Page 27 of Promised to the Demon King (The Demon Brides #1)

"Carol, we've been over this matter a dozen times already. The prenup is ironclad, Carol." Her attorney, Craig Parks, sighed from his seated position behind his oversized desk.

Carol sat opposite to him, shaking her head.

"I am aware of what you said already, Craig. What I am trying to tell you is that there is proof of infidelity now. That is a listed stipulation; it will bypass this ridiculous prenup now. Does it not?" Carol crossed her legs in confident smugness.

"You have proof?"

"Yes. How do we proceed with taking Timothy for everything I am owed?" Carol oozed entitlement.

"Let me see this proof. We can't risk filing and it being thrown out as circumstantial. Timothy's lawyer is a pit-bull in the courtroom. He has been in the business for a long time and has a great relationship with many judges. We need concrete proof, or you could be found at fault. You'll be left divorced and penniless. So, let's see your proof, Carol."

"Well," Carol wrung her hands slightly, her confidence slipping slightly.

"Well, what?"

"I don't have it exactly. I am working on it." Carol announced, causing Craig to roll his eyes in annoyance and sigh as he pinched the bridge of his slender nose.

"Carol, Get the proof, and then we can talk. Until then, we have no case to challenge such a strong prenup. Someone like Timothy Carter doesn't leave an evidence trail of his indiscretions. If you have nothing else, I must prepare for another meeting. Contact me when we have something concrete and more than hearsay and speculation." Craig's stance was apparent; he was closing this meeting abruptly.

"It is not speculation. Timothy is being investigated for embezzlement, and it was discovered that he has bid numerous affairs in the office."

"Then get me that proof. If you do, I'll get you everything you owe." Craig said as he walked to the door, opening it to end the meeting.

Carol left her attorney's office with a grin and increased determination.

Sure, she ruined his career and life, but she no longer cares about that. He was having extramarital affairs. They made a promise. He included this stipulation in the prenup after they met with Pastor Terrance, making it clear that to save their image with the affair, they needed to marry. She stood before their Pastor and demanded that the clause be added; Pastor Terrance agreed, and Timothy had no choice. Now was her time; if she could prove an affair had happened, she could gain half of his worth.

She just needed to gain access to it before he lost everything.

"Hello, Patricia Cruz speaking." a woman's voice came over the other end of the call.

"Hey, Patty. It's Carol. I was hoping you were free this evening. I can't stop thinking about my marriage and everything happening with the company. I could really use a friend." Carol's tone sounds as pitiful as she can muster to force Patricia's compassionate side.

"I can meet you at Glenn's Bar and Grill at six." Patricia rushed out in a low voice.

Carol scrunched her face in disgust. Women of class never meet at places with ‘bars and Grills’ in the name. It was insulting, but she had to push her dislike aside. She still needed her friendship with Patricia.

"You're the best! See you then." smiling as she spoke.

She wasn't smiling because she was enthused by the meeting but rather by the move she was about to make. She would get the proof, even if she needed to remind her friend that she holds a few secrets regarding Patty and her-- vices. After all, Carol would hate to have to report her good friend to the company; she could lose her career and place within their social circles.

Carol hummed merrily as she walked to her car. It was now time to put things into motion.

'We need to meet. I have a job for you!' Carol sent a quick text message to a new contact she had acquired from an acquaintance. She hadn't been able to reach the man, Jason, who she hired to take care of Jonathon. Carol needed to tie up any and all loose ends. She had decided that since the hired hitman wouldn't return any of her messages or calls, she would have to hire another freelance contact to clean up all the loose ends, starting with the man who thought they could ghost her right after payment.

[Tomorrow, 12:30 pm. Come alone. 692 Forest Heights Park.]

An unknown number reached out to her. It wasn't the same number she had just texted, but she knew it was him. This guy was already significantly more organized than the first she hired. Hopefully, this man wouldn't need many chances to complete the job.

Carol smirked as she put her car into drive. She wanted to do some therapy shopping before she met up with Patricia.

It was nearly 6:20 pm. when Carol arrived at Glenn's Bar and Grill. She shuttered as she parked and looked over the building before her.

"Straighten up. You need to do this to succeed!" she coached herself, taking one final look in the overhead mirror before exiting her luxury car and entering the family-friendly restaurant.

As she entered the front door, chattering and laughing children filled her ears. She steeled herself, clenching her fists. She never liked children, and if her own example was what they turned into, she wanted nothing to do with them.

"Carol," Patricia stood from the table on the other end of the restaurant, shouting her name and waving frantically with a big smile. "Over here."

Of course, she would pick the furthest table, Carol thought bitterly as she put on a big smile.

As Carol made her way, children laughed and ran in front of her while their parents passively shushed them, with no result. Carol rolled her eyes and steamrolled through the pair of children.

She could hear them cry as they fell to the ground and the parents calling after her for what she did.

"Manage your animals better. They should be seated and not running around," Carol hissed, chuckling as she walked away from the stunned parents of the two children.

"Uh, Carol. That didn't seem very nice. They're just kids." Patricia spoke low; she flushed, embarrassed that many tables watched the now villain approach her table.

"I am not apologizing to rodents, Patty. They should have raised their children more obediently. Now they've learned a valuable lesson, haven't they?" Carol took a wet towelette packet from her purse and wiped down the seat and table area around her before taking her seat.

Many tables shook their head in disbelief but said nothing. Patricia gave the onlookers a small apologetic smile before sitting as well.

"You're late, Carol. We agreed to meet for six." Patricia frowned as she spoke.

"I got lost. I don't travel to this type of area. I stay around our gated community and places that require manners. You can't blame me for being late. You may enjoy this type of experience, but I do not."

Patricia chuckled and shrugged off the insult.

"Joe and I had our first date here, actually. It holds sentimental value to me. I enjoy the atmosphere. It's welcoming, like going home for Christmas. It may be loud, but everyone means well."

"Timothy took me to Giovanni's and the ballet. I guess we just have different standards of acceptance. Now, how was work?" Carol turned the conversation light again. She needed to lull Patricia into a relaxed state.

Just as Carol predicted, Patricia unloaded all of the office gossip. This was precisely what Carol wanted. This was the only reason she even considered befriending someone beneath her. Patricia was the office gossip Queen. There wasn't anything within the Carter Company drama that Patricia didn't know. Patricia didn’t have a malicious bone in her body, but she loved to talk. It made her easy prey for people like Carol.

As soon as their ordered food arrives, Patricia digs in hungrily while Carol watches in silent judgment. In her opinion, food was meant to be ordered as a mere presentation of status, but the way uncultured people like Patricia always ate, it seemed as though she had been starved for weeks.

Carol chuckled as she assessed Patricia's figure. She could do with a few days, maybe even weeks, of starvation, she thought smugly.

Although Patricia was younger than she was by nearly a decade, her Latina culture gave her curves and being raised by a single father and brothers, Patricia never learned that a lady should never shovel food into their mouth. In Carol’s opinion, she ate like a starved barbarian.

Carol would never risk losing her beauty and figure. She would not allow herself to be the typical forties mom-bod type. It was easily seen that Carol looked in her thirties, not her forties.

With a strict diet, aerobic schedule, and beauty regiments, Carol aged well—much better than any of her socialite friends.

She also got help from Doctor Randell Franks, her plastic surgeon. But overall, she took care of her external image, unlike the ogre who sat across from her, filling her face with carbs and empty calories.

"You're not eating?" Patricia licked the sauce off her fork before asking. Carol struggled not to make an honest comment about what she had just witnessed.

"Patty, I need your help." Carol started. Patricia dropped her fork and sided as she wiped her face.

"Carol, I already told you. I can't get you that information. I would lose my job."

"Let me be frank, then. I highly doubt you giving me that information and evidence of infidelities would be more offensive than everyone finding out about your not-so-little gambling addiction. Wouldn't you think?" Carol's blue eyes turned cold and calculated in an instant.

Patricia gasped. They'd been friends for years; she confided in Carol as a friend, yet her cry for help was now turned into blackmail and extortion.

"Y-you promised to keep my personal problems quiet, Carol. I've been in recovery for a few months now. How could you-" Patricia angrily threw her napkin onto her place. A sense of deep betrayal and shame filled her. Addictions weren't easily kicked aside; having a supportive friend was important, but it was apparent that Carol wasn't that person for her.

"I need you to do something important, so how important is this secret to you? Do you wish to keep it solely between us or--" Carol was smug in her appearance and tone.

Patricia turned red with anger. She pushed her chair away from the table and stood to leave. Her abruptness caught the attention of a few people around her.

"I don't ever wish to see or hear from you again. Remember, I know quite a bit about you and your demons, too, Carol. Don't push me!" Patricia hissed. She wasn't vindictive, just weak to her vices, but she was seeking help for them, and that in itself was a test of strength; Carol was bringing out a dark emotion that Patricia didn't like. She needed to be around better people to be better.

When Patricia finished speaking, she turned and walked away.

"I expect the information in forty-eight hours or else!" Carol said loudly behind Patricia's back. Patricia heard the threat loud and clear but refused to give Carol any more of her time or respect for an answer.

Carol watched with smug satisfaction. This was an important piece of her plan. She would burn all her bridges to acquire a loophole to steal all of Timothy's money.

She didn't need friends; those things can be bought later-- with wealth.