AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That wedding went without a hitch. I don’t understand why she’d call,” Ella said with confidence. She wasn’t sure he’d gotten a call at all. Beverly was from old oil money, but unlike a lot of her clients, she was as humble and sweet as could be. She’d learned a lot of lessons in life from her gramps, who she’d adored.
“Some items were missing from the reception and they were letting us know,” he said.
She looked at him in confusion. “What items?” This looked more and more suspicious. She was a hawk at the weddings. Nothing should be missing.
“She asked us to go out and look. I’m busy until seven, but then we’ll take my car,” he said.
She was positive he was lying to her. “What items?” she asked again, this time with irritation as she spoke through her teeth.
“I have them written down. I can’t think of them off the top of my head.” He finally moved, and then he was behind her. She didn’t trust him and didn’t want him out of her view, but she sat there stiffly, not giving the man the satisfaction of knowing how uncomfortable she was.
“I’ve been working long hours. I don’t want to go to the wedding venue tonight. I’ll give Beverly a call myself,” she told him.
“That won’t work,” he said, his own voice becoming more irritated. She began to lose it. She jumped to her feet and spun around to face her monster of a boss.
“What is this, Paul? I don’t believe you that items are missing,” she said.
He was clearly shocked at her outburst. She’d kept a lot inside in the years she’d worked for him. Her emotions were frayed, and this wasn’t the week for him to creep on her without him getting hit back.
“I’m your boss, Ella. I don’t care if you like it or not. You’ll do your job and listen when you’re being told what to do.”
She might’ve been able to handle his words if it wasn’t for the smirk on the corner of his lip as if he had the right to do whatever he wanted when he wanted. He felt like he owned her. She couldn’t take it anymore.
“I’m done,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn’t believe she was saying the words, but as soon as they passed through her lips she felt a surge of relief. She wasn’t really sure what she was going to do next, but it didn’t matter. She couldn’t keep working for this man with zero morality.
“What are you done with?” he challenged. He took a step toward her like he was going to touch her again. She didn’t retreat but she held up her hand.
“Don’t you dare touch me again. Those days are over. I’ve put up with far more than any employee should ever have to put up with, and I’m done. I quit starting immediately. My clients can be transferred. I’m not doing this anymore.”
She turned and began walking toward the door. He reached out and grabbed her arm bruisingly hard. She was so shocked she didn’t react fast enough, and he yanked her against his body, his eyes full of fury.
“You won’t walk out on me,” he thundered. “If you even attempt it, I’ll destroy you. There’s no chance you’ll work for anyone in this town if you leave like this. I’ll smear your reputation all over the Bay.”
“I don’t care anymore. I’ll leave the city if I have to. My last connection to this place is now gone. It’s too expensive to live here anyway. You’re a pig, and I can’t spend another day looking at your smug, bloated face. I can’t wait for the day you cross the wrong woman and then spend the next ten years in prison where you can finally be someone’s bitch instead of the other way around.”
With those words, his mouth dropped open in shock. She wrenched her arm from his grasp, then threw his door open so hard it slammed into the wall, making several women look up.
She marched into her office and took about five minutes to gather her personal belongings. Paul didn’t exit his office. The man was probably embarrassed and trying to figure out how to spin this story to make him come out as the good one.
She stepped from her small office and Patty, a woman who’d worked there for ten years who was Paul’s personal assistant, stopped her.
“What happened?” she asked.
“Paul has touched me and propositioned me for the last time,” Ella said.
Patty grinned. “Good for you, girl! It’s about time someone brought him down a peg or two.”
Ella smiled at her. “I don’t think it will make much of a difference, but one of these times he’ll truly mess with the wrong woman, and he’ll go down for it.”
“He might have with you,” Patty whispered.
“Patty, I need you in my office now!” Paul thundered across the office. Patty grinned.
“Maybe I’ll make his day worse and quit myself,” the older woman said with glee.
“Oh, Patty, I don’t want you to lose your job,” Ella said.
“I’m done with this place. Maybe you’ll start a chain reaction,” Patty said as she squared her shoulders and moved toward Paul’s door.
