Page 55 of Her Wicked Plan

“That’s good then. She won’t slip up, and neither can you." He reminds me. “And if it were to happen again...”

“It won’t.” I cut him off, my tone sharp and full of certainty.

Myles sighs. “But if it does, be careful. I’m your best friend, Leo. I know how you are. You used to go after any girl you wanted and succeeded, even if they played hard to get or were off limits.”

“That was in college, and the women had boyfriends who were assholes,” I point out. “And back then, my job wasn’t at stake.”

“Alright, alright,” he says in defense. “Then don’t let it happen again.”

“Yeah, I just have to put my foot down if she attempts to provoke me again.” Seems simple enough.

“There you go.”

“Thanks for listening to me freak out.”

“It’s what I’m here for.” There’s a hint of a smile in his voice. “Shit, I gotta get back into the boardroom. Ran out of there in a rush. They are probably pissed.”

A chuckle leaves me. “Don’t get fired.”

“Same goes for you.”

Before I can respond, he hangs up on me—his last words about not getting fired ring in my ear. My willpower has to be at an all-time high the next time I see Veronica. I can’t lose my cool again, no matter what.

The hour-long shower I took helped calm me down a bit. I had to keep the temperature freezing the entire time. It was almost like submerging myself into an ice bath which sucked but cooled me down physically and mentally.

Since I already had my session with Veronica, the rest of my afternoon is free. There isn’t much to do around here, and if I wander out to the lake, there is a good chance I could run into Scarlet.

That I wouldn’t be able to handle right now. If I wandered inside the facility, there would be an even bigger chance of seeing Veronica.

I guess I’m spending the rest of the day in the comfort of these four walls.

Pulling out my laptop from my briefcase, I nestle into the small desk in my bedroom. It isn’t as massive as the one in my office, but it will do. It’s the same wood stain as my main desk but smoother. There are no intricate designs on the ledges of the top.

I barely sit at this desk, anyway, seeing that I mostly work in the office, and if I do work on my laptop, I’d rather be relaxing in bed. Today, though, I might as well put this one to use.

Once I’m comfortable in the lightly cushioned chair, I open the device and dive into research. I read the same articles on Veronica's case over and over again, which I’ve read back at home.

I’m unsure why I continue to read them if it’s the same information I already know. I read all the things that Veronica has told me, minus the graphics of how she killed the man.

My body shudders as I recall her story. The way she delivered it and her entire demeanor changed while she told me the gruesome events.

No regret flashed behind her brown eyes when she told me she slit his throat. The only moment I saw regret pass through her eyes was when she talked about her sister.

She loves Stephanie. That much is clear. However, her older sister didn’t treat Veronica as she deserved when she was younger. Veronica would have done anything to protect her sister, which cost her everything.

Clicking back out of the current article I was reading, I scroll down the Google home page, growing annoyed that nothing new is popping up. The attitude I’m forming is my fault, given that I spent hours back at the apartment doing all this same research.

Article after article glows purple because I’ve already clicked on them and consumed every word on those pages. I don’t even know what I’m looking for at this point. Something that I overlooked? Information that Veronica is withholding?

With my pointer scrolling up on the trackpad, I reach the bottom of the screen and click on the number 2. The second page loads with more articles, all dyed purple except for one.

The title was mixed between news articles I’ve read, but it is still blue. Amongst the many links that I’ve clicked on this page, I’m not sure how I missed this one.

The title catches my attention immediately.

“The Rollins Family: Using their money to hide the twisted past of daughter Veronica Rollins.”

I click the link and wait for the article to load. The news reporter’s name underneath the title is one I’ve never heard, meaning they are probably unpopular among all the well-known and seasoned reporters.