Chapter 19
Chapter 19
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered under my breath.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He dumped me by the side of the road, threw bills at me, all so he could walk arm in arm wirh Chloe?
“I’m actually being very serious right now.” Lily said behind me.
‘Every woman here would give left arm to take Chloe’s place.” she sighed dreamily. “And what’s not to envy? She’s beautiful and has the boss wrapped around her finger.”
Lily must have confused my silence for interest because she continued with her chatter.
‘Don’t tell anyone, but I once walked in on them getting naughty,” her voice dropped to a whisper and she
blushed.
They’re so cute together, aren’t they?”
I stared at the closed office door, wondering if Julian was having his wicked way with his plaything right
hen.
How long have they been together?” I asked, working hard to hide my anger.
Lila tapped her chin repeatedly as though she was deep in thought.
A little over two years. I think they’re planning a wedding. Isn’t that exciting?”
let out a silent scoff of hurt. That was around the same time I resigned from the company. Julian had no qualms manipulating me out of my rightful position just to hire his whore. That bastard.
The anger I had been trying so hard to keep a leash on broke free and for one crazed minute, I imagined walking right into that office and socking that son of a bitch in the mouth. Or better yet, dragging Chloe out by her hair and putting her on blast in front of the entire staff.
I did none of those things. Instead, I chose to march away to the kitchen area.
‘Hey,” Lila called. “Where are you going?”
“I’m thirsty,” I muttered. I stalked into the tiny kitchen and slammed the door shut, struggling to breathe.
“Fuck!” I slammed a fist down on the door, imagining it was my cheating boyfriend’s face.
A gasp alerted me to the fact that I wasn’t alone. Spinning around on a heel, I found a skinny man gripping a
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paper coffee with shock on his plain face.
“What?!” I snapped.
I didn’t care that he probably ranked higher than me, seeing that everyone was considered superior to the glorified servants aka interns.
He apologetically scurried past me, eyes glued to the floor. He couldn’t even get to the door quick enough. Now someone would think I was a witch or something.
grabbed a paper cup forcefully and started the coffee machine. A curse flew past my lips when the machine started and stuttered.
Why in the hell hasn’t this relic been replaced?” I asked no one in particular.
t was obvious Julian was shit at this CEO thing. Oh, how stupid I had been, letting him run my legacy. I leeply resented every decision I took regarding Julian up until now.
ulian always hated public display of affection whenever we were together. He’d said we didn’t need all of hat as long as we loved each other and couldn’t get our hands off each other in the bedroom. He called it a >athetic attempt at attention.
How come he had no problem getting nasty with Chloe in public?
Open relationship, my foot,” I seethed. He just wanted to fuck Chloe with a clear conscience and I’d be lamned before I gave that to him.
grabbed the barely filled cup and took a sip, making a face at how bitter and cheap it tasted. Of course, oping that he had at least splurged on the better tasting beans was too much to ask for.
drowned the coffee in one gulp, steeled myself and then headed back outside where employees milled round in the busy air.
‘ve missed this a lot; coming into work. The buzz and chatter of the different people who contribute to the mooth running of the organization.
was so focused on squeezing through people to get to the internship cubicle that I didn’t see who I was Jumping into. I collided with a woman and the impact sent me staggering back a few inches.
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” The words died in my tongue when I saw the one who almost ploughed me
down.
Chloe arched an impatient brow.
How I hated to admit this, she was pretty. Julian used to say the beauty was a waste because beneath all that loveliness lay a callous soul. And right after castigating her, he’d found his way between her legs so his
I RECORDED EVERY SINGLE, WORD
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judgement was not to be trusted.
“Aren’t you going to apologize?” She asked in a haughty tone that had me wanting to pull out all her hair.
“No,” I replied evenly. “I don’t think I will.”
I watched in satisfaction as her amber eyes flared in surprise at my refusal to kiss her feet and worship the ground she walked on.
“You!” A voice interjected angrily.
Melinda appeared, grabbing my arm and giving me a good shake.
‘What do you think you’re doing? Apologize to Mrs. CEO right now!”
That stupid nickname was fodder to the beast in me.
‘I don’t think I will.” I repeated this time, looking from Chloe to Melinda, letting them know I meant business
ulian’s mistress assessed me slowly, like she was assessing everything I was putting on.
‘If you don’t wanna lose your job on the first day and set a record, I suggest you apologize. And make it quick. I don’t have all day,” Chloe sniffed with a hair toss.
The nerve of this bitch!
She was going to get it, alright. I was about to drag her through hell and back. But I never got to give her the beatdown she was itching for because that was because Julian chose that exact moment to exit his office.
His gaze sharpened on me and Chloe and. A flash of panic danced through his eyes before he quickly composed himself and strutted towards us.
‘What is going on?” The question was general but his glare was specifically for me. I resisted the urge to poke up my middle finger,
Melinda was quick to answer with an accusing finger pointed in my face.
“This intern has been nothing but trouble.” she complained. “She disrespected your fiancée and has refused to apologize.”
At the mention of that near-matrimonial title, Julian winced and shifted on his feet uncomfortably.
“Get that finger out of my face before I shove it up your behind,” I snorted at Melinda.
Our audience audibly gasped at my shocking threat which led to a series of astonished murmurs.
para curDY SINGLE WORD
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“See what I mean?” Melinda looked close to hyperventilating. “She’s mannerless and lacks respect for her superiors! I think she should be fired with immediate effect-”
“That’s enough,” Julian cut Melinda off and she promptly went mute.
He then turned to the employees who had abandoned all pretense of working.
“Everybody, get back to work.”
Then he turned back to me and growled, “You. In my office. Right now.”
I was on the verge of protesting when Chloe cut in.
“Are you just gonna let her get away with insulting me?”
“Not now, Chloe,” He dismissed her with barely a glance in her direction, before going back into his office. Shilet I strutted back behind him, I peered at Chloe over my shoulder and gave her a petty smirk. The livid look on her face was worth all the hassle.
Julian pulled me into his office and shut the door, locking it.
“You have one job, Zelda which is to keep your head down and be a fucking intern! Why are you going around, picking fights?”
“Why don’t you ask your whore, mhmm?” I got right in his face.
“Mrs. CEO? Really? I knew you were stupid but I don’t know you were such a dumb fuck, Julian.”
He had the grace to look contrite.
“It’s not what it looks like.”
“Oh,” I drawled sarcastically, hands akimbo. “Then, by all means, explain to me why the woman you’re fucking is working in my company,”
“Can you stop being so insensitive and listen for a minute?” He massaged his temple, “Her husband is an abusive alcoholic. She had to get out of that environment. Offering her a job here was the only way.”
I snorted, unmoved by the sob story.
“You would think she’d have some respect for the sacrament of holy matrimony.”
“Just cut it out.”
“No, you cut it out.” I was so done with this bullshit. “I’m not going to be the other woman.”
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“So, what are you saying?” He questioned tentatively.
I knew what I had to do. It was time.
‘You have to make a choice.”
‘No-”
firmly spoke over him, “It’s either she goes… or I do.”
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