Page 145 of Symphony for Lies

Best for me? I exhaled slowly, dragging my gaze from the documents to meet his cold, expectant stare.

“I’ll talk to her. When I decide to.”

He crunched his teeth.

He knew that I didn’t belong to him.

I didn’t belong to anyone.

Except Amelia.

I had built my own empire. I made my own money and played by my own rules. I no longer lived in their shadow, no longer needed their validation, and I sure as hell didn’t need their approval.

“Suit yourself.” He turned sharply, storming out the door and slamming it shut behind him.

Ryan, my assistant, entered the room looking just as pissed as my father.

“Thanks for that! Now I’m going to have to listen to them bitch about you for the next few hours.” He shot me a glare. “Couldn’t you at least pretend to be obedient?”

I barely reacted, flipping through the finance reports for the upcoming gala with disinterest.

“Want a smoke?” Ryan offered, already pulling out his pack.

I shook my head.

I had quit the day when Amelia wrinkled her nose outside Cozy Corner at the scent of cigarette smoke on me. I hadn’t touched one since.

I ignored Ryan’s exasperation. “Did you get what I asked for?”

He handed me a file. Ella Aria’s.

I had requested it to uncover whatever the hell that girl was hiding. Her parents had already crumbled under pressure, but she was an enigma.

I could still see that smug, victorious smirk on her face when my mother announced—sold me off—that pathetic engagement.

My fingers tightened around the paper as I skimmed through the information.

Flute lessons with Mr. Watson for several years.

That name… Why did it feel so familiar?

“You look creepy. What’s wrong?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

But my gut told me otherwise.

I tossed the file aside.

The entire situation was a goddamn headache, but I wasn’t backing down. Ella would pay for everything Amelia had been forced to endure.

“Mr. Cole, what should we do about Miss. Walker’s rent payments?”

“What rent payments?”

Ryan sighed. “You bought the entire building, remember? You specifically told me to hold off on notifying Miss. Walker. We still need to send out the ownership change and updated lease agreements soon.”

I leaned back in my chair, unimpressed. “The apartment belongs to her.”