Chapter 17
“I thought you had everything,” she continued. “His home. His name. His family. His child. I thought if I could make him see that you were unhappy, he would choose me.”
“You wore my necklace.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You attended his business dinners.”
“He invited me.”
“And you allowed his family to believe you belonged there.”
“Yes.”
“Did you tell Madison he planned to leave me?”
“I told her he was unhappy.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Olivia’s eyes filled with tears. “I told her I believed he would leave.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted someone else to believe it too.”
Alexander turned away from her.
I looked at him. “Did you ever tell Olivia you loved her?”
“No.”
“Did you give her the necklace?”
“No.”
“Did you promise her a future?”
“No.”
Olivia wiped beneath one eye. “He never promised me anything. That was the cruelest part. He didn’t have to.”
I did not know what to say to that.
She reached into her purse and removed a folded receipt.
“I bought a replacement necklace,” she said. “The same week I wore Emily’s.”
Alexander looked at it.
“Why?”
“Because I knew it wasn’t mine. I wanted to return it before the party, but then I thought if I wore it, people would assume—”
“That it had been given to you,” I finished.
“Yes.”
“You wanted me to see it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted you to understand that he was mine in every way that mattered.”
Alexander closed his eyes.
I expected satisfaction from her confession.
I felt only exhaustion.
“You knew about Grace’s piano,” I said.
Olivia looked startled. “What?”
“The piano Alexander bought for her.”
“I knew he had ordered something.”
“Did you know he was supposed to pick her up?”
“Yes.”
“Did you remind him?”
She looked toward Alexander.
“Answer me.”
“I called him.”
“What did you say?”
“I asked whether he was coming to the party.”
“And?”
“He said he needed to pick up Grace first.”
My breath caught.
Alexander looked at her sharply.
“You knew?”
“He told me.”
“Then what did you say?”
“I asked whether he could send someone.”
“Why?”
“Because people were waiting. The photographer had arrived. Your mother was asking where he was. I told him that if he left, the surprise would be ruined.”
“You knew he had promised Grace.”
“Yes.”
“You heard me tell you she was dead.”
“Yes.”
“And you still let him remain at the party?”