“The electricians who came to upgrade my apartment last week,” he said. “And the building super who let them in.”
She blinked. Of course. The electricians had gotten access to the entire luxury apartment building, which meant she was no longer the only person who knew that Simon kept his servers in the place. Heather had been so stunned at Simon’s accusations that she hadn’t been able to think clearly enough to remember about the electricians.
“Have you talked to the electricians or your super yet?” she asked.
“Not yet,” he responded. “I came down here as soon as I realized they had access to the building.”
“You mean you came down as soon as you realized you accused me unfairly,” she pointed out.
Frustration flickered in his eyes. He probably wasn’t used to subordinates standing up to him like this, but when he’d first hired her he had assured her that he was the kind of man who listened to his employees.
Plus, after she had given him a piece of her mind and stormed out of Dover, she doubted that she was even still his employee. Never mind the fact that she was innocent of spying and hacking. The things she had said to him would have landed her in hot water even if Simon realized his mistake.
“This isn’t easy for me,” he said.
“You think it’s easy for me?” she asked. “To be accused of such horrible things? How can I show my face at Dover if that’s what you and the rest of the staff think of me?” She didn’t even want to remind him of the harsh things he had said to her. His accusations had cut deep enough, but he had mocked her feelings for him. Had flung her insecurities about her doomed marriage right back at her. She had shared her fears about her relationship with her ex-husband with him and he had used that knowledge against her. It didn’t matter if he had believed she had betrayed him. Their bond should have been enough for him to trust her. Enough for him to know that his words had all but destroyed her.
Now he was trying to ease his own guilt and she wasn’t going to stand for it.
“No, I don’t think this is easy for you,” he said. “I’ve put you in this impossible position. I’ve questioned your integrity and you have every right to be angry. But don’t let this affect your career. Don’t let your rightful anger ruin what you’ve worked so hard to build.”
“Everett already suspects me,” she reminded him. Everett Eastman was a senior board member, and if he thought she was guilty it was likely that the rest of the board would also think she was guilty. “Do you really think I’ll be able to go back to work if the board thinks I hacked into your home computer system and spied on you for a rival company?”
“Not if you give up,” he said. “Don’t quit. Let them be the ones to let you go. Make them force you out—don’t make it easy for them. You can show your face at Dover because there’s a chance that you’re innocent.”
“A chance?” Her eyes narrowed. “I am innocent.”
“Deep down I know that,” he said. “But I don’t have definitive proof that exonerates you. I suspect my building super and the electricians, but you’re still on the list of suspects.”
“So you think I did this?” Anger made her body go rigid.
“No,” he forced out. “I don’t. But the board is going to need solid evidence. So I have to prove who the real spy is.”
“You just want to ease your guilt. You don’t actually want to help me. It’s obvious that you think I’m so pathetic that your pity made you come here.” She hated pity. It made her feel small and helpless. She’d rather he believed she was a spy, because at least he had seen her as capable. Now he was back to thinking of her as merely pathetic and useless. Heather bristled at the thought.
“You’re angry,” he said. “I don’t blame you for that. All I ask is that you let me help you. Let me figure out who the real spy is so that I can clear your name.”
“Why do you believe me anyway?” she asked, unwilling to give in now that he could finally see his error. On her way home she had imagined him apologizing to her just like he was now. She had fantasized about him groveling, but now that it was happening she was too outraged to take any satisfaction from it. His words had been too cruel.