Looking back, it all started to click into ce.


    Dylon had drugged Reese, leaving her no choice but to marry Sebastian. Tara had hidden where the money really came from, making him believe the Ramos family had saved him. Every piece of the puzzle was so carefully set up. He''d spent years resenting Reese while being moved by Tara''s supposed kindness, doing everything he could to help the Ramos family just for Tara.


    "Tara, why did you do this..." Zach mumbled, his voice thick with pain and confusion.


    He''d always thought he understood Tara, but now he realized he''d never actually known her at all.


    Just then, his phone rang, shattering the silence in the hallway.


    His hand trembled as he picked it up. When Dylon''s name popped up on the screen, Zach''s expression darkened.


    He took a slow, deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady as he answered. "Hello, Uncle Dylon."


    Dylon sounded warm and gentle, as always. "How did it go with Reese? Did she agree to help Tara?"


    Zach gripped the phone so tightly his knuckles turned white. He forced down the storm raging inside him and answered quietly, "No, she didn''t agree."


    He paused, then added, "By the way, do you know why Reese married Sebastian back then?"


    There was a split second of hesitation on Dylon''s end, just enough to give him away, before he slipped back into that calm, casual tone. "Didn''t Tara tell you? She drugged Sebastian, got pregnant, and when the Ratcliffs came with a proposal, she just went along with it."


    "So what''s up? Is Reese refusing because she''s fighting with Mr. Ratcliff again?"


    That little flicker of panic in Dylon''s voice didn''t escape Zach.


    His heart sank. He was almost certain now. Dylon was behind what happened to Sebastian.


    Zach let out a bitter, humorlessugh, but kept his tone even. "Yeah, probably. She looked pretty upset."


    His voice turned cold. "Don''t worry, Uncle. I''ll figure something else out for Tara.”


    He hung up and leaned back against the wall, exhausted.


    His phone slipped from his hand and hit the floor. Reese''s name was still glowing on the screen.


    All those years he''d misunderstood and hurt her came flooding back along with the memory of the icy, mocking look in her eyes just now Regret and pain crashed over him, wave after wave.


    If he''d known the Ramos family was just using Reese, he never would''ve left her alone overseas. He thought he was doing the right thing but every choice he''d made since then had been a mistake. He''d gotten everything wrong.


    Zach reached for a cigarette. Smoke curled around him, blurring his features, except for the angry, red glint his eyes that matched the burning tip:


    His heart hurt with every breath. He smoked one cigarette after another, until the ground around him was littered with ashes and butts.


    The hallway light flickered on and off, painting his shadow up and down the empty walls.


    He finally saw everything clearly-his own stupidity, his own cruelty.


    After a long while, he crushed out hisst cigarette, took onest look in the direction of Reese''s door, and walked away.


    He''d learned in school that when you mess up, you fix it. He was going to fix this his way.


    Reese said she wanted nothing to do with him ever again? Not happening.


    He remembered she was already getting divorced from the Ratcliffs. That meant his story with Reese was only just beginning.


    Stars dotted the night sky as Zach looked up, a half-smile ying on his lips.


    Reese got home and forced herself not to think about Zach-not even for a second.


    She took a long bath and crawled into bed, but just as she closed her eyes, her phone buzzed.


    The name shing on the screen-"Aunt Rosie"-made her frown in frustration.