Oliver's POV
"Why did you do that?" I asked Benjamin, my voice raw. I wasn't even sure what emotion was winning inside me: confusion, anger, guilt, or the crushing shame of knowing he'd known everything long before I confessed.
"Because my children chose you," Benjamin replied without hesitation. "So who am I to hinder that?" His gaze softened. "If you wanted to punish me through them, then so be it. But I trust my children—I know their hearts. One way or another, they were bound to win you over. Just like you and Nick. You became best friends, didn't you?"
Nick cleared his throat, and when I turned, he had the audacity to look smug. "Just to be clear—I already knew what your intention was back then. So it's not just Dad. I was in on it, too."
My jaw dropped. "You—what?"
He shrugged. Like it was nothing.
I whipped back to Benjamin. "Haven't you ever considered the possibility that they wouldn't win me over? That I'd end up turning into someone like Jay or Dante Gambino?"
