Chapter 318
Wade burst out laughing, clutching his stomach as he scrolled through the latest headlines. “Latham, do you have to be so savage?” he gasped between laughs.
Latham just smiled, a little too pleased with himself. “What can I say? I have a reputation for being petty. He brought it on himself p>
Wade tried to look serious, but the corners of his mouth twitched. He knew better than to provoke Latham when he was in this mood. “Anyway, can you get Ladd to chill out for a bit p>
Wade and his friends had all been dragged into the chaos. Ladd had spent the last few days making the rounds, knocking on doors, and calling everyone he knew just to brag. It wasn’t enough to share good news over the phone; he had to show up in person, acting like his family was about to throw a party the next day.
Latham’s lips curved into a subtle, knowing smile. “Nothing I can do. He’s excited, and honestly, I get it p>
He paused, then looked at Wade with a teasing glint in his eyes. “But seriously, does your family know you’re the bottom in your relationship p>
Wade nearly choked. Why had he even asked for help? “Forget it. I’m done here. You eat by yourself.” He kicked his chair out of the way and stormed off, muttering under his breath.
As soon as he left, a few people nearby started whispering. “Latham, is Wade really the bottom?” they asked, curiosity written all over their faces.
Latham just gave a little smile and kept quiet, enjoying the drama. Before long, there’d be new gossip making the rounds, and he and his wife would have a front row seat, snacks in hand, ready to watch it all unfold.
Dorothea hadn’t been at the office much lately. The VP was handling most things, and if anything major came up, they just did a video call. She’d asked Mamie to help keep an eye on things, and Mamie had agreed right away. She was more than capable, and everyone knew it.
“Mom, are you picking me up from school today?” Garth looked up at her, full of hope.
Mamie shook her head apologetically. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I have something I have to take care of tonight. I’ll pick you up tomorrow, okay p>
Today she was supposed to meet with a private investigator. He’d been dragging his feet for weeks, but finally had something for her, so she had to go herself. Only when she got to the teahouse, the person waiting wasn’t her Pl at all. It was Vince.
“Well, well, Mamie. Bet you didn’t see this coming.” Vince’s smile was warm, but there was something cold lurking behind it. “Sit down. I never thought after all these years, you’d be looking into my business p>
Mamie kept her face calm as she sat. “Given what you did back then, is it so strange I want answers p>
Vince just smiled, unbothered. “No need to play games. I know you lost your memory. You’re probably just trying to figure out your past with Scott But don’t bother The deals between us were always clean, f fully consensual. If you’re looking for dirt to take to Scott, you’ll only end up hurting yourself. Go ahead, say something. You’ll probably be filing for divorce by tomorrow p>
He leaned back, tone almost gentle. “Just some advice. Let it go. Live your life and pretend we never met p>
With that, he got up and left, leaving Mamie sitting there, feeling lost. Who else
could she ask for help? She couldn’t exactly tell Scott about all this.
Her memories were still coming back in bits and pieces. She remembered making some kind of deal with Vince, something about her mom’s illness. But why had she and Scott broken up? Why had her mother died a car accident? Mone of it made sense yet. To make
things worse, Vince seemed to know everything about her.
Mamie went home feeling frustrated. Garth noticed right away that she wasn’t herself. “Mom, do you want to see my magic superhero?” he asked, trying to cheer
her up.
Mamie forced a smile. “I’m a little tired, sweetheart. Let me get cleaned up first, then I’ll come downstairs and check it out, okay p>
Garth nodded, being as sweet as ever. “Okay! I’ll wait for you p>
Mamie headed upstairs, closed the bathroom door, and sank into the tub, letting the warm water soak away some of her stress. Should she ask Scott to help her investigate? If he’d agreed to marry her, maybe he knew more than he let on.
Lost in thought, she stepped out of the tub a little too quickly, slipped, and twisted her ankle. “Ow!” Her cry was short but sharp, loud enough to catch Scott’s attention outside the door.
“Mamie?” Scott’s voice was deep with concern. “Are you okay? Are you in there p>
Mamie tried not to sound in pain. “I’m fine,” she called out, hoping he’d go away so she could recover before heading out.
But before she could even move, the door opened and some of the steam drifted out. Mamie froze, wrapped in nothing but a towel, staring at him in shock. “Why did you come in p>
Scott looked serious, but his tone was soft. “Sorry. I thought you might need help. I’ll carry you out p>
He bent down and scooped her up easily, his hands warm against her skin. The touch made his throat go tight, and Mamie’s cheeks turned bright red. She looked away too embarrassed to meet his eyes. As she turned her head, her lips brushed against his Adam’s apple.
Scott tensed up, his voice dropping lower. “Don’t move p>
Mamie felt her face burn even hotter, and she squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to look at him. Scott glanced down at her flushed earlobe, his voice gentler than
before. “I’m not mad at you. I’m just worried I might lose control p>
Lose control of what? Mamie didn’t dare ask. She just kept her eyes closed, heart pounding, pretending she didn’t understand what he meant.