Chapter 186
Latham let Dorothea know the Brown family had found themselves a scapegoat.
“Bonita used to follow her everywhere, but she’s nowhere near as convincing as Carola,” he said.
Bonita was just someone to take the fall, but Carola… Carola was something else. Pure trouble. Dorothea honestly couldn’t think of a woman with a colder heart.
“Don’t worry. Those videos are real. I don’t care how hard they try, there’s no way they can spin things around this time p>
Deepfake detection required actual evidence, not just talk. Dorothea wasn’t about to let anyone play judge and jury with nothing to back it up.
“Some people just need to hit rock bottom before they get it,” Latham said quietly.
They walked through the door at the same time. Dorothea headed straight for her grandmother.
Linda was wiping her hands, smiling. “Pauline’s gone to the Stephens Estate with Ladd. She wanted me to tell you she’s staying over tonight p>
Dorothea glanced at the clock. Eight already. Grandma was probably tucked in and asleep by now at the Stephens Estate.
She didn’t really get how Pauline and Ladd had gotten so close, but maybe it made sense. They were about the same age, probably had plenty to talk about.
Latham seemed to understand his dad’s plans better than she ever could. Whatever was going on tonight, he clearly saw it coming.
Linda finished up her cleaning and grabbed her things. “Latham, Dorothea, I’m heading out p>
“Thanks, Linda. Have a good night,” Dorothea called after her.
Dorothea wasn’t hungry-she’d eaten out-so all she wanted now was a hot bath and a little peace.
But when she opened her bedroom door, she stopped short. Red rose petals covered the floor, scattered everywhere. Latham stepped in behind her, his eyes going dark.
The soft golden light, the way the petals trailed across the carpet and bed, filled the room with a heavy, almost electric tension.
Dorothea spun around, surprised. “Was this you p>
Latham’s gaze grew serious. “No, it wasn’t p>
“Maybe Grandma did it. Haven’t you noticed she’s been suspicious lately p>
Dorothea frowned, confused. “What makes you say that p>
Latham picked up a rose petal from the bed, held it under his nose for a second,
then looked at her, taking his time. “This morning, I peeled an egg for you and you said thank you p>
“And when you left, you didn’t call me ‘honey’ or give me a kiss. Just a polite goodbye p>
“And the way we act at home… It’s like we’re just coworkers. Even with her memory problems, Grandma is sharp most of the time. Do you really think she hasn’t noticed p>
Dorothea paused, suddenly unsure. “So what are we supposed to do p>
It wasn’t like they could just flip a switch and change everything about the way they acted. Not overnight.
Did that mean they had to put on a show, even around Pauline?
“There’s really only one option. We need to work on our act. At the very least, we should start with how we talk to each other at home p>
“You can’t just call me Latham or use my full name. That’s not going to convince anyone p>
Dorothea felt weird about it. “If I don’t use your name, then what? Not all couples call each other ‘babe’ or ‘honey’ or whatever p>
She almost sidestepped the little trap he was setting, but Latham gently pulled her back in.
He propped his hands on the bed, grinning. The warm light caught the angles of his face, and for a second Dorothea just stared.
“Sure, some couples use names, especially after years together. But Dorothea, did you forget
something?” His voice was light net
teasing “We only just got married We’re supposed to be in the
honeymoon phase p>
“Doesn’t that seem a little off to you p>
Dorothea didn’t know what to say. When he put it that way, it really did seem strange.
Latham patted the spot next to him. “Come sit p>
She hesitated, but he coaxed her, gentle but persistent. “We’ve kissed, but you still keep your distance get it. But relax That mistake from the w other night won’t happen again p>
Just hearing him mention it made Dorothea want to bolt.
She knew exactly what he meant. Even now, she couldn’t bring herself to think about that night. It had been wild, out of control. Sure, the, medication played a part, but still, they’d crossed a line.
“Don’t worry, Dorothea. I’m not going to push you. Not unless you want it. I promise p>
“But we do need to start somewhere. Changing what we call each other is a good first step. Don’t you think p>