24. Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Four
Gigi spent the rest of the day in her apartment by herself. She didn’t tell a soul what happened, mainly because she still couldn’t believe it. The deception hadn’t fully set in. Was her internal compass broken when it came to love? Did it mistakenly tell her she was going north when she was actually pointed south? Grabbing a few more tissues, she slumped into her comfy armchair near the window, blowing her nose and wiping her eyes.
Sighing, she tilted her head back, setting it against the backrest. She looked up at the beige ceiling, analyzing what had happened. She’d stupidly fallen for her boss, and he’d deceived her in the worst way possible. He’d captured her heart and was eliminating her job . . . taking her independence and livelihood. Dumbfounded, her gaze slid to the window. She followed a trickle of snowflakes as she tried to understand how she’d let her life fall apart.
Was she the most na?ve woman in the world? She’d thought they had something special, that Harris cared about her. She’d been dreaming of what their life could look like together. But instead of finding her happily ever after, she was sitting in her apartment, alone. Not even a cat to keep her company. Then Gigi thought of Rudy, and that sent her into another fit of tears.
She sniffled, wiping her nose and telling herself to buck up.
You have amazing friends. You have a wonderful nonna and sister. You are strong. You’ll be fine, no matter what. You’ll figure it out. You always do.
She repeated her thoughts, trying to soothe her heartache and worries, knowing she had a wonderful life and a solid support system. Yet, there was still something inside her that wanted Harris, that yearned for a partner to share her life with.
Just as she cursed that part of her, her phone dinged, stopping her heart. Gigi stared at the phone on the windowsill, not sure she wanted to see who was texting or what they had to say.
“If I pick you up and the text is from the phone company, thanking me for paying my bill, I’m going to throw you across the room,” she threatened the inanimate object.
A few breaths later, she gave in and reached for her phone, finding a text from Harris.
I want to give you space, but I also need you to know exactly what happened. I was wrong. I proposed to dissolve SheTime before I knew what I was talking about. But I promise you I fully believe in the business. I believe in you. You made that business, and you are the only one that can take it to the next level.
Please check your email. I sent you the proposal I made when I first got to Chicago. And I sent you my revised proposal. I want you to see them for yourself and make your own conclusions.
Then, if you want to talk to me afterward, please let me know when I can see you. Because I have a lot more to say, but I will only say the rest in person.
Sincerely how he’d run after her. Could reading the proposals help her understand his decisions? At the very least, it might give her some closure and understanding of her next steps.
Closing her eyes, Gigi breathed in and out, preparing herself for what she was about to do. Then she went to the kitchen and pulled her laptop from her tote bag, where she’d discarded it on the table. Sitting back down in the armchair, she covered herself with a blanket and opened her computer on her lap.
She fired up Outlook and saw Harris’s email at the top of her inbox. When she clicked it open, there were no words, just two attachments. The first document was titled “Before Gigi.” The second was “After Gigi.”