"What did you do to provoke Mrs. Everhart?"


    Patti was speechless for a moment.


    "What could we have done? I have no idea how she found out, but James dropped me off at the hotel yesterday, and suddenly she knew. It''s all so strange. We had just arrived when his wife showed up and started beating me without a word of exnation. Look at my face! It''s all red and swollen. How am I supposed to be seen in public like this?"


    Hawthorne gave her a cursory nce. "Same asst time. Get an anti-inmmatory shot, take some medication for a while, and you''ll be fine. James has secured the project now, so we don''t need you for the time being. Whether you two see each other is your own business."


    His words were a final, crushing blow. What was he implying? That since she was no longer useful, he was just going to abandon her?


    Patti grew frantic.


    "Hawthorne, you know I wouldn''t have done any of this if it wasn''t for you. I have feelings for you. You can''t just cast me aside."


    The look in Hawthorne''s eyes terrified her, and she instinctively took several steps back.


    "Are these the same ''feelings'' you had when you came to me, already pregnant with James''s child, scheming with him to have me take the fall? And when the whole thing blew up, you switched sides, turning on him to help me. In the end, you were just looking out for yourself. I can''t me you for that, it''s only natural. But don''t you think it''sughable to talk to me about feelings?”


    Patti couldn''t believe how quickly he''d turned on her.


    "If it weren''t for our past, I never would have helped you, don''t you know that? I was hoping that after all this was over, you''d give me a clear answer. How are you going to take care of me? I can''t go out in public with this baby bump. Everyone thinks I''m your girlfriend, so they''ll naturally assume the child is yours. Now that I''ve helped you bring down James, you owe me something. What''s in it for me?"


    Patti decided to drop the act. It was time to put all their cards on the table.


    Hawthorne walked into the room, sat down on an armchair, and lit a cigarette, taking a slow drag.


    "Your situation is simple. I won''t press charges for you and James conspiring against me. I also won''t press charges for you maxing out my credit card. You can take all that junk you bought and go wherever you please. That''s it."


    Patti was dumbfounded. “So what you''re saying is, after everything I''ve done, you''re giving me nothing? Is that right?"


    She had never imagined this would be his n for her. She thought she would at least get the title of Mrs. Everhart.


    Hawthorne posed a cool question back. "What else did you want?"


    Patti let out a bitterugh.


    "No wonder they say you can''t trust men. You''re an absolute bastard, Hawthorne! How can you do this to me after everything I''ve done for you?"


    Hawthorne gently tapped the ash from his cigarette, his eyespletely devoid of emotion.


    "You weren''t doing it for me; you were atoning for your own mistakes. I have the reports right here. You spent nearly three million dors of my money at luxury boutiques. You haven''t even paid back half of it. If L were to pursue this legally, you''d have to return every cent If you can''t, you''ll face at least ten years in prison. This is my reward to you. Or do you feel that''s not enough?"


    Patti felt herself going mad, her eyes wild with desperation.


    "Not enough! Of course, it''s not enough! If you hadn''t taken down James, what do you think he would have done to me when he found out I worked with you against him? need a payout. At least ten million dors. That way, I can livefortably abroad What''s a few million to you? And what is it to grie? I can blow a million in one night gambling in Harwick. Is three million supposed tost me a lifetime?"


    "Gambling? Ten million? Are you demanding money from me? In your mind, Patti, I suppose I''m just an ATM for you to drain. After you. returned to Greenvale, nobody dared to cross you. James only sent you to me because he thought we had a history. If you weren''t useful to him in that way, do you really think he would have given you the time of day?"