Silence Reveals Hidden Answers’ by Michael Anderson novel Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Harvey Prescott.

“I cannot keep doing this.” I tell Nate.

“Then tell her.”

“I can’t lose her.”

“So don’t tell her.”

“The guilt is eating me alive!”

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David chuckles from his armchair, amused by the conversational tennis with no resolution. We’re supposedly discussing my options, but all I can see is Jennifer’s face…that look of absolute,nwavering faith she gives me now. She sees some flawless version of a man, and it’s a lie. I went and beat Reign half to death, and I knew the consequences would circle back. He won’t spare her the details. The truth is a debt coming due, and I’m just trying to figure out how to declare bankruptcy before it destroys everything.

“Okay, practice on us. The best way you can tell her. I am Jennifer.” Nate gets up, abandoning his drink, and plants himself in front of me. I straighten up from the pool table, rolling my sleeves back with a sharp tug. David watches.

“I have to tell you something,” I start but I’m not feeling the act.

David suddenly springs up, using his hip to unceremoniously shove Nate aside. “My turn,” he declares, and why the hell is he so eager to play Jennifer? He smooths his hands over imaginary hair and licks his lips. “Yes, baby?”

I have to look away from his face to keep a straight line of thought.

“I don’t believe you could ever do anything wrong to me. You are my baby forever.” He bats his eyelashes.

I clear my throat, disgusted. “Let’s try a different approach. I want to tell you about an ex first, before the heavier stuff. Maybe that’ll soften the blow.”

“An… an ex?!” David pitches his voice into a shrill, fake feminine egister. Nate loses it and starts bursting into laughter behind him.

“Yes. An ex.”

“Oh, so you loved me all those years and still had an ex?”

“I never named her my girlfriend. I just…”

“You just fucked her, huh?” David puts a hand on his hip.

“Jennifer.” My voice carries a warning, even in this farce.

“No, Harvey. You’re a casino owner. Of course you have fuck buddies.”

“It’s not like that.” I try to wrestle back control of this ridiculousmulation. “Wait. Let me explain. It was a… a dithcult time.”

“A difficult time? What the hell does that mean?” David clutches is chest as if hyperventilating

“I was depressed.”

“Oh.” David’s act drops into a moment of surprising quiet understanding. For a second, I almost believe the logic it he gets it, maybe she would.

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Chapter 52

“It was a fling. She and I both understood what it was. I just want you to know.”

David scoffs, flipping an invisible strand of hair. “Err, I don’t care about your ex. What does it matter?”

“It’s Jenna. Reign’s sister.”

“What?!”

“Jennifer, don’t panic.”

“Okay, I don’t care. So, what’s the next one?” David goes back to wirling his phantom hair.

I shove a hand through my own hair to say the next one. “It… it has to do with your dad.”

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“Oh, baby!” David claps his hands together. “You’ve found the idiots who burned his shop! You know who they are! Harvey, tell me… tell me so we can go to the cops!”

The words stick in my throat, thick and toxic. I force them out in a whisper. “It’s me.”

The silence that follows is instantly shattered even in this stupid ace and all of a sudden, the door swings open.

And Jennifer walks in.

We all freeze as we are literally caught in the act. The shock is so absolute Nate stumbles and falls on his ass…..probably more from Tinka’s sudden appearance beside Jennifer than anything else. My own heart slams against my ribs thinking she heard. She has to have heard.

Then I see it she’s smiling. A bright, unaware smile as she takes in the scene.

Oh goodness, She didn’t hear.

A breath I didn’t know I was holding explodes from my lungs, but the relief is immediately poisoned by a fresh, searing pain in my chest. Not from the wound on my arm. From the fear of what would have happened if she heard.

That fear tells me everything I need to know.

I am not ready. Not even close. Especially not now, when she’s looking at me like I’ve hung the moon for her.

“OMG, Harvey.” Tinka comes to stand front of me with her eyes wide and giggly as if Jennifer gave her a description of me and it seems to eb true.

“Hi. Tinka, right?”

“Aww, you remember me,” she coos, putting a hand on her chest

Nate coughs from where he’s still sprawled on the floor. “Wow, nka.”

She glances over. “Who are you?”

Jennifer chuckles behind her.

“I’m Nate. You don’t remember?”

“Nate. Nate, Nate?” She looks at the ceiling, feigning deep though, then snaps her fingers “Hmm, I remember! You look.” She bites her lip. “Kather better than four years ago.”

“Thanks,” Nate mumbles, running a hand through his hair as he gets up

“What are you guys doing here?” I ask, my gaze landing on Jenner, who’s setting a bag of Chinese food on the edge of the

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Chapter 52

pool table.

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“We were running errands around here, and I decided to come e you. You guys hardly eat, so I got some Chinese.” She walks toward me and places her hands on my sides, rising on he toes to press a soft kiss to my jaw. “I love the flowers.”

I can’t help but smile at the touch.

“Can we talk?”

The moment she says it, a cold dread seeps into my bones. This is exactly why I need to tell her. I don’t even know what she wants to say, but the fact that my first instinct is this icy fear…this is what I hate. The constant shadow.

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