Page 32 of My Hot Boss

Mom was on me as soon as she opened the door. She wanted to know where I had been, why I hadn’t been answering my phone again, all of that. I told her that I was busy, mini-honeymoon, that sort of thing. I wanted to believe that she would hear the good stuff and let me breathe, stop bugging me about the rest.

“Have you heard?”

That was an open question and there was no telling what I was supposed to have heard. I asked her what I was supposed to hear, and mom had a strange look on her face. “I did not want to be the one to tell you, but I think there is a bit of a problem. Dalian has made a fool of himself. He was mad that you called it off and married another, so he is working on revenge.”

I didn’t know what to think of that. I had called off our wedding, and I guess that was a big deal, but was it really that big of a deal? Why would he want revenge for it, and what would he do? There wasn’t much that he could do to me. He didn’t even know me really. “What can he do to me?” I asked, scoffing with the idea of him getting his revenge. I had a right to not marry him. Why did men always act like women owed them something? I didn’t owe Dalian anything, I didn’t even know him. I said as much to mom, and she didn’t want to hear it.

“Now, Augustine, you should be more respectful.”

“You said that I should pick Derrick. You liked him better.”

She agreed and said that she liked him better still, but I didn’t understand what she was getting at. I was happy in my marriage.

“Yes, but it is not good to hurt someone.”

I sighed. “I never wanted to marry him in the first place. This was you and the family that pushed me so badly, like I needed a man by my side, or you were all going to stop talking to me.”

“We wouldn’t have stopped talking to you,” she said with a sigh, like I was the one being dramatic. I didn’t forget how they were when it was time to get married. I had to marry, or they would set it up. I had no say in that. They were going to kick me out and ignore me when I needed help from them.

“You did with cousin Rita! No one talked to her or invited her to anything anymore,” I reminded her. My fears weren’t unheard of. I knew how my family was sometimes, and I didn’t want to be made to feel like I was crazy. I was not crazy.

Mom didn’t say anything, she made a sighing sound, and I knew that I needed to let it go. She didn’t want to talk about it anymore apparently, and honestly, I didn’t either. Dalian was part of my past, and I wanted to keep him there. If he was willing to do something to get me in trouble, it was probably a good thing that we didn’t get married. The last thing I needed was to go to war with my husband. I couldn’t imagine doing that sort of thing with Derrick. I wanted to work together with him, not get him back in a petty way. I really dodged a bullet when it came to Dalian.

Mom was not getting out what the problem was. She had made it like it was an emergency, but if it was, why didn’t she say it out loud? I finally had to ask her what was going on and why we were talking about Dalian. It didn’t make any sense to me.

“He called some of the people at Derrick’s work and started problems for him I think.”

I was actually feeling better when she said that, because I knew that Derrick wasn’t an employee. He owned the place. Someone like Dalian calling and talking to people about him wasn’t going to do anything. I said as much to mom, but she just shook her head, “No, he called his board members and talked about the two of you together and married. He was quite convinced that he had made trouble for you.”

I closed my eyes and swore. Mom told me to watch my mouth, but I said I had to leave. I had to talk to Derrick and see what had happened. Was there something that happened? I remembered the way he came home and hoped that Dalian hadn’t spoiled anything.

41

Derrick

Augustine came back and she wanted to talk. She’d just been to her mom’s and apparently, she knew a little bit about what was going on. After we talked for a little while, I realized that she knew more than I did. I had no idea that it was her ex-fiancée that had alerted the board of our relationship. I wanted to believe that it was all how it was supposed to be, but I wondered if I lost my company, would I resent her?

“I am so sorry this has happened, Derrick, really I am. Is there anything I can do? There has to be something.”

I paused for a moment and thought about telling her about the meeting that they wanted to set up. I thought about it for a total of ten seconds and then I moved on. Augustine never needed to know about the meeting. I would never subject her to something like that, even if it would save my ass. I wasn’t a damsel in distress, I didn’t need saving. “You can stop worrying about it, Augustine. I am a big boy, and if the board wants to make it complicated, then they will. It has nothing to do with you.”

She wasn’t going to be made to feel better. She said that it was all her fault, and she knew that it was because she hadn’t done what she was supposed to do.

“What were you supposed to do?” I asked her, not really understanding where she was going with this.

“I should have gone through with it and done what I promised to do.”

I didn’t even want to hear her. I couldn’t believe that she had said such a thing out loud. Did she hear herself? How quickly she was ready to get rid of me. It was good to know how little she thought of me.

I scoffed. “You should have married Dalian? Are you kidding me right now?” I was so mad, and I felt like she was throwing everything that we had between us in my face. What was between us was perfect, and I wouldn’t have given it up for anything. I certainly wouldn’t give it up now, no matter what they were threatening.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Augustine said quietly. She was upset, I could see it on her face, and before there was more to it than I could have said. I worried how this would all end.

“I know, I am sorry. I just have had a crap day, and I shouldn’t take it out on you. I have already talked to the board; they had a meeting going on when I got over there. They didn’t invite me because they are trying to call a vote of no confidence. I didn’t know that it was your ex that called them and told them we were together, but it really doesn’t matter. It’s not your fault, Augustine. We will figure this out.”

She looked like she was going to be sick. Augustine couldn’t believe that they were going to try and take my company away. I was shocked too, but I promised her that I wouldn’t let them. She was unsure and I could see that my words bothered her. “It is my fault…”

I growled and left the room. I didn’t want to talk about it, and I definitely didn’t want to hear Augustine take the blame. It wasn’t her fault.

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