“You don’t need to lie, Chiara. I heard you in his office. It was pretty clear to me what you were doing in there.”

Oh God. I want a hole to open in the floor and swallow me whole. My cheeks are burning up from mortification.

“You were eavesdropping?” I grit out. “I can’t believe this.”

“I didn’t mean to.”

“Oh no. You did mean to do it. You followed me and then stood outside Alistair’s office.”

“Robbie, why did you do that, babe?” Phillip asks.

“Because I had a suspicion, and I wanted to be sure. Can’t you see? Chiara is having an illicit affair with a teacher. And we can’t disclose we’re together either. We can be each other’s alibis.”

I curl my hands into fists, trying my best to not yell obscenities at him.

“You want me to fake date your boyfriend. Is that your plan?” I ask.

“Yeah. You can’t deny it’s a brilliant idea,” Robbie replies.

I shake my head, disgusted. “I can’t be here.”

“Chiara, where are you going?” Phillip asks.

I don’t answer as I walk out of Robbie’s room, then sprint down the hallway and the stairs. I try to find Valerie to tell her I’m leaving, but there are too many people, and I can’t see her anywhere.

Phillip calls my name from somewhere behind me. I don’t slow down. He doesn’t catch up with me until I’m outside.

“Chiara, wait.” Grabbing my arm, he turns me around.

“Let go of me, Phillip.”

“I know you’re mad at Robbie, but please don’t do anything harsh.”

“Who do you take me for? I’m not going to blabber. Now let me go.”

Suddenly Alistair is there, yanking Phillip away from me by the back of his shirt. “You heard her.”

Phillip staggers back, looking as white as a ghost. “Mr. Walsh. It’s not what it looks like.”

Alistair ignores Phillip to look at my arm, then at my face. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

His eyes are shining with barely contained rage. If I say one wrong thing, he’ll unleash that on poor Phillip.

“I’m fine,” I insist. “I just want to go home.”

“I’ll take you.”

I shouldn’t accept Alistair’s offer, but staying another minute here is not an option either.

“Okay.”

Phillip throws me a pleading glance before he heads back inside.

I meant what I said. I’d never reveal his secret to anyone, no matter how angry I am at Robbie.

But will Robbie grant me the same courtesy?

31

Alistair

I should have left the party like I said I would and not lingered in the hopes of talking to Chiara again. I don’t know what I’m doing here, acting like a fucking teenager. But I can’t help myself. Every time I’m with her, I unravel.

No matter what happens, she’ll be the ruin of me. I know that deep in my bones. And yet here I am, jumping off the edge gladly.

I’m in the middle of a casual conversation with acquaintances when I catch Chiara dashing through the party, followed by Phillip. She seems upset about something. I excuse myself and follow them, not thinking clearly about what I intend to do once I catch up.

Forrester spots me as I’m closing in on Phillip and waves me over. If I stop to speak to him now, it might be too late to investigate what happened to Chiara. I show him my phone and signal that I need to make a call.

When I finally step outside, the scene I witness makes my blood boil. Phillip is holding Chiara by her arm, ignoring her when she asks him to let her go.

What the actual fuck?

I’m on the son of a bitch in an instant, yanking him back by the collar of his shirt.

“You heard her,” I almost snarl like an enraged beast.

“Mr. Walsh. It’s not what it looks like,” he stammers.

I ignore him as I stare at the red mark his fingers left on her arm, then at her face. She looks frightened, but of me or the imbecile behind me?

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” I ask.

“I’m fine. I just want to go home.” She hugs her middle, looking even smaller than she is.

“I’ll take you.”

There’s no question about it. I don’t care about the risks or consequences. I can’t let Chiara go home alone. If she says no, I’ll have to insist, beg if needed.

“Okay,” she whispers.

Damn it. What the hell happened between her and Phillip to put her in this state?

I try not to let my imagination run wild. I don’t need more reason to be furious at him.

We walk in silence to my car, and when I open the door for her, she doesn’t glance at me. Once I’m behind the steering wheel, I can’t hold my tongue any longer.

“Tell me the truth, Goldi. Did Phillip hurt you?”