Page 57

28
CHLOE
But the text was not from Henry or Will.
Sean:I didn’t see the weekly operational reports mailed in today. Date night or not, I won’t have you slacking off, Ms. Nichols.
I walked down the street, my cheeks flaming hot with a mix of shame and humiliation.
I’d been stood up in the most humiliating way, and instead of a shoulder to cry on, I got this.
I found a quiet street corner and sat down under a streetlight, red-hot tears rolling down my face.
This was why I didn’t go out on dates. This was why meeting Bruce himself had felt like a chance in a million until I saw him for the asshole he was.
Another text popped up.
Sean:If I don’t hear back from you in a minute, I’m calling you.
I didn’t want him to call and hear my voice shake. Just like I didn’t want to go back home and let Henry know that my date had left me high and dry.
Chloe:I mailed them in earlier today, just before I left at five p.m. Could you check your spam folders, please?
I got a call from him instantly.
I rejected it and looked around for a place to go. There were no bars or cafés nearby, so unless I wanted to keep walking in my high heels, I needed to come up with a better plan fast.
My phone buzzed with another angry text from Sean, no doubt, and I didn’t give it a look. I’d done my job, and I didn’t want to be troubled by him—especially since he thought I was having the time of my life and that he needed to ruin it for me.
That job is already done. You don’t need to do anything here.
I looked up and down the empty street, but I didn’t have anywhere else to go, except for home. No one else to call and complain to.
Cars sped by on the road in front of me, a blur in the scene of my life.
A black Rolls-Royce Phantom slowed down next to me. We were on the very edge of New York, a not-very-respectable part of town.
Wondering if someone seedy wanted to approach me, I stood up and turned around, beginning to walk in the direction of my home. I heard footsteps as someone got out of the car, and I hastily rubbed my eyes and continued walking, not looking back. Because my sense of humiliation was long gone, now replaced by a sense of fear.
The footsteps behind me did not falter. If anything, they sped up. Feeling increasingly worried, I reached for my phone just as I turned around to face my presumable attacker.
“I know tae kwon—” I began, but then my words and mouth froze.
On the pavement, I could see the familiar deep blue Tom Ford jacket I’d seen earlier at work. Sean stood in front of me, a look of anger on his face.
Damn it. Did he follow me here just for those ridiculous reports?
“I emailed the reports to you, like I said,” I began. “Do I need to show you how to use your email as well?”
He didn’t respond, just kept walking closer and closer. The anger on his face was evident.
He stopped when he was right in front of me, mere inches away. “You need to tell me why you’re out here, crying, when you’re supposed to be on a date.”
I laughed a half-maniacal laugh. “Oh, so that’s why you followed me? You wanted to ruin that part of my life too? Well, I’ll have you know that I managed to do that all by myself. Get back in your flashy car, Sean, and leave. There’s nothing left for you to ruin anymore.”
I turned away and began walking, but he stretched a hand out and grabbed my wrist, stopping me.
“I didn’t come here to ruin anything, Chloe.”