Chapter 0018
Fiona
Shock jolts through me.
“I’m alone, Ethan. What’s going on?” I ask, biting back on my irritation. Why is he yelling at me? I didn’t do anything to make him angry… did 1?
“Come to Silverclaw, now,” he orders then hangs up. I stare at my black screen for a minute, a terrible twisting feeling taking over my gut. Something must’ve happened nce I saw him earlier. Did he change his mind?
Ethan said he was a man of his word and seemed sincere while helping me this morning. However, I know nothing about the man, and while I want to believe he’s good, is he really?
I don’t know enough to answer that question, so with a sigl, I turn my car in the direction of Silverclaw Group and hope Ethan and I can resolve whatever problem popped up
I deserve an award.
The Woman to Receive the Most Glares in One Day award.
The main receptionist of Silverclaw Law Firm glares at me don’t know who peed in her comflakes this morning, but the glaring is getting old.
“Mrs. Aldridge.”
12
Turning, I find Madison behind me. She has her hands clasped behind her back.
“Come with me,” Madison says, so I follow her to the CEO private elevator. I notice the shock on the main receptionist’s face. I guess she doesn’t see many people go on the private elevator to Ethan’s office. Or maybe she just didn’t think I was important.
A common assumption.
As we enter the elevator, my nerves climb. I’m not the only one nervous, either. Madison fidgets next to me; her fingers tap on her thigh, and her eye twitches.
“This way.” Her tone has none of the arrogant venom from before, which is nice, but it also sets me on edge. Is Ethan so angry that Madison is nervous?
I silently follow, preparing myself. Is he angry at me or something else? Did he hear about the problem with Mr. Adair?
The door is thrown open before we can knock. My eyes widen at the enraged scowl on Ethan’s face, and before I can speak, he grabs my hand, pulls me inside, and shuts the door.
I stumble when he lets go of me and stalks over to his desk
“What the hell?”
He ignores my outburst. Exasperated, I clench my fists and follow him across the room. I step up to his desk, not feeling comfortable enough to sit, and nearly jump out of my skin when he throws a picture down.
“What is this?”
Leaning forward, I freeze. It’s me and Chris in the coffee shop, except this picture is taken from an angle and it looks like we’re kissing.
מה
Chapter 0018
+25 BONUS
“This isn’t what it looks like,” I tell Ethan, looking up. The heat in his eyes doesn’t lessen. “I was meeting a friend about a job. We didn’t kiss. I’m not sure who took this picture, but Chris was just wiping something off my face. Nothing else.”
My words come out rushed, and I have to pause to take a breath before I continue, “I didn’t kiss him. Actually, I pulled away from his touch, but… I guess someone still had a chance to take a picture that made us look bad. Who showed you-”
I don’t get the full question out when I remember Madison’s nervous behavior.
Clenching my jaw, I spin around and stalk out of the room. er previous attitude makes it clear she has it out for
- me.
When she sees me, Madison jumps to her feet, but she’s not fast enough. I grab her by the wrist and drag her into Ethan’s office.
“You did this?” I ask, pointing at the image. “Was this your twisted ploy to get rid of me?”
She gulps, her eyes flickering between me and Ethan.
“You were kissing that man,” she lies, yanking her hand away. Immediately, she begins fidgeting, “You were all over him. You’re lucky I didn’t video it!”
“If it was such damning evidence, why not video it?”
She glances at Ethan again.
“I didn’t want to hurt his feelings more,” she says. I scoff.
“He’s a big boy. I’m sure he can handle a bit of bad news if it were true, but it’s not, is it, Madison?”
Her fingers tap against her thigh before she clutches them together. Her entire body stiffens like a board, and she gulps while shifting her eyes to the floor.
Ethan’s gaze sharpens into daggers, and if looks could kill, Madison would be bleeding out on the floor.
“Ethan, she’s lying… I–I didn’t want… she was- was… You don’t deserve Ethan!” She shouts in frustration. The
use of his first name makes Ethan scowl even harder, and I quirk an eyebrow at her. She’d given herself away with that last statement, even if she hadn’t been stammering for another lie.
Chapter 0019
