Chapter 27
Sarah
The knock came at ten in the morning. Sarah had been awake since six, staring at her laptop and pretending to review emails from her lawyer.
The story was doing damage to her case. It was all circumstantial, yes, but still.
It wasn’t great. Some of the national tabloids had picked up the story, trying to paint her as some grand gold digger.
As if she were some wannabe socialite who’d snatched an octogenarian.
She snapped the laptop shut and went to the door. Carlos and Esmeralda stood there with coffee and pastries from the French place she liked.
“We’re staging an intervention,” Esme said, walking past her into the apartment.
Sarah closed the door behind them. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. You’ve been holed up in here for a week.” Carlos set the pastries on the counter. “And we have updates.”
They sat at the small table. Sarah took the coffee but didn’t touch the food.
“Derek cut Chrisla’s hours,” Esme said. “Down to twenty a week. Rita and Maria’s too. Anyone loyal to you is being punished.”
Sarah’s jaw tightened. “I’ll talk to Stavros.”
“Carlos already did.”
“And?”
Carlos leaned back in his chair. “Stavros is trying. He promised to do his best to bring you back. But the board wants the story to die down first. They’re calling it a cooling-off period.”
Sarah set down her cup. “While Derek destroys everything we built.”
“He brought in someone new,” Esme said. “Wants to put her in my position. Some woman he worked with years ago.”
“He can’t fire you.”
“He can make my life miserable enough that I quit. But I’m not going anywhere.” Esme’s voice was steel. “I’ve been here longer than Derek Mitchell. He wants me gone, he’ll have to drag me out.”
Sarah’s throat tightened. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I’m fighting dirty.” Esme pulled out her phone. “I’ve been documenting everything. Every conversation, every decision, every policy change. When this blows up in his face, I want a record.”
“Stavros said he’d call you today,” Carlos added. “He wants to talk strategy. How to protect the staff while working toward getting you reinstated.”
“I’ll call him after this.” Sarah looked at them both. “I’m sorry. This is my fault. You shouldn’t be paying for my mistakes.”
“Your mistakes?” Carlos shook his head. “Your mother went to a newspaper. That’s on her, not you.”
Sarah was quiet for a moment. Then: “What about Lizzie?” The question hung in the air.
“She’s gone. Derek let her go the same day. She flew back a few days ago. And also…” Esme and Carlos exchanged a look.
“What?” Sarah said.
“I watched the security footage,” Carlos said. “From the front desk. The day the reporter called.”
Sarah went still.
“I could only hear Lizzie’s side. But from what I could tell, she tried to defend you. The reporter was pushing, accusing you of things, and Lizzie pushed back. She messed up, yes. But she was trying.”
Guilt reared its head. She'd made her peace with carrying it. That didn't make it lighter. “I was too hard on her.”
“You were. You lashed out because you were hurt. But Lizzie made a mistake, Sarah. That reporter trapped her.” Esme was never one to keep her opinion to herself.
“I know. I just—in that moment, I couldn’t—” Sarah stopped. “It’s over anyway. It’s better this way. Better for her not to be dragged into all of this.”
“Is it better?” Carlos asked. “Or is it easier?”
“It’s better,” Sarah said firmly. “Look at what happened. She got fired because of me. Her name is in the paper. She’s probably lost internship credit, possibly damaged her reputation at NYU. And for what? Five weeks with someone whose life is a complete disaster?”
“Sarah—”
“No. I mean it.” Sarah stood and walked to the window. “I don’t have my job. I’m fighting a lawsuit that could take years. What do I have to offer her? What kind of future is that?”
“Yourself,” Esme said simply. “That’s what she wanted. Not the job, not the hotel. You.”
“She deserves better than this mess. She deserves someone who doesn’t come with tabloid headlines and a mother who sells stories to the press.
” Sarah turned around. “She’s twenty-two years old.
She has her whole life ahead of her. She should be focusing on finishing school, on her writing, on building a career.
Not on waiting around for me to get my life back together. ”
“That’s her choice to make, not yours.”
“I’m making it for her.” The words came out harder than Sarah intended. “She’ll understand eventually. She’ll move on. Meet someone her own age who doesn’t have all this baggage.”
Carlos and Esme were quiet for a moment.
“I spoke to Jasper,” Carlos said finally. “He supplies the hotel, Lizzie made it back to New York. She miserable. But Jasper’s there. He’s been checking on her. And her mom’s there, of course.”
Good. At least she had someone. At least she wasn’t alone.
“I was cruel to her,” Sarah said quietly. “When she tried to explain. But maybe it’s better this way. A clean break. She can be angry with me instead of heartbroken.”
“You need to stop,” Carlos said but she only shook her head.
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” Sarah returned to the table and picked up her coffee. “Tell me more about what Derek’s doing. I need to focus on getting my job back and protecting the people who are being punished because of me. That’s what matters right now.”
They sat in silence for a moment.
“Call Stavros,” Carlos said, standing. “Protect your people. Figure out your next move. But don’t make decisions about Lizzie when you’re still angry and hurt. Give it time.”
“There’s nothing to decide. It’s done.”
“If you say so.” He squeezed her shoulder.
After they left, Sarah sat at the table with her cold coffee and stared at her phone.
She pulled up Lizzie’s contact. She hadn’t looked at the messages she’d sent and muted notifications. Now, she couldn’t help herself. She looked.
I’m sorry. I love you.
Three days ago. Sarah hadn’t responded.
Please talk to me.
Five days ago.
I know you’re angry but please let me explain.
Six days ago.
Sarah blocked the number.
It was better this way. Better for Lizzie to move on. Better for both of them.
She set the phone down and opened her laptop. She had work to do. Stavros to call. A lawsuit to fight. A job to win back.
Lizzie would be fine. She was young and resilient and talented. She’d finish school, become a writer, meet someone who could give her the kind of life she deserved.
Someone who wasn’t Sarah.
That was the right thing. The only thing.
Even if it felt like her heart was breaking all over again.