45. Chapter 44
T roy
Troy walked into the office after his meeting with the lawyers and Jenna, his expression unreadable. Without breaking stride, he tossed a curt, "I don't want to be disturbed," to Maggie before shutting the door behind him.
He moved to his chair, sitting stiffly at first, then leaned back and stared at the ceiling. The decorative wooden panels ran parallel across it-symmetrical, precise. Counting them helped him focus. He needed to handle Maggie and Lila. But carefully.
After a few minutes of silent contemplation, he reached for the phone and dialled HR.
For the next hour , not a single sound had come from his office.
Maggie, seated at her desk, was unusually fidgety.
She had known about the meeting with Jenna and was filled with conflicting emotions-doubt, guilt, and self-validation.
She had been doing what was best for Troy and Lila, hadn't she?
But Jenna had always been kind to her on the few occasions she had met her.
Until recently, Jenna had treated her with warmth and asked about her son on one occasion.
And yet, Maggie had ignored her calls, deleted her messages, and ensured she remained side-lined.
She had convinced herself that she was acting in Troy's best interests. Now, she wasn't so sure.
And now, there was Sasha. The news of her death had hit Maggie hard, settling deep in her chest like a weight she couldn't shake. It made everything she had done feel even worse. She had been too wrapped up in her own justifications to see the damage she had helped cause in Troy's marriage.
Meanwhile, Troy had been a mess. Maggie had seen the way he carried himself lately-more withdrawn, more volatile. He barely spoke unless necessary, his patience frayed, his energy drained. He wasn't just angry. He was unravelling.
The intercom light flashed.
"Maggie, come in."
Her inner alarm blared a warning for some strange reason as she stood and made her way inside. Troy was sitting back in his chair, fingers steepled, his expression impossible to decipher. He let her stand there in silence. A minute stretched like an eternity. Maggie swallowed hard.
Troy had learned long ago that if you held eye contact and remained silent, people filled in the gaps themselves. It was a skill he had perfected in front of a mirror-rarely used, but highly effective.
"Maggie, how long have you worked for me?" His voice was calm, even.
"Ten years," she answered, her own voice unsteady.
"Ten years," he echoed. "And in those ten years, have I treated you well? Am I difficult to work with?"
"No, of course not. You've been amazing," she said quickly, her pulse hammering in her throat.
"Then, this is all very strange to me. So, before we decide what your career progression is going to look like, you might want to tell me your version of things."
Maggie's breath hitched .
"I know you're a carer for your disabled child," Troy continued voice still level. "Is this correct?"
The game was up.
Maggie hesitated for only a second before words tumbled out in a nervous confession.
She spoke of how she had conveniently 'forgotten' to pass along Jenna's calls and messages, deleted call history, and manipulated Troy's schedule to align with Lila's.
It all seemed harmless at first, a little something she could do for her idol.
She had provided Lila with information about his whereabouts, subtly orchestrating business trips and meetings.
She had done it all under the assumption that she was helping him, giving him what he wanted.
Troy listened, his expression blank. When she finished, he let the silence stretch once more. Then, he leaned forward.
"The gala," he said, his voice quieter now. "What a circus that was. Would you like to tell me your role in it?"
Maggie hesitated. She didn't have to answer. But she knew she had already lost.
She opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Troy sighed dramatically.
"Oh dear. I seem to have forgotten something.
" He reached down and pressed a button on his phone.
"Mrs. Susanna Davies in HR has been listening in.
My mistake. Forgot to turn that off. And, as you know, all calls are recorded. You don't mind, do you?"
Maggie's shoulders slumped. Her face paled, and her lips pressed together before she finally exhaled. "No, I don't mind."
"Good." Troy leaned back again, his gaze never leaving hers. "Now, Susanna Davies is going to join us, and I'm going to ask Mack to come in here as well. Let's finish this, shall we?"