In the past, those words would have had James turning the car around and speeding to the hospital.
But now, he just gritted his teeth, his voice like ice.
"If it's infected, see a doctor. What good am I? I'm busy. Goodbye."

"James… what's wrong with you? You've never been like this. Did you find Olivia? What did she say to you? I know she's upset about Aunt Anna, so if she told you I fell on my own, just agree with her.
I'll go apologize to her as soon as I'm out of the hospital."
It was the same old routine, but this time, James wasn't buying it.
"Chloe Smith, are you done with this bullshit? Stop pretending Olivia is anything like you! She has never said a single bad word about you to me! You, on the other hand, have done nothing but hint at her faults!"
"It's been three years. What do you want to hear now? That Olivia forgives you? Or that she admits she was wrong?"
"You know damn well how you fell down those stairs at the party! Olivia would never do something like that, and she wouldn't stoop to that level! Chloe, you can lie to everyone else, but don't you dare lie to yourself!"

"And don't think I don't know who's behind all that trash online. You have three days to make it disappear. When I get back, I hope we never have to speak again."
Without waiting for her to respond, he hung up and blocked her number.
When he landed, it was early the next morning.
I was just leaving my apartment to go to a job interview when I saw him standing downstairs.

A thin layer of snow coated his trench coat. He must have been waiting for hours.
I didn't want to know, and I didn't care.
I turned to walk away, but he rushed forward and grabbed my arm.
"Olivia… it's me."
"I came for you."
"I know I wronged you these past three years. I know I hurt you. Please, just give me a chance to explain."
His touch was hesitant, his eyes shadowed with the exhaustion of a long journey.
I couldn't even look at him. I yanked my arm free.
"There's no need. What is there to explain?"
"Are you going to explain that the peace treaty wasn't a forgery? That you didn't buy that hotel in the Caribbean for Chloe? That you didn't wire her a million dollars every month?"
"James Wilson, we are long past the point of explanations."
"I know you love her. I'm giving you what you want. I left. So why did you follow me?"
"Did you want to see how pathetic I'd be without you? Are you disappointed?"
He was stunned that I knew everything, that I had seen his computer. He was speechless.