Chapter Seven #4
“You don’t?” Ryan shouted. “It’s pretty fucking obvious!
” He paused, glaring at Marco, clearly holding back from swinging at him.
“Just so you aren’t confused about what happens next, let me explain,” Ryan continued, addressing Marco directly.
“You are fucking fired. And both of you had better get the fuck out of this house in ten minutes, or I’ll call the police and have them arrest you for trespassing. ”
Callie collapsed on her sofa, crying. She had called and messaged Ryan a hundred times, but he wouldn’t respond, and eventually he blocked her number.
Marco had arranged an Uber for her, and she had cried all the way back to the city.
She could tell the driver was too afraid to ask what was wrong and dropped her off at her building without a word.
Damian wasn’t returning her messages either.
She assumed he and Amanda had heard what had happened.
She had hoped Damian would be the one friend who would stand by her, but she was apparently wrong about that, too.
She tried to message Annie, but she knew Annie was still in treatment and might not respond. She had never felt so alone.
She tried to make sense of what had happened, but like Marco, the last thing she remembered was eating sandwiches with him.
He was completely sober, and she definitely wasn’t blacked out drunk.
Then she woke confused, thinking the person beside her was Ryan.
Nothing made sense. But she knew she and Marco had slept together.
She had cheated on Ryan, and saying she was too drunk to remember was a poor excuse.
She was responsible for her actions, and she knew Ryan would never forgive her.
Her phone buzzed with a message. She grabbed it, hoping it was Ryan, but was confused to see it was Edward.
I heard what happened. I’m coming over. Let me in.
Callie had no idea why Edward would be interested in her and Ryan’s breakup, or how he had even found out about it, but she didn’t want to be alone.
If Edward was her only option, she would take it.
Five minutes later, he was knocking on her door, and she invited him in. He pulled her into an embrace, held her for a few moments as she cried, then had her sit at the kitchen table.
“Tell me what happened,” he asked.
“I thought you had already heard what had happened,” Callie replied.
“I heard Ryan found you and Marco in bed together,” Edward said. “But I have a feeling it’s not the whole story.”
Callie nodded and sobbed. She explained what had happened. She was honest and admitted that she and Marco had sex, but she couldn’t understand how it had happened. She told him about the confusion they both woke up in. Edward listened sympathetically until she finished.
“You swear you have no recollection?” Edward asked. “Callie, this is me. You have no reason to lie to me.”
“I swear,” Callie answered, tears in her eyes again. She was surprised she had any left.
“I need you to do something for me,” Edward said, then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small cup. It was the kind used in hospitals to collect urine samples.
“Eddy, this is weird, even for you,” Callie said, staring at the cup with grave concern.
“I have a friend at the hospital,” he replied. “I want him to run some tests.”
Callie frowned but took the cup and headed to the bathroom.
She had no idea what any test could tell her that she didn’t already know.
She had gotten too intoxicated and cheated on Ryan.
Those were the facts. She returned the sample to its ziplock bag, then handed it to Edward, who slipped it back into his jacket pocket.
“What are you going to do now?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” Callie replied. “I can’t go back to work there. I’m going to email George my resignation.”
“I told you there is always a place for you at my firm,” he reminded her.
She had almost accepted his offer when Lawrence was terrorizing her in the office. These were completely different circumstances, but she needed a job. She also thought she would need to move. Ryan had bought the condo for her. How could she possibly stay there now?
“Can you give me a few days to think it over?” Callie asked.
“Of course,” Edward confirmed.
“Eddy, how did you find out about this so quickly?” Callie questioned.
“When rich people have staff, they can’t expect privacy,” Edward replied. “Some of the Grant staff are friends with mine, so the story spread quickly.”
“That would explain Damian.”
“Damian?” Edward repeated.
“He’s not responding to me either,” she explained.
If Edward had an opinion on the matter, he didn’t share it.
He stayed with her a little longer to comfort her and make sure she was OK.
She got the sense he was worried she might do something stupid, and she tried to assure him she wouldn’t.
Before he left, he reminded her of his job offer and asked her to consider it seriously.
When she was alone again, she wrote her resignation letter.
Although she didn’t provide details, she asked not to be held to her notice period.
About an hour later, George replied. He must have spoken with Ryan, because his response was only six words.
Resignation accepted, no notice period required.