Chapter 45

“A million dollars, and she turned it down?” Catherine cocked her head and asked, "Why would she do that?"

“Because, it would seem, she...”

"She's in love with you or just wants access to the main thing," she finished my sentence.

"Exactly that," I sighed with satisfaction, "I just need to tell Crystal that."

"I don't think she'd believe you that easily," she opined.

"But you believe me, don’t you?" I asked.

“Barely,” she said. “Because I know that Amanda was your favorite.”

When I heard her response, my shoulders sagged.

"Adam, you need to understand that this is a consequence of your actions up to this point," she stated. "I usually stayed out of your relationships or affairs because I simply wanted to mind my business. But when you started dating Crystal, I assumed... I thought that a shift in you was occurring.”

"And I did change, I