“Yes, we’ve seen it,” she tells Christopher curtly. “Now, our concern isn’t just that you’re head of accounts, and engaging in seriously inappropriate sexual acts on company property, both during and after work hours, but that you’re also very publicly married, and with young children.” She pauses, eyes flicking down to his wedding band with disdain.
“Look, I can explain. I never…” He clears his throat, fingers yanking at his shirt collar. “The cameras?—”
“I hope you’re not about to imply that the footage we now have has been doctored in some way,” Oliver interjects, tone condescending. “Maybe just as the documents only you accessed were also tampered with?”
Christopher stares back at him mutinously, fairly vibrating with tension, but he does the smart thing—for once—and doesn’t say a thing.
I stand up, drawing his attention as I pin him with a stare. “Well, then,” I say, almost regretfully, “you’ll understand why we can no longer continue your employment at Reynolds & Media Co.—effective immediately. Due to the nature of the violations, no severance package will be offered.”
“And I’d advise against requesting a reference,” Oliver adds.
Christopher shakes his head. “You can’t do this. I’ve worked here for years.” His expression is accusatory as hesnarls at me. “I’ve made this company millions of dollars, and I deserve a part of that!”
“Unfortunately, you could lose us far more than a few million if we decide to keep you around,” I retort calmly, leaning forward to press the button that connects the phone on the desk to my assistant. As soon as she answers, I say, “Judith, could you let security know we’re ready for them?” I wait for her confirmation before facing Christopher again. “Security will escort you to your office, and then off the premises. You’ll be required to hand in everything that is considered company property, as well as your name badge. If you’d like to appeal our decision, you’re welcome to do so by seeking your own counsel. But I can already tell you it won’t help.”
“I have a family,” he says weakly. “I can’t lose my job.”
I straighten up, crossing my arms over my chest. “I know all about your family,” I say succinctly. “I actually met Lynley the other day.”
He stands abruptly, his voice loud as he demands, “You met my wife? How?”
I flash my teeth at him again in a smile that is far less polite and more bloodthirsty. He flinches back, and the smile widens into a grin.
“That’s not important,” I say, just as there’s a firm knock on the door. “But I wouldn’t plan on her being your wife for much longer.”
Chapter 14
Lynley
“Your sister said something interesting the other day.” There’s an edge to my mother’s voice that drags along my spine. I glance at where she’s sitting in the armchair next to me, watching as I carefully fold one of Mase’s shirts. She’s staring back at me, her lips thinned with disapproval. “You’ve been here for two days, Lynley. If you think I don’t know something’s going on…” She trails off, her brows drawing together in a severe frown before she finishes. “Well. You’re wrong.”
I pick up one of Ginny’s dresses—a flouncy blue thing with long sleeves. One has been cut off to accommodate her broken arm, and I wonder what I’ll do with it once the cast is off.
I could make a dress for one of her dolls.
My mother is still staring at me, and I sigh. “Mom…”
“You’re about to fob me off,” she accuses. “Caroline?—”
“Has never said an interesting thing in her life.” I fold the dress into precise lines, despite the fact that I’ll be hanging it up when I take it to Ginny’s room.
“Now, Lynley, she’s your only sister. She said she’s worried about you.” Mom pauses, sending me a reproachful look. “She told me that you and Christopher are having problems.”
My shoulders stiffen, tension slithering through my gut. It doesn’t surprise me that my sister ran to our mother to dish all the tea shethoughtshe had. But being proven right—once again—about where Caroline’s loyalties lie is irritating.
“I don’t want to talk about it, and I definitely don’t want to talk about Caroline’s opinion on it.”
“You can’t just hide out here, Lynley. I won’t have you using me as an excuse to ignore real life.”
I batten down the annoyance that surges, hating that this house can’t be the reprieve other people find when they go home to their parents. Instead, my mother is blindly digging at an open wound, searching for a way tofixme.
She wants me to confide in her, but that’s not something I’ve ever done. I learned early on that there wasn’t much I could do to make my mother happy, especially when she ignored every single one of Caroline’s flaws. My mother was willfully blind to the damage my sister wrought whenever she opened her mouth.
It’s times like this that I miss my father the most. He was the only other person who was happy to call my sister out for stirring the pot. He’s been gone for four years now, but the sting of grief never gets easier.
“I know you and Caro have never gotten on,” my mom says now. “Not really. But she’s your sister, and she just wants the best for you.” There’s a pinched look to her eyes—one that tells meI’mthe problem. “You’re a grown woman, Lynley. You have responsibilities to your family,and you can’t hide away in your mother’s house, pretending you don’t.”
I stare back at her, pain spiraling through my chest, like cracks splintering across a pane of glass. “Is that what you think of me? Honestly?” I ask quietly, and she falters, her lashes fluttering. “You think I’d just dig my head in the sand and ignore all my problems, hoping they’ll just go away… No matter what that might look like for my kids?” Her face pales, and I nod. “I know what Dad did. Your fights with him weren’t as quiet as you’d like to believe.”
