Lured into Lies by Melanie Martins

Chapter 8

Alexander Van Dieren

“Don’t talk to her,” Ryan repeats once more, despite my wanting to dial Amanda and dissuade her from moving forward with her false accusation. What a fucking bitch she is. But I’m not in the best mood right now, so instead of calling her, I decided to call my attorney. “She is waiting for you to do something that you might regret afterward. Ignore her.”

“Maybe we can reach an agreement with her,” I tell him.

“Look, she hasn’t done anything so far. Maybe she just wanted to create some conflict between you and Petra.” Unfortunately, I know Amanda well, and I’m pretty sure she’ll go forward with those accusations for the sake of revenge. “Her goal is to damage your reputation, but don’t worry, we’ll have a great defense and bring forth a counter-case for defamation if she goes ahead with it.”

“Yeah, that’s exactly her goal.” I run a hand through my hair, barely believing what she is up to. I’m not surprised that Mona or anyone from her family told her I was engaged. It was just a matter of time until she would find out anyway.

“Send me all the evidence that you have supporting that you were both mutually into these types of…activities.” I suppress a laugh at his reply. “You had a contract with her, right?”

“Of course, I did.”

“Great, then relax. Enjoy your evening with your fiancée, and we see each other tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Ryan. Where would I be without you?” I ask, already anticipating his answer.

“Probably in jail.”

A chuckle escapes me, as I knew he’d say that. “Bingo.” Then I glance quickly at my watch and… Jeez! We’re getting late! It’s nearly nine o’clock. “Alright, I’m gonna have to go. See you tomorrow.” After hanging up, I finish adjusting the cuff of my left sleeve and then shout, “Petra, are you ready?” As I don’t hear anything in return, I leave our bedroom and go to her bathroom, where I knock twice. “Petra?”

I hear nothing but a mere, “Mm?”

“Are you ready?”

Since she doesn’t answer, I twist the handle and open the door enough to have a full view. My eyes land on Ms. Van Gatt standing in front of the mirror spraying some perfume on her neck. As I observe her reflection through the mirror, a trace of a smile settles on my lips while my gaze slowly drifts from her face down to the sapphire satin dress that fits her like a glove. I had to get her a dress which matched her engagement ring; after all, it’s our first official event here in New York.

She turns to face me, and my smile keeps growing. “How do I look?”

“Disappointing,” I tease. “I expected better when I got you this dress.”

“What?” she gasps instantly in outrage, before turning back to the mirror and observing herself again. And I can’t help but chuckle at it. “You’re kidding, right?” Her eyes are now squinting at me angrily. It’s supposed to look like she’s mad, but she just looks even cuter as she does so.

I give a few steps in her direction and, standing right behind her, I bend just enough to inhale her jasmine perfume. Pressing my lips on her right shoulder, I close my eyes and revel in her divine taste. My arms then go around her waist, pulling her closer against me, and my fingers start running through the fabric of the dress that molds her body so perfectly.

“You are absolutely stunning,” I whisper, while my lips linger on her skin. I feel tempted to undress her and kiss her whole body, but I get a grip on myself, and taking a step back, I say, “Alright, let’s go; we are already almost late.”

* * *

I check my watch once more, and I can’t help but despise the feeling of arriving anywhere late. While I’m pretty sure Petra doesn’t mind, I was raised to be punctual, and I came to hate tardiness, especially when I give my word to someone that I will be on time. It’s a great habit for meetings and formal dinners, but a terrible one for parties and casual events. Not only we are late, but that means everyone will already be inside and check on us making our entrance.

“Are you nervous?” I hear an ounce of amusement in her question.

Since I’m trapped in this goddamn car with her, I’ve got no option but to answer. “Well, there’s a bunch of clients in there and people I work with…”

“And?”

“And seeing a forty-something year old walking in accompanied by his eighteen-year-old fiancée isn’t gonna go unnoticed.”

While I look terrified, Petra just keeps smiling at me. “There are plenty of men who have younger girlfriends.”

“They aren’t eighteen, believe me,” I snap nearly instantly. “And they are definitely not the daughters of their business partners either.”

“Relax…” she takes my hand, entwining her fingers with mine. “You know how much I hate to be the center of attention, but tonight we are making a statement that nothing can tear us apart.”

“Except if I don’t satisfy your curiosity…” I’m sure I struck a nerve now, but I couldn’t resist. “Then, Ms. Van Gatt gives me an ultimatum.”

“That’s not the point,” she chides back, releasing her hand from mine and turning her face to the window.

“Of course.” I can’t help the sarcasm in my tone as I observe her, now totally bothered. There’s just something extremely satisfying and amusing in pissing her off. It brings back good, old memories. “You never changed, it’s unbelievable.”

At least I managed to pique her curiosity enough to bring her attention back to me. “What do you mean?” she quips.

“Nothing, I’m just testing a theory…” I let my words trail off, taunting her even more.

“Which theory?”

And my enjoyment keeps growing. “The theory you’re just as curious as when you were six.” I pause, gauging her expression for a moment. Since she remains looking at me with her lips in a flat line, I push a bit further. “When you were little, each time I wouldn’t give you a satisfying answer, you’d get mad. You needed to know absolutely everything in every situation. And now you still do exactly the same.”

“Well, you should know me by now.”

“Oh, that I do.” I take her hand and slowly pull her closer to me. As her body is now pinned against mine, I notice how the double-slit of her dress has left her legs bare, so I start caressing her right one, slowly tracing a line from her knee to her inner thigh and up. I love to see how she shivers under my touch as she tries to fight the growing heat filling the air between us. Then I bring my mouth close to her ear and whisper, “And I also know exactly what turns you on.”

* * *

From the corner of my eye, I already see Mike from afar looking at me as we get in. He’s not hard to miss: taller and skinnier than everyone else in the room, sporting a fit three-piece suit, and his signature bright blue, round frames.

“Petra! Alex!” he shouts from the other side of the entryway where he’s standing surrounded by a few other guests. His call breaks through the classical music that is playing in the background and nearly startles me. “What a great surprise!” Mike leaves his guests behind just as fast, rushing in our direction. Fortunately, as everyone looks at us, I only see pleasant smiles and faces. Once Mike reaches us, he welcomes me with a warm handshake and a friendly hug. “I’m really glad you managed to come back,” he says just above a whisper.

“Thanks,” I tell him, my tone casual. "Happy birthday, by the way.”

His attention then goes to Petra, and his face instantly lights up with a big grin. “Wow, what a vision, Ms. Van Gatt.” He then gives her a two cheek kiss, which is not usual for him, and I see Petra blush slightly. Mike either gives a handshake or a hug, not a kiss. But I guess he’s got his exceptions like everyone else.

“Good to see you again, Mike.” I notice how Petra pulls, from time to time, a truly sweet, little voice. It’s more innocent and charming than her usual one. A pity I hear it so rarely.

Mike, on the other hand, looks totally smitten as he remains staring at her in awe.

“How is Jenny doing?” I ask, reminding him he’s got a girlfriend.

He finally blinks twice, his attention switching to me. “She’s doing great, um, I think she’s on the terrace.” He then lowers his voice and asks, “Can I have a quick meeting with you two?”

Well, at least he doesn’t waste time. “Sure,” I mumble, already wondering what is he up to.

Mike gestures for us to follow him, and we go and take the stairs, leaving all the guests and the classical music behind.

After reaching the first floor, we keep going through the minimalist corridor until Mike finally invites us into his favorite place of the house: the observatory room, as he calls it.

Truthfully, it’s just a sitting room with glass walls and a terrace where he can pull his vintage telescope out and pretend he’s got a passion for star gazing.

“Oh, this is such a beautiful room.” Petra is the first to enter as she starts checking every corner of the room attentively. There is nearly nothing inside to check though; the place is so modern and minimalist that there’s only a carpet with a low table on it, a white sofa and two armchairs on each side. Oh, and a bar cart on the corner. But I know she’s just doing it to chill the atmosphere.

“Glad you like it,” Mike tells her before closing the door behind us. “It’s my favorite place in the house. And there is even a telescope so that I can do some star gazing in my leisure.”

I can’t help rolling my eyes. He says that to every single person who dares to compliment his room. And according to him, it’s here that Jenny fell in love with him. And before her, Natasha, and before Natasha, some other model who got easily lured into his pretentiousness and bougie tastes. I look at Mike with a hint of amusement as he goes and checks his gold telescope mounted on a beautiful mahogany wood tripod. I’ve known him for fifteen years, and while his girlfriends come and go, I think this telescope will remain his true love and devotion.

“Do you think we can see some stars today?” Petra asks as they both look at the telescope like it’s some sort of masterpiece. Oh, the one question she could’ve asked. We’re gonna spend the whole evening up here.

“Probably…” Mike is already removing the lens cap and adjusting the magnification. “I saw Jupiter and its four moons last night.”

“Oh, wow.” I’m honestly not sure if Petra is genuinely impressed or not. It’s hard to tell. She seems to be doing a good job faking it, if she is, as her eyes bulge with curiosity. “Can I try?”

Mike, however, is floating on cloud nine as he steps aside so that she can have a look through the eyepiece. “Sure.”

I remain quietly standing behind them observing the whole thing. As it seems like we’re gonna stay here for a while, I head over to the bar cart and pour myself some whiskey. Then I wonder if they also want to drink something, so I look back at them, but they are totally engrossed with the telescope. With my glass in hand, I give a first sip, engrossed not on the telescope but on the woman who’s behind it. This dress is really something on her. My eyes linger to her chignon, which leaves her neck and shoulders totally bare, and I slightly regret not having left a few hickeys there while we were in the car.

“Do you want to give it a try?”

I blink twice at Petra’s voice; she has got that little, cute tone again.

“Can we see anything in there?” I ask her, already walking toward them.

She gives me a big smile before saying, “Yes, we can see Jupiter and its moons. It’s pretty fascinating.”

As she steps aside, I give a look through the eyepiece; everything is dark except for one bright dot which seems to be Jupiter and four smaller ones not too far from it. It’s an interesting hobby, I’ve got to admit. “Yep, I can see them.”

“Petra, would you like to drink something?” I hear Mike asking as he goes to the bar cart.

“Um, just water, if you have some.”

I try to rotate the lens a bit to remove the magnification so that I can see other planets or stars, but alas, I don’t manage to see anything but a dark sky.

“Please have a seat, guys.” My attention goes back to Mike, who gestures for us to sit on the sofa while he goes to prepare the drinks.

I leave the telescope behind and sit beside Petra. And just like in the car, my eyes hover again on her bare legs, which makes me smile as she tries to cover them with some of the fabric of her dress. Then I bend just enough to reach her neck.

“Alex,” she snaps in a whisper. “Not here.” But my mouth is already on her flesh, tugging and sucking it like I haven’t tasted her for ages. “Ah,” she gives a quick gasp, her eyes closing for an instant at the pressure. As I release her skin from between my teeth, I can’t help but smile with pleasure and guilt at the wonderful red mark beaming at me.

She presses her hand instantly where the hickey is, before giving me a censoring look. “Are you crazy? Why did you do that?” She rebukes in a low voice filled with embarrassment.

“I have nothing to hide.” Which is true. “And since everyone knows we are together, I don’t see what the problem is.”

Petra is about to protest once more, but as we hear Mike’s footsteps approaching, she just shakes her head in displeasure instead.

“Here’s your water.” Mike hands her glass before he goes and sits in his armchair beside us.

“Thanks.” Petra gives a first sip, and as she does so, a quiet silence settles between us three. We patiently wait for Mike to tell us why he brought us here in the first place, but he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry and gives another sip of his own drink.

“Are you coming to the hearing?” I ask, my patience already running low.

“Oh, I’ve got a few meetings to go to,” he says. “But my PA will be there to keep me updated in live.” I nod, waiting for him to open up. And after a few more beats of silence, he finally does so. “Look, um, as you guys know, your relationship came as a shock to everyone, including the board.” Despite his tone being calm and polite, I can sense the worry in it. “It’s none of our business, let’s make it very clear. No one has anything to do with your private life,” he adds, looking especially at me. “But when the daughter of a well-known chairman makes headlines for being abducted by his business partner, who happens to be the CEO of our company…” A long tired sigh escapes him before he can finish his sentence. “Well, whether we want it or not, it became our business.”

“We’ll fix it soon,” I reassure him once more. "Ryan has been taking care of it.”

“I’m afraid that’s not gonna be your last issue.”

“What are you talking about?” I snap, my eyes squinting at him.

“All I am saying,” Mike takes over. “Is that you need to be careful.”

“Mike…” I keep staring at him straight in the eye, knowing all too well there’s something else he’s holding back from me.

“You can trust us,” Petra adds as she leans forward to get closer to us. “My dad has been totally manipulated by my mom, since she knows about our relationship.” She takes a long drink from her glass. That’s quite a private info to share with Mike, but I refrain myself from calling her on that.

After a few more seconds, Mike finally fesses up. “Well, that’s exactly the problem. Um, Roy had a meeting with the firm lawyers yesterday, and his ex-wife was there too.”

“What?” Petra and I say at the same time.

“What were our lawyers doing with Tess?” I ask him.

“So, Mom went to the headquarters?”

Our questions hang in the air as Mike gives a quick sip of his drink before telling us the rest. “By what I’ve heard, they are trying to find a loophole to remove you even without the board majority.”

I feel a strong chill coursing down my spine, like a million knives stabbing me in the back. A gush of air rolls off my lips, and I bring some more whiskey into my mouth, finishing my drink. “Roy is nothing but a puppet at this point.” I place my glass down on the table.

Mike’s eyes widen in surprise at my statement, but he remains silent, looking at me. “After everything he’s doing to you, that’s all you’ve got say?” And now I’m the one perplexed by his question. “He’s literally trying to screw you over. Aren’t you mad at him?”

As I ponder his last question for an instant, I realize that I feel nothing toward Roy himself. His actions, sure. But not him. I feel no anger or hate, just pity. “No.” And the only thing I want to remember from the man who used to be my best friend is that, thanks to him, I met the woman of my dreams. “He’s chosen his side, and I’ve chosen mine.”

“So, your friendship is really over, isn’t it?” Mike asks.

“I do believe so, yes.”

“Fuck…” Mike doesn’t hide his distress anymore, his eyes are now staring at nothing as he keeps ruminating. All of a sudden, he stands up and starts pacing toward the glass wall, standing behind his armchair. “But Gatt-Dieren is a brand,” he says hurriedly, turning his head in our direction. “It’s a union, a partnership, it’s the selling point to our investors.” He shakes his head, thinking something through. “If one of you leave, there is no more Gatt-Dieren, you know that, right? You can’t just toss that into the trash like it’s nothing.”

“Relax,” I tell him, wondering why he’s getting so anxious in the first place. And playing a bit with his nervousness, I add, “I’m marrying a Van Gatt, so brand-wise, we are still good.”

Petra and I share a laugh, but Mike remains just as serious. “You might take that as a joke, but I don’t. The IR managers spent the whole week reassuring investors that you just went on vacation with your fiancée, and that Roy didn’t appreciate it because said fiancée turned out to be his daughter.”

“Which is true,” Petra replies.

Mike comes back, but this time, he sits just on the edge of his armchair. He leans in a moment before continuing his flow. “Look, I’m on your side, guys, alright?” He pauses for a beat, his hands intertwined as he gathers his thoughts. “I liked Roy, but now he’s lost. Gone. Finito. I’m sorry for the vulgarity, Petra, but a puppet is like a whore. We might use their services, but that doesn’t mean we respect them.” He takes a deep breath before proceeding, “Rumors have been spreading that his ex-wife has him by the balls, and that doesn’t reassure anyone to keep investing.” Ah, that’s an issue I didn’t see coming. “I mean, he’s about to testify against you. Do you realize how bad this is for the company?”

“Do you think the board should vote him out?” Petra asks. “After all, he’s the one who went to the media with our story.” I can tell by the slight change in her tone that she is being serious.

Regardless, I tell her, “Your dad would be devastated,” before Mike can jump in and give his opinion. “He’s dedicated his whole life to our hedge fund.”

“Petra’s right, though.” Why am I not surprised by his answer? “Look, if his ex-wife keeps using him to attack you and tarnish your reputation, we’ve got to let him go before it’s too late.”

“I agree,” Petra says, squaring her shoulders. “And it’ll teach him a good lesson.”

“Even if you and I vote him out, the rest of the board won’t,” I remind them. As if voting the chairman out was an easy task. “You know how much they hate conflicts.”

“Then they should vote him out to avoid new ones,” Petra insists. She seems to be just as determined as Mike to get rid of him. Despite it being the rational thing to do, for some reason, I still have some hopes I can bring Roy to our side before causing such irreversible damage to his image. After all, being kicked out of his own company will make him a disgraced hedge fund manager for the rest of his life. And for someone who cares so much about his reputation, there’s nothing worse than that. Petra lays her hand on top of mine as we look at each other. “I know how loyal you are toward your friends, but he’s no longer one. Dad is the enemy now.” Her voice is lower but more caring and heavier.

“It will be either you or him,” Mike says before I can add my two cents to Petra’s comment. “What if the lawyers find that loophole?”

“They won’t.”

Despite my firm answer, Mike doesn’t seem convinced. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because it’s Ryan who did the contract,” I tell him, just before raising up from the sofa, ready to leave. “So there is no way in hell those two lads will find anything in there.”

Mike and Petra also stand up, and I give Mike a warm handshake.

“Alright, good to know,” Mike says, putting an arm to my shoulder before adding, “Have a thought about it, though, and, um, this little talk stays between us right?”

“Of course.” As I release my hand from his, I give him a quick smile and a returned pat in appreciation. “Thanks for the talk. I really am grateful for it.”

With nothing left to say, Mike escorts us back to the party. And while I’m dying to leave this place, there are some formalities I can’t escape from, such as greeting our clients that are in attendance and, most likely, having to answer all their questions about the headlines they read a few days ago.

Once we reach the living room where most of the guests are gathering, Mike brings us to the middle of a group. “Ladies and gents, I managed to bring him back!” It’s impressive how Mike can switch from serious and worried to festive and tipsy in the split of a second; there is even somehow a slight slur to his tone now.

“Now, that’s an unexpected surprise,” Joshua is the first to speak. It’s funny to see how friendly he is now that we stand in front of him in the flesh. Yet, while I was in Bermuda, he wouldn’t bother to answer my calls, despite being a non-exec with voting rights. “Congrats on the engagement, you two.”

“Thank you, I really appreciate that,” Petra says in return, her bright red lips and crystal white smile pulling the attention of onlookers.

I then introduce her to the rest of the group, although she already knows most of them from the luncheon I hosted for her high school graduation. Jeez, and this was already over a year ago. It’s insane how time flies so fast.

“I never expected you’d settle down, honestly,” another client in his mid-fifties teases. “I might stand a chance after all.”

Everyone gives a quick laugh at his joke out of politeness, and Mike finally decides to lead the conversation to another subject. Joshua, on the other hand, takes this opportunity to discreetly call me aside. I squeeze Petra’s hand after silently agreeing to it, and we leave the group, walking a bit farther away to a quieter corner of the room. Once we are finally alone, Joshua leans over and asks in a low voice, “How are things with Roy?” And I’m not surprised by his question. “Is he still mad at you?”

“As far as I know.”

“I mean, it’s not the end of the world. He should be more reasonable.” He pauses, letting out a sigh. “Look, um, I think my phone is tapped, which is why I didn’t pick up your calls.” Given his position in finance and his shady deals, that doesn’t surprise me the least. “His ex-wife is the one behind this PR mess, right? I also heard she’s a good friend of the State Attorney General, is it true?” It seems like Mike couldn’t shut up about the whole ordeal.

“Yes, it is.”

Joshua nods pensively before looking me in the eye and asking, “They have got some shit on Roy, huh?”

There’s no point in denying it, Joshua is too smart for that. “I suppose.”

“And what about you?”

“I’m here, no?” I meet his inquiring eyes, not blinking once at them. “If they have something against me, they can go ahead and put it on the table.”

I keep looking him straight in the eyes, until Joshua finally blinks, drops his gaze and gives me a smile filled with appreciation. “What Roy did to you left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.” Joshua’s words are heavy, and I can sense his board is expecting me to do something about Roy.

“I know…”

“I thought Roy had more integrity than throwing you under the bus.” After exhaling a rush of air, he steals a quick sip of his champagne. “I understand if you want to let him go.” Translation: Joshua and his board want me to vote Roy out. Maybe that’s why Mike tried to persuade me.

“We have the hearing next Monday,” I tell him. “We’ll see how he behaves.” I crack my knuckles quietly while he assesses my answer.

“He’s owned by his ex-wife. He’s no longer working for the interests of the firm, but for his own.”

“I’m gonna talk to him,” I insist, trying to appease him. “The one who truly has to go is Tess. Not him.”

But Joshua doesn’t seem pleased that I’m not bowing to his demand. “Alright, let’s see how the hearing goes. But if he steps out of line…” He then leans closer to me before adding, “He’s out.” And he leaves his words sinking into me as he walks away.

* * *

Despite Petra and I sharing the same car, the drive back home has been quite silent. In the back seat, I remain staring out of my window, the evening replaying in my mind, especially the conversation I had with Joshua—our biggest client. I remember how close he and Roy used to be. After all, Joshua was always present at every social gathering: from Roy’s birthdays to Petra’s luncheon and even to Paulo’s wedding. They were so freaking close that it’s hard to accept the idea that Joshua wants him out. This battle has got to stop once and for all. It’s not good for either of us to try to vote the other out. In a last attempt to change Roy’s mind, I grab my iPhone and decide to call him. He might not even pay the call any mind, but I have to give it one last shot nevertheless. As I hear the first ringtone, my heart gives a little squeeze. There comes another one, and another one…

“Hi, Alex…” My stomach drops at the sound of his voice. He sounds more tired than usual, though. “How was your evening?”

“Hi, Roy,” I greet as I ponder for an instant the best way to start this conversation. I notice Petra staring at me in confusion for greeting her dad, but she doesn’t say a word about it. “I just came from Mike’s party and—”

“I know.”

He knows? I ignore his comment and finish what I was about to say. “And it seems like your reputation got a bigger blow than mine.”

“And you believe them?”

As I’m not really understanding his question, I decide to tell him everything. “Mike and Joshua want you out. And I’m pretty sure they’re not the only ones.”

I hear a quick laugh from the other side like he’s just mocking me. “You’re so damn naïve it hurts.” His comment comes as a surprise, but I wait for him to explain it further. “Mike and Joshua are just placing their bets and trying to figure out who’ll stay and who’ll leave. They had the same talk with me just yesterday.” I close my eyes, doing my best not to chuckle at my own stupidity. Of course they did. Why did I believe for a second they had chosen a side? They never do, they always bet on both so they can win no matter what. “By now, you should know how they operate.”

“I should, yeah…” I let my words trail off, still barely believing what Mike and Joshua are up to. “And by now, I should also stop caring about you, but alas, here I am calling you and trying to persuade you once more to drop Tess and move forward.”

“I’ve got another call right now,” he snaps back, and I wonder if it’s true or just a way to avoid talking to me any further. “See you at the hearing.” And just like that, he hangs up on me.

Shaking my head at his childish behavior, I put my iPhone back inside my blazer. Before I can return to looking out the window, I feel Petra’s body sliding toward mine and taking my arm to wrap it around her shoulders as she nestles herself against me.

“I know you don’t want to vote Dad out,” she begins, her voice quite gentle and low. “But Mike—”

“Mike had the same talk with your dad,” I interpose.

She gazes up at me, her face laced with confusion as she asks, “Was it Dad who told you that?”

“Yes. Mike is just making his bets and seeing who will get destroyed first and leave.”

Her lips part in shock, and she creases her brows. “But what does he have to gain with it?”

“A new position; either as the CEO or as the chairman,” I explain. “Depending on who leaves.”

Her mouth still gaping, she remains silent, pondering my words. “So all this talk about voting my dad out was just for Mike to replace him?”

“Everyone has got an agenda. And Mike is no exception.” Silly me for believing something else.

“So there is no one loyal to you at the board?” she asks, her tone either worried or disappointed. “Someone you can rely on?”

“Your dad used to be the trustworthy one, which is why the firm grew so fast.” And I can’t help but to dwell on the past as I say, “We trusted each other and never wasted time with useless games like we are now.”

“Why don’t I just become a member of the board, then?” Petra asks very seriously. “At least my vote could protect you.”

A smile pulls at my lips, and I press them against her head before saying, “You shouldn’t be worrying about these types of things…”

“I’m serious,” she insists, staring up at me. “It might be a good decision.”

“Your vote is based on the membership interest you own,” I tell her. “If you don’t own a percentage of the company, you don’t have a vote.”

“So, how did Mike manage to get a seat at the table?”

“Well, Mike has been with us since the beginning, so we gave him a small percentage of the company when we started. Then when the former CEO left, he thought he’d be the new one, except he wasn’t and remained in the operations,” I explain. “Even when we gave him a raise, I knew deep down he was looking to upgrade his business card.”

“I see…” She nods pensively, her eyes now staring down at nothing before meeting mine again. “Do you think one of you will have to go like Mike said?”

Letting out a sigh, her question highlights a reality I’d rather not face. “We’ll see how Roy behaves Monday.”

Petra presses her lips together in a flat line, before asking, “Why is it so hard for you to see my dad for what he truly is? Our enemy?”

As I think of an answer, I find myself a bit lost in the infinite blue of her eyes. Despite having looked at them a thousand times, they always have the same impact on me. “I guess because your dad was the most loyal and reliable person I’ve ever had in my life.” My tone carries a heaviness I wasn’t ready for, but I proceed nevertheless. “It’s hard to believe he no longer is.”

“But you have me now.”

My smile keeps growing at her words, and with my heart full, I lean down to claim her lips. I haven’t kissed them since we left the car to head to Mike’s, and it feels so damn good to taste them again. “Yes, I do.”