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The elevator bell dings and expels me onto the executive floor. The place is dead, as it should be on a Saturday morning. I glance to my right and notice that Richard’s office is closed up tight, which is an immense relief. I’m dreading the moment I have to tell him we need to find me a new personal assistant. As soon as he finds out I was fucking her, he’s going to kill me. Once he discovers that she’s Patrick Shaw’s daughter, he’ll probably dismember my body and make sure that no trace of me is ever found.
Maybe I can tell him she won the lottery.
As I make my way down the hall, I notice that there is a light on in my office. That’s odd. It was off last night when I left and even if it wasn’t, security would have turned it off for me on their rounds.
I slow my pace as I get closer and see that the door isn’t pulled completely closed. There’s definitely somebody inside. I can hear them speaking. For a second, I think about summoning security up from the lobby, but anyone in the building must have had to pass them already, which means they belong here. Not inmyoffice, but in the building, at the very least. As soon as I’m close enough to make out their words clearly, I stop and ease back into the shadows.
“He has no fucking clue, that little shithead. He’s never even suspected me. I’m telling you, the kid is fucking oblivious to what happens right under his nose. I mean, I’m using his own fucking phone to call you in case he looks at phone records, which he never does.”
Uncle Gilbert’s voice is clear as day, but I don’t know why he would be in my office or who he’s talking to. It’s a good ten seconds before he continues the conversation, so I’m guessing he’s on the phone with someone.
“Just remember that you promised me the full hundred thousand for this one. My creditors aren’t exactly the most patient men, if you know what I mean.”
What the fuck is he talking about? Who is paying this idiot a hundred thousand dollars for anything? He’s lucky he can tie his own shoes. The only reason that Clarke Hotels still exists is because I took it out of his greedy little hands. I inch closer and peer inside the cracked open door.
Gilbert Clarke is sitting at my desk, leaning back with his hands behind his head and his feet up on my mahogany desk. He looks like he owns the place. Pissed off doesn’t even begin to cover what I’m feeling right now. I’m also thoroughly confused. I should have had another cup of coffee this morning.
“It was one of the easiest things I’ve ever done. That slut was in his office fucking him, and all I had to do was snatch the envelope for the DuPont woman and toss it into my briefcase. Neither of them even knew it was missing.”
The mention of Caroline DuPont makes my ears perk up as I attempt to put together the pieces from his side of the conversation.
“It was fucking beautiful. Not only do we get to ruin Archer’s pet project, but we pin the entire thing on his little assistant. When I told you her name and you said she was your daughter, I couldn’t fucking believe it. It’s goddamn perfect. Osman has been sniffing around the board members, looking for whoever’s been talking to you. Now, with little Hollie getting the blame, it will be back to business as usual and we’re completely covered. The entire thing was a work of art. I wish I could have been there to see the look on his face when you outed her as your daughter.”
My blood runs cold and the ache that’s been in my chest since last night takes that moment to turn into a stabbing pain. He’s talking about Hollie. He pinned it on her? All at once, I realize what happened. As soon as I handed Hollie the envelopes containing the proposals, we had locked ourselves away in my office and I had fucked her like it was my job.
Apparently, Gilbert took that moment of distraction to snatch the envelope from Hollie’s desk and get rid of it.
Holy shit.He’s talking to Patrick Shaw. They planned this entire thing. Just the two of them. And from the sounds of it, this isn’t the first time they exchanged company information.
There’s silence in the office, probably because Patrick Shaw doesn’t know how to shut his mouth. This time when I grab my phone, I don’t hesitate to call security up from downstairs. The conversation trails to an end and I hear the handset hit the cradle. I have to get in there now. I can’t wait around for security to show up.
Pushing through the partially opened door, I take in the sight of this parasite sitting in my chair, feetstillon my mahogany desk, and attempting to light a goddamn cigar.
“Archer!” He jumps up and shoves the cigar into his pocket. He has the good grace to look a little sheepish, but it’s obvious that he doesn’t realize that I overheard his entire conversation. “I’m sorry about using your office, but I didn’t think you would be in on a Saturday. I had to make some calls in privacy, you understand.” It’s not a question but a statement.
My body is so tight with tension that it feels like I might unload like a spring at any second. I keep up my calm and cool demeanor even though I’m anything but.
“Really? What kind of call do you need so much privacy for?”
“Just checking in with some of the board members.” He gives me a look that’s both sympathetic and pitying at the same time. “I wanted to see what they were thinking after the Santa Cruz property fell through. We put a lot of time into making that happen. I wanted to make sure they were all as confident in you as I am, my boy.”
A sardonic smile creeps up on my lips. “Oh, don’t worry, we didn’t lose the Santa Cruz property.”
Gilbert looks like he’s about to drop dead of a heart attack. I’m not even concerned. His mouth is moving, but he doesn’t seem to be able to get any words out.
“That’s right, I spoke to Caroline DuPont myself this morning. She’s selling the property to us, and it’s all thanks to Hollie.”
At that, he finally finds his voice.
“But she’s Patrick Shaw’s daughter!”
My face turns to stone, and I give him a look that tells him I know everything. “How would you know that? I only found out last night and I haven’t told a soul.”
“Well, I—”
“Forget it, Gilbert. I heard your entire conversation with Shaw just now. I know everything. Giving Patrick Shaw information, corporate espionage, framing Hollie. Everything. What I don’t understand is why you would do something like this.”
“Why I would do this?” he snarls at me, spittle escaping his mouth. The two burley security guards come barreling into the room, but Gilbert’s anger is so acute and focused on me he doesn’t seem to notice the new audience. “Of course you would ask that. You’re so self-centered you don’t see anything else. You tookmycompany from me. Some snot-nosed kid comes in and thinks that he can just take my job away? It’s bullshit!”
