Terms and Conditions (Dreamland Billionaires #2) by Lauren Asher

He grins. “Watching you struggle to cope with all this is far too entertaining to pass up, especially given how miserable you made Iris.”

“Can you please leave me alone? I’m not in the mood.”

His brows jump, and I realize my break in character. I asked him to go.

Ever since I entered the office, I’ve been stuck in a constant state of heartburn. No amount of meetings or busy work can steal my mind away from the conversation I had with Iris this morning.

I pass by Cal’s desk instinctively, half expecting her to be there, only to remember she won’t be returning. I’m so used to her being around that I’m not sure how to handle her absence.

“This is for the best.” My brother pulls out Iris’s usual chair, but I point to the other one.

He shoots me a look as he drops into the one opposite of Iris’s seat. “She’s not coming back. Saving her chair won’t change that.”

“She’s still my wife. That chair is hers regardless of her occupation status, so use the other one.”

“Is she still your wife?”

“Get out,” I seethe.

He shrugs. “I’m just asking.”

“No, you’re looking for a fight.”

“Maybe I am. At least that way we can settle this. I don’t like working with all this tension around us.”

“There is nothing to settle. This is between me and her, regardless of whatever impression you might be under.”

“She came to me crying, Declan. I’m not going to sweep that under the rug because you decided a little too late that you made the wrong choice and you want her back.”

My fists clench against my lap. “I’m not doing this with you.”

“Then sign the paper and I’ll leave.”

I grab an ink pen to sign her resignation letter, but stop myself. My hand hovers above the blank signature spot.

Cal clears his throat. “If you really love her, then this needs to be done.”

“Even if it feels wrong?”

“Of course it feels wrong. You’ve both been co-dependent on one another for far too long.”

“At least all that rehab I paid for taught you something.” Even if it didn’t keep him away from drinking again, at least he learned a thing or two about bad habits.

He flips me off. “This job shouldn’t be the thing that keeps you together just like it shouldn’t be the reason that drives you apart. So, if you want a chance at a successful marriage, you need to let her go as your employee.”

I press the pen against the page and sign my name beside hers.

“Here.” I shove it away from me before I have a chance to shred it.

“It’ll be okay.”

“It sure as fuck doesn’t feel okay. Not when it feels like I’m losing her before I ever even had her to begin with,” I snap.

His face softens. “It’s not too late to get her back.”

“How do you know?”

“Because for some goddamn reason, she loves you despite all the reasons she shouldn’t.”

“She never told me.”

“What?”

“She never told me she loved me.” My voice drops.

“That doesn’t mean she still can’t.” He leaves my office with Iris’s signed resignation letter.

I pull out my phone before I can stop myself. I’m not going to go back on my deal to give Iris space, but that doesn’t mean I need to be silent while doing so.

I pull up our chat and text her a single word to express how I feel.

Me: Litost1.





I include a photo of her empty chair to express the suffering I feel at the reminder of how lonely I am without her.

She doesn’t respond. I didn’t expect her to, but it still makes my chest heavy anyway.

I try to get back to work, but my mind keeps drifting back to my relationship. My brain can’t seem to concentrate on any actual work, no matter how hard I try. Instead of pushing myself, I shut my computer off and spend the rest of my workday thinking of how exactly I can get Iris back.

Cal’s words from earlier seem to echo in my head.

She loves you despite all the reasons she shouldn’t.

But what if I gave her all the reasons she should?





1 Noun, Czech: A state of agony or torment.





45





IRIS





I spend my first vacation day doing absolutely nothing. It should be incredible and everything I hoped it would be, but I can’t get past the fact that I quit my job. And in a big way, I feel like I quit Declan too.

I stare up at the ceiling for what feels like hours, trying to decide what to do. The urge to check in on Cal is almost as strong as the desire to reply to Declan’s message. How could I not after he sent me a photo of my chair and a word that translates into something along the lines of feeling miserable.

I don’t know what to do with all the feelings hitting me all at once. While I feel angry at Declan for how he acted at Dreamland, I feel equally guilty to know he is suffering because of me. I’m not the kind of person who likes holding grudges. They make me nauseous, irritable, and anxious to the point of needing a Xanax.

I try to distract myself by updating my resume. I’d rather make myself useful instead of wallowing in my feelings, although the task is more emotionally draining than I thought as I review my job history as Declan’s assistant. I stop scrolling at my least favorite section of my resume titled Previous Education. It remains empty, with only a mention of a high school diploma I earned.