Dive

Chapter Nineteen

 "Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light."—George Washington

"I... What?" I stare at my friend, trying to process the bomb she just dropped on me. Outside, music thumps through the speakers, and the sound of chatter and laughter reaches past the closed glass door. "I didn't know he had a brother."

"Half-brother, actually," Amanda says, her eyes darting toward the open kitchen door. "They have different fathers. Alexander and Knox were friends for years before Scarlett came along. Knox met her at work. She used to be his father's personal assistant when Charles was still running the company."

"That's... wow, I didn't expect that." I mean, I suspected Knox and Julian must have some sort of history together, but I never imagined that Julian was directly involved in what happened to Knox.

"They used to hang out together all the time, the three of them. Knox and Scarlett would double-date with Alexander and his girlfriends. I remember Knox teasing Alexander about never settling down because he was always with someone new." A sad smile tugs on her lips. "He was so happy and in love at the time."

I can almost feel the wheels turning inside my head as I make the connections. "But Kyle is friends with Julian, and you're still friends with Kyle."

"Kyle didn't want to get involved, and neither did I. Besides, Kyle was never close with Knox. It made no sense for either of us to get involved."

"I imagine Knox wasn't happy about it."

She gives me a look as if to say that is an understatement. "He was very angry at first. In his anger, he lashed out at everyone, including me for keeping my friendship with Kyle; as irrational as that was. But after some time, he understood that Kyle wasn't a part of it. No one knew Scarlett was seeing Alexander behind Knox's back. No one but Julian. He knew, and he didn't say anything, not even to Kyle."

"Is that why Kyle is not here today?"

"Knox still can't stand to see him, or anyone from Alexander's former close circle of friends. You can figure out what his feelings for Julian are."

I mull over everything she's told me and a wave of sadness washes over me. I can only try to imagine what it's been like for Knox, to be betrayed by someone so close that he used to trust. "Do you know why he did it? Alexander, I mean."

Amanda gives a noncommittal shrug. "He once told Julian that he'd made a mistake and he was sorry for it. I'm not sure what to believe. Kyle and I didn't discuss much about it because in the beginning I felt so guilty for even speaking to him. We decided not to touch the subject soon after it happened. We didn't want it to affect our relationship as well."

"What happened to Scarlett?"

I'm not even sure why I want to know. I wonder if Knox ever saw her again, but don't ask that.

"She left New York a few months after the scandal. She was from California, and she went to live with her parents for a while. I haven't heard about her since then."

This surprises me. "She didn't stay with Alexander?"

"No. He broke it off with her as soon as the truth came out, and then moved to Paris. His mother is French."

Someone passes in the hallway, and I pause to make sure they're not headed this way before asking, "How did Knox find out?"

Amanda hesitates, and I can see the frown dipping her brows as she recalls that memory. "He caught her leaving Alexander's penthouse one night when he decided to stop by unannounced. He'd gotten some good news at work and wanted to have a beer with his best friend. Imagine his reaction when he stepped out of the elevator and saw Scarlett kissing Alexander in the foyer, her feet bare and stilettos hanging from her fingers. It was pretty damn obvious what she'd been doing and with whom." She shakes her head as if she still can't believe it herself. "Knox loved her so much. He adored her. Would've done anything for her."