Silence Reveals Hidden Answers’ by Michael Anderson novel Chapter 72

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Chapter 72

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Chapter 72

Jennifer Marie.

Contd

“I don’t wanna talk to you.” I say the moment Baxter enters the guest room.

“I know.”

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“I don’t wanna see you either.” I toss a pillow to the other side of the bed because it’s so ridiculously big. Like, literally a queen’s bed in a guest room. How rich is Harvey?

“How can I make this better?”

I haven’t even looked at Baxter since he walked in. And now, I just can’t help but scoff. How can I make this better….said like a typical trust fund kid who doesn’t know anything about real life and thinks everything can be solved with money.

So now I look at him.

“My dad almost died.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t know! Stop saying you know!” My voice rises. “I almost lost my father because of what? A damn contract marriage between you and Nisha that didn’t even work out in the first place? Imagine losing my dad to something so foolish and inconsequential? Imagine that.” I walk closer to him, then stop myself.

“I didn’t think it was gonna touch some middle-aged man—”

I roll my eyes so hard I practically see my own brain. “Yeah, you know what… I love that excuse.”

“I’m not trying to make excuses, Jennifer.”

“Yeah?” I turn away and go toward my bag to find my phone charger.

“Come on. You practically used to have a crush on me. The least you can do is hear a little of what I want to say.”

Now the scoff that escapes me is genuinely irritated. I don’t understand what it is with Baxter that makes him unable to let go of that fact. It was four years ago. He rejected me. And now, for some reason, he can’t stop talking about it.

“We were young when that happened. I’m a woman now.”

“Feelings are feelings-”

“It’s your brother I slept with, Baxter.” I turn to face him fully. “If you’re talking about feelings, let’s talk about that not some innocent crush that didn’t even start with a peck. And don’t say you warned me to stay away from Harvey, that he’s evil and all that because you’re the same.” I look him dead in the eye. “Just in a different font,”

“I’m trying to make it better. His voice is smaller now. “What do I do? Apologize to your dad until he finds it in his heart to forgive me? I wanna do that. All I’m trying to do is make it better.

“Were you hoping to make it better when you said those panties belonged to Nisha, too?” I cross my arms. “You lied to my face. But again, I don’t really expect much from you, Baxter. Therefore, I find it hard to believe you were actually trying to make anything better.”

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2:18 pm

Chapter 72

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“I did it for Harvey,” he says.

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“You and Harvey hate each other, but bond when it comes to lying to me.” My voice is exhausted. At this point, I’ve beaten him to every argument he could possibly make. He exhales in defeat.

“Go ahead. Beg for forgiveness from my dad. Build his store back to what it was. Show me every single day that you’re sorry, that you actually understand the gravity of how everything played out and that you’re not just telling me you ‘didn’t think it would end up giving a middle-aged man a heart attack. Because if I lost my dad?” I pause. “I would have killed you,”

“I don’t have money to build his shop.” His voice is barely audible. “I don’t know if you’ve heard, but my dad disowned me-”

“Then get a job. Like every other person on this planet, Baxter! You know that’s an option, right?”

“Got it.” He nods slowly. But I’ve already turned my back, ready to just sleep this entire conversation away.

“So… you can never forgive your brother and me. But you forgave Harvey?”

I whip back around. “And where did you see that?”

“You’re literally in his house-”

“Because the power went out in mine! Plus, it’s not like I’m here alone! Tinka, Nate, and David are here! Once it’s morning, I have to get to work, so I have to leave.” I am yelling at him now so he raises both hands in surrender.

“But it’s Saturday tomorrow.” Baxter whispers.

I blink. Tomorrow is Saturday?!

He takes two careful steps back, then another, until he’s out of the room.

I scoff at the empty space, then flop backward onto the bed. Holy moly, it’s so soft…like falling into a cloud. I’m asleep almost instantly.

When I wake up, it’s bright. Morning light is pouring through the huge windows. My phone is literally buzzing itself across the nightstand. I grope for it without opening my eyes, squinting at the screen. Anita. The building manager of Ocean Springs. She must have fixed the power issue.

“Hey,” I croak.

“Oh, Jennifer! Hi, good morning.” Her voice is apologetic before she even gets to the point. “Listen, I am so sorry about what happened to the electrical system last night. All hands are on deck to fix it, but I just don’t understand how this could have happened. It looks like someone deliberately damaged the panel. I’m finding everything so hard to understand right now.”

“Hmm,” I groan into the pillow, still sleeping.

“So, um… we need at least two days to get everything working again. The expert is out of town until Monday, and the damage is really complicated. The elevators, the lifts, everything…”

My eyes snap open.

“What?” I get upright in bed. “Two days?!”

“I know. I know, I’m so sorry. But the electrical system is seriously compromised. The building is trying to cut costs, and if we were to hire a different person to fix it-”

I don’t even hear the rest. Two days. I’m stuck in Harvey Prescott’s mansion for two days.

2/4

2:18 pm

Chapter 72

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“Wait, wait…so you’re saying there’s not gonna be electricity until two days from now? Or possibly three?” I scramble out of bed with my hair being an absolute bird’s nest from tossing around all night. When I finally look forward, my sleep-addled brain processes what I’m seeing.

Boxes. Everywhere.

Like, shopping boxes. Bathing supplies. Socks. I’m still on the phone with Anita, who’s apologizing about a billion things, but my eyes are locked on the pile. Are those… panties?

I rub my eyes, and look again. Yep. Definitely panties. All pink, with little ribbon details, like something a teenager would wear. Or, you know, me.

“I’m so sorry, we’re gonna add some months to your lease—”

“Okay, bye Anita.” I hang up and just stare at this… this situation. There’s an iced matcha latte on the e table. I look into the shopping bags and it has sweatshirts in it, comfortable joggers, shorts, a silk nightgown!? What does Harvey think, that I’m staying here for months? Anita must have called him first, because there’s no way he just magically knew I’d be trapped here.

I take a long shower in his absurdly upscale guest bathroom and wrap myself in a robe. When I bring the boxes into the closet area, I notice there’s a designed vanity with a hair dryer and…stuff.

I glance around, confused. I was sleeping. Someone put all this together while I was out cold. Could it be Elio? That man is scarily efficient.

I blow-dry hair and use some of the hair products in the fancy bottles. Oh my god. I run my fingers through my curls and they’re so soft. I look at the product again. Yeah, I’m definitely stealing this when I leave. Least I can do after everything Harvey’s put me through.

When I come out of my bedroom, I take a sip of the matcha and wonder where Tinka’s room is, or the boys’. I know where Harvey’s room is. Not that I’m going there.

I head downstairs and finally hear Tinka’s hysterical laughter echoing from somewhere, but I don’t wanna go there first. I wanna see Harvey’s home…properly, this time.

I walk forward, past his indoor green plants, an entire mini garden under an open ceiling that’s letting in the soft morning sunlight. The doors here are see-through glass, and I go further, hearing something like a thud. Like someone hitting a punching bag.

I step closer, and on the left is a wide gym.

Harvey isn’t wearing a shirt. Just shorts. He’s pounding a punching bag…brutally, viciously, wickedly and his muscles contract with every hit.

Oh. Oh,. Did I forget his arms were this huge?

His biceps are thick as tree trunks and god… his chest is broad like an altar. His pecs are heavy with dark tattoos…one of it is the diagram of a dagger. His shorts hang so low I can see the full stretch of that V pointing down like an arrow.

His hair is tied back, and he’s so intensely focused on what he’s doing.

My hand shakes a little. I don’t know when I find my mouth opening.

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