揌ow did it go??
揟oo soon to tell. I抳e got to wait a few things out.?
She nods.
揌ow is your dad??
揌e was sleeping. The doctors said that抯 normal. There don抰 seem to be any complications so far.?
揟hat抯 good.?
揧eah.?
I inhale. Exhale. Chew the inside of my cheek. 揑 found out who leaked the investigation to the press.?
揜eally??
揑t was Nathaniel Stewart.?
I watch her reaction closely. See her eyes widen. Her lips part. 揝eriously??
揑 trust my source.?
揥hy would he do that??
I hold her gaze. 揑 think you know why.?
Her hazel eyes widen. 揑 told you. Nothing happened between us.?
揑 know. I believe you. He and my father were working on a deal. I put an end to it.?
揃ecause of me??
揃ecause of you,?I confirm.
揥hy??
揃ecause you抮e mine.?
She scoffs. 揜eal mature, Crew.?
揑t was also a risky deal. But I wouldn抰 have bothered if it were with anyone else.?
揑s there a point to this conversation??Her tone has turned sharp. Icy.
I seethe, silently. 揘athaniel claims he has documents. Internal documents. Documents like卼he ones you requested.?
She sucks in a sharp breath. 揂re you fucking kidding me??
揑抦 not accusing you of anything. I trust you, Scarlett. I just need to know卍id you tell him anything about the company? Is there anything he could use or twist or bluff棓
She stands, toppling half the pillows off the couch. 揑 can抰 believe you. Are you seriously asking me this??
I stand too. 揑抦 in the dark here, Scarlett. This卼ornado just landed right on top of the company I抦 first in line to inherit. People are relying on me. To lead, to keep their jobs, to save this company. If there抯 anything you know, I just厰
My voice trails when I realize a horrifying fact.
She抯 crying. Clear liquid streaks down her cheeks in shimmering trails. 揑抦 the reason you抮e first in line.?
I step forward. 揜ed厰
She steps back, swiping angrily at her cheeks. 揊uck. You. Why don抰 you just make me wear a wire if you think I抦 going around spilling company secrets to any guy that so much as smiles at me??
I rub my jaw, trying to figure out where this conversation veered so far off course. I didn抰 want to bring Nathaniel up. I knew it would be a sore spot. But I had no idea it would become this. 揟hat抯 not what I抦 saying. I trust you. I just棓
揟here抯 no just, Crew. You抮e doubting me, and I抳e never doubted you. I can抰 believe I棓 She shakes her head. 揂nything Nathaniel knows about Kensington Consolidated, he didn抰 learn it from me. Happy??
I抦 about the furthest from happy a person can get right now. 揘o.?
揧eah. Me neither. Merry fucking Christmas.?
I watch her stomp up the stairs.
Merry fucking Christmas, indeed.
I end up back at the office. When in doubt, work, as the Kensington family motto goes. I抦 used to spending late nights and long hours inside these four walls.
I envy the employees who feel like they earned their position here. I still don抰。 Maybe I never will. Some second-guessing is healthy. I don抰 think never feeling like you抮e working hard enough is.
Except, today, maybe for the first time, I saw it.
Respect.
Today was the most tumultuous day Kensington Consolidated has experienced since my great-grandfather took a small loan and turned it into an empire. Yet no one asked where my father was. Where Oliver was. They did exactly what I asked without question. Listened to me without questioning or whispering behind my back. And the one person I抦 endlessly trying to impress梞y father梬asn抰 even here to see it.
And this same shitstorm made a mess between me and the one person whose feelings I care about.
I spend a couple of hours going through emails and reports. Today was spent doing damage control. Everything else was shoved to the back burner, but still needs to be dealt with.
When I finish, I pour myself a generous splash of bourbon and sprawl out on the leather couch in the corner of my office, debating whether I should go home or just sleep here. I sip and stare at the ceiling.
The knock on the door startles me. I was certain I was the only one here at this hour. I抦 not entirely shocked to see Isabel is the one opening the door. She was here all day, by my side, doing anything she could to help. 揌ey.?
揌ey,?I reply. 揑 didn抰 realize anyone was still here.?
揝ame. I saw the light on under the door on my way back from the restroom.?
I sit up and run a hand through my hair. 揥hat are you still doing here??
She walks over and takes a seat on the couch next to me. 揥orking.?
揂t厰 I glance at the clock. 揟en thirty? On Christmas??