“You’ve done good,” Randolph cheered as he clinked his glass of beer onto her glass of water. “The investigation is strong. I know there’s been great risk to you, and yet you keep going. Thank you for that.”

“It’s been a long month,” Aria agreed. “But I’m glad you have what you need. What do you think will happen next?”

“We have more than expected. Everything has been distributed to all our channels. Immigration lawyers, civil liberty teams, media outlets.”

The idea of the media put a lump in her throat. “But I won’t be mentioned right? I don’t want to have anything to do with the media coverage or any kind of attention.”

“You may change your mind.” Randolph smirked. “I’ve seen movies made about this stuff, and you’d be a good contender for the heroine in this story. Your people love you, they trust you, and that’s why they spoke out. At a minimum this story will get mass media coverage and the Carle De Blu will be face a trial in the court of public opinion. Pressure on them will be severe. If we are lucky other groups will get involved and offer solutions to employees on an individual basis. True solutions with longevity.”

“You think they’ll be forced to shut their doors?” Aria asked, moving her food on her plate absentmindedly.

“In my experience someone will buy it. It’s not easy money, but people like to attach their names to broken things so they can fix them. Then they take all the credit.”

“I’ve known that in my life,” Aria replied flatly. “Thank you for all your help. I know Libby had to really hound you to get here, but I’m glad you came.”

“Speaking of which,” Randolph said, bobbing his pointy shoulders up and down as he laughed, “I have a surprise for you.”

Libby was crossing the restaurant’s dining room with a wide grin on her face. “I heard the good news. Things are rolling now.”

Aria popped to her feet and accepted the affection of bubbly Libby. “What are you doing here?”

“Well,” she said, her eyes darting away, “the boys had some business down this way, and I insisted they take me.

“Join us,” Randolph said, pulling out a chair at the table for her. “I’ll get the wine list.”

“No wine for me,” Libby said, patting her belly. “This island is apparently good for fertility. The last time we were here we made a little present.”

“You’re pregnant?” Aria asked, lighting joyfully as she took Libby’s hand. “That’s great news.”

“It’s very early,” Libby cautioned, “but we’re so excited.”

Randolph’s phone rang, and he groaned. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to excuse me. I have to take this call.”

When he was out of earshot Libby leaned in and whispered, “Good, I was hoping I could get you alone. I’m so excited about the news I’ve been getting from Randolph. It sounds very promising.”

“It is,” Aria agreed. “I can’t thank you enough for the persistence you showed in getting them to come here. It means a lot to me.”

“You’re thanking the wrong person,” she said, with glittery mischief in her eyes. “I only did what Monroe asked me to. He was relentless in his pursuit of action here. He’s insisted on being kept up to speed on all progress, and when they hit a snag, whether financial or technical, he stepped in to assist. This was his baby. He just wanted me to be the go-between so you wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.”

“Uncomfortable?” Aria asked, still processing what she was being told.

“Uncomfortable, furious, homicidal . . . he wasn’t really sure how you would react to the news that he was driving all of this.”

“I don’t feel any of those things,” Aria admitted, leaning back in her chair as she tried to assess exactly how she felt. Part of her assumed Monroe had moved on. Their time together was just a short-lived fling he’d quickly put behind him.

“He’s been a mess,” Libby interjected. “I’m not supposed to tell you that part. James specifically told me I should stay out of the personal side of this. But Monroe is not bouncing back. He refused to come on this trip for fear of upsetting you. They’re looking at potential land sites, and they intend to make a purchase or two this week. Even with all that, he’s staying away.”

“It may be self-preservation,” Aria suggested. “If he thinks I’m upset, he doesn’t want to deal with it.”

“He thinks he cracked a little bit of you, and if he comes back, he’ll break you completely. He told me that in those exact words. The anguish on his face. It’s not something he could fake. Maybe it’s these damn pregnancy hormones, but I’m telling you, the man is in pain. It’s like he’s mourning.”

“There’s nothing to mourn. It was a fling. Something that happened and then ended.”

“You don’t believe that, and neither do I. It’s something you’re telling yourself.”

“Sometimes it’s all we have. The lies we tell ourselves to keep the truth at bay. I know what I felt for Monroe. I know what I hoped would happen, what I dreamed would happen. But it didn’t and it won’t.”

“Go back with me,” Libby pleaded. “Go back to Texas and talk to him. I know you can settle this if you try. He’s done so much behind the scenes to make sure you’re all right.”

“Tell him thank you,” Aria said coolly. “There are many people here who will be helped by his actions. I’m grateful.”

“But you won’t go speak to him?” Libby asked, the hopefulness in her eyes extinguishing as Aria continued sit rigidly.

“A lot of people didn’t know what they were getting into when they chose this place. Regret instantly filled their hearts. If they could do it over again, they’d never come. That’s not how I feel. No matter how bad it has been here, I don’t regret the choices I’ve made. I never will. Being with Monroe distracted me. It gave me a taste of everything I’m missing. What it didn’t do was change my life’s circumstances. All it did was make me feel worse. I won’t put myself through that again.”

“There’s always a way,” Libby pressed, but Aria stood up quickly.

“For billionaires maybe. But not everything can be repaired. What I don’t want is for Monroe to feel guilty for how he left things. He has no debt to pay to me or anyone else. Tell him to move on. Tell him to forgive himself. He did nothing wrong.”

“He was afraid you might say that,” Libby said, a pained look on her face. “In that case he wanted me to give you something.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a folder. “Monroe said you can keep it or put it in the trash. It’s up to you. I don’t know what’s in it, but I hope whatever it is, you keep it. I’m not sure what makes you certain you deserve so little out of life, but I hope something changes your mind someday.”

Aria reluctantly took the large envelope and clutched it to her chest. She couldn’t imagine what he might have gifted her. Especially considering it was only supposed to be given to her if she refused to talk with him. “I should go,” Aria apologized. “I am so grateful for your offer and your friendship. You’re going to be a wonderful mother, Libby.”

“I hope my mother is around to see it,” she said, blinking the tears away. “She has dementia. It’s bad. She lost so much in her life. Hurt by so many people, and every time she got back on her feet something knocked her down. I’m finally in a position to give her the best care in the world. A billionaire with every option at my fingertips.”

“That’s good,” Aria offered, but Libby didn’t seem relieved.

“Yet even with all that money, I can’t get her to remember my name most days. She might hold this baby and think she’s young again, and it’s me she’s holding. Or she might not live long enough to get the chance. If my mother was handed a gift all those years ago, I know she’d have taken it. And if she had, some of the years she spent suffering would have washed away. She can look back and say she struggled her whole life. But you,” Libby said, reaching out for Aria’s hand, “you have a lot of life left to live.”