Page 53 of Sins of the Father

I hide my face in my arms. “Ugh. This is so embarrassing.”

“What is? It’s not your fault he was a dickhead.”

“No, but I signed the papers and didn’t go after anything.”

“Why?”

Hearing myself say it out loud only makes me feel more foolish. “I didn’t want anything created during our marriage. I know it’s financial suicide, and now I’m paying the price for my emotional stupidity, but at the time, it just...” I get choked up. “It hurt too bad.”

Silence.

And now he knows what an idiot you are.

“When did you get divorced?”

“A few years ago. I backpacked around Europe, thinking I’d find myself, but I didn’t. I’m no closer to knowing what to do with my life than the day I got divorced. And I used to have it all together—the career, the husband, the luxury lifestyle. But it didn’t make me feel happy or fulfilled. And maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m so screwed up, I need to just accept reality. But I keep thinking, life can’t be this empty. Surely it’s supposed to be full of happiness and a sense of purpose.”

More silence.

Now you’ve done it. Blurted out all your insecurities.

“I can understand why you didn’t want anything from him,” he says.

I lift my head out of my arms. “You can?”

His blue eyes fill with pain. “Yeah. It’s similar to why I don’t want anything from the sperm donor. And every day, I try to escape the fact I only got my job because he set up my interview. Hell, for all I know, he told them to hire and promote me.”

“He’s not responsible for your success.”

Steven snorts. “I’ll never know.”

“He’s not. You’re brilliant. And you’re dedicated.”

“And boring, boring, boring,” he mutters.

“You aren’t boring.”

He snorts. “Tell that to my co-workers.”

“They told you that?”

“No, but they had no problem tellingMarquis. All anyone has to do is read the article.”

I turn my body and crisscross my legs. “I read the article.”

His face turns red. He groans then mutters, “Awesome.”

“I thought it was. Why don’t you?”

“Can we change the subject?”

“Nope. The deal was you’d tell me if I spilled my personal details.”

“Spoken like a true attorney.”

“Ha! Now talk.”

“Did you read the articles on the other nine people?”

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