“It’s all good, right?” Lexi’s smile was sympathetic.
Miranda knew why. Lexi had known Miranda wasn’t doing well before she’d even told her about the break-up with Wolfe. She’d stood by her, just as she’d supported Miranda as she picked up the pieces after the Guggenheim debacle. She winced at the reminder of that night. Back then, both women were braced for the worse. They were sure word would spread fast about how dismally Dream Kitchen failed its debut. “I thought we were gonna close shop even before we started.”
“Just shows that someone up there loves you.” Lexi pointed a finger toward the ceiling. “When one door closes, a window opens up. Or something like that.”
“Yes... But this feels more like someone opened the floodgates.” Miranda sank into her chair. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around how many people were clamoring for Dream Kitchen’s services.
“Just be happy you didn’t turn into some pariah of the food industry.”
Miranda didn’t smile. Her dream was slowly coming true. So why wasn’t she happy? Her days were full and she buried herself in work, hoping to ease the emptiness inside. But it just sat there like a huge lump inside her chest. She realized she was clutching the engagement ring and quickly let go. “Yeah, I’m happy.”
Lexi shook her head. “Miranda Okafor, you can’t fool me. You’re moping like a lost kitten.”
Miranda shrugged. Although Lexi knew she called off the engagement, she didn’t know the whole story. She’d left out the details of how Wolfe totally manipulated her. Despite everything, a huge part of her still wanted to protect his reputation. “So, what’s this gossip you talked about?”
Lexi gasped excitedly. “That’s right!” She unrolled the newspaper she carried in her hand, rifling through its pages.
Miranda rolled her eyes. “This better not be another Hollywood divorce.” She snickered. “You’re the only person I know who cried when Angie and Brad called it quits.”
“Oh, this is much closer to home.” Lexi laid the paper down with a flourish. “Take a look.”
Miranda picked it up and started reading. Her eyes grew wide in shock. “Diane and Bruce? They divorced?”
“Uh-huh. It’s right there in print.” Lexi replied.
“But why? This is all so sudden!”
“There are no details. Just the announcement.”
Miranda stared at the article. Diane and Bruce seemed devoted to each other. She may not have liked Bruce, but Diane had always been kind and welcoming. She knew the woman must be devastated. “I should go see her.”
“Yeah, you should. Maybe run into the son as well and ask how he is coping?” Lexi teased.
Miranda suppressed a wince. “I’m sure Wolfe is fine. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already with someone else.”
“You are absolutely clueless when it comes to the male species, aren’t you? Men need time to get over a breakup too, you know.”
Miranda felt a stab of hope at the idea that took her totally off-guard. Was she really petty enough to want Wolfe to hurt? Or was the idea of Wolfe with another woman just that painful? She wasn’t ready to know and wasn’t absolutely certain she ever would be.
She remembered the look on his face in his office as he pleaded with her to listen. I wish I had listened. Maybe then I’d have something to hold on to—anything—to make this separation bearable. They could at least have agreed to remain friends. She knew she would have settled for that. Instead, there was just this gnawing loneliness inside her chest that nothing, not even devoting herself to her kitchen, hungry regulars, and growing clientele could ease.
Maybe Diane would understand. Miranda hesitated. “If I go to see Diane, could you—”
“Cover for you?” Lexi gave her a thumb up. “Naturally. I’m gunning for your job, remember!”
***
Miranda scanned the teahouse nervously. As she saw Diane waiting at a table, dressed with her usual elegance, she was suddenly assailed with doubts that she’d done the right thing. Maybe Diane wouldn’t want to talk about something as sensitive as her divorce from Bruce.
But Diane greeted her with her usual warmth. “It’s so good to see you, my dear.”
Miranda tried to find any signs of sorrow on the regal lady’s face. There was nothing. She looked radiant and happy. Whatever anguish she’s feeling, she’s hiding it well. “Diane... I came as soon as I read about the divorce in the papers. I was shocked. You and Bruce seemed so...together. I thought maybe you’d need some…”
“Comforting?” Diane’s eyes were understanding.
Miranda nodded.
“My dear girl, that’s so sweet of you.” Diane leaned in, lowering her voice. “It’s actually quite a relief. I knew early on that I made a mistake marrying Bruce. But he was so loyal to me, I felt compelled to reward it with my own. So I stayed. But he crossed the line when he tried to sabotage Wolfe and the company. That is something I can never forgive.”
Miranda’s jaw dropped. “Sabotage?”
“You didn’t know?” Diane hesitated, and then evidently came to a decision. She put her teacup down, and began a businesslike recital of events, completely at odds with her high-society appearance.
Miranda sat there, her mouth wide open, mind whirling as Diane revealed the entire story of Bruce’s sabotage.
“So you see, my dear, Bruce was also responsible for the disaster over your catering at the party. He paid someone from your crew to tamper with your ingredients. But Wolfe became suspicious when Bruce’s replacement caterer turned up with dishes already prepared. He personally took a sample of your baking to a toxicology lab. They discovered traces of the same chemical found in the batch of contaminated medicine. The rest was easy.”
Miranda shook her head, trying to get her thoughts into some kind of order. “It was Bruce?”
Suddenly it all made sense. The suspicious way Bruce had hung around the kitchen that night, watching their every move. He’d known something would go wrong. And when they discovered it, how quickly he’d produced another caterer as a solution. And the worker... Miranda knew at once who it must be. Guido. The guy hadn’t shown up to work after that night.
Diane watched her sympathetically. “I’m sorry you had to go through all that. You were collateral damage in Bruce’s quest to put Wolfe down. He could never accept that Wolfe always treated him like an outsider.”
“It’s okay,” Miranda replied. “I really thought that that was the end of Dream Kitchen. I prepared myself for the worst. But surprisingly, the opposite happened. We have more customers than we can cope with. I’ve even had to turn down a few because we’re swamped. It's weird.”
Diane’s eyes sparkled. “Is that really so weird?”
Miranda stared at her. “What do you mean?”
Diane smiled. “You think Wolfe would allow something like that to happen? He probably called up everyone he knew and recommended you. My son is a powerful man, Miranda. People would gladly do him favors.”
Miranda stared down at her plate, trying to absorb that information. Diane was right. That was the only plausible explanation. But why? She was no longer part of Wolfe’s life. Why did he even care?
Miranda looked at the woman sitting across the table from her and knew. It’s time to come clean. “I haven’t been totally honest with you and I feel I should be.”
Diane raised a brow and waited for her to continue.
Miranda took a deep breath. “Wolfe and I, we weren’t really together-together, like you thought we were. The whole engagement was a sham. He said he needed my help to pose as his fiancée so you would turn over your shares of the company to him. He was afraid that Bruce would get his hands on them somehow. He was worried about Bruce taking advantage of you.”
Miranda expected Diane to react with anger. Instead, she was surprised to hear her tinkling laughter.
“Miranda, I don’t know what kind of story my son was feeding you, but I can tell you for a fact, that where Wolfe was concerned, the
engagement was real. I know my son, and I know he is far too private to want to tie himself, even in a business sense, to anyone he doesn’t admire.”
Miranda couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “B-but-but… Why did he say it then?”
Diane reached out, clasping her hand tightly. “I don't claim to know everything that happened between the two of you. Wolfe is not the kind of man who opens himself to anyone, even to his own mother. I can only watch and make my own conclusions. And I can tell you that since you left, my son is falling apart. He pretends everything is alright when I ask. But I can tell. Call it a mother’s instinct.” Diane sighed. “I went to visit him at his apartment. The kitchen was a mess. There were broken eggshells everywhere. My son was trying to cook. I knew then that he was trying to hold on to the connection you both shared.”
Miranda expelled a loud breath. Her body twitched involuntarily. “There’s more.” She paused to gather her strength, finding it hard to breathe. “I went back to see Collins, the lawyer who drew up our engagement agreement. I intended to return the ring. The terms of our contract clearly stated I should surrender any jewelry if things didn’t work out. Collins refused to accept the ring. He said Wolfe had torn up the contract.” She still didn’t know what to make of the lawyer’s words. “And now I’m more confused than ever.”
Looking up, she saw comprehension slowly dawn on Diane’s face. “You’re not doing so well either. No, don’t bother to deny it. A mother can tell.”
Miranda felt her eyes well up with tears. Diane might not be her mother, or even her mother-in-law, but she could feel the woman’s honest concern. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Listen to me, Miranda. Go talk to Wolfe. I have a feeling there’s something more to all of this. Things are not always what they seem to be.”
Anticipation blossomed in her chest. Despite it all, she still had hope. “You think so?”
Diane nodded. “I happen to know he called in sick today—a first, as it happens—so he should be in his apartment...if you decide to talk to him.”
Miranda stood up, fumbling with her napkin. She knew she had to do this. Even if this was the last time she saw Wolfe, even if the sight of him hurt like nothing had ever hurt her before, she had to go. One way or another, she needed an explanation for the devastation he’d wrought in her heart and soul.
Chapter Twelve
If visiting Wolfe’s apartment was a crime that Miranda was on trial for, she couldn’t have felt less prepared—or guiltier. As she approached his apartment building, she ran through a gamut of plausible excuses for showing up unexpectedly, weighing them as if she were a member of a jury.
I’ll say I’ve come to get some of my stuff and hope to god he asks me to stay... or maybe I’ll just say I missed him. But what if he didn't miss me at all? Miranda winced. I’ll die. No, better to play it casual. I’ll say I was in the area and thought about him and just decided on impulse to drop by. But then he’ll know I’m lying—I don't know anyone living in Upper Manhattan!
Miranda shook her head. There had been enough lies. I want to talk to him and learn the truth. That should be reason enough.
As she pressed the button to summon the elevator, her heart thrummed with eagerness and anticipation even as her stomach sank. All her misgivings returned in full force.
You are your own worst enemy, a voice whispered in the back of her mind. Deep down you don’t believe you deserve to be treated with love. That’s why you ran from Wolfe without hearing his explanation. But if you don’t believe in yourself, nothing will ever change.
Miranda pursed her lips. The elevator doors opened and she gulped, realizing she was already at the penthouse. Walking down the hallway towards his door felt like an eternity. Her first soft knock brought no response. She rapped again, louder, and rang the doorbell.
She waited for any sign of life inside, her heart in her throat. She didn’t know how long she stood there, but to her, it felt like ages. What am I doing? I don’t even know if he wants to see me... or that he won’t feed me more lies. Abruptly, her courage failed. She turned to go—just as the latch clicked and the door opened.
“Miranda?” Wolfe exclaimed. He obviously wasn’t expecting a visitor. He wore drawstring pajamas and was barefoot, his hair was tousled like he just got out of bed.
Miranda was unprepared to see him in that state. The speech she’d rehearsed in her mind went screaming down the hallway. She bit back panic. Now or never. “I—I was wondering if someone was home. I was about to leave. I know I didn't call to say I was coming. That was so stupid of me...I should have called... because-because you might be busy and not want to see me...and I totally understand...but I took the risk you may want to see me after all…”
“Miranda, stop.” Wolfe held the door open wider. “Come in, please.”
Miranda wondered if her legs would carry her all the way to the sofa. Thankfully they did. She plopped her quaking body onto the luxurious cushions. Wolfe took a seat across from her, and she felt a surge of disappointment. She’d expected him to at least sit closer. Are we truly over?
Wolfe sat with his legs apart, stroking his chin. It seemed like he couldn’t take his eyes off her face.
Miranda looked down. She couldn’t meet his gaze.
“Would you like something to drink?” Wolfe broke the silence.
“Yes, that would be nice.”
Wolfe headed for the kitchen. Miranda looked around the apartment. Memories of nights spent on that same sofa, held in Wolfe’s arms came flooding back. Despite everything she knew, she still longed for his embrace. She pushed the thought aside as he returned, carrying a bottle and two flutes.
Miranda recognized the unopened bottle of Dom Perignon. It was the same one he brought back the night he said they were celebrating. The night she got angry instead and stormed out of the room. Why had Wolfe kept it?
Wolfe opened the bottle and filled both flutes before offering one to her. “I never thought I’d find a reason to open this.”
Miranda took a sip of the bubbly liquid and immediately felt its calming effect throughout her body. She found her courage. “Are we celebrating something?”
Wolfe raised his glass in a toast. “You’re here. I’m here. That’s reason enough for me.”
Miranda heaved a sigh and began. “I came to apologize for the way I ended things between us. Finding that file made me feel so exposed—so exploited. Reading through it made me remember things I’d rather forget. I felt like all my secrets were aired for the world to see. I don’t understand why you did that, or why Simms made a secret offer to buy the building from Mr. Thompson. Did you do that to manipulate me into the fake engagement?” She paused to let him reply.
He didn’t make a sound.
She decided to keep going.
“I went to see Collins to return the ring. He said you destroyed all the agreements I signed. I don’t understand that either.”
Still no word from the man who sat across from her. Miranda felt he was letting her air her feelings without disrupting her thoughts.
“I went to see Diane after I read about the divorce. She told me that Bruce was trying to sabotage your company. She said he was responsible for what happened the night of the party. Diane apologized. I said it was alright because strangely enough, we have been swamped with requests for our service. Diane hinted that was you... because you will not allow anything to destroy my dream.” She looked at him, searching for any reaction.
He simply stared back, waiting for her to finish.
“I confessed to Diane that our engagement was a sham, telling her you thought it was the only way she’d turn over her shares to you and keep it safe from Bruce. Diane insisted there was no way you’d agree to the engagement purely for the shares. All this ... it just makes me more and more confused about you. Make me understand. Tell me one good reason why you did all these things. Please, Wolfe.”
The atmosphere in the room was electric. Wolfe straightened and look
ed her straight in the eye.
“Because I love you.”
Miranda was stunned. She expected a circuitous explanation. Not a simple declaration of love.
Wolfe exhaled noisily before he spoke. “I am truly sorry about the dossier you found in my office. It wasn't meant to hurt you, and I didn’t consider the consequences of me spying on you. I was simply desperate. The night we first met at the Center, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I tossed and turned all night trying to understand what I was going through. I never felt that way before. I was confused and afraid that I wouldn’t see you again. I had no road map to follow because all those feelings were foreign to me, and I acted... I acted as if you were a business rival. I apologize for my own stupidity. I’ve already destroyed the file, and I ordered Simms to delete any records he had left.”
The Penthouse Secrets: A NYC Billionaire Romance Trilogy Boxed Set Page 23
