Left at City Hall, So I Called In His Life Debt novel · Chapter 22 of 24

Chapter 22: My Name on the Lease

Jillian's POV

Brett's father stood at the front gate in the thin morning light, holding a bouquet of white roses and looking ten years older.

His lawyer stood a step behind him with a leather folder.

Two photographers sat on the opposite curb, pretending not to point their lenses.

Jonas walked down the drive in yesterday's shirt with his hand around mine.

He did not hurry.

I had put on his sweater and a pair of leggings, and nobody had told me to hide.

"Mr. Arceneaux," Brett's father said. His voice was hoarse. "Mrs. Arceneaux. Thank you for seeing me."

"We haven't yet," Jonas said.

"No. I know. I'll be brief."

He held out the roses to me.

"These are for you."

I looked at them and did not take them.

"What are they for?"

"I owe you an apology," he said. "I sat across from my son's fiancée at Christmas for three years and never once asked how she was."

"You didn't."

"I'm asking now."

"I'm fine."

"Mrs. Arceneaux."

"I'm fine," I said again. "I'm very well, actually. I slept four hours in a bed I like, and nobody has left me on a bench since the day I married."

One of the photographers snorted.

Brett's father swallowed.

"Brett will plead," he said to Jonas. "He told me this morning. He'll say everything he said in the atrium, and more. He won't fight it."

"I'm glad."

"I'm stepping down as chairman. The board accepted it at six. The merger is yours to cancel or finish as you like."

"I'll think about it."

"And Diane has asked me for a separation."

"I'm sorry to hear it," Jonas said, and meant very little by it.

"I expected it. I didn't expect to deserve it." His lawyer touched his elbow, and he shook the man off. "I came to ask you something, not for Brett. For her."

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