After Vince finished threatening Mamie, he went back to his hometown. He wasn't worried at all that Mamie might turn him in. Mamie had only gotten close to Scott because she agreed to Vince’s terms. He never figured out why she left Scott later, but seven years had passed since then. Even if that kid was Mamie and Scott's, there was no way it could fill the distance between them.
Those seven years had changed Vince. He let go of his old grudges and stopped thinking about getting back at Scott. Honestly, the gap between him and Scott had only grown. Now, Scott was someone he could only look up to.
Vince went to Scott's wedding as a kind of olive branch. In their world, connections meant everything. Relationships were more valuable than anything else.
Just as he started to drift off in thought, his secretary knocked on the door.
“There’s a developer who wants to see you.”
Vince didn’t react much. “I’ve got a meeting soon. I don’t have time for him.”
“I told him that. He said he’d like to treat you to tea tonight.”
Vince thought for a moment. “Tell him to send the address to you. I’ll decide later if I’ll go.”
At seven that evening, Vince ended up at a quiet teahouse tucked away in a side alley, all by himself. Ralph was already there, waiting.
“You made it! I was worried you wouldn’t come!”
Vince just nodded, keeping his face calm as he followed Ralph into a private room. Ralph was no fool. He knew tonight wasn’t the time to talk business directly. Instead, he brought up what he’d heard—Vince’s daughter wanted to study abroad.
“Bonita's turning eighteen soon, right? I haven’t seen her in two years.”
Trying to get closer, he added, “I think Bonita would really thrive overseas. I know some people who can help with the process.”
Vince had been stressing about where to send his daughter for school, so this hit the spot.
“Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?” Vince asked.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: When My Ex's Worst Enemy Became My Sanctuary