AllFreeNovel
Share Us
DANTE
“If you don’t care, then why haven’t you broken the engagement yet?” Francis’s eyes glinted with challenge. “Like you said, you were forced into it. The first thing you should’ve done after getting rid of the photos was get rid of her.”
Red crept into my vision. He saidgetting rid of herso easily, like he was discussing a piece of furniture instead of his daughter.
How a piece of shit like Francis shared genes with Vivian, I’d never understand.
He looked like shit now, too. Sallow complexion. Dark circles. Grooves of exhaustion in his face. Christian’s meddling with his company’s internal affairs had taken its toll on him.
I would’ve taken greater pleasure in his suffering had the mention of Vivian not been a stab to the chest.
Shutting her out for a week had been painful enough. Hearing her name come out of her dirtbag father’s mouth, knowing what it meant for our relationship…
I clenched my jaw and forced my expression to remain neutral.
“Our conversation is done.” I sidestepped Francis’s question and deliberately checked my watch. “You’ve already wasted my lunch hour. Leave, or I’ll have security escort you out.”
“Those reports arebullshit.” Francis’s knuckles popped from the force of his grip on the armrests. “I’ve worked decades to build my company. You were still a fetus when I started Lau Jewels, and I won’t let a silver spoon-fed, nepotistic child like you ruin it.”
“You were all too happy to have said silver spoon-fed, nepotistic child marry your daughter,” I said silkily. “To the point whereyoufucked up and blackmailed him. I don’t like being threatened, Francis. And I always pay it back threefold. Now…” I tapped my desk phone. “Do I need to call my guards, or are you capable of walking yourself out?”
Francis trembled with outrage, but he wasn’t stupid enough to test me any further. He’d stormed in half an hour ago, full of fire and bravado. Now, he looked as pathetic and powerless as he really was.
He pushed his chair back and left without another word.
The door slammed behind him, rattling the paintings on the wall.
That fucker.He was lucky none of them fell.
I barely had a chance to enjoy the silence before a knock sounded.
For Christ’s sake, what did a guy have to do for some actual quiet and work time?
“Come in.”
The door opened, revealing a nervous-looking Stacey. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Russo,” she said. “But your fiancée dropped off lunch for you. I wanted to get it to you while it’s still hot.”
The temperature instantly dropped ten degrees.
A buzz of trepidation crawled over me and snaked into my veins. “My fiancée? When was she here?”
“Maybe ten minutes ago? She said she was going to wait for you in the guest lounge, but she left in a hurry and dropped this at my desk.” Stacey raised two takeout bags in the air. They were stamped with the Moondust Diner’s distinctive black and silver logo.
The buzz turned into a thousand icy needles piercing my skin. Vivian wouldn’t have left without saying hi unless…
Fuck. Fuck, fuck,fuck!
I stood so abruptly I banged my knee against the underside of my desk. I didn’t even register my pain through the rush of blood in my ears.
“Where are you…” Stacey faltered when I yanked my jacket off the back of my desk chair and brushed past her into the hall.
“Have Helena cancel the rest of my in-person meetings today when she gets back.” I forced the words past my tight throat. “I’m working from home for the rest of the day.”
I was already halfway to the exit when she replied.
“What about your food?” she called after me. Stacey sounded panicked, like my missing lunch would be cause for firing her.
“Keep it.” I didn’t give a shit if she ate it, fed it to the pigeons, or used it for performance art in the middle of goddamned Fifth Avenue.
