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"That's why you pay me the big bucks," Trent said and reached out for a shake.
I shook Trent's hand and grabbed my coat and scarf, then took the elevator down to the lobby.
I nodded to the security guard sitting at the front desk and headed and out into the bright March morning. Outside, the cars drove by, horns blared, and pedestrians pushed past me, but I didn't care about the noise and smells of exhaust that filled the air.
Life was good.
It was really damn good. Ella and I were moving into the penthouse and in three weeks, I’d be married to the love of my life.
* * *
I arrived back at the building and went right up to my office, needing to cancel my next meeting so I could go and visit Ella and give her the news. My meeting with one of the IT people could wait. I had more important things to do.
Namely, celebrate with my fiancée.
I removed my coat and scarf and then went down the elevator to Ella's floor. I said hello to the receptionist and wound my way through the halls to her office. Her door was cracked open, and when I glanced in, I saw that she was bent over a manuscript, her brow furrowed as she read. Behind her was the huge picture window that looked out on the building beside ours. She looked totally absorbed in her work, which made me happy.
She truly loved what she was doing, even though it was a lowly unpaid position reading manuscripts we would likely never consider for publication.
I knocked on the door and opened it more, poking my head in. I felt bad about interrupting her when she was so intent on her work, but I knew she would want to know right away.
"Hey," I said, and she glanced up, blinking. When she saw me, she smiled.
"Josh," she said and pointed to the chair in front of her desk. "Come in. I was just reading."
I came in and closed the door and then went right over to her, bending down and kissing her warmly.
"Mmm," she said and rubbed my lips to wipe off her lipstick. "That was nice. I take it you had a good meeting with the DOJ?"
"I did," I said and sat down in the chair across from her.
"Well?" she said and leaned forward, her hands clasped in front of her on the desk. "Spill. What happened? Are they going to charge MBS? Keith?"
"Nope, and nope. No charges against MBS or Keith."
She let out a huge sigh. "Phew!" she said and wiped her brow dramatically. "I was hoping that would be the outcome but wasn't sure. What did the DOJ say about the hack and all the evidence of tax evasion and money laundering?"
"They said there was none and that the hack was an attempt to get MBS in trouble."
"Was it someone out to get Keith?" she asked.
"No, actually, it was someone out to get me." I wagged my eyebrows dramatically.
She made a face at that. "That's no good. Who would want to hurt you and why?"
I leaned forward, my hands clasped and leaning on the desk so that our faces were only a couple of feet apart.
"Derek Marshall, that's who."
Her jaw dropped open. "What?"
"Yes, Mr. Marshall hired some hacker and planted evidence, then turned in false accusations against me in order to hurt MBS. I guess he was unhappy with losing his job with your father and this was his attempt at revenge."
"Oh, my God," she said and sat staring off into space for a moment. "I would never have imagined he would do something like this."
"Me, either but who knows what evil lurks, right?"
"Who indeed," she said and sat quiet for a moment. "How did they learn that he did this?"
