Page 131 of The Echo of Forever

“Report to Carmen for your first assignments,” I ordered, feeling generous today.

Millicent closed the door behind us after I slipped past her, then hesitated before taking a seat across from me.

“I never said anything about you and Demetrius kissing at my bar,” she had the nerve to start with. “Because I respect him and he was doing me a solid.”

Becausesherespectedhim.

“Do you like my husband?” I asked, tipping my head.

The way she dropped her gaze before speaking felt like an answer enough, but her response was the exact opposite of what I assumed.

“Jayden and I have history, and it’s much deeper than a canceled engagement. We go through phases…” She smiled and shook her head. “This happens to be one of them, only we’ve never gone this far. His seeking you out was never part of the plan. Jeremiah hadn’t been either, but here we are.”

I stared at her, confused by her entire existence suddenly.

“Girl, what are you trying to say? Break it down to me like I’m five.”

“Jayden will call off the engagement as you requested…” She pushed her chair back and stood. “But I feel like there’s more at play here, and I need you to be honest about it.

I smiled and leaned back.

“Okay, I’ll be honest. I’m sure you heard about my father’s request to meet with the board. His goal is to remove me from my post.”

Her lips twitched, but she caught herself.

“And you want my help?” she asked, eager to take on my problem to keep hers under lock and key.

This was beyond Jayden breaking society rules when it came to marriage alliances. But had everything to do with Demetrius being the middleman who could expose Jayden’s involvement in Jeremiah’s death to Seo-Yeon.

If I had to guess, Millicent kept the person she hired to close to the chest.

“You think you can?” I asked, feeding into her delusions for the hell of it.

She nodded and took her seat again.

“Of course. I can help you split the vote, forcing Lucien to step in.”

The board of trustees was comprised of twenty society members with no ties to prominent families before being sworn into their roles. It was their duty to act as representatives for the Collective as a whole, but once in those positions, it wasn’t against society rules to form alliances.

The more trustees you had on your side, the more powerful you were.

A tie would activate not only Lucien’s tie-breaking vote but my veto power, thanks to the Fairchilds.

“But,” she went on. “That’s only if you can guarantee Demetrius won’t ever expose my connection to Jeremiah’s death.”

I hummed and waited a beat before holding my hand out for her to shake.

“You have yourself a deal, Ms. Everwood.

We stood, and I moved toward the door first, leaving without a backward glance but feeling her gaze until I left the building and got into the truck waiting for me.

“One minute to spare,” Demetrius whispered into my neck after pulling me closer across the backseat. “Who kept you?”

I let him suffocate me with Vanilla. He’d been attached to me since Dr. Holland’s husband sent my tox screen. My mom had indeed drugged me with Ativan, and now the man didn’t want me seeing her without him.

“Millicent,” I muttered, resting my head in his lap after he released me. “She doesn’t want Jayden finding out she hired you, but is also trying to protect him from Seo-Yeon’s wrath. I agreed to let her help split the trustee vote.”

He hummed, brows pulled together as he stroked the side of my face.