain currently etching on her face. “I can forgive you for what you did, but only if you can let go of what happened between me and Nathan.”
Finding a shred of patience, I stop myself from saying how I really feel. This woman is messed up to believe that we could ever get back together. Not only that, but she thinks we can live here with two children?
“That’s never going to happen,” I say gently, pushing the door closed a fraction.
Stopping the door from closing with her foot, she snaps, “You’re a heartless piece of shit, you know that, Paddy.”
Deep breaths. Deep breaths.
“I’m not heartless, Hannah. I’m just accepting what you’re refusing to. We’re over. Finished.” Her chest rises and falls at pace. “You can’t even stand to look at me. Not really,” I add, seeing her back straighten. “So why don’t you do us both a favour and just go. Your solicitor can email whatever he wants to me. I’ll make sure it’s all worked out.” I speak as gently as I possibly can so as not to upset her any further.
Wet, swollen eyes jump between mine. “Wait, are you already seeing someone else?”
My head drops. “No, Hannah. I’m not.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not,” I say, my grip on the door tightening.
She pauses for a second, eyes blazing. “There’s someone else. Isn’t there?” Her bottom lip wobbles as her body tenses.
Clenching my teeth, I manage to say, “That’s none of your business.”
“Fine,” she sneers. “Have it your way. But mark my words, Paddy, Iwillbe back here soon with those kids whose fatheryoukilled. If you don’t want to be a part of that, then you need to find somewhere else to go.”
And then, I do what I should have done the moment I first opened the door on Hannah. I close it, knowing that somewhere in her threat, she’s right.
I'm not surprised he left me on read
