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With a sense of dread and something heavier that I couldn’t place just yet, I dragged my feet to the dining room.

I missed my apartment more than I ever had.

Chapter 14

Convenience, Not Love

REID

Iglaredatmymother and the oblivious smile on her smug face.

Every nerve in my body pulled taut with the need to expose Daniella for what she’d done, for all the pain she’d caused. I wanted to do it, to watch her perfect mask fall and see my mother realize that she’d beenwrongall these years.

That I hadn’t made a mistake.

It was all I could do to keep from exploding.

“You know, Reid,” my mother said, turning those greedy eyes on me. “Daniella was telling me all about her latest venture into the cosmetics industry. She’s really making a name for herself.”

“Fabulous,” I drawled, my eyes drifting back to Mia, who remained silent beside me.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d endured such an awful lunch. I itched to shove away from the table and run out the door.

But I couldn’t leave Mia here. Not when the ensuing conversation would either hurt her or end with her tearing my mom and Dani to shreds.

Actually…

“Mia, you’re Reid’s assistant, right?” Daniella said, her blue eyes glittering with malice. “How long have you been working for her?”

“I’m her executive assistant,” she corrected coolly, refusing to touch her food. “And I’ve been workingwithReid for a little over six years now.”

“And what is that like?” Daniella pressed, and the lilt in her words gave her mischief away. I knew she was needling for more information about us.

“You were married to her,” Mia pointed out. “Surely you know what her work entails?”

Oh, shit.

I sucked on the insides of my cheeks to keep from snickering and turned back to Dani, whose perfect little mask had begun to crack.

“Of course I know what her work entails,” she huffed, fighting to plaster that saccharine smile back on her face. “But I want to know what you do-”

“If you know what her work entails then isn’t it obvious why she’d need an executive assistant to help her run her companies?”

My shoulders shook with the laugh I fought to suppress, made worse by Daniella’s look of absolute outrage.

“As for what I do,” Mia continued, either completely oblivious to Daniella’s simmering rage or enjoying it as much as I was. “I manage the legalities of Reid’s companies, as well as communications with investors and creators alike. I hope that answers your question.”

“Very impressive,” my mother intoned, the condescendence on her tongue as thick as honey. “And you’re from Columbia, right?”

“Brazil,” I snapped, the amusement vanishing in a second.

“Oh, how lovely.” She chuckled. “What did you do in Brazil? You know, before you came here?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mia freeze, her spine ramrod straight. She exhaled shakily, quiet enough that only I could hear it.

“I worked odd jobs,” she said, eerily calm. “My concern was supporting my mother and my little sister.”

“Admirable.”