In the end, Patti chose to go to the hospital with Hawthorne. But as soon as he dropped her back at her apartment, she anxiously called James.


    James should have been at the office by now. She was still fuming overst night''s fiasco. Seeing Mrs. Mercer''s hysterical outburst, she felt certain that James wouldn''t stay with such a shrew for much longer. This time, however, she was smarter. She wouldn''t meet James in person; she wouldy out her demands over the phone.


    After a night of his wife''s fury, James had managed to take refuge at Lanny''s. He hadn''t dared to leave the house again until the next morning when he was sober enough to drive to work. Halfway there, the sight of Patti''s name on his phone screen made him nearly run a red light.


    "Hello..."


    "James..."


    The sound of Patti''s voice made James want to throw his phone out the window. Thankfully, he was already out of the house. If that tigress at home had been watching him, he would have crumbled. He''d only managed to escape her wrath because he''d called his father to share the good news about the big deal, and his dad had given his wife a talking-to, ensuring his safe return.


    "What is it, for God''s sake? From now on, if I don''t call you, don''t contact me." James was deeply annoyed. He had just snatched a multi-billion dor deal from Hawthorne and was in high spirits. Crushing Hawthorne didn''t even seem that important anymore. As long as he was making money, he was the king of Greenvale. Once he was on his own two feet and no longer needed to rely on his father, he would kick his wife to the curb and marry a beautiful young bride. After all, he still needed a son to carry on the Mercer family name.


    Patti bristled at his tone. It was the same dismissive contempt Hawthorne had shown her. But while she had felt she had some hold over Hawthorne, that illusion had been shattered by their conversation earlier. She had no such leverage with James.


    "But I was missing you, so I wanted to call. You left with your wife yesterday, and I was so worried about you. Did that monster do anything to you?"


    Before she could finish, James immediately distanced himself. "Miss Yale, watch what you''re saying. ampletely faithful to my with You''re Mr. Everhart''s girlfriend, so don''t try to pin anything on me. You and I have nothing to do with each other."


    His words left Patti stunned. Before she could even bring up his responsibilities, he


    was already rushing to sever all ties. That was thest straw.


    "James, stop ying dumb with me. Are you trying to deny everything? What am I supposed to do about the baby? Don''t forget, you were the one who told me to get close to


    ve


    Hawthorne while I was pregnant with your child. And don''t


    child. And don''t you forget,


    that the only reason you signed that massive deal is because I gave you the project files. I stole Hawthorne''s hard drive for you. You got everything you wanted, but you haven''t delivered on a single one of your promises. You promised to help my father, and he''s still rotting in prison. When are you going to make good on your word?"


    Patti was finally learning just how heartless men could be. Their promises meant


    nothing when their own interests were at stake.


    "Miss Yale, you''d better not spread


    such nonsense. Everyone in


    Greenvale knows you''re Mr.


    het


    Everhart''s girlfriend. Whatever you have going on with him is your business. As for some hard drive you mentioned, I don''t know a thing about it. I won this contract on my own merit. Besides, if you really did steal Mr. Everhart''s hard drive, the corporate fraud division will be


    Now that he no longer needed Patti, James was erasing any connection between


    them. Patti was so furious she could barely see straight.