Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Now Blake telling me not to go anywhere unless I was with one of his security guards is sticking out in my mind. He said it was to be safe with everything that is happening. I trusted that.
What if I'm doing it all over again? Believing what I'm told and taking it at face value? Everyone could be lying to keep me in my place. To use me to gain the upper hand somehow.
What steps might I take to seek answers? I stand, glancing around like a clue is going to hit me in the face that I hadn't noticed before.
I sent Blake a text telling him that I miss him. He responds back that he misses me too. Now I'm not sure why I thought that might reveal anything. I try a call next, and he's quick to answer. In the background I hear a female voice, and I know it's his assistant. She doesn't care for me. I can sense it. I went to a very prestigious school. I can spot a mean girl from a mile away.
"Honey, is everything okay?" I suppose this is the first time I have called him. When he's gone into the office, I haven't bothered him. He is working and trying to untangle a mess. What if it's not that at all, and he's simply working, but he's got me on a line and in my place?
"Yes."
"You miss me that much?" I can hear the smile in his voice, making me feel guilty.
“Was only checking in on you. See if you want me to bring lunch.”
“Lunch?”
“I already ordered lunch,” Emily says in the background.
“You want to come here for lunch?” he asks, and I don’t know if he’s ignoring Emily or hoping I didn’t hear her. Or I’m simply trying to find out if he’s up to something.
“No, it’s fine. You do what you need, and I’ll handle dinner.”
“Shit, I meant to text you. I have a late meeting. I’ll see if—"
"Don't. I can make us a later dinner. You just text me when you're going to be wrapping up.” This is the life I thought I would have. My husband would work, and I would tend to the home knowing that he’s a workaholic, but we loved each other. Now, that isn’t a life I want at all. A part-time husband and father isn’t going to work for me.
If it is true that Blake wants to leave, it could only mean he wants to exit this company. He could go on to start another of his own. He expanded his old company with this one. He might want that back, and Blake has always been very driven. It’s a part of who he is.
“You sure?" He sounds hesitant.
“Yes, I’m going to finish up the rest of my unpacking.”
“Good, I want you to settle in.”
“I’ll talk to you later."
“Bye, honey." I end the call quickly, barely letting him get the honey out. It was self-preservation. I didn’t realize what or why I did it until it was done. When you end a call, you say "I love you," at least people that love each other do. Mabel is the only one I’ve ever done that with. Whether I gave Blake the opening to say it or not, I can’t be hurt.
What does that say about me? That I’m not trusting him as much as I’m telling myself that I am? I hate how helpless I feel. It yanks me back to being in college and being so far from everyone and forgotten. Feeling as though I was stuck.
I will not allow that to happen to me again. I need to come up with a plan or go digging around. I won’t sit idly by. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
Chapter Sixteen
BLAKE
Irun my hand down my face. Things are far more complicated than I allowed myself to believe. All I wanted was revenge to make both our parents pay for what they'd done over the years. I want to return the favor tenfold, but my grandfather always told me to be careful about seeking revenge. It has a way of fucking you in the process.
If I want to simply break the company into pieces and sell it, it could put a whole lot of people out of jobs, depending on what the buyer would want to do with it. I have found a couple of buyers for a couple of the different branches. I am particularly concerned about a few of the smaller ones. My parents might be assholes, but the employees didn't do shit to deserve to lose their livelihoods.
"Would you like me to order dinner, sir?" Emily asks. I moved my later meeting with Steve, our COO, to an earlier time, wanting to get home to Truly as soon as humanly possible.