Chapter 29
London
Ten. Just ten seconds to go. I inhale deeply, raise my hand to knock, and fix my eyes on my watch.
Five.
My future is about to be decided. More money. A new boss. Different colleagues.
Three.
A fresh start.
Two.
A second chance.
One.
I knock.
Silence. It's so quiet that I panic for a moment, wondering if I’ve got the wrong door. Then it opens.
A tall man stands there in a dark blue suit, his tie perfectly in place. His smile is cold, and it makes me take half a step back. He comes across as threatening, and his smile doesn't make it any better. Attractive? Absolutely. But he doesn’t seem at all likable.
“Miss Waverley. Punctual. To the second. You haven’t been waiting out here, have you?”
“You caught me,” I admit, taking his outstretched hand. His grip is firm, commanding. His gaze fixes me and he tugs me forward, forcing me to close the half step I’d taken back.
“Please. Come in.”
He releases me, giving me an obvious one-over. “Exquisite taste. I didn’t expect you to dress like this.”
He seems pleased.
“I rarely wear things like this,” I confess, a little embarrassed.
“A woman like you should never wear anything else.” His words flatter me more than I’d like to admit. I’m not used to so many compliments.
He steps aside, letting me pass, but as soon as I do, the ground shifts beneath me.
I thought we’d be alone.
Alexander is here.
I freeze in the doorway and while the door is still open and is a perfect escape, I can’t move.
“I asked a good friend to join us tonight. We had a few things to discuss, and since he also has a PA, I thought he’d be able to ask the right questions.
” Mr. Volt shuts the door, his hand settling lightly on my back as he gestures toward a chair opposite Alexander.
“Please, sit. Oh, and I’d prefer it if we were on a first-name basis. Just call me Matthias.”
Completely overwhelmed, I manage only a curt nod. “Yes. Gladly.”
Alex just sits there, his face unreadable, observing me. Matthias sits beside him. I hesitate, still standing. No sense pretending I don’t know what this is. So, I'm simply honest and force a scrap of courage to the surface.
“So, you two know each other?”
My résumé did list Alex—there’s no way Matthias missed that.
“Not for very long,” Matthias says. Alex doesn’t say a word.
“Well, then I probably don’t need to explain why I’d like to change my workplace,” Now more than ever, I need to stand my ground.
I adjust the chair back—the bottom of my dress is voluminous, and I need the space—then sit, lift the whiskey glass, and hold it out to Matthias. “I could use a little of that too.”
He smiles, pours, and I wait until he clinks glasses with me before I drink. Alex, on the other hand, just keeps observing me.
“So? What questions do you have for me?” I ask, taking a few sips.
“Are you always this confident?” Matthias asks, looking amused.
“Yes.”
“How do you feel about overtime?”
“Reluctant—but sometimes it’s unavoidable.”
“Working weekends?”
“If it’s well-paid, yes.”
“Trips abroad?”
“I’m happy to go.”
“Fear of flying?”
“No.”
“Besides your native language, you speak Spanish and Italian. Basic Portuguese. How come?”
"I learned Spanish in school. Italian from a close friend whose parents barely spoke English. And after one trip to Portugal, where Spanish and English weren’t enough, I wanted to be prepared for next time.”
“Why not French?”
“I don’t like the language.”
“Would you learn it to work with me more effectively?”
“If it’s part of the job, yes.”
“I’d want my PA to live near me. I have a big house with a separate living unit. Would you be willing to move in?”
I hesitate. “Since work shouldn’t affect private life: no. Not for all the money in the world.”
“And if I doubled your salary?” He’s clearly testing me.
“This isn’t about money. I love my freedom. I need a private life.”
“And if it were only for five years? And in the end, I paid you ten million pounds?” He’s testing me really hard. “Then you’d never need to work again, living a comfortable life.”
“Money isn’t everything.”
“Allergies?” His questions fire faster now, barely giving me time to think. A tactic surely. Probably he'll soon ask a question for which he really wants an honest answer. I can't fall for it!
“None. You?”
“None either.”
“Good.”
“Do you want children?”
“That question isn’t permitted and crosses my boundaries.”
I try to Alexander’s presence.
“Do your parents support you?”
“Yes.”
“And your brothers?”
So, he knows about them, even though I haven't mentioned them anywhere. Someone must have been checking my online profiles.
“They do too.”
“Are you in love with Alex?”
“Yes.”
“Since when?”
Wait!
I hesitate while he laughs, amused, and Alex frowns.
What a mess. And I’d just been thinking that a question might come up that could get me into trouble!
My cheeks flare and I sit there with my mouth open, which only makes him grin more broadly.
"Interesting."
"It's not... it..." I stammer. No, there's no way out of this.
Such a damn mess!
"You've got the job," he suddenly announces, much to Alexander's and my surprise. Matthias nods to me and says: "Your references are enough for me. And I like you. You can start with me on Monday the week after next."
My probation ends on Friday. It would be a perfect transition.
I look at Alex, who should really say something now. But he remains silent.
"I would be very pleased," I murmur, embarrassed.
He's not saying anything even now. So, he's really letting me go? Just like that? Fuck, it hurts infinitely that he's ignoring me like this. I look away dejectedly, then take a deep breath and look back at Matthias.
To hell with it.
"Or you sign with me," Alexander finally says. I look at him hopefully. "You'll get your permanent contract on Monday."
"I'll pay you two thousand more than your old job," Matthias offers me.
"Make your decision," Alexander demands, looking at me grimly. Matthias just smiles.
The stupid thing is that my heart and my mind are telling me two completely different things. My heart says I should stay with Alexander, even if he doesn't love me, but my mind says I have to leave.
"I choose Matthias." I look at him, stand up and offer my hand. "I'll come to your office on Monday after my regular work and sign the contract."
Alexander doesn't flinch while Matthias stands up and takes my hand.
"That was the best choice you could have made, London." He lets go and puts his phone in his pocket. "However, I have to decline."
What?
Alexander isn't the only one looking confused.
"But..." I'm still standing there, not knowing what to do now.
"I've already eaten. If you want to order something, it's on me. I'll leave you two alone. You certainly have a lot to discuss." He nods politely to both of us and then leaves.
I expected many things, but certainly not this. I stare at the roughly plastered wall, the green plants and the Greek ambiance. The vaulted ceiling makes the room seem enormous. There's no window, but there is a statue modeled after the Venus de Milo.
I swallow nervously and sit down again.
What now?
Just a moment later, there's a knock at the door. Alexander calls the person to come in. It's an older server. She asks us what we would like and brings us the menus.
"I'll have water, please. Sparkling, with ice and a slice of lemon," I say and look at Alexander.
"Green tea."
The lady leaves us alone again and closes the door behind her while I open the menu. I simply don't know what to do, so I fidget with it. Alexander, on the other hand, doesn't move, which I can see very well from the corner of my eye.
"You really want to eat now?" he asks me. He sounds angry.
"I last ate at noon today, so yes."
I need to think. Calmly. That's hard to do when he's staring at me the whole time!
"You've made your choice," Alexander says then, without taking his eyes off me.
"My contract expires in a week, and you haven't even had a conversation with me about how things should proceed," I tell him reproachfully.
“I would have. Next week.”
"Besides, it's not a good idea for us to keep working together. Too much has happened."
"It's working fine. Isn't it?"
That's enough.
"You're having an affair with Stephanie. Your best friend's wife! She's married!"
"What?" Alexander looks completely surprised.
"I've suspected it for a long time, but now she's there at lunch everyday and..."
"She's pregnant."
"You got her pregnant?" I snap at him angrily.
"It's Marc's. She's just my best friend and yes, she’s really clingy right now, but there's nothing between us. There never was anything and there never will be."
And just like that, the wind is taken out of my sails.
"That's why you wanted to leave?"
"Things are strange between us. Your behavior hurt me. So yes. I wanted to leave because I can't stand it anymore. I thought you wanted to hire her as your new PA and..."
"Nonsense. She doesn't even have your qualifications."
That should flatter me now, but I'm far too upset about it.
There's another knock at the door and the server brings the tea and water. "Have you decided on an appetizer yet?"
"Not yet. Please give us a few more minutes." Alexander nods to the server, who immediately leaves again. Her interruption has lightened the situation briefly.
“Why are you acting so strange with me then?" I ask him directly.
"You know why, and I'm no longer willing to pretend I don't know about it."
What on earth is he talking about?
"Because I have feelings for you? Yeah, okay. That's true. You showed me the starry sky, and we slept together three times. It just happened. I can't turn them off!"
I'm getting louder than I intended, Alex, on the other hand, remains calm.
"I meant the other thing."
"Because I applied to Matthias? I had to assume you wouldn't hire me permanently. So, I looked for alternatives. I have bills to pay!"
He doesn't need to know that I have good savings.
“No. You know what I mean. Do I really have to say it?”
I have absolutely no idea what he’s talking about.
“Yes! I don’t know what you mean.”
"You stole my USB."
Excuse me?
"You're angry about a USB?" I ask, confused.
"So, you have it?"
He looks angry and disappointed.
"If I accidentally pocketed one, I'm sorry, but I don't think so. Such a small thing could easily fall down or end up in the trash. I've only carried coffee cups and things from the kitchen in and out of your office."
He's silent staring at me critically.
"Maybe it came along on a tray once, or I accidentally knocked it down. If it's gone, I'm sorry. I... wait. Do you think I deliberately threw it away?"
He keeps not saying anything.
"That's it? You think I threw away a USB drive at some point to annoy you? Are you serious? That's why you're angry?" I'm speechless and need to collect myself briefly. "Was it made of gold, or what?"
Silence.
Absolute silence.
"You swear you didn't take it?"
"Not intentionally. I don't know. I think I would have noticed if I’d taken it to the kitchen. I always sort the dishes right away and put the tray up. If it had been on the tray, it would surely have fallen off and..."
"Okay. That's enough." Alex raises his hand, and I fall silent. "I believe you."
He rubs his temples.
"Do you need a painkiller?"
I open my clutch and dig out my small container with emergency meds: headaches, fever, nausea. Luckily, I always carry these things. "Take it with my water."
"I don't have a headache. I'm just realizing something."
"That I'm not a thief?" I ask bitterly. "I hate being accused when I haven't done anything."
"The only one who could be responsible now is Marc."
Oh.
Oh! Now I get it.
"That USB probably just fell down. Maybe it was vacuumed up when the cleaning staff was here. If they didn't notice, we could check the trash and..."
"No. There was one in my safe. But it was empty."
"Then you deleted the data. Or the drive was damaged!" And then he accuses me? "I'm the one who should be angry. Not you!"
"There was data on that drive. Very important data. I had it in my hand and placed it on the table. Marc was there and you came in to bring him a Coke."
I remember that.
"I stepped away briefly to make a phone call. One minute. At most! When I came back, I put the drive in the safe. So, it didn't fall down or get stolen. It was... switched."
I see... Then it must have been Marc. Damn.
"And blaming me made sense to you? Because I was planning to leave, and Marc is your best friend."
“We’d been discussing me going back to the States so he could take my position. Honestly, it doesn’t even make sense. Unless…” Alex shakes his head.
"Unless what?"
“It’s just a suspicion. But if I put this puzzle piece into the bigger picture—it all fits.”
“Fits better than me stealing from you?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” Alex takes a deep breath and then takes the menu. “I really should sort this out now, but the evening has been stressful enough.”
"If it's so important, do it now." I stand up. "And if you want, I'll come with you."
"I should handle this alone."
"As upset as you are, I'm certainly not letting you go alone."
"I'll call my driver and get you a taxi."
"I said: I'm not letting you go alone." I circle the table. "I'm part of this problem and want to clear my name. If this is why you've been so angry with me these past weeks, maybe I can finally actively do something about it."
Alex stands up and looks at me sternly. "So, you do love me?"
I didn't really want to talk about that right now.
"It's complicated."
"Love is never simple."
"But it should be," I answer sadly.
"Maybe it still can be."
Perhaps.
"You want to go to Marc and Stephanie, I assume?" I ask him.
"Yes."
I take his hand and squeeze it firmly. Confronting his best friend about theft won't be easy for him. "I'm here for you."
Alex lifts my hand, kisses it, and lingers for a moment. I'd like to tell him how angry I am right now, but we'll have time for that later. This comes first.