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“Fuck you,” I say, stepping backwards. “I can’t believe you’re doing this.”
“Doing what, exactly? As I said. I’m willing to put your mistakes down to errors of judgement, rather than malice with reporting figures, but if you’re not prepared to take ownership of them, there is little I can do. Personal relationships can’t taint this, Gerwyn. I have to be an advocate of Nevilles.”
Frank is still waiting outside, hovering. The office team have their attention pricked on Ant’s office. I can feel it.
And he does nothing. Shows nothing. Gives me nothing of a shot whatsoever to address the real issue between us. He doesn’t want to know.
“I thought we were best friends,” I say, hoping the tears and the hurt don’t show on my face before I leave his office.
“So did I,” he replies with a smirk, and that’s all there is to it. He’s still nothing more than the eye of a storm. “Sign up for Prague, Ger. Don’t be a fucking fool.”
I smirk back at him, but my smirk must be livid. “Like hell I will, Ant, and you fucking know it.”
“And you fucking know me. Don’t be a prick. I’m giving you an opportunity, so damn well take it and be grateful.”
I don’t know him though. That is becoming more and more obvious of late.
The man staring back at me from across his desk isn’t the man I know, or thought I knew. He’s nothing like the man who helped me through endless nights of pain and tears, helping me back on my feet when I needed him. He’s not the man I’ve lived with for years, sharing homes with him, because he’s so generous he’d give me anything I could ever need.
Unless he is that man.
Unless I’ve seen him wrongly from the very start.
But I’m seeing it now. The full extent of his manipulation – determined that I’d fall into his trap and snare myself. Because that’s one thing Anthony Bradstone always wants, from every situation in his life. He wants control.
One thing he should know about me after all these years, though, I sure as fuck won’t be giving it to him now.
“Fine. Take this as my official resignation,” I say. “I’ll submit it in writing by this afternoon.”
That’s one thing he wasn’t expecting. There is a sliver of surprise in his armour, and he doesn’t like it at all.
“Don’t resign, prick. Take the opportunity. Ditch the crusader bullshit and count your blessings. Know when to pick your battles.”
“I’m not picking a battle. You’ve already done that. We could have talked this through, come to a solution. I’d have been more than happy to do whatever it took to offer an apology.”
“This is the solution. Fuck off and leave for Prague. And don’t even think about trying to visit my fiancée at my house any time this century. Wouldn’t want you arrested for breaking and entering, especially not alongside international fraud and corruption.” He pauses and actually smiles. “Oh, and Cass has changed her phone number. She isn’t interested in speaking with you. Not now I’ve told her you weren’t quite the innocent crusader you appeared. Not with the fraud accusations showing up. Shame on you, Ger. Shame on you. Believe me, you should take the opportunity in Prague and fuck off before things get nasty.”
“There is no opportunity here, for either of us, and things are already pretty damn nasty.” I scoff at him, then mimic his piss poor excuse for professionalism. “It’s been a pleasure working with you.”
I don’t give him the chance to respond. I’m straight out of the door and straight past Frank, not so much as giving a glance to anyone before I grab my coat from the back of my chair and walk the fuck away.
Gerwyn
I stop at the nearest shopping centre and buy myself a new laptop and phone, since Nevilles Banking Group own my current ones.
My mind is racing through the options ahead, trying to outthink the man who plots his way through everything. Ant is a master at manipulation, and I’ve always known that. I’ve just never seen how abusively he chooses to use it before.
I have no idea what he’s told Cass about me, or how he’s framed our situation, but I’m all out of faith that he’ll be treating her as his equal after Friday night. He’ll be using the guilt card on whatever he deems fit, and that isn’t something I can live with. Ant can call me the crusader all he likes. I’m going to be one.
I try her number on the off chance that he was bluffing about changing it, but it rings straight out as unavailable. It only fuels my fire. If Ant was genuinely at ease with Cass’s reactions, he wouldn’t be blocking her away from me. She would be more than capable of telling me to stay the hell away from her for herself.
