Page 18 of Angels Are Falling

I still never expected them to end up in a courthouse the moment they graduated from college. She married him, and I didn’t find out about it until it was too late.

With no other way left to sabotage them, I sated myself by watching her through the living room window of their home. Men who complained about being friend-zoned couldn’t fathom the torture of watching their person through a glass window. What I would have given to be her friend, to interact with her daily, to talk to her, to have her look at me.

Stefan’s disdain for his mediocre life infuriated me. Every time he complained about bills or his job, I wanted to reach through the window and throttle him. I would have sacrificed my right hand to trade places with him, and he had the audacity to appear grim at how life had turned out.

Amelie couldn’t understand Stefan’s desire to escape a life full of love, and he couldn’t fathom her nonchalance toward wealth. They returned to his parents’ home to take care of three kids, and Amelie acted like she had won the lottery. In her eyes, life was perfect when a home was loud and lively. Nothing could sway her—except for his dissatisfaction.

I loathed Stefan for it, though I was angrier with myself for waiting instead of claiming her. I had to watch him touch her, which drove me fucking insane. I was a masochist. A glutton for punishment. It was my self-inflicted hell, and still, I watched them, waiting and gathering information. The timing had to be right if I wanted to strike, and their desperation for a better life had to be just enough. Every glimpse of them together made me physically ill, yet I returned to that window like an addict reaching for his next high.

I lived in this constant purgatory until I received word of their crippling financial despair. Stefan feared Amelie would miss her pampered life and leave him for a wealthy man. A woman of her caliber needed to be indulged. Before, they could fall back on her father’s cushy bank balance. He grew anxious without that safety net.

It was ironic. He wanted to escape his modest life to be good enough for her. He believed she deserved better than the life they were stuck in. It was poetic. How could I not exploit it?

I did everything in my power to make their situation worse so they’d need a savior. Because by then, I had found myself wondering which was worse—sharing Amelie with another man or living my life without her? And if I were having these thoughts, surely I could instill them in Stefan as well.

I was certain Amelie would never leave him. He’d never leave her, either. But what were they willing to endure to be together?

Amelie craved balance. She didn’t dwell on the past and what could have been. Someone born to luxury shouldn’t be able to withstand a penniless life, yet she was living in poverty, immune to suffering.

Don’t get me wrong. She wept and bled like the rest of us, but she bounced back before the tears could dry. Life couldn’t take down someone as resilient as her. It was the reason I approached Stefan instead of her. Amelie knew how to handle disappointment and forced herself to conform to her environment. Stefan, on the other hand, longed for a different life and fixated on what he didn’t have. He was likely to be swayed by my offer because turmoil could only touch those dissatisfied with their circumstances.

The dinner was a test to see how hard I had to push Stefan. It turned out—not very hard. I received a phone call from Stefan two days later. They were on board, but Amelie wanted to speak with me alone.

I knew it was only a ploy to vent her anger.

I poured a glass of Syrah for Amelie. I had bought this bottle with her in mind. I knew she’d like it because I knew almost everything about her. As much as I could learn from a distance.

“I’m offering you a chance to change your lives,” I told her. “On some level, you must see the value in my proposal. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.”

I handed her the glass, but she set it on the coffee table without drinking it. This was a business meeting as far as she was concerned. “I’m here because you made my husband feel worthless with your filthy offer.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You’re giving me too much credit. I didn’t tell Stefan he was worthless. If anything, I valued your family at well over market rate. Take it as a compliment.”

She recoiled at my words. Amelie was shaking, not only from anger but also from adrenaline. Her voice cracked. “Compliment? You decided my family was for sale. You made Stefan feel like his only options were to accept your offer or end things to make room for you.” Her jaw tightened. “I have no choice left but to cave.” She jabbed a finger at my chest. “The sad thing is that you don’t even want a family.”

My mouth quirked, enjoying the sharp poke of her nail. I hoped it left a mark on my chest. “As I explained to Stefan, I enjoyed my time with you and the kids and wanted to be a part of your family.”

Her expressive face screamed that she didn’t believe a word I said. Her gaze flicked around my living room, taking in the gleaming surfaces, free of stray crumbs or sticky spots. Nothing here was childproof. “Yeah, you look like a real Mary Poppins. Admit it. Targeting a desperate couple is just a game to you.”

I wasn’t deterred by her ire. “Appearances can be deceiving, Amelie. I want a family more than anything, and I made a play for it. How Stefan responds to my proposal is his decision. No one’s holding a gun to his head.”

Amelie stilled, desperately wanting to defend Stefan even though I had made a valid point. Sulking, she snatched up the wine glass and took a measured sip, lips compressed around the glass to wring out the flavor. She glanced back at the glass as soon as she lowered it. She liked the wine but would never admit it.

Stubborn.

I gestured at the glass. “You like it?”

She took another sip instead of answering, this time more thoughtfully, holding the liquid on her tongue before swallowing.

I returned to the more pressing matter. “By now, you’ve figured out the kind of money and influence I possess. If I wanted to break up your little family, I could have resorted to extortion. I could have closed every avenue until the only one remaining was the path leading to me.”

Her sharp eyes darted back to mine, glaring. She couldn’t find her words quick enough for a retort.

“I don’t want to tear your family apart,” I said, my voice gentle. “There’s a lot of love there, but the absence of money is stopping you—or at least Stefan—from being happy. I found a way to fill that need. There are no guarantees for me in this scenario. You and Stefan have a preexisting relationship. The kids are his siblings. The only person without personal connections in this marriage would be me. I’m the only one who stands to suffer if you change your mind. Help me understand my crime when all I did was provide an option, fully aware you have the free will to reject my offer.”

I let the words hang in the air. She couldn’t find the flaw in my logic. I wanted to see how she’d handle losing the argument, whether she’d admit defeat or come up with more accusations. She chose the latter.

“You want me to be grateful? You want me to thank you for buying us out of poverty?”