Page 59 of One of Those Amnesia Stories

“Sit. Down.”

No one intimidated my employees.

Camilla glanced between us, her composure cracking for the briefest moment before she forced another smile into place. “Of course.” She lowered herself into the chair with all the dignity she could muster. “We can talk here.”

I gave her a cool, dismissive smile. “Glad we could agree.”

Her gaze slid toward Naija with unmistakable expectation. “I’d like a tea.”

I crossed my legs and sank deeper into the couch, taking another sip of my coffee. “She works for me, not you. So why don’t you tell me why you’re here, and we can all get on with our day?”

The muscle beneath her eye twitched.

She leaned forward, lowering her voice until it was little more than a venomous hiss. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, Alessia, but do not take that tone with me.”

I blinked at her. “What tone?”

I turned to Naija, eyebrows lifting in innocent confusion. “Did I use a tone, Naija? I thought I was being quite pleasant.”

Naija didn’t even hesitate. “I don’t know, Boss. This is how you always speak. I don’t see a problem.”

I turned back to Camilla, tilting my head with exaggerated concern. “Is this one of those midlife-crisis things? Should I call a doctor for you, Camilla?”

Her face tightened so hard I thought she might actually combust.

I took another leisurely sip of coffee.

Who looks worn out now, huh?

She looked away with a dismissive scoff. “Forget it. Just tell me the theme for my tea party this month, and I’ll be on my way.”

I arched a brow. “Tea party?”

Naija went completely still beside me.

Camilla nodded, offended that I needed clarification. “Just make sure this month’s party is worthy of me. Last month was… decent, I suppose, but the one before that?” She shuddered delicately. “I still have nightmares about it. How I managed not to lose all my social standing, I’ll never know.”

She gave me a thin, superior smile. “A few compliments from my friends don’t mean you’ve perfected anything. You still have a long way to go. That’s why I’m here. We can discuss the details together and make sure you don’t embarrass me again.”

She continued talking, picking apart details I couldn’t even remember organizing, completely oblivious to the cold fury gathering beneath my skin.

I was working for this woman?

Not only was I shackled to a man who didn’t value me, but I was also at the beck and call of his ungrateful mother?

What the hell had happened to my life?

My fingers tightened around my coffee cup until my knuckles turned white.

I shot Naija a look. She immediately found something fascinating on her tablet.

She hadn’t mentioned any of this when I’d asked for everyone’s information. The file she’d handed me had been neat, thorough, and almost spectacularly useless. Just generic updates about everyone.

Nothing about this.

Nothing about the fact that I’d apparently been organizing tea parties for Cassian’s mother.

She’d also neglected to mention that Cassandra had the hots for my husband.