Chapter 34
Jeremiah
Ihad been pacing my office for the past hour, the shades drawn and the door shut since it was just me.
I was acutely aware that I was alone as I waited for any sign of Sadie returning to the office, my ears perking up at any sound of footsteps approaching.
But there was never a knock or the familiar sound of her voice through the door.
She had been gone for hours. I had returned to work without her, disproving our story of going to an early lunch meeting.
I had to face the hushed whispers and curious stares myself as I walked down the hallway, surrounded by idiotic employees who were too cowardly to come forward and ask the truth themselves.
As stoic as I tried to remain, I felt myself crumbling under the weight of everything.
It wasn’t that I wanted to hurt her, but it seemed to be all I was good at doing lately.
It was like I lost control when my life was out of my hands, and lately it had been slipping through my fingers like sand.
The harder I tried to hold onto it, control it, it just slipped through faster.
First, with the news of the baby and now with the news that the entire office knew, I didn’t recognize my life as my own.
I sighed heavily, collapsing into my desk chair. My impatience was exhausting. I reached for my phone on my desk, but the screen was void of any notifications. There was no word from Sadie. I debated calling her, but remembered what she said.
I need space.
I knew I should respect that. I couldn’t wait here any longer, though.
The pressure from outside my office seemed to be closing in.
I wanted to go home. Maybe when Sadie got home, she would be willing to talk this through.
I was eager to hear about the appointment.
Even more eager to see the scans she most likely received from the ultrasound.
I knew not to expect much. The baby was barely the size of a plum, but it was exciting nonetheless.
Turning off my computer, I stood up from my chair, smoothing out my black suit and buttoning my jacket.
I straightened my tie and cocked my neck to either side.
It was as if I was about to go to war. I walked toward the door and took a deep breath before opening it and stepping outside.
Sadie’s desk was still empty. The rest of the office silenced abruptly. The silence pissed me off.
I walked down the hallway to the center of the room, clearing my throat and standing my ground.
Most everyone looked up at me warily from their desks, but there were a few with faint grins pulling at their lips.
They were enjoying that my life was slowly coming undone.
I wanted to smack their expressions right off their faces, but I was already in enough trouble. I couldn’t afford a lawsuit.
“I’m aware of what is being said around the office,” I said loudly, turning slowly to meet everyone’s eyes. “I have every single email that has been sent regarding Sadie Lane and me.”
I heard a few audible gasps and saw a few eyes widen. It was satisfying to see them squirm. It was no surprise they would want to ridicule me or ruin my life by spreading rumors. I was the big, bad boss.
The bosshole.
But they were also doing it to Sadie too. Someone who had always done right by everyone, even to a fault. The thought just pissed me off even more.
“Keep that in mind the next time you want to speculate about your boss’s personal life.”
With that, I turned on my heel and walked toward the elevator. I knew as soon as the doors closed, there would be no need for emails back and forth. The chatter would fill the room in my absence. Let it. At least for now it was contained to the office.
Or so I thought…
As I stepped off the elevator, a woman in a smart black pantsuit was waiting. I glared at her as I continued past, knowing exactly who she was. A reporter for the New York Times.
“Excuse me,” she called after me, the click-clack of her heels behind me.
I kept walking, but it didn’t stop her from following. From asking questions.
“Is it true you are about to become a father?”
“Is it true the mother is an employee?”
“Is that employee your assistant?”
“What does Human Resources think about this?”
“Or does that not apply when you’re the CEO?”
“How does your relationship play out in office politics?”
“Did you pay her to have sex with you?”
The last question had me whirling around to face her.
Her recorder was held high just inches from my face, eager to capture anything I had to say.
I could feel the anger begin to creep up my neck as I stared at the small, platinum blonde woman before me who had every intention of ruining my life, but pushed it down.
I knew better than to make a scene when press was involved.
Plus, everyone in the lobby was looking at the scene playing out before them.
“I have no comment at this time,” I said calmly.
I pushed through the large glass doors of the building and walked toward my waiting town car.
My saving grace. The reporter followed me right up to the car door, badgering me with more questions.
She was relentless. It wasn’t until I closed the door in her face that her voice faded out as the car pulled away from the curb.
My driver eyed me warily from the rearview mirror.
“Where to, sir?” he asked.
“Home. And quickly. Before she has a chance to follow.”
He nodded, stepping on the gas.
I knew the press would get hold of the story eventually.
I just didn’t realize how soon. Someone had gone to them with the story and probably for a hefty sum.
I scowled, looking out the window as the city that passed by in a blur.
How could this have happened? It had to have been Sadie who accidentally let it slip and couldn’t remember.
I read there was such a thing as pregnancy brain.
Or maybe her friends weren’t as trustworthy as she had made them out to be.
However it happened, there was no stopping it now. It was like a wildfire that was only going to spread. I had to get ahead of this story, spin it in a positive light. It was the only way to make sure my company didn’t tank, and my reputation along with it.
When the town car pulled up to the entrance of my apartment building, I asked the driver to check our surroundings before opening my car door.
When he deemed it safe from the pixie-haired reporter, he opened my door and I hurried inside the already open door.
It was as if the doorman knew I needed to escape.
I gave him a thankful nod as I walked into the lobby.
There was no sign of the reporter here. I would have to talk to the front desk about updating security measures.
I was about to head there when I spotted a familiar face a few feet away at the bar. I would recognize those soulless eyes anywhere, and they looked at me now over a tumbler of whiskey that was surely hiding a devious smile.
Anderson.
This was the worst timing, and I knew it wasn’t a coincidence.
I didn’t believe in coincidences, especially when it came to him.
I strode over, noting his eyes watching me with delight, like a cat playing with a dead mouse.
Too bad they didn’t capture this devious side when photographing him for his book. No one would pick it up.
“Anderson,” I said with a nod as I approached him at the small, circular table he sat at. “Funny running into you here.”
“Isn’t it?” he asked, taking a sip of whiskey. When he lowered his glass, that familiar snake-like smile slithered across his lips, sending a chill up my spine. His slick black hair matched the emptiness of his eyes, as if I were talking to the devil himself.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, getting straight to the point.
He leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms, clearly enjoying my impatience in wanting to know why the hell he was walking back into my life now.
“I thought my old friend would be happier to see me after all this time,” he drawled. “How have you been, buddy?”
“Fine,” I muttered.
“Word on the street is you got one of your employees knocked up. Jeremiah Mason, a father?” He chuckled. “Poor kid.” He shook his head before taking another sip of whiskey.
“Watch it, Anderson,” I growled, clenching my fists at my sides.
“Touchy subject, is it?” he asked innocently, eyeing my fists.
He was enjoying this. It was one thing to have the office know, or even to have the press hounding me. But Anderson knowing. That was far more terrifying than anything else.
“Look, I’ve had a shit day and the last thing I need is you making it worse.”
“I don’t think I could make your life any worse. Or could I?” His snake-like grin returned.
I gritted my teeth. “I’m warning you…”
“Oh no. I’m shaking in my Pradas.”
I rolled my eyes and turned to leave. I should never have entertained him in the first place, knowing he would do the same shit he always did. I should have just walked on past, but he wouldn’t have come here after all this time if he wasn’t up to something. The thought hollowed out my stomach.
“I just want to know…was she worth it?” he called after me.
I stopped in my tracks at the mention of Sadie. He didn’t even have to say her name for his taunting to get to me, trickling into me like poison. I hated that he knew she existed. My heart stopped knowing she could be a pawn in whatever game he was playing.
“She must have some grade-A pussy to risk losing everything for.”
Everything in me wanted to whirl around and deck him in the face.
I wanted to kill him. Instead, I turned around and faced him calmly, slowly counting to three.
I would not give him the satisfaction of me losing control, no matter how intent he was on seeing me snap.
I thought about what Sadie had said in the car earlier.
Let it go.
“Great to see you, Anderson,” I said without an ounce of genuineness.
He looked taken aback for a moment, surprised he couldn’t get to me. I internally thanked Sadie. He knocked back the rest of his drink and stood from his chair.
“Looks like you might be the pussy,” he said as he walked past me, bumping past me with his shoulder.
I held my ground and watched him walk toward the lobby doors. I breathed out a sigh of relief, but it was cut short when I saw who Anderson was walking toward.
Sadie.