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I quickly find a parking place in the large parking lot and rush to the passenger side to help Amber.
She looks nervous,I think to myself. I flash her an encouraging smile, hoping to show her she has little to worry about.
“Don’t stress, Amber. I’m sure my grandfather will love you,” I say, reassurance coating my voice.
We quickly walk inside, my hand finding the small of her back as we walk up the small flight of stairs. When we reach the door, I stretch my arm out in front of her, opening it for her carefully. Amber smiles warmly at me as she walks in, but the second she’s through the next set of doors, I see her whole body stiffen like a board.
Oh fuck, that can’t be good.
I quickly rejoin her side, my hand resting on her back once again. She glances up at me, and I promptly read the panic in her eyes.
“Is something wrong?” I ask, concerned. She shakes her head slightly, but her stance doesn’t soften.
That’s strange and not the reaction I expect. She hasn’t even met my grandfather yet.
Amber’s expression does not make me feel any better as she offers me a spectral smile, her gaze not softening. Confusion is running rampantly through my brain now. I cannot shift my gaze from her, and worry fills my mind.
Why isn’t she answering? I hope I haven’t done something to cause her sudden shift in demeanor,I think to myself. Anxiety courses through my veins as I watch her, hoping to pick up any indicator of what might be happening.
Amber finally regains her composure and grabs my hand as we walk towards the elevator. My hand throbs due to her death grip on my poor fingers, and my mind races with the possibilities of what may be wrong.
Thankfully, Amber doesn’t let my mind race for long. We’re closing in on the elevator when suddenly she looks at me, her hazel eyes hardened, and breaks the silence.
“Kaden?” she asks. My name normally rolls off her tongue in a way that makes me want to hear it forever. This time, however, I can’t help but detect the slightest trace of venom in her tone. “Please don’t tell me that your grandfather is the chairman of this company,” she says with panic in her voice.
I quickly shift my gaze to her, taking in her wide, nervous eyes.She’s acting as if she sees a ghost. What the hell is going on with her? Why does she seem so freaked out that my grandfather is the chairman? Does she know him or something?
I stare into her eyes before cautiously nodding my confirmation. She immediately looks shocked, like she’d love nothing more than to melt into a puddle and slip between the cracks in the floor.
Amber groans quietly. “Oh my God, Kaden,” she whispers, staring at me with eyes as wide as dinner plates.
Clearly, that answer isn’t helping her anxiety. Why? What am I missing here?I question for a moment.
The questions rattling around in my head are quickly answered as Amber turns to face me, a serious look on her face. “Your grandfather is my boss! Shit, this makes the whole thing so much worse,” she exclaims with a look of horror.
Oh, fuck. This is going to go over well.
But, I don’t tell Amber that as we make our way into my grandfather’s office.
I announce our arrival, gingerly leading a frightened Amber inside. We sit down in the chairs across from him. After a brief explanation of why we’ve come, the uncomfortableness in the air multiplies. He doesn’t say anything for a long, anxious moment. He eyes me and then shifts to Amber before settling again on me ultimately.
“I guess I’m not sure what to say,” my grandfather starts. He leans forward in the high-backed office chair to set his folded hands on his large mahogany desk. He shifts his gaze to my wife, his secretary, to regard her. “Are you really my grandson’s wife?” he asks bluntly.
“Grandfather, I hardly find that to be an appropriate question. In fact, it seems slightly disrespectful,” I say to him. He completely disregards me, almost refusing to acknowledge my presence as he continues.
“You know how much I despise liars, Ms. Coleman. Or should I refer to you as Mrs. Williams now?” he says, almost sarcastically. His gaze is virtually made of pure steel, and I can see his jaw tense as he clenches it repeatedly. The room suddenly feels a thousand degrees warmer, and I can only imagine how Amber feels.
My grandfather’s an intimidating man. There’s a reason he can rise as far as he has in his career. Honestly, I wouldn’t blame Amber for buckling under pressure.
My anxiety is through the roof as we stare at her, wondering what she will say.This can go one of two ways, and I’m not sure I like my odds in this matter,I think to myself, my fingers anxiously twiddling at my knees.
Amber sits straight in her chair and looks my grandfather in the eyes, meeting his steely but suspicious gaze. “Yes, I am your grandson’s wife, Mr. Williams,” she exclaims with a confident smile.
11
AMBER
Amber, is that really the response you want the chairman to hear from you? If this doesn’t go well, you could lose the contract with Kaden and your job, to boot! Are you going to double down on something this risky?
