Chapter 12
Graham
I straightened my tie in the reflection of my office window, attempting to tame a few strands of hair that had escaped my usually neat ponytail. My lips curved into a small smile at the memory of how they’d gotten loose in the first place - Scarlett’s fingers tangling in my hair as she’d kissed me breathless just moments ago.
“Should I come back later?” Georgia’s amused voice came from my doorway.
I turned, instinctively glancing past her for the hovering presence that had been shadowing my assistant lately. Finding the doorway conspicuously Cassandra-free, I raised an eyebrow at Georgia, silently questioning the welcome absence.
“April gave her a special project.” Georgia’s eyes danced with suppressed laughter as she closed my office door. “Something about reorganizing three years of marketing reports by quarter. Color-coded, of course. For optimal workflow efficiency.”
My laugh was warm and genuine, the first real one I’d managed all morning. “I may have to give April a raise.” I settled behind my desk, still smiling. “How long do you think that will keep her occupied?”
“Most of the day, at least.” Georgia perched on the edge of my desk, our years of friendship allowing the informal gesture. “Though you might want to fix your collar before the CEO meeting. There’s lipstick on it.”
I quickly adjusted my collar, shooting her a grateful look. The slight trace of Scarlett’s lipstick felt like evidence of a crime, though one I couldn’t regret. Georgia’s expression turned more serious as she glanced at the ceiling. “The cameras in both your office and Scarlett’s are officially disconnected. Intellectual property concerns, all very official.” She paused. “Mine and April’s are still active?”
“I tried to have them all removed, but since I set this security protocol in motion, it’s kind of taken on a life of its own.” I shrugged, slight irritation evident in my tone. “Just what we wanted, but maybe a little too good.” I began sorting through the files on my desk, my mind already turning to the upcoming meeting. “I need to prepare for my meeting with the CEO…”
“About that,” Georgia interrupted smoothly. “Walter would like to see you first. Says it’s important.”
I looked up sharply, catching something in her tone that made my stomach clench. “How important?”
“Important enough that you should see him before the CEO.” Georgia’s voice dropped lower, setting off warning bells in my head. “He found something in Felicia’s old files. Something he doesn’t trust to email or phone.”
I considered this carefully. Walter had only been our office manager for a few weeks, promoted after proving himself during the Felicia situation. In that time, the one thing I’d noted was that he wasn’t one for dramatics or exaggeration - if anything, he had a tendency to downplay things. For him to request an urgent meeting…
I pressed the intercom, trying to keep my voice steady. “Walter? Could you join me in my office?”
“Right away, Mr. Clarke.”
Georgia stood, smoothing her skirt. “I’ll hold your calls.” She paused at the door, her concern evident. “And Graham? Something has him really nervous.”
Walter appeared moments later, clutching a manila folder to his chest like a shield. His usually neat shirt was rumpled, as if he’d been running his hands through the fabric repeatedly. The door clicked shut behind him with a finality that seemed to make him jump slightly. The tension rolling off him was palpable.
“The cameras are disabled in here,” I assured him, gesturing to the chair. “What did you find?”
Walter sank into the seat, his hands trembling slightly as he opened the folder. The sight of his obvious fear made my own pulse quicken. “I was going through Felicia’s old files like you asked. Looking for anything suspicious.” He pulled out several documents, spreading them carefully on my desk. “She had them buried in an obscure sub-folder labeled ‘vendor contracts’ from three years ago. But these…” He swallowed hard. “These aren’t vendor contracts.”
I leaned forward, scanning the first page. My blood ran cold as familiar phrases jumped out at me. “A-List documents?” My eyes caught Scarlett’s name, dates that made my heart stutter. But these weren’t the files she had discovered. These were different. Earlier. An icy feeling spread through my chest as I realized what I was looking at. “Where did she get these?”
“Keep reading,” Walter urged quietly.
As I turned the pages, I felt my carefully maintained composure crack. Reports. Timelines. Correspondence. All predating Scarlett’s attack. All involving the CEO. All pointing to something that made my stomach turn.
“She knew,” My voice was barely a whisper as the horrible truth settled over me. “Felicia knew about the attack before it happened. Not from Scarlett’s discovery—she had independent knowledge.” My hands clenched on the desk, knuckles going white. “She was keeping this as insurance.”
“She got arrested before she could clear her files,” Walter confirmed. “Mr. Clarke… the CEO’s signature is on three of these documents.”
My phone buzzed, but I ignored it. Without taking my eyes off the damning evidence, I pulled out my cell and quickly photographed each page, my hands shaking slightly as I tried to keep the camera steady.
The intercom crackled. “Graham?” Georgia’s voice carried a note of warning. “The CEO will see you now.”
I gathered the documents quickly, thrusting them back at Walter. “Hide these. Keep them safe. I recommend a different sub-folder or someplace else.” I gripped his arm as he stood to leave, probably harder than I should have. “I mean it, Walter. For everyone’s safety, tell no one.” My voice dropped lower, deadly serious. “NO ONE.”
Walter clutched the folder to his chest, nodding rapidly before slipping out the door. I stood at my office door, taking measured breaths to settle my racing heart. Georgia caught my eye as I passed her desk, giving me a supportive nod that steadied me slightly. The walk to the elevator felt endless, each step requiring conscious effort to maintain my usual confident stride while my mind raced with the implications of what I’d just learned.
As the elevator doors closed, I sagged against the back wall, using the privacy of the ride to compose myself. Ten floors to get my game face on. Ten floors to process that I was about to sit across from a man who, by all accounts, had orchestrated an attack on the woman I loved. Ten floors to figure out how to hide my rage behind my corporate mask.
The documents Walter found flashed through my mind. Dates. Signatures. Proof. I straightened my tie, squaring my shoulders as the elevator climbed. Whatever the CEO wanted, I needed to play this carefully. Scarlett’s life might depend on it.
The top floor opened onto plush carpeting that muffled my footsteps. The CEO’s assistant waved me straight in, and I had to force myself not to flinch as Roger Matthews rose from behind his massive desk with a warm smile that now seemed predatory.
“Graham! Thanks for making time.” His handshake was firm, friendly. Nothing in his manner suggested a man who had authorized a brutal attack on an employee. The disconnect made my skin crawl. “Have a seat. Coffee?”
“No, thank you.” I settled into the chair, keeping my expression pleasantly neutral despite my churning stomach. The thought of accepting anything from this man made me ill.
“Well, straight to business, then.” Matthews leaned back, completely at ease. “We’ve been reviewing department performance, and I have to say, your numbers are impressive. Which brings me to Scarlett Swanson.”
My hands tightened imperceptibly on the armrests, heart thundering against my ribs at the casual way he said her name.
“We’re thinking it’s time to move her back to A-List.” Matthews smiled benignly. “She did exceptional work there before her… unfortunate incident. Time to get her back where she belongs, don’t you think?”
I let out a carefully calculated sigh, thanking years of corporate politics for my ability to maintain my mask. “I’m not sure that’s the best move right now.” I kept my tone casual, dismissive, while inside I was screaming. “She’s been having some… issues lately. You know her best friend was brutally murdered, right? I think this has put a strain on her… She’s gone back to being much more insecure. I am not sure she will ever fully be back. Emotional instability is my guess. Her work is nowhere near her previous standard.”
“Oh?” Matthews leaned forward slightly, something flickering in his eyes that made my blood freeze.
“Don’t get me wrong,” I continued, waving a hand lazily while my stomach twisted. “We’re working with her. She could be good enough in a year or so, but right now?” I shook my head, praying he’d buy the act. “She’s too emotional about everything. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure about my choice to promote her, but we’re committed to trying to make it work.”
The tension in Matthews’ shoulders eased slightly, but his next words made my heart stop.
“Well, that’s disappointing to hear. Keep me updated on her progress? We’re going to begin working with her, anyway. I feel a personal obligation in this and want to be part of the process. She will come up to A-list a few hours each week. We’ll begin with the afternoon staff meetings.”
He paused, eyeing me as I tried to maintain a neutral expression while every fiber in my body screamed to protect her.
“One o’clock, main conference room.”
“Of course.” I stood, maintaining my mask of mild indifference by sheer will. “Was there anything else?”
“No, no. That’s all for now.”
Walking out of that office, maintaining my casual stride while my heart hammered against my ribs, was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. Only when the elevator doors closed did I allow myself to breathe, my hands shaking as I pulled out my phone to text Georgia.
Need Scarlett in my office. Now.
By the time the elevator doors opened, my thoughts had already gone to the documents implicating the CEO in her attack. I worked to steady myself as I entered my office and check my expressions, but Scarlett was already striding through my door, her professional mask slipping slightly at the urgency in my text. “Graham? What’s wrong?”
I caught her elbow, steering her back toward her office, away from prying eyes. “Not here.” My voice was barely above a whisper, fear making it rough.
Once in her office with the door closed, I paced, running a hand through my once again loosened ponytail. “You have a meeting at one o’clock. In A-List’s main conference room.”
“What?” Scarlett sank into her chair, color draining from her face. “I’m not… I can’t…”
“You have to.” My voice cracked slightly with barely contained panic. “Matthews insists. Says it’s time for you to start remembering who you were before…” I couldn’t finish, the thought of sending her back there making me physically ill.
“Remember?” Something flickered in her eyes that terrified me. “Graham, you’re scaring me.”
I crossed to her desk in two strides, gripping the edge as I leaned forward, desperate to make her understand. “Listen to me. This is important. You can’t remember anything about that department. No matter what they say or show you, you don’t remember how things worked there.”
Confusion clouded her face. “I don’t understand. Why would they—”
“Promise me, Scarlett.” The intensity in my voice made her flinch, but I couldn’t stop. “Promise me that no matter what happens up there, you can’t remember anything about A-List procedures.”
“Graham—”
“Promise me!” My voice rose enough that I glanced worriedly at the door, fear making me careless.
Scarlett stood, reaching for me, her touch usually so comforting now just reminding me how much I stood to lose. “You’re terrifying me. What’s going on?”
Instead of answering, I yanked open her office door. “April!” My voice carried more than necessary, covering my earlier outburst. “Could you join us please?”
April appeared immediately, tablet in hand, looking professional but concerned.
“Ms. Swanson has a one o’clock staff meeting in A-List,” I said, my corporate voice firmly in place though my eyes still blazed with fear. “You’ll accompany her.”
“But sir, the CEO said—” April began.
“You’ll accompany her,” I repeated, my tone brooking no argument. “Take notes. Document everything.”
Scarlett looked between us, her own fear mounting at my barely contained panic. “Graham, please. Tell me what’s happening.”
I met her eyes, and for a moment my mask cracked completely, showing the raw terror that was eating me alive. Then it was gone, hidden behind my professional demeanor, though it felt like it was suffocating me.
“One o’clock,” I said steadily. “Don’t be late. And Scarlett?” I paused at the door. “Remember what I said. No matter what.”
I turned to leave and looked back at her, my expression softening as I mouthed silently, “I love you.” The words felt inadequate against the fear choking me.
Immediately summoning Georgia, I filled her in on the coming meeting, still keeping what Walter revealed under wraps. My hands shook as I gripped the back of my chair. “Georgia, I need you to do something. I need you to impress upon April how crucial it is that Scarlett shows no indication of recollection when she goes into the A-list staff meeting.”
“Wait a minute… What is happening?” Georgia’s voice cracked with concern.
“I can’t say more, but they want to know what she remembers. As of now, she remembers nothing but that meeting could jar something loose. We can’t have that…” I paused, spinning away from her for a moment, unable to hide the terror in my expression. When I turned back around, I let her see my fear. “Georgia, she’s in danger.”
“Then, I’ll go with her,” Georgia said immediately, loyal as always.
“You can’t. April is her assistant and not even supposed to go. I need you to brief April and make sure she knows to be whatever Scarlett needs to maintain herself.”
As Georgia left to find April, I sank into my chair, the weight of what I’d learned threatening to crush me. The woman I loved was walking into a trap, and all I could do was pray she’d be strong enough to play her part. Because if she remembered… if she showed even a hint of recognition… I couldn’t finish the thought. The stakes were too high, and the game too dangerous.
Please, I prayed silently, staring at the door Scarlett had disappeared through. Please let her survive this.