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Every bit of air in my lungs is suddenly gone, and I’m struggling to understand what Michael’s trying to say. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Am I doing something wrong?”
“I’m simply wondering why your work ethic has changed since I hired you. Before, you were here when I came in every morning and were still here when I left to go home. Now I don’t see you here before me or after me. So I’m wondering what’s going on.”
“Um, I was interning here at that time. I was desperately trying to prove to the company that I was a valuable asset, so I often worked sixty or seventy-hour weeks to do that. Since I have my job now, I’m on a more consistent schedule. I personally prefer working three really long days. That way, I can get a lot more work done at one time. The clients seem to like me working in this way as well. So, I pull three twelve-hour days and then come in another day for four hours. I don’t take lunch breaks on my long days, either.”
“I find it interesting you were working long hours when you were interning.”
I nod. “Yes, because, again, I was trying to prove that I’m a valuable asset to the company. I’m done with that because I was hired.”
“I liked your work ethic better when you were an intern.” His comment blows my mind, but I guess I should’ve expected some sort of reaction to my schedule change. “What sort of things will you do to make me believe in you again, Emily?” Michael raises his brows and then scans his eyes over my entire body, stopping right on my breasts.
I know exactly what he’s insinuating, and it sickens me. Nausea slowly begins to roll through my stomach, and my skin begins to feel clammy. It’s fucking disgusting. I debate folding to his idea for a split second, but I know I’m worth more than my ass or boobs. I’m an intelligent woman with brains. I have intellect, and I’ve made this firm a lot of money in the time I’ve been working here.
I stand up from my seat and look right at Michael. “I was hired to be a commercial real estate agent, which means I’ve passed all the state’s licensure exams and certifications. If there’s something within my job description that I’m not doing correctly, you can let me know. But I’m walking out of your office. You can’t hold me in here otherwise.” I don’t wait for any sort of reply from Michael because I know he doesn’t have shit on me. So I walk out of his office and head over to where my desk.
“Everything okay?” Kim questions, and I’m sure my stress and frustration are written all over my face.
“I’m actually leaving for the day. I have this migraine that just came on when I was in Michael’s office. It’s probably best if I go home and lay down in a dark room.” What I’m telling Kim is total and utter bullshit, but he smirks at me.
“Michael is the migraine, no doubt.” He gives me a knowing look, and I try not to smirk back at him.
I grab my purse from the cubby in my desk, sling it over my shoulder, and head for the elevators at a determined pace. Within five minutes, I’m walking into the parking garage and heading over to my car. My phone begins ringing, so I fish it out of my purse and answer it even though the caller ID reads “Unknown”.
“Hello?” I say right as I answer it.
“This is a collect call from a Fulton County correctional institution. To accept this call, please press one and then the pound button,” a computerized voice tells me over the phone.
Who in the world could be calling me from jail? Then it hits me. There’s only one person that I know of that is in jail right now. My aunt—Amelia’s mother.
I press one and then click on the pound button. The phone makes a couple of beeping noises, and then I suddenly hear some background noise. “Hello?” I say into the phone.
“Emily, I’m so glad you answered,” my aunt’s voice comes over the phone.
“Of course. What’s going on?”
“Well, I need you to come and visit me,” she tells me like there’s no question about it, but why would I go see her after what she did? She ruined Amelia’s life. She gave Amelia’s sleazy ex all her personal information. It pretty much destroyed Amelia’s life. There’s no question about why I don’t want to be around anyone like that.
“I don’t know when I’ll be able to. I just got this new job, and my boss is a total—”
“Don’t give me some bullshit excuse, Emily. I’ve done things for you. Things you don’t want other people to know about, right? Or do you not care if my dear sister finds out you threw away a baby?” My heart practically drops into the pit of my stomach. I didn’t “throw away” a baby like she’s putting it. I had a baby when I was a teenager, and she helped me find a good family for my child. It was a private adoption. It’s not like I threw my baby in a McDonald’s restroom trash can.
I was fifteen when I got pregnant, and I had my baby right after I turned sixteen. At the time, I was a bit of a heavier teenager, so it wasn’t like my parents would be able to tell. I remember purposefully eating more during that time in the hopes it would keep them from figuring out the truth.
Still, I don’t want anyone to know about my child… because I put her up for adoption. I never told anyone besides my aunt about her. No one else needed to know.
“When are visitation days?” I question my aunt, and she laughs lightly on the other end of the line.
She won this round, but it doesn’t mean she’s going to win the next one. Not in the least bit.
Chapter Six
Lom
“Boss, I don’t mean to bother you, but there are some things I think you need to know about,” Ludvik tells me as he fills the doorway of my temporary office. I’m scanning through emails, making sure business is done as it needs to be, and I wave him in.
“Give me a moment to finish this up,” I tell him as I finish typing up my email and then proofread it quickly. Once I’m certain that it’s getting every point across, I click the send button and shut my laptop. “So, what is it that you need to tell me about?”
Ludvik comes in and takes a seat in one of the armchairs across from my desk. He unbuttons the front of his suit and allows the folds of his suit jacket to go back as he settles in. “There are some ripples in the water with the Ramirez cartel.”
