Chapter 34 #2
She didn’t do it on purpose. She had her own issues—being partnered with Bob was a result.
I should feel sorry for her. As for finding someone as equally as undesirable as Bob, I’d rather be single.
Which would be okay. It really would. Coming “home” again had opened my eyes.
My mother had settled after having her heart broken.
I didn’t have to. I was going to rebuild my life and never settle.
If that meant staying on my lonesome forever, so be it.
My happiness was on my shoulders, no one else’s.
So, what did I want in life?
To be loved.
To support myself by doing the job I loved.
To one day look back on my life and know that I lived it the way I wanted to. The way I deserved, not the way other people thought I deserved.
Curtis might have broken my heart because he wasn’t strong enough to slide out from under his father’s influence. Would he ever find happiness? I had no idea, but I didn’t want to repeat his mistakes either.
My mother’s beliefs didn’t define me. I had to believe that Curtis did care about me because we were right together. It was just a shame he couldn’t be the man I needed, just like my mother couldn’t be the parent I needed.
My expectations of other people were gone.
It was time to have expectations of myself.
With that in mind, I grabbed my laptop. It had taken most of my twenties, but I was finally growing up. As twisted as it was, I had Curtis to thank. If he hadn’t destroyed my heart, I wouldn’t be here now, waking up to the truth.
It was time to move on. I could get past my heartbreak, be my own superhero.
Pretending I didn’t feel like crying at never seeing Curtis again, I donned my metaphorical superhero costume.
Donut Girl could leap breakups in a single bound!
She could stop the romantic bullets men shot her way.
And her X-ray vision could see into men’s hearts and pick the bad ones, sending them on their way.
Now I just had to live it.
Two nights later, after eating a dinner I cooked—I was paranoid about pulling my weight—Mom, Brandy, and her father sat on one couch together while I settled into the ratty, green armchair that had been here for as long as I could remember.
The TV was on, and we were five minutes into the news when an ad break aired.
I shouldn’t be nervous about my good news, but Mom would no doubt be unimpressed. “I heard back from Megan today. I got the job at Spicer’s. I start tomorrow.”
My mother’s eyes widened. “That’s good. I was beginning to think you’d be mooching here forever.” Bob grunted. I had to assume he agreed.
I blinked. I’d been here for three days, for fuck’s sake. I also didn’t mention that I’d paid for groceries yesterday and had been cooking dinner every night.
Brandy stopped chewing gum to smirk. “Yeah, it’s about time, Faith.”
Yep, congratulations to me. The unfurling of disappointment in my chest was a surprise since I didn’t think I had any expectations left. I must have had some though, because instead of quietly texting Mom this afternoon when I found out, I waited like an idiot to tell them all at once.
“Oh look.” Brandy stared at the TV. The news was back on. “Turn it up, Dad.” Yes, please drown out the gross sounds of her chewing her gum.
Just when I thought I wouldn’t have to see Curtis ever again, there he was.
The picture on the screen was of him in a tux looking like the king of the world, his expression serious, his demeanor commanding.
Confidence oozed from every sexy inch of him.
My stomach somersaulted before blowing the landing, the swoop of joy of seeing him ended with a punch of pain.
Bold text underlined the picture. “Knight Advertising CEO, Curtis Knight, fired in disgrace. New CEO appointed.” The anchor helpfully said it aloud as well.
“I knew he had to be a loser,” Brandy said gleefully. “Or why else would he date you?”
Why indeed.
The question I’d asked myself a hundred times.
Each time, I’d come up with an answer that I knew was true—I was convenient.
I’d also tried to make myself feel better by thinking maybe I was wrong, that he was different.
If my life were a game show, the buzzer would’ve sounded, indicating an incorrect answer.
A reporter standing with Knight Senior and Queen B came on, staring down the barrel of the camera.
“I’m with Mr. John Knight, major shareholder and director of Knight Advertising, and his new CEO, Victoria Worthington.
” He turned to John. “This move was unexpected. Can you tell us what led to the appointment of Ms. Worthington?”
“I’d rather not comment. Suffice to say, Victoria has the killer attitude we require to attain outstanding results.
Her values are more in line with what the board and our shareholders are after.
Curtis lacked leadership skills. We’re looking forward to having Victoria at the helm.
” So much for not elaborating. He also deserved an award for lying.
I only deserved a minor award compared to his performance. It was podium worthy.
They wanted a dishonest, cutthroat environment where only the evilest survived. I had to assume Curtis knew about this. How was he coping, having his reputation shoved further into the mud?
Victoria smiled and looked down her nose at the reporter.
I remembered that look well. At least I wasn’t on the receiving end of it this time.
“I’m going to take this company to the next level.
As lovely as Curtis is, as his father said, he didn’t quite have what it takes to run a company of this size.
” What a bitch. Curtis turning on me burned like nothing else ever had, but it was probably nothing compared to how he felt—one of his oldest friends hadn’t just stabbed him in the back; she’d gone for the jugular too.
How would he get any kind of job after this?
Would he even be able to start his own company?
I had to hope there were people out there he’d dealt with before who knew the real him.
The camera panned out as they said their goodbyes. Victoria slid on her designer sunglasses, the diamantés sparkling across the top of her frames looking like bedazzled eyebrows.
I sucked in a breath.
Those glasses, that red coat, her black stilettoes with red cherries all over them. That’s where I’d seen them before! I’d noticed her shoes at work and had a déjà vu moment, but it was the combination of all three that made everything clear.
I stood. Brandy looked at me. “Going to have a cry? Boohoo.”
Instead of defending myself, I decided not to care what anyone in this house thought. “Yeah, sure.” I smiled, drawing a confused look from her. Then her eyes narrowed. Good, she could wonder what I was off to do. Maybe she’d even lose sleep over it.
I slid my phone from my pocket and went into the bathroom. It was too cold to go outside, and I couldn’t be bothered putting extra clothes on. And with a bit of luck, someone else would need to use the bathroom and wouldn’t be able to because I was in there. It was the little things.
Amy answered on the third ring. “Hey, Faith. Is everything okay?”
“Yes. Um, I remembered something that could be important. You’re still helping Curtis, aren’t you?”
She paused. Her voice was gentle when she answered, “Yes. He’s paying us to follow up on the losing-client stuff. I can’t say much more—you understand.”
“Lawyer/client privilege. Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I don’t need to know.” I wanted to know, to ask if he was okay, but did I really want to hear he was fine and dating again? No. My heart had been savaged enough. “I just saw an interview on TV. Victoria is definitely the one sabotaging him.”
“We figured, but other than those two women, we haven’t proven anything yet. We still have to access her computers, but it’s harder now Curtis isn’t working there. He, ah… Um, forget it. I can’t say anymore. Tell me what you found.”
“Okay, well, I found it weird that she had those pictures of me and Mark when they’d never been shared on social media, and I certainly didn’t have any of them on my phone or anything.” Someone knocked on the door.
“Hurry up. I’m busting.”
I grinned. “Sorry, sis, but I’m gonna be a while.”
She banged the door harder. “Get out of there!”
I stuck one finger in my ear and ignored her as she continued to thump on the door like a five-year-old. Lowering my voice, I said, “She visited Amanda more than once, but she was always in sunglasses, maybe so no one recognized her—not that she’s famous, but you know.”
“Well, she’s famous now because she’s CEO of Knight Advertising.”
“Yeah, anyway. I remember one specific time when Amanda said an old friend from college was visiting. She’d canceled a meeting for it, so I supposed Victoria had dropped in on short notice. Anyway, Victoria was wearing the exact sunglasses, shoes, and coat I saw her in tonight.”
“Anyone could own those clothes.”
“It was those black and red-cherry Louboutins. Other than the height, I’d thought they were pretty, so I looked them up.
They’re a limited edition, and I’ve never seen anyone else wearing them.
And those glasses, I remember thinking how the diamantés looked like stupid, rich-person eyebrows, like you know how people get diamonds put in their teeth and just look dumb? ”
She chuckled. “If you’re right, we should be able to tie her to Piranha Media. So, she must’ve been sending the clients their way after upsetting them on purpose. But why?” She was a lawyer, so I assumed she could work it out, but I’d give her my thoughts anyway.
“To make Curtis look bad. To give her friend some money. Maybe she was getting kickbacks too? Who can say? All I know is that Curtis got shafted, and she’s landed one of the biggest jobs in advertising. I can’t believe I ended up there of all places. What are the odds?”
“Maybe go buy a lottery ticket. In the meantime, I’ll follow this up. I know you can’t prove you saw her at Piranha, but you’ve given me something to work with. I’ll dig as deep as I can. And thanks, Faith. I know helping an ex is hard.”
I sighed. I wanted to hate him, but I could only blame myself for what happened.
He was never going to be what I wanted or deserved.
It was on me to realize that from the start.
Besides, he wasn’t a horrible person, just damaged…
like so many of us were. Amy would probably have words with me if she knew I was still making excuses for him.
She might be representing him, but she was still my best friend.
“Moooooom, Faith won’t get out of the bathroom. I need to go. I’m desperate.”
“Who’s yelling in the background?”
I laughed. “Brandy needs to go to the toilet, but I’m in here, taking my time.” I stood up and turned the shower on. Enjoy the sounds of running water, Brandy.
“Remind me never to piss you off.”
“You never could.” I pushed down the wave of sadness that my life had been reduced to being a heartbroken single woman locking herself in the bathroom for privacy and amusement.
“Anyway, don’t tell him it was me. I don’t want to seem even more pathetic to him.
He’s probably already fooling some other unsuspecting woman into falling for him. ”
“Oh, Faith. I’m sorry. I don’t think he w—”
“Save it. It’s okay. I’m going to move on, eventually. I have to go now, before they call the fire department to break the door down. Good luck.”
“Thanks. Also, when are you coming back? I miss you.” She was the sweetest, but as sweet as she was, returning there would be akin to asking a dieting, donut-addicted person to live in a donut shop and be happy not touching the wares. Impossible. Torturous. Just plain mean.
“I miss you too. Bye.” I hung up without answering her question on purpose. I didn’t have the heart to tell her never. I also didn’t want her trying to convince me to return, in case guilt won, and I caved.
I’d found the place I reluctantly belonged.
For better or for worse it was here.
“Faith Harriette Emery, let your sister in this bathroom right now, or you can sleep on the porch tonight.”
I turned the water off and swiped the two toilet rolls next to the toilet. I threw them out the window—to be retrieved in fifteen minutes, when it was too late for Brandy. I quietly shut the window and opened the door to a fire-engine-red-faced Brandy.
I smiled apologetically. “I hope I didn’t make you wait too long.”
She huffed and hurriedly pushed past me. When she slammed the door, it shook the whole house. I looked at my mother. “I need to get gas. I’ll be back later.”
Yep, it was the little things.