Page 79 of Under the Table

“We know what the problem is in your hotel.” Rex pulled the folder back toward him and then came to stand next to Angelica and Hope. “You are.”

“I haven’t done anything.” Julian’s jaw dropped.

So that was the route he was going to take.

“You can’t prove they didn’t want it.”

“I can,” Rex answered. “And I have. Whether you want to believe me or not is your choice. I don’t care if you do.” Rex pointed at Josef. “And I don’t care if you do, either.”

Josef stepped back from Julian, effectively distancing himself from the situation. But was he actually doing that? Or was he just trying to avoid the brunt of the heat?

“We’re done filming,” Josef stated loudly, his voice booming through the room. Then he turned to Julian. “We’re canceling the contract.”

“You can’t do that!” Julian screeched.

“I can. And I am.” Josef nodded and then took another step away from him and closer to where Rex was standing.

Angelica was suspiciously quiet. Hope wanted her to talk, to scream. She wanted any kind of reaction from her, but she wasn’t getting that.

“You’ll pay for this. All of you.” Julian spat the threat at them.

Hope didn’t care. He could sue them all he wanted. She’d take the brunt of it. He turned around and stormed out of the room. In his wake, no one said anything. The silence was so loud. And Hope was fairly certain it was all in respect to Angelica and everything that she’d endured since they’d arrived there. Hope should have put an end to it sooner. She should have pushed Rex and Josef to do something about it.

Rex finally broke the silence. “Sy, I want you to get that footage and make a copy of it for the police report.”

“Report?” Hope asked. Now that the silence had been broken, the room seemed buzzing with murmured chatter. But she didn’t stray more than two feet from Angelica.

“We’re filing a police report. Angelica spoke with several of the other women who were also harassed and they’re all going to file today.”

Hope breathed a sigh of relief. Josef shook his head and came closer to them. His face was soft now in a way Hope hadn’t ever seen from him before.

“I’m sorry, Ange.”

Angelica looked at him square in the face, but she didn’t soften like Josef did. In fact, Hope would dare to say that she’d hardened even more. “Do you know how to tell the difference between a narcissist and a manipulative asshole?”

Hope tensed. Angelica’s words were filled with mirth.

Josef’s jaw dropped, and he trembled in front of her.

“A narcissist doubles down on their lies. A manipulator will eventually admit them when presented with facts.” Angelica leaned in slightly, lowering her voice in a threat. “Don’t think you’re any better than Julian, because you’re not.”

She spun around and charged out of the room. Hope’s heart raced as she watched Angelica leave. Josef sighed heavily and sat down at the table.

“She’s right,” he said. “Two years ago, I would have believed her.”

Hope crossed her arms and glared at him. “What changed?”

But Josef didn’t say anything else. She sighed heavily and looked to Rex.

“We’re going to clean up and pack up,” Rex said. “We’ll leave tomorrow.”

“No,” Hope said, lifting her chin.

“What?” Josef frowned at her. “We need to cut our losses and get out.”

“No,” Hope repeated. “We didn’t just put Angelica through an entire week of this for nothing. We can stay tomorrow, finish filming and set up the staff who are still here for as much success as we can and then we’ll leave. Angelica wouldn’t want to leave them in a bind anyway.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Rex said.