Chapter 32 #2
Curtis’s CEO mask melted off, and his chest expanded.
His eyes flamed with anger. All he needed to become a phoenix was a set of burning wings.
I resisted the urge to check for ash beneath his chair.
“How dare you speak about Faith like that! How dare you speak to me like that! I’m the CEO of this company.
It’s about time you showed me and the woman I care about respect.
She’s standing by me when other people”—he stared at his father before throwing a disdainful side-eye at Queen B—“who should have my back, don’t. ”
Be still my beating heart. I knew he liked me, but hearing him say he cared about me…
and in front of his father. He was sticking up for me, something no one, absolutely no one but my best friend had ever done.
I’d known him for such a short time, but he already outranked my mother on the list of who I could rely on, who I could trust not to hurt me.
Queen B’s face might only be capable of displaying as much emotion as a potato, but her eyes glinted angrily.
If she was unhappy about how Curtis felt toward her, she should’ve thought about that before betraying him.
If only we had concrete proof. I had no idea if Curtis had asked anyone to look through her computer yet, but even if he had, I had to assume they hadn’t gotten back to him with the results, or he would’ve told me.
Knight Senior’s jaw muscles bunched like a panther about to strike. Why did I feel like I was the deer when he was staring at his son? And why was Queen B smirking all of a sudden?
The hairs on my nape sprung up, and I shivered. Something was… off; I’d bet my holey Docs on it.
Curtis’s father bared his teeth. “Ah, son, while I didn’t think you were ready to run this company, I didn’t take you for a fool.
” His gaze cut across the table, skewering me.
There was so much disdain in it, I was surprised I hadn’t withered like a deflated balloon and slid under the table.
It was hard to hold my nerve, but I’d do it for Curtis.
With unflinching resolve, I stared back at Knight Senior and pretended he was wearing a bright pink muumuu with “I’m a dickhead” written on it in huge, neon-green lettering. He looked back at his son. “Until now.”
I’d almost forgotten about the suited man.
He opened the folder in front of him and pulled out three A4 photographs.
Queen B smiled and picked one up, holding it so we couldn’t see what the image was.
She perused it then made tutting noises.
“Darling Curt, you should know that your father and I have your back in all things. I’m here if you need a shoulder to cry on.
” She looked at him and batted her eyelashes.
Argh, spare me. I didn’t know what her angle was, but she came across as desperate.
Her bony shoulder would be the last place I’d want to cry on.
You could lose an eye. If I didn’t know what a bitch she was, I’d feel sorry for her. Pa-thet-ic.
Curtis squeezed my hand again. Barely contained energy vibrated from him.
It was as if he was holding onto me for dear life, as if the only reason he hadn’t gotten up and walked out or told his dad where to go in the rudest way possible was because I was here.
Before he could say anything, Knight Senior snatched the picture from Queen B and handed it to Curtis.
Curtis’s brow furrowed as he took the picture. “What’s this?”
I saw the image at the same time Curtis did.
Everything in my body went south. My stomach crashed to the floor, the blood draining from my face to fill in the gap where my stomach used to be.
Curtis dropped my hand and stared at the photo of Mark and I sitting together, his arm around me. We’d been at a barbecue at his friend’s house. I swallowed, met Knight Senior’s eyes, and asked, “Where did you get this?”
Queen B’s smirk—was she capable of any other expression?—gave the game away. How had she gotten this? Mark hardly ever shared pictures of us on social media, and his friends certainly didn’t.
Knight Senior smiled. “That’s none of your concern.” His eyes found Curtis. “Just know that your girlfriend isn’t as loyal as you think.”
Curtis turned to me, his expression wary. “I’m sorry I have to ask, but when were these taken?”
“About a year ago. That’s my ex, Mark. We were at his friend’s place.
” My heart thudded painfully against my ribs.
I had nothing to feel guilty about where Curtis was concerned.
Yes, I’d lied to get this job, but that was all it had been about.
I hadn’t betrayed Curtis personally. Had I?
Would Curtis hate me when he found out I’d been less than truthful about my employment history? Surely he’d let me explain?
Curtis turned back to his father. “So, what’s the big deal? I knew Faith had an ex.”
My palms sweated. They would know Curtis wouldn’t overreact to something that simple. This was about more than me lying to get this job. Where were they going with it? If Queen B’s puffed-up countenance was any indication, it was nowhere good for me.
Knight Senior looked at Queen B, then back at Curtis. “These pictures are more recent than you think.”
Queen B leaned back in her chair and folded her arms, superiority emanating from her like a cloud of expensive, nostril-hair-burning perfume.
I was going to choke on it. “Did Faith tell you she worked for her ex until she was ‘supposedly’ fired from his marketing company… only recently? Did she also mention that the company is Piranha Media, one of our competitors who just happen to have poached two of our major clients? I called Piranha Media, and they wouldn’t admit to anything regarding how they acquired our clients, but Mark, her previous boss, hinted that Faith was here under his instructions.
An insider I know at their company told me that Faith was being paid to do Mark’s dirty work.
They’ve been expanding operations lately.
Their company is growing quickly… apparently at our expense.
” She peered at her manicure, admiring it while driving in the final nail.
“Faith has no ethics, Curt. She’s obviously the type to sleep her way to the top. You were just a means to an end.”
Curtis’s mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out. He froze for a few seconds. When he turned to me, his expression was careful, closed, and the warmth that was usually in his eyes when he looked at me was gone.
All I could think was, what the actual fuck?
The whole thing was crazy. “She’s lying.
I wasn’t here except to work for Knight Advertising.
All you’d have to do is call Mark and ask.
He’ll tell you he didn’t send me here. It’s not like I could orchestrate meeting you and your aunt in that café, not to mention the mugger.
It was dumb luck.” Okay, so almost being mugged wasn’t lucky, but the rest was.
Curtis’s chest rose with a deep breath. “Do you work for Piranha Media currently, Faith? Did you date this Mark person while he was your boss? Tell me the truth.” Why wasn’t he listening?
Ignoring the glee on Queen B’s face, I answered, “No, I don’t work for Piranha anymore.
I did… before. And, yes, I dated him while he was my boss.
” Shame ignited, burning my cheeks to ash.
Dating my boss had been a mistake, but was it the crime they were painting it to be?
They were acting as if I’d murdered someone.
Maybe I should take Queen B out right now—might as well do the crime if I was going to “do the time.”
It was as if I’d flicked a switch, and the light dimmed in Curtis’s eyes.
All it took was a few seconds, and it was all over.
We were over. My bones ached with the truth of it.
But I owed him honesty, no matter how badly it reflected on me.
The sense of losing Curtis word by word sliced through me.
Every syllable was death by another cut.
“I lied to get this job. I worked at Piranha Media for two years. Mark was my boss, and we had a relationship, until he broke up with me and fired me to get me out of there. When your aunt offered me the opportunity to apply for the job, I had to take it. I needed the work. I never mea—”
Curtis held up his hand and shook his head.
“I don’t want to hear it. You lied to me.
I thought I could trust you. I opened up to you.
I wanted a future with you.” A kicked puppy couldn’t look more dejected and hurt.
“Why should I believe you’re not here to steal more clients?
I can’t believe I fell for it… for you. Get out. ”
I was going to vomit.
“Just call Mark. You’ll see that none of this office espionage bullshit is real. Please.” I swallowed the tidal wave of despair threatening to swamp me.
Curtis stared at me, the blue of his eyes dulling to gray. “You want me to call the man you dated, the man who’s paying you to undermine this company, so he can laugh at me? I made a mistake with you, Faith. I won’t make another one.”
I wanted to scream, to beg, to wake up and find this was a shitty nightmare.
How could he so easily believe I was capable of that?
Maybe he’d never seen the real me at all.
It was just a fantasy in my head. The connection we shared was as fake as the marketing images we edited until they were perfect representations of what we wanted the customer to think they were getting.
It was all a lie.
“Good work, son. That’s what I want to see.
I only want the best for you, but you’re too easily led by the wrong people.
” Knight Senior’s contemptuous glare socked me right in the stomach.
I would never be good enough for these people.
The realization stung. No matter what I did, nothing would change.
The world had neat little drawers for each person, and I was lying with the dust bunnies underneath the dresser.
“Unfortunately, this time, it’s going to cost you your job.
You’re no longer CEO of Knight Advertising. ”
I sucked in a breath. We’d known this might happen, but it was still a shock. Curtis looked like he wanted to upend the conference table. And it was all my fault… or it appeared to be. I was the mistake that cost him everything.
Even if it wouldn’t win me points with Curtis, I couldn’t keep quiet. “You can’t! None of this is right or Curtis’s fault.”
Knight Senior’s thick eyebrows drew down. “Hush. You have no voice here. You’ve caused enough trouble for my family, gold digger.”
He did not.
My mouth dropped open, which lost me precious time because before I could respond, Queen B’s cheery voice came from the other side of the table. “I told you she was beneath you, Curt. You should stay with your own kind. It’s Monica all over again. I really am sorry.”
#SorryNotSorry came to mind. What was she getting out of this?
Was she that much of a sadist that she just happily rolled in the mud of other people’s broken dreams, or was she benefitting some other way?
Also, I really wanted to respond to Curtis’s father, but I’d look stupid now the moment had moved on. Why did that always happen to me?
Uncaring of his pain, Queen B slid the two other photos across the table, one of Mark and me smiling, looking in love, the other an email addressed to me from Mark, asking me to work here for a bonus and potentially him taking me back.
Lies.
Lies.
Lies.
This was a lot to absorb for me, but for Curtis, it was so much more.
He thought I’d let him down, and he’d lost the other most important thing in his life—his job with his family company.
I wished I’d never taken the position, or at least regretted not being honest at the time.
My omission had provided the perfect opportunity for Queen B to manipulate.
Curtis narrowed his eyes as he read the email, his mouth twisting in disgust. Even though he hated me, I couldn’t hate him for it.
He was tragically beautiful in his despair and fury, and the fact that I was staring at him, committing the curve of his cheekbones and sweep of his eyelashes, the plane of his nose and the fullness of his mouth to memory was pathetic but necessary.
I never wanted to forget him. He was as close as I’d ever gotten to love, and I had a feeling that it was as close as I was ever going to get.
There was nothing left to do but hold my heart together so I didn’t bleed to death in front of these evil, rich people.
Curtis and me together was too good to be true. I should’ve known not to let my guard down.
Curtis’s father peered over my shoulder toward the door. “Ah, there you are. Please escort this person out.” Knight Senior nodded toward me, satisfaction radiating from every designer thread in his expensive suit.
I turned my head. A mammoth security guy in a black suit loomed behind me.
I looked at Curtis again, hoping to plead my case, but he wouldn’t look at me.
His mouth in a firm line, he stared unseeing at his father.
How could he just shut me out so easily?
So much for him being the first man to ever stick up for me.
His support was as short-lived as any donut once it was in my hand.
The hulk behind me cleared his throat. I stood and resisted the urge to kick him in the shin. Spending the night in jail would’ve been an awesome way to finish the day, but even I wasn’t that crazy. And I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.
They wouldn’t see me break.
Holding my head high, my heart hemorrhaging like a storm drain after a downpour, I walked out.
My mother was right. I’d aimed too high, and the landing was every bit as messy as I’d thought it would be. And there was no one there to clean up the mess. I was on my own.
For the second time this year, I did the walk of shame from a relationship and job, grief burning my eyeballs.
When was I going to learn?