She looked down. He was right. Sorry, I What are you thinking about? You, she almost said.
The way you look at me. The way my heart races when you’re close. The way I’m terrified of what’s happening between us.
Nothing, she said instead. Just tired. Zire studied her face. You’re lying. I’m not. Your left eye twitches when you lie.
His voice was quiet, almost gentle. It’s subtle, but I’ve noticed. Berlin’s breath caught. You’ve been watching me that closely.
I watch everything. His dark eyes held hers. Especially things that interest me. The words hung in the air.
Things that interest me. Berlin’s heart hammered against her ribs. “Zire, we should stop for tonight.”
He wheeled back abruptly, breaking the moment. “It’s getting late.” Berlin nodded, not trusting her voice.
But as she gathered her things and headed for the door, Zire spoke again. “Ivory,” she turned.
He was watching her with an expression she couldn’t decipher. “Something intense, almost hungry.” Thank you, he said quietly.
For not giving up on your therapy. A pause on me. Berlin felt something crack open in her chest.
You’re worth not giving up on, she whispered. Then she left before she could say anything else, before she could do something stupid.
Like, tell him the truth. Like, tell him she was falling in love. Two weeks later, the thorns made their move.
Berlin was in her room when her phone rang. Nadine’s number flashed on the screen.
Her stomach dropped. Hello. Well, well, Naen’s voice dripped with false sweetness. The prodigal daughter finally answers.
What do you want? Straight to business. Good. Nadine’s tone turned cold. Your father has gambling debts.
He needs $100,000 by the end of the month. Berlin’s blood ran cold. 100,000 I don’t have access to.
Then get access. Nadine’s voice sharpened. You’re married to a billionaire. Figure it out. Fake an illness.
Forge medical bills. Get creative. You want me to steal from my husband? I want you to remember your place.
Naen laughed cruy. You think he’d still want you if he knew the truth? If he found out his wife is actually a nobody, an orphan?
Berlin felt tears burning. Send me the money by month’s end, Naen continued. Or I call the Langston and tell them everything.
And while I’m at it, maybe I’ll destroy that little locket of yours. Burn it.
Toss the ashes in the trash. No. The word tore from Berlin’s throat. Please. The keepsake is all I have.
Then do what you’re told. Money. End of month. Don’t disappoint me. The line went dead.
Berlin sank onto her bed, shaking. She couldn’t do this. Couldn’t steal from Zire. Couldn’t become the gold digger he had initially believed her to be.
But the keepsake. For 23 years, she had believed that Lockett held the answers. Names, locations, clues to the parents who had given her away.
If Nadine destroyed it, Berlin would never know, would never find out who she really was, would stay nobody forever.
Berlin has been backed into a corner. It’s either she’s money from Zire for Nardine or she loses what she believes is her only chance to know where she came from.
Do you think she should go ahead and get the money or tell Zire the truth?
Comment your opinion in the comment section now. I’ll be reading. The days flew by.
Berlin lost sleep, ate poorly, pretended to be in her usual high spirits around Zire.
But Berlin couldn’t steal from Zire, couldn’t fake illness, couldn’t become everything he had thought she was and had despised her for.
3 days to the Nardine’s deadline, Berlin made up her mind. She would tell him the truth, all of it.
Who she really was, why she was here, what Naen was threatening. Maybe he would throw her out.
