To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 196

"So… what should we do then?" Gareth asked, voice tight.

"The Serpentine Club will probably be shut down for a few days," came the reply. "Why not use this window to lay your cards on the table with Brian?"

Gareth's grip tightened around his phone.

Coming clean would mean turning his other son into an enemy.

"But what about my wife?" he pressed. "Am I just supposed to sit back and watch her go to prison?"

"She's a dying woman—why are you so hung up on her? There are plenty of women out there. Why cling to a tired old hen?"

Gareth opened his mouth, but his throat felt blocked. He couldn't get the words out.

Nanette was still at the police station, calmly waiting for him to bail her out, trusting he would.

"Then don't let Elara off the hook either," Gareth muttered.

…

When Elara returned to Platinum Bay, Brian still wasn't home.

The house was so empty her footsteps echoed, and it seemed colder than ever, as if the warmth had seeped out along with her. She realized with a start that it had been less than a month since she'd officially moved out, but it already felt like another lifetime.

She went to Mrs. Archer's room and packed up some clothes and toiletries into a travel bag.

By the time she came back out, the living room lights were on.

Brian was back, sunk deep into the couch. His jacket was tossed carelessly aside, his shirt collar undone, and exhaustion hung over him like a shadow.

Yves Caldwell stood three paces away, bowing his head. "Mr. Vincent, I'm concerned about the board meeting the day after tomorrow. There's talk that someone's setting a trap."

"Frank Lowell and Grant Wood together barely hold thirteen percent of the shares," Brian replied, voice steady. "If they're trying to rally the whole board against me, their only move is to have my father personally lobby for them."

Yves's worry deepened.

Yves nodded, taking the bag from Elara's hand before slipping out, leaving the two of them alone in the living room.

Divorcing spouses, face to face, neither fighting nor speaking—the silence felt strangely suffocating.

Elara had no desire to be alone with him, especially not at night, not in the house where they'd once lived together.

She turned to leave, but Brian caught her hand. Panic jolted through her; she yanked free as if burned.

Instead of anger, Brian let out a low, amused laugh. "What are you, a kid?"

She refused to look at him. "You're really going to get Nanette out?"

"I'm considering it," he said, surprisingly candid.

"I want her to answer for what she's done," Elara said, her voice icy.

Brian lifted a strand of her hair and brushed it against his nose, smiling faintly. "So, am I supposed to take that as an order from Mrs. Vincent, or is it a plea from my soon-to-be ex-wife?"