When There Is Nothing Left But Love

Joe stopped smiling and turned to Rebecca. “Stay out of this, Rebecca.”

“Why should I? Everyone agreed to this rule when Parker was here. I was there too. Why should I stay out of this?”

“But the rule didn’t say anything about sticking your nose into this. Don’t you know that, Rebecca?” Jared finally spoke. His gaze was cold and also impatient. Rebecca was stunned before tears started to stream down her face.

I was starting to get impatient. “I don’t know how you guys agreed to the rule, but I accept your apology. Thanks for the treat, and there’s no need for the wine. You’ve apologized, and that’s good enough.” I paused for a moment. “Everyone settles their matter differently. You have your way, and I have mine. Do away with the wine.”

Joe was flabbergasted, and he cast a confused look at Ashton.

Ashton, who had kept quiet all the while, finally stood up and looked at Joe. “We’ll go with Scarlett’s way. It’s getting late, and she’s exhausted. We’ll be leaving now.”

He was going to take me away when Rebecca stopped us and glared at us with tear-filled eyes. To be precise, she was looking at Ashton. “You can’t just break the rule Parker made whenever you want. Do you think this woman is more important than our decades of friendship?”

forehead. “This woman is

sneered. “So what? That doesn’t give her a free pass to break every

I’ve heard of how you used your own brother for your own gains. Frankly, if you were to write it all down, you could probably start an online novel filled with drama. I don’t care what the reasons were behind this inhumane rule, but Ms. Larson, let’s stop for a moment and think. You guys were just twenty-year-old kids back then. I can understand why this rule was made in a fit of impulse, but for Pete’s sake, do you think it’s

how healthy they are, ten glasses of alcohol is going to hurt. Not to mention they’ve been pulling all-nighters lately for the company.

paled, then her face turned red with anger. Her chest heaved, and she glowered. “That’s

a five-year-old. Every word she uttered and

Joe. You know right from wrong. Ashton’s my husband, and since he sees you as his brother, then by extension, you’re my brother too. I won’t argue with you just because of some childish insults. Naturally, I won’t get between you and Ashton. I accept your apology, and you don’t have to drink the wine. It’s precisely because you’re family that I don’t want you to kill

away and glared at him. “Did you

was with you the whole

so, I was still irked. “Go back on your own.” With that, I went into the car and left without him. I looked at the rear-view mirror and saw

…

standing at the doorstep. She was wearing a jacket. When she looked behind me and didn’t see Ashton, Sally looked at me.