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Axel’sunflustered veneer made me want to beat my fists against his chest to break open his armor.Iwanted to hurt him badly.However, as much asIwanted to throw a fit, letting emotions rule against a man likeAxelwas futile; he’d never respond to it.Theonly way out of this was with a cold, hard discussion.
Isquared my shoulders.Insteadof answering his question aboutJordan,Ilet my glance peruse the documents on the desk. “Whydon’t you save us both the time and tell me what else you have gathered about everyone in my life?”Iasked icily.
Axelwas all too willing to accommodate, no doubt to show me how he’d corner me ifIdidn’t bend to his wishes.Hepicked up the file that readAmitMittal.Apit grew in my stomach with unfounded premonition.Myparents still lived inLongIsland, and my relationship with them had progressed significantly after my marriage toJay.
“ItseemsJordan’sfamily and your father share similar clientele.Hispractice is made of repeat celebrity clients.Thoughoccasionally, a surgery goes wrong, and your father has to settle with a lump sum.”
Thiswasn’t uncommon.Whilerare, plastic surgery could go south if a client didn’t follow the protocols beforehand.EvenifPapawasn’t at fault, and the surgery failed due to the ineptitude of following instructions,Papatook the hit and settled because it’d only take one incident to sink his reputation.Celebritiesdidn’t visit plastic surgeons unless their reputation was impeccable.
Axelknew it, too. “Oneof your dad’s ex-clients didn’t sign settlement papers, and it turns out she is ready to scream ‘botch job’ at my cue and the promise of a brighter career.”
WhenIdidn’t react,Axelpicked up two more folders.MilanMittalandZainaMittal.
MilanjoinedMom’sfirm, and they have been thriving since.Therewas only one instant whereMilanmade the mistake of scolding me for something.Wewere at a family gathering in our home inChicago.Jayhad stood on cue, bringing the conversations to a halt with his foreboding presence.Heapproached my brother and said, “Don’tspeak to my wife that way again.”
Jay’srefined manners were reflected in the delivery.Thewords were spoken softly so as not to embarrass his in-laws more than necessary, but his voice of steel left no room for argument.
Afterthe awkwardness of the day subsided, my family saw me in a new light.Henceforth, they spoke with respectIhad never known them to possess whereIwas concerned.PairedwithJay’sstance andDahlia’skindness, our relationship had grown positively.
Thelast thingIwanted was forAxelto obliterate everything we had built over the years.Ifthey found out another blast from my past had returned to ruin their lives, all the good faithIhad earned over the years would be for nothing.
“Whatdo you have on them?”
“Ijust signed with their firm, pending one stipulation.Theydrop half their clients to manage the vast empireI’dbring with me.”
Tensioncoiled in my shoulders. “Half?”
“Theseare confirmations of them dropping their clients.”Axelnodded at the folder. “IfIpull my business now, they won’t be able to recoup the losses.”
Myeyes widened.Exactlyhow much money didAxelaccumulate that managing his assets was worth it forMomandMilanto drop half their clients?
Asif realizing where my mind had fled,Axeldropped the files on the desk with a dull thump. “Imade aggressive investments with some of the money you left.TherestIused toward equipment.IknewI’dfind you, but before doing so,Ihad to reach the goal you set.”
Iwent rigid and blinked as the words registered in my mind.
Youbetter become a superstar with this money.
Didhe take my note as an instruction, like a task he needed to accomplish before we could be together?
Thatwas when it hit me like a train.
Axeldid all of this for me.
Ilooked around the room.Ohfuck.Ifinally understood whyAxelhad flaunted his home and possessions—to show what he had accomplished for mewith the moneyIhad left.AxelthoughtIwanted him to become rich so he’d be good enough for me, and perhaps my family would no longer think of him as a “riffraff.”
Myknees wobbled, threatening to give out underneath me.Withgreat effort,Iregained my composure and snapped my mouth shut.Therewas nothing left to say.Icould be proud of his accomplishments and be flattered by the motivations behind them, butIcould do nothing more.Notwhile he was destroying my life.
“Iworked every day, almost every hour, until my body crashed from exhaustion.Therewere daysIdidn’t thinkIcould work any harder, butIforced myself to work another minute, another hour, another twenty-four hours.”Amuscle ticked in his jaw as if reliving those moments. “Iwas obsessed with achieving what you wanted from me.Nowthat the time has come to collect the reward, did you thinkI’dleave anything to chance?”
Axelloomed over me.Mybody screamed with a need to flee, but running would be pointless.Therewas nowhere to go;Axelhad infiltrated every part of my life.
“Iassure you thatMilanand your mom are getting compensated generously,” he spoke again. “Theywouldn’t have been swayed so quickly otherwise.Aslong as you sign those papers, they’ll continue to be paid.I’llhave my contact sign settlement papers with your dad so he is protected in the future.I’llalso sign the contract withJordanand dig her out of this hole.I’lleven bring her new clients.”
Withoutbreaking eye contact,Axelgrabbed the next folder.Despitetrying to imitateAxel’sunruffled posture, my eyes once more roamed the label “PoppyAmbani.”
Iimmediately shook my head.Iwasn’t ready forAxelto kick me whileIwas down, at least not with my one vulnerability;Poppy.
“Don’tyou want to know whatIhave onPoppy?”Hiswords were like knives cutting through the air.
