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“Because we’re the same. We love architecture. We’re both seeking the approval of a man who is difficult to please and we both live and breathe work.”
“You are insane. No, I will not marry you.”
Martin stood, crossed his arms over his chest and he frowned. “This is about Neil Harrison.”
“This has nothing to do with Neil.” Yes it did. It had everything to do with Neil Harrison. The moment Martin had pulled out that ring, Carson couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if Neil had been the one to ask her to marry him. What kind of life would they live? She shook her head to clear the fantasy. “This is about you being a lying, cheating weasel, and I will never marry you. Not even if it means giving up the company. You can have it.”
“I thought once you saw what you looked like with him you’d see that it was no good. The two of you are no good together.”
What the hell was he talking about? When she saw what—
Realization washed over her. When she saw what they looked like together…
In the kitchen of the restaurant.
The sex tape.
“You stole the security tape? You leaked it to the press. What kind of sick person does that?”
“You should be ashamed of yourself. The way you acted with him. Losing all control.”
It was all coming together—the reason why Neil was so upset that night when he showed up at her place. “You orchestrated that punch too, didn’t you?”
“I’m surprised lover boy didn’t tell you.”
Neil knew all about this?
“I knew the threat of you losing your job would be enough to keep him quiet.”
He had pushed her away. At the hospital. It was all for her.
“You don’t belong with him. Don’t you know that I’m the only one who will allow you to run your precious company. Face it, you need me.”
Like hell. She didn’t need him. Or her father. They were the last two people in this world she needed to take her career to the next level. She’d allowed her lingering teenage guilt to fool herself to think otherwise. She’d believed that with her mother gone, her father was all she had left. But that stopped today.
“Martin?” Her father’s voice carried from the doorway. “You were the one responsible for the sex tape?”
“Carson…Sir…I…” Martin shook in his expensive patent leather shoes.
He crossed the threshold of the doorway and walked closer, the look on his face growing more angry with every step. She hadn’t seen him this livid since…since she’d gotten caught racing.
“You disgusting little slime.”
Carson couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face.
“You planned all of this. At what cost? I took you under my wing. It was only a matter of time before the two of you took over. That’s all I ever wanted.”
“I tried to stop that security company from leaking the tape.” He shrugged and looked over at Carson. “I did everything I could.”
The weasel was even more weasel-y than she thought. How could he possibly think he could get out of this?
When her father didn’t react, Martin went on. “And we will take over.” He held up the ring. “We’re getting married.?
?? The desperation in his voice was music to her ears.
“How could you embarrass the firm—my daughter—like that? I have never been so appalled in all of my life. Did you honestly think it was acceptable to publicly violate my daughter that way?” Her father sidled up to her and lifted his arm in a gesture to wrap it around her body. He hesitated, instead taking a step back. “I’m sorry, dear.”
He turned his attention back to Martin. “You can consider yourself fired.”
