“What? That’s insane!”
“In your mind, maybe, but not mine. When was the last time you worked with a bunch of gossiping admins?”
His mouth opened and closed several times before he answered. “You know what? I’ll call James and tell him to forget it. That you don’t give a shit about your father rotting away in prison. How does that sound?”
“You don’t have to get nasty about it.”
“Me? Me?” His voice rose with each word.
“Yes, you!”
Then the dreaded finger came out, aimed at me. “You need to calm down and focus on the issue at hand.”
Oh, boy, he was right. “You know something? You’re exactly right.” I stomped out of the room and headed to the bedroom. Once there, I went to the closet and threw clothes into a suitcase, along with my cosmetics and everything else I needed. Then I zipped the thing shut and marched back out.
When he saw me, he ran to the door. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Home. To my apartment where I’m not accosted by some domineering asshole.”
“Molly, you can’t be serious.”
“As a fucking heart attack.” As I approached the door, he moved in front of it.
“I won’t let you.”
“So now you’re keeping me a prisoner?”
“Of course not!”
“Then step aside, Hugh.”
He crossed his arms and blocked the door. “No, I won’t let you leave. You’re being irrational.”
That was the final straw. “If you don’t move, I’m going to punch you.”
He laughed. The fucker laughed at me! I’d show him. I balled up a fist and nailed him in the gut. When he doubled over, I made my escape.
Twelve
Hugh
The woman had a great gut shot. I wheezed for air as I hadn’t expected that. A part of me cursed her because I hadn’t done anything wrong. She hadn’t given me a chance to explain.
On the other hand, I could see how she’d felt ambushed. But so had I. I’d had no idea she’d worked for Arthur. Then again, his firm was the most prestigious in town.
Over the next week, I called, begged, knocked on her door, and she wouldn’t see me. I even sent flowers. Nothing.
A man has his pride. My final act was to send her a letter. A goddamn handwritten letter sent via mail. Then I left her alone.
If she wasn’t willing to hear me out, what more could I do?
The next sucker punch came when I was informed my ex had sold her shares in my company to Ryan. My cousin, the man I’d once thought of a brother, had won.
After two weeks waiting patiently for Molly to cool off, I lost it from this news. I hit bottom and spent the next three nights on a bender, calling out sick to my admin. I’d lost it all. My company and Molly.
The woman had burrowed deep in my heart in a matter of weeks. I saw her everywhere in my house even though she’d only lived here a short time. I missed her fiercely.
Luckily my cleaning lady was in when the knock came. I gave her instructions to tell whoever it was to go the hell away.
I sank in my office chair, trying to decide what my next move was, when Helga came into my office. “Sorry to bother you, but they won’t leave.”
“They?”
“A Mr. Ryan and Miss Chloe.”
What the hell did they want? Well, I knew what Ryan wanted—to gloat. Was that what Chloe wanted too? I knew she was pissed at me, but she’d never seemed like the vindictive type.
They walked in hand-in-hand. What a fucking sweet little package they made, I thought bitterly. “Ah, there he is. The man who stole part of my company.” I scrubbed a hand over my face, knowing I looked like shit.
Chloe smiled at Ryan and he took a step forward. “Hugh—”
I held up a hand to stop him. “Are you here to ruin me completely? It’s bad enough you bought half of my company, but now you’re here to tell me you’ve won? That you’ve gotten her pregnant and are taking all of Grandfather’s wealth?”
The guy was a good actor, as he paled slightly. “It’s not what you think.”
I huffed. “So she is pregnant with the next heir to our family’s fortune?”
“Yes, but—”
My laugh was a bitter pill I was forced to swallow. “It doesn’t matter. Money means nothing without her,” I muttered more to myself.
Seeing them both left me haunted by the memory of Molly, who should have received my letter by now.
“Cousin, Chloe is pregnant, but I’ve decided not to fight for the money. I won’t tell the lawyers anything. And the money is yours if you can produce an heir,” Ryan finished.
“Very magnanimous of you, cousin.” I rolled my eyes, done with him, and faced Chloe. “You were the best employee I had. Losing you and my company is worse than I thought possible,” I admitted. Something I should have said before she’d felt the need to resign.