Chapter 19
CHAPTER 19
V iolet
M onday arrives far too quickly, and yet not quickly enough. I barely slept last night, my mind running through every possible outcome, every doubt whispering in my ear. What if no one believes me? What if Harris spins this into something else? What if?—
“Stop,” Dex says softly, cutting through my spiraling thoughts. He sits beside me in the car, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting over mine. His grip is steady and warm. “You’re ready for this, Violet. You’ve got the truth on your side, and you’re not alone.”
I exhale and look at him. He’s calm—so calm it makes me wonder how he does it. How can he be so sure when I feel like my knees might buckle the second I step into that room?
“What if it backfires?” I whisper.
“It won’t,” Dex replies firmly. “And if he tries to fight back, he’s going to lose. You’ve got me, you’ve got the recording, and you’ve got friends in there who know the kind of person you are. He doesn’t get to win; this is his reckoning.”
My heart squeezes at his words. “What did I do to deserve you?”
He gives me a soft smile, brushing his thumb over my knuckles. “You’re you. And I love you. It’s that simple.”
I nod, take a deep breath, and step out of the car. It’s time.
T he conference room is packed. Rows of chairs line the large mahogany table, and every seat is filled. The senior partners stand near the front, chatting quietly while employees settle into place. As I enter, Dex walking at my side, I feel the hum of nervous energy in the air.
He doesn’t belong here—not technically—but no one dares stop him. Not when he’s got that look in his eyes, the one that says he’s ready to take on anyone who dares step in my path.
I spot Tiffany, Seth, and William sitting together near the middle, and Tiffany’s eyes light up when she sees me. She nudges the others, and they all give me small, encouraging smiles as Dex and I approach.
“We saved you a seat,” Seth whispers, patting the empty chair beside him. Dex, without hesitation, pulls out the chair next to mine and sits down. His presence at my side is a silent declaration: I’m not doing this alone.
The chatter in the room quiets as Mr. Sterling, one of the founding partners, steps to the front and clears his throat. “Good morning, everyone. Thank you for being here. As you know, we like to start these quarterly meetings with updates on firm policies and upcoming projects. Before we get into today’s agenda, does anyone have anything to add?”
This is it.
I swallow hard, my heart pounding in my chest. My hand shakes slightly as I raise it but keep my chin high. I feel Dex beside me, his gaze locked on me to remind me that I’ve got this.
Mr. Sterling looks surprised to see my hand in the air. “Yes, Miss Turcott?”
I stand slowly, my legs trembling beneath me, but my voice is steady when I speak. “I do, sir.”
All eyes turn to me. The weight of their stares is almost too much to bear, but then I glance at Dex. He gives me the slightest nod, his expression calm and reassuring.
“What is it, Miss Turcott?” Mr. Sterling asks, his brow furrowed.
I clear my throat and reach into my bag, pulling out the small recorder. I hold it up for everyone to see. “I have something that needs to be heard.”
There’s a ripple of murmurs throughout the room. I see Wayne Harris out of the corner of my eye, his face going pale, his smug mask cracking just slightly.
“Violet, what are you doing?” he demands, his voice sharp.
“Quiet, Harris,” Dex says coolly, his voice carrying across the room. “Let her speak.”
Mr. Sterling raises a hand to settle the noise. “What is this about, Miss Turcotte?”
I meet Harris’s furious glare head-on, my voice stronger than I feel. “This is about the truth.”
I press play.
The room falls deathly silent as Harris’s voice fills the air, smooth and condescending, the same way it sounded when he sat across from me at that bar. The recording is damning. Every disgusting word, every threat, every manipulation—it’s all there, undeniable and in his own voice.
“…One night. Dinner. And dessert. I will not sue Dex.”
I glance around the room as the recording continues to play. The color drains from Harris’s face as everyone hears him incriminate himself. Mr. Sterling’s expression darkens, and murmurs ripple through the crowd, louder this time—angry, shocked, disbelieving.
When the recording ends, the silence is deafening.
“Well,” Mr. Sterling says after a long pause, his voice hard as steel. “Mr. Harris, I think you and I need to have a conversation. Immediately. In private.”
Harris opens his mouth, but no words come out. He’s flustered, panicking, his carefully curated mask completely shattered.
Dex stands then, his voice cutting through the tension. “I think you heard her clearly, Mr. Sterling. Harris doesn’t belong here. Men like him never do.”
Mr. Sterling nods curtly. “You’re absolutely right. Security?”
Two men appear at the door. Harris tries to stammer something, but they’re already moving toward him. As they escort him out of the room, Tiffany lets out a low whistle. “Well, damn. That was satisfying.”
The room buzzes with energy now, voices rising in shock and approval. I sink back into my chair, my body trembling, but it’s from relief this time. Dex reaches for my hand, his grip firm and reassuring as he leans in close.
“That’s my girl,” he whispers, his voice filled with pride.
I turn to look at him, a smile spreading across my face. “It’s over.”
“It’s over,” Dex agrees, brushing a kiss against my temple. “And you were incredible, Violet. Absolutely incredible. But there’s one more thing I need you to do.”
My heart sinks. If he’s going to ask me to confront Harris again, I don’t think I have it in me. “Okay…what?”
“Move in with me.”
“What?” I blink.
“I love you; you love me. I’m yours, you’re mine. So, let’s make this official.”
I throw my arms around him, “Yes, yes, yes!”
Tiffany squeals with glee.
William gives me a thumbs-up.
And Seth is beaming, “I told you that you found your soul mate.”
I glance at Dex, happiness swelling inside me, and squeeze his hand. For once, I know they’re right.