Chapter 98
Sapphire.
They say when there’s calmness, it’s because a storm is brewing. I’d always dismissed that as portie nonsense until
The past few weeks hall been blawfully uneventfd, Charlie had been prosling more time with Aragon, and had thrown myself into a comforting routine, splitting my time between Leah, a bottle of wine, or laurying myself in work on my laptop.
Clara said she had everything covered but
at I liked to help her every now and then. There is a new investor that she was speaking to and if everything goes well, we will be on our way to an even better deal
I was skeptical at first but I have read all the conditions we wi
being given by the client and all was fair but that feeling nogged. Clara said I was just bring jittery because I wasn’t here to oversee everything, she chocked it up as me being unable to control things the way I wanted
Everything seemed wweet and steady. But when I woke up three nights in a row in the puddle of the
inexplicable dread, I should have known something was wrong.
Je waunt until the founh moming dar Egot my answer.
I had just set up my laptop on the kitchen counter, ready to tackle the alay’s work, when my phone buzzed beside me.
“Good morning, Clara.” I saal shipping into my professional tone. “What’s going on?“
Im sorry to bother you, ma’am, but the new investor is here, and they’re insisting on speaking with you.”
Drowned, already irritated. “Can’t you handle a thought you told me that you could handle in
y were supposed to sign bon they asked to speak with you.”
“I’ve tried,” she said, “They’re… persistent. They won’t leave unid they talk to you. They i
“Fine,” I sighed. “Set up a meeting. I will call them later this werk and see what they want.”
There was a brief pause, and then Chara said, “They’re already here, in the buildingg with me.
That should have set off alarms in my head, but I was ton preoccupied with my schedule to let it sink in “Alright. Send them to the conference room, and Ell be there in five.”
“No need, ma’am,” she said. “They’re already on the lane. I porched the call through”
Before I could protest, I heard the soft click of the tranfer, “Hello?” I saul, already annoyed.
The voice that responded sent a chill down my spine. Smooth, deliberate, and hauntingly familiar.
I was a voice that floathed so much and it also gave me nightmares.
“Darling.” Benita said, her tone dripping with Exis warmth. “I must say. Like what you’ve clone with your life. Very impressive.”
My hand clenched around the phone so tightly that I was surprised it didn’t shatter. “What the hell are you doing in my company, Benita?”
She laughed, a soft, condescending chuckle that made my blood boil. “Your company!” she mused. “Is that what you think? I believe you meant my
company.”
I couldn’t help the bitter laugh that escaped me. “It’s not yours. Not even close.
“But my y money got you this,” she said.
I stood, paring the length of the kitchen to keep my mounting anger in check. “No, My hard work got me here,” I shot back.
ch, is that what you’re calling it?” she said sweetly, a knife concealed in her tone. “You used my money, thes
secure our deal”
samme money that was supposed to
I stopped pacing, my breath coming fast and uneven. “I kept the deal, Benita,” I said. “And like I told you six years ago, if that wasn’t enough for your grand schemes, then maybe you weren’t as smun as you thouglu.“
I mean, what did you expect me to do! Disappear into the earth or cease to exist So what? So your dumbs daughter can take any place! You are out of your mund.”
The line went silent for a beat, and then her tone dropped into something darker, more menacing. “Watch your mouth” she said softly. “You don’t want to test me. You sure have gotten holder after making millan off my moury but don’t forget, I gave you the life that you have now.”
be counter, gripping the edge to steady myself. “Don’t you dare threaten me, Benna. You gave me a chance to escape and I kept my
hell away from my company and any assistant.”
Youre playing a dangemus game,” she said
Lamirked, even thenigh she rouldn’t see it. “The difference is, I know how to win. That’s why I am the Lana, and I am the one lying in his arms imiral of your daugh
“Nothing you would do nothing. I would threaten you with your daughter but we both know that you don’t care about her. You only care about your stupad plans, but does she know what
Chapter as
“Not if I see you first, old hag
Before she could respond. I hung up and sex the phone down on the counter with more force than necessary. My heart was pounding, the adrenaline couning through me like fire.
For a moment, I just stood there, trying to process what had just happened. Benita land found her way back into my company, just when Fill started to believe she was nothing more than a distant memory.
What the hell was she playing at here? Was she trying to ride me sipë
Tate feeling liar this,
1 iholled deeply, counting to tento steady myself. When i exhaled, the anger hadn’t disappeared, but it was more focused now. Inreded to act, and I
Picking up the phone again, I dialed Chara’s umber. She answered in the first ring
“Clara” I said, my tone brisk Ineed you to block any and all contact from Benita. No calls, no emails, nothing. If she tries to show up in person, call secunly immediately. She is no longer our investor and please be careful with her. She is evil,”
“Yes, ma’am”
“You dad well today,” Tadded. “Thank you.”
There was a brief pause, and then she said. “Thank you, ma’am.
I ended the call and set my phone aside, ribbing my te inples. The conversation luid left me drained, but Teculidir; afford to let it show, I had work to do, a life to protect, and no time in dwell on old demons
I should tell Aragon. I have been so focused on the rogue issue that I alt realize that Bensa could be a huge problem for bruised and she wants revenge for it
דוו
Maybe
be herego w
I scoffed, like I would let her anywhere near my company. She seemed to forget that the girl she met years ago was nowhere. And in its place was a woman who would fight tooth and nail for what’s hers.
- g. Id face it head–on. I’d faced worse before.
1 squared my shoulders and turned back to my laptop. Whatever storm Benisa thought she was bringing.
and I wasn’t about to let her win. Not now, not ever.
I was still paring when Aragon entered the room, Llooked up sharply and seeing my face, he crossed the distance in two steps.
“Something happened?” He asked
I sighed and nokled, “Benita just called me.”
“What the hell did she want?”
