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Carla paled, and her arms fell to her sides. “Your father sent me here to spy on you.”
My stomach dipped, and a low ringing began in my ears. “What?”
“I guess I should start from the beginning.” Carla stepped out from behind my desk and ran a hand over her face. “Years ago, when you and I met, I already knew who you were. Your father is the one who called me and pushed me into approaching you.”
“My father told you to pursue me?”
Knowing my father had no qualms about controlling my life was one thing.
Realizing he was orchestrating a lot of things behind the scenes was another.
I wanted to place my hands on either side of his shoulders and shake him hard.
“Yes, and he told me that in time you would propose because it was the right thing to do. He was pretty sure that he could wear you down on his end.”
I sucked in a harsh breath. “So, our entire relationship was a lie?”
Carla shook her head. “No, you have to understand that my feelings for you did develop, and I did all of this because I love you, Bernard. I knew this was the only way to be with you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I knew that if I ended our engagement and moved away to study, you would feel guilty. Your father told me that I had to do it because it was the only way to win you over, so I left. And I stayed away in the hopes that you would come to your senses.”
The ringing in my ears grew louder, and bile rose in the back of my throat.
I couldn’t decide what was more disgusting, the fact that the two of them had been working together all along or the fact that my father knew me well enough to know how I’d react. All I knew was that I kept standing there, my palms sweating and my heart thundering, with no idea what to do next.
“I started getting impatient,” Carla added with a frown. “I thought you were never going to find your way back to me if I wasn’t here, so I got in touch with your father. He told me the only way to get close to you was to convince you to hire me.”
“That’s why you wanted to work here? To win me back?”
Carla winced and came to a stop a few feet away. “Yes, but your father also wanted me to give him information.”
My stomach clenched. “What kind of information?”
“Information about the company. Client lists, insurance packages, etc. He wanted me to infiltrate the company so that it would fail.”
I dug my nails into the inside of my palms. “And you agreed to all of this?”
“He’s just looking out for you, Bernard. Just like I am. Your father wants you to inherit the family company. That isn’t a bad thing.”
I took two steps back and scrubbed a hand over my face. “So, let me get this straight. You came back here and tricked me into giving you a job, so you could spy on me for my father, who wants my company to fail, so I would have to take over the family business.”
“Yes, but when you put it like that—”
“There is no other way for me to put it, Carla,” I interrupted. “There’s no way for me to justify what you were doing.”
Carla lurched towards me, her eyes growing wide. “But I did it because I love you. You and I are meant to be together, Bernard.I know you can’t see that right now, but I know I can make you see it.”
“First of all, you and I are never going to be together, Carla. Even if I hadn’t caught you passing along the information to my father, it still wouldn’t work. I don’t love you; you know I don’t. So, I don’t understand why you’re still obsessing over this.”
Carla’s eyes tightened around the edges. “You only think you love her, Bernard. She isn’t a good fit for you.”
I stiffened, and my pulse quickened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know you and Rachel are together. Your father does keep close tabs on you, and I know that Ron is probably your son, although your father isn’t sure.”
The blood was roaring in my ears when I bridged the distance between us and glared. “You better be kidding, Carla.”
