Chapter 1 #2
“Absolutely not. I’ve got this.” I assure him.
And I do. I don’t mind confrontation; I’m not sure why I was hesitant at all really.
Maybe because I know that after this I’ll be on my own again, it’ll just be me.
Once again. Well, no, that’s not true. I’ll be single but I won’t be alone, I’ll have the guys.
That thought bolsters my confidence in what I know without a doubt, I want to do.
I abhor cheating and will not stand by and let someone do that to me.
I watched it slowly kill my mother until the day it actually killed both my parents.
“I’ll be back before your meeting. If you need anything before then call Marjorie.
” With my back straight I walk to the door and summon the elevator, the file and Manila envelope heavy in my hands.
As I step in and push the button to the floor just below us, I see the three of them standing shoulder to shoulder watching me.
I know not coming down with me is killing them but I have to do this on my own.
As the doors slide closed I give them a reassuring smile and wish I had taken the stairs to at least give myself an extra minute to gather my thoughts and what I want to say.
All too soon the doors open, depositing me in the reception area for this floor.
I’m greeted with good mornings and smiles as I make my way to Gwen’s desk.
As Scott’s assistant, she sits right outside his door, blocking my entry on more than one occasion.
Today that shit isn’t going to fly though.
“Eden, you might as well go right back up to your fancy office. He’s busy prepping for a meeting and not to be bothered.
” Her tone is condescending, her face smug.
She loves being able to turn me away whenever she wants.
A lot of the time I let her because this is our place of employment and while I’m the bosses’ assistant and don’t worry about getting into trouble with them, everyone else does and I try to be mindful of that. Today though? Not a chance.
“Gwen, it’s so cute that you think you can tell me what I can and cannot do.
In case you need the reminder, I’m the one who signs your paycheck.
I might have the title of assistant, but again, a reminder: I assist the CEO, the COO, and the CFO, all of whom also happen to be the owners of this multibillion-dollar company.
You don’t get to tell me shit.” I punctuate the words with a saccharine smile and watch as she gapes at me, growing increasingly flustered.
“I only meant that he-he has a routine before meeting—“
“I’m aware of my financé’s routines.” I cut her off.
“Again, you seem to have forgotten your place and mine. No worries though, this should clear it up.” I flick my wrist and send the envelope with her termination letter sailing across her desk, knocking things off in its slide on the glass surface.
She's fuming as she sets things to rights, and I glide past her to Scott’s door.
Not bothering to knock, I turn the knob and enter.
“Gwen, I told you not no-“ He catches himself, startled to find me at the door instead. “Eden, honey! What a wonderful surprise. Miss me already? I just left you but I’m always happy to see you.” There's a genuine smile on his face as he rounds the desk, arms outstretched, reaching for me. I put a hand up to halt him just as there’s an ear piercing screech followed by the banging of the door behind me being thrown open and crashing into the wall.
“You bitch! You ass kissing, back stabbing bitch!” Gwen screams.
“Gwen, get a hold of yourself and don’t fucking speak to her that way!” Scott commands as he tucks me into his side protectively. I let him, if only to drive the knife deeper into Gwen.
“Don’t speak to her that way? Her?” The dramatics of her high-pitched voice is drawing curious glances and people to mill about as if they’re on their way somewhere that just so happened to bring them by this particular office.
“She,” Gwen stabs a finger my way, “got me fired, and you don’t want me to talk to her that way? ”
Scott looks down at me, his brow puckered in confusion. “You got her fired?”
“No,” I answer, “she got her fired. Well. You and she got her fired.” At that, I can feel him stiffen beside me, but my blasé attitude seems to be throwing him.
Scott clears his throat. “Well, I’m sure there’s a good reason for it.” What a slap to Gwen’s face. She must think so too because she nearly explodes with her rage.
“Are you fucking kidding me Scott? A good reason? Do something!” She screeches even louder than before. While I’m enjoying her melt down, I don’t want to be even more of a spectacle than they’ve already made me.
Stepping out from under his arm I say to Gwen. “He can’t do anything to help you. Because he’s fired too.” I hand him his envelope, and watch as he fumbles to open it, his face paling as a blown up picture of him and Gwen fucking on his desk is the first thing he pulls out.
“Eden, please. I can explain.” He reaches for me. “It-it isn’t what it looks like.” Is his lame follow-up. So typical.
“Oh no? Hmmm…how about this?” I hand him a picture from the file I’m holding watching as he pales even further.
“I bet this one isn’t either.” I say, tossing another.
“Or this, or this one.” Toss. Toss toss.
All hitting him as they flutter to the ground.
“Oh this is my favorite. Tell me again why you bought this tie?” I point to the pretty blue tie flung over his shoulder.
“Tell me.” I demand, anger really taking hold of me now.
When he doesn’t answer, I glance at Gwen over my shoulder, “He bought it because he said it reminded him of my pretty blue eyes.” I bat my lashes at her.
“Isn’t that right, Scotty?” I ask sweetly, using the name he hates but allows only me to call him.
With her eyes fixed on him, still as a statue, she waits for him to say something though I’m not sure what, maybe declare his undying love for her.
I can see that he pops that bubble of hope with his next words.
“Eden, she means nothing to me. I love you. I want to start a family with you. I just get so tense when I’m under pressure here that I-I just need a release and I can’t call you down to my office when they” he says it like it’s a dirty word, like my bosses are the reason for all of this “constantly have you working so hard.” He takes a step toward me, his voice pleading, “Please, Eden. Please. It meant nothing. I’ll never touch her again.
You can fire her and I’ll never even think about her again.
” If Gwen were anyone else I might feel bad for her.
But she’s not, so I don’t. If the look on her face is anything to go by she’s too shocked to say anything in her defense.
“Is that supposed to make it all better?” All the petty playfulness is gone from my voice now.
“You threw what we had away because you were under pressure? So it would be okay if I had been fucking my bosses because they’re under pressure?
I mean, if you’re stressed over work, imagine what they must be feeling?
” His jaw hardens. “I didn’t think so.” With a shake of my head I give him a sad, pitying smile as I slip off my ring.
“I don’t even know why you proposed. I’m just glad I found out what was going on before I married you.
” I hold out the ring for him to take and his panic sets in.
“No. Please don’t do this. I love you. I asked you to marry me because I love you. Only you.”
“Scott!” Gwen shouts aghast.
“Shut up, Gwen! I told you that I loved Eden. That what we were doing would never be anything more than sex. I told you!” He closes his hand around the ring ignoring her wails of “But-but I thought you would change your mind…”
“Eden, I swear to you. It’ll never happen again. I’ll do anything.” There’s sincerity in his words, regret across his face, pain in his eyes. Maybe I should care. Maybe a kinder woman would. But I don’t.
“I asked for one thing. Just one.” I hate myself when my voice breaks.
“Eden.” Scott pleads softly.
“Eden, come on, baby.” Comes a familiar, deep voice from the doorway. I turn to see Gray, Mason and Dimitry. Dimitry with his hand held out for me to take. As soon as I place my palm in his he pulls me to him, wrapping me in his arms. I watch over my shoulder as Scott storms forward.
“You! This is all your fault.” Scott shouts at the three men crowding into the office. “I bet you sent her those.” He jabs a finger at the damming pictures littering the floor.
“You bet your ass we did. Surest bet you’ll ever make.
” Gray says. “The fault is all yours. You had the perfect woman, somehow convinced her to marry you, and you fucked it up. I’m not sure if we should thank you or pity you.
” His words of praise make my belly flutter. Gray always was a sweet talker.
“You have ten minutes to get your shit and hers and get out of our building.” Mason tells them over a sobbing Gwen.
“And don’t forget the NDA and contract you both signed when you were hired.
” Dimitry reminds coolly before ushering me out of the room.
He covertly taps my chin, a signal he’s always used to tell me to hold my head up high.
“You can be sad once we’re in the elevator.
Strong, bad ass bitch until then.” He whispers in my ear.
Once we’re safely in the elevator, I slump back into the padded wall. “How much did you hear?”
“All of it.” Dimitry says.
“We were worried about you and came down just a minute after you left.” Gary admits.
“We didn’t want him trying to gaslight you.” Mason tells me. “Hard to do with the pictures for evidence but still. Fuck that guy.”
A small smile tips my lips. “No thanks. Been there, done that. Wasn’t worth the heartbreak.”
Dimitry lets out a little growl. “Do not talk about fucking someone else in front of me, especially him.”
Dimitry never did like for me to talk about who I was dating or not dating.
The doors slide open and we walk together to Mason’s office.
Marjorie is standing by the door with a sympathetic smile.
Her pearls clutched in her hand, she watches me as a mother would a child on the precipice of a tantrum.
She can’t help it. With seven children of her own and thirty-one grandchildren, mothering just comes naturally.
“I’m okay, Marj. But if you can handle things here for the rest of the day, I have some things I want to take care of?”
Mason’s head whips in my direction. “What things?”
“We’ll clear the rest of the day and come with.” Gray offers.
As if I haven’t been humiliated enough today, no way do I want to tell them what errands I plan on running.
“No. You have important meetings. I’ll just meet you guys back at your place. I’ll make dinner.” I offer, hoping that will distract them. Never mind that they have a private chef who cooks for them several days a week, they love when I come over and cook dinner.
“You’re not cooking. We’ll take you out once we’re finished here.” Mason says.
Nodding in agreement I collect my things from my desk when I remember that I drove in with Scott. “Shit.”
“What’s wrong?” Gray takes my coat from me and holds it open for me to slip into.
“I rode in with Scott.”
“No big deal. Davey will take you wherever you need to go. He’s missed you since you moved in with that dumb ass, anyways.” Dimitry pulls out his phone and calls Davey. He used to be my driver but when I moved in with Scott we drove together or I Ubered.
“Are you sure?” I gnaw on my bottom lip not wanting to put them out.
“E, of course we’re sure. Davey will take you and Bill will come get us. It’ll be like old times.” Mason assures me.
“He’s downstairs waiting for you.” Dimitry turns to Mason and Gray. “Start the meeting without me if need be. I want to bring her down to Davey.”
The other two nod in agreement even as I protest. “Dimi, I’ll be fine.”
“I’m not taking any chances that those two are still in the building. I’ll put you in the car and come back up for the meeting. Now let’s go. Move your fine ass.” He orders gruffly.
“Yes, sir.” I reply, smiling when he groans. The boys haven’t been flirty like this with me since I moved in with Scott. We’re falling back into old habits like the last few months never happened. Maybe getting over this breakup will be easier than I thought.