AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Zach ignored her outstretched limb. “What a travesty.”
From the tiny cracks in the shutters, I couldn’t get a good view of him. I itched to crack the door open and peer at them, but I knew better than to yield to temptation.
Judging by Vera’s gasp, she’d finally caught a glimpse of the remnants of her daughter’s mess on the floor. “Is that… blood?”
Tabby crept behind Reggie. “It’s Bolognese.”
One could argue that two pounds of ground beef in a burnt jumbo loaf topped with a can of San Marzano tomatoes couldn’t be considered Bolognese, but what did I know?
I wasn’t the acclaimed food vlogger.
Vera swiveled back to Zach. “I am so sorry, Mr. Sun. Believe me when I say I’m utterly horrified. The home isn’t usually so messy, but our maid slacks off without strict supervision. I’m afraid it’s difficult to find good help these days. You know how it is.”
By maid, she meant me.
And by screw you, I meant her.
Vera gestured to the mess behind her. “Oh, I hope this doesn’t ruin your impression of me.”
Zach began rolling his sleeves up to his forearm. “About my ask?—”
“Would you like anything to drink?” Vera drew a palm to her chest. “My goodness, where are my manners? Not anywhere within reach, it seems. I blame the long work hours. I’ve taken over my husband’s business, you know.”
What you’ve taken over is the living room couch.
I was the cleaner, the bookkeeper, and the administration executive. All she did was bark orders and call me useless. Even that, she only did once in a full moon.
She spent her days shopping with money she’d gotten from pawning Dad’s things, gobbling up daytime soaps, and ordering takeout on the corporate card.
Irritation rolled off Zach’s body like a thick fume.
“I don’t want anything.” He finished his sleeves and set his forearms on the counter. “Other than to ask my question, if I may.”
“Oh, sure.” Vera sobered. “What is it?”
He fished something from a white gift bag he’d brought with him, holding it to the light.
Was that…?
No way.
It couldn’t be.
But it was.
“Does this shoe happen to belong to anyone in your household?”
Motherfucker.
The billionaire asshole was out to get me.
He’d actually taken time off his schedule to parade my busted-ass shoe all over Maryland like it was a deer’s head.
Men in power were such sadists. He simply couldn’t let it go.
Fear nipped its way up my spine. Goosebumps replaced the bleach tingles on my arms.
The center of Zachary Sun’s attention was a very bad place to be. He had the means to destroy anyone with a simple phone call.
