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I am usually good at reading faces.
That face is betrayed and hurt-Not really the face of someone who has been caught. I hurriedly call her phone but it seems to have been disconnected. I even open Skype and try to call her there before realizing she left her computer. The computer she uses for everything that she left behind? Very unlikely.
I am about to close the computer and grab my car keys when I get another call.. from none other than Tim Buck. When I pick it, I am greeted by his sweaty face and beady eyes. He looks nervous, but what is more unnerving is how pleased he seems to be with himself.
“I have a deal for you Mr. Thorne.”
Tim Buck has a deal I might be interested in? Highly unlikely.
“I am all ears.”
That makes his smile even wider.”I get to peacefully resign from work and a glowing recommendation from you yourself, and I go without causing any trouble.”
Usually, I would play cod and pretend I don’t know what I am talking about. But I don’t have any patience left in me when I have a certain runaway brunette to find.
“Why would I do that Mr. Buck?”
He gives me a smarmy smile before talking, “Because I have a video of your beloved Anna and you getting all sexy on screen. If you don’t believe me check your email.”
Now that has me scrambling to open the email and sure enough, there is an attachment. The video has a split screen like there was a third person connected to the call watching the two of us, but there is no mistaking it. It is a video of the day Anna stripped for me.
“How did you get this?”
He shrugs so casually looking so cocky in himself so I hit record, “She is my employee. It isn’t that hard to get in her computer when you have been making googly eyes at each other for years.”
If this video does get out, he knows what will happen. There isn’t a no fraternizing policy in the office so that is not the problem, but this might get me in trouble with the investors. That is not really a problem to me when my investors happen to be family and I own fifty two percent of the company. The problem will be with Anna because she will be discredited and looked down upon. She might not even be discriminated against in the office or bullied to the point of quitting.
“You hacked her to get to me. Do you realize you have just about destroyed Anna’s life?”
He doesn’t deny it. Instead, he shrugs again so non-challantly that I fist my fingers wanting to punch him badly.”Nothing personal. She just happened to hold your interest and most likely to replace me. I swear it want personal.” He is so confident he has me in a tight spot that he leans forward, “Do we have a deal?”
I nod knowing I mean no part of it.
“We have a deal Tim Buck.”
I have each and every plan of going back on my word. My hands are shaking with anger as I call Michael and relay some of the details of my deal with Mr Buck leaving out the contents of the video. I love Anna, no way would I see her disgraced in that way.
I love her.
Of course I am in love with Anna Mallon. Why else would I be this panicked at loosing her? Why else would the thought of her hiding from me hurt me so badly? Why else would I want us to be exclusively together.
“How does Anna Mallon fit into the equation though?” Michael is still talking.”She is just an employee.”
“She fits in because she is mine.”
There is a long stretch of silence on the other side, but I don’t regret saying that for one moment.
“Send me the recording then. It should be enough to get Anna vindicated. We might be able to retrieve the video since we have administrative permission to his computer.”
When I get off the phone, I immediately call security to retrieve Tim’s computer and hand him to the authorities. The computer is company property after all. There is the possibility of him having the video on another device, but that is a PR nightmare I am willing to deal with.
When I do get to Anna’s place later, my heart sinks even further. The caretaker let’s me in with a spare key and I take in everything. The place is deserted and there is no sign of her anywhere. She has however left a simple note beside a phone that has been switched off on the coffee table. On the note is the password to her computer, and words that rob me of my every strength.
I love you Liam, but we both know it had to end sometime. Sorry to run, but I didn’t do this.
