I expected to see Cole in my office when I got in, but what I didn’t expect was how red he was from anger sitting on my chair.
If this was a cartoon he would have had those steams coming out of his ears.
Good!
“I was waiting for you.” He said Impatiently I raised a perfectly arched brow at him.
“I know, and?” “And?” he asked back as he tilted back in the leather.
I refused to answer him so he continued titting on the chair, like it was his.
He had one leg crossed over the other, trying so hard to communicate that he wasn’t intimidated but I have known him all his life, I knew when he was.
The office had floor to ceiling windows and the city stretched below like a giant wallpaper that gave a dramatic feel to the office while Cole was there, in the center of it like he belonged there.
I dropped my bag on the desk.
“What are you doing here?” He stood slowly not because I’d asked him to, but because he needed the physical advantage and wanted to intimidate me.
He reminded me of those frill lizards that expanded their necks when they were in danger.
I watched him calculate whether it would help.
But I knew it wouldn’t “Why Sloane?” He said it like the name tasted wrong.
“I mean I am used to you taking what’s left behind but still, is that what this is ?
Are you taking my sloppy seconds?” Now that triggered me.
I moved toward him without hurrying.
Slow enough that even though it seemed nonchalant, it also presented danger and my pace gave enough time to understand.
The way his eyes widened told me he knew what was happening.
He involuntarily took a step back, because after all these years, he knew me well enough to know what could come next.
I stopped inches before him.
“You don’t get to talk about Sloane like that anymore.
You don’t get to belittle her like you used to do.
Things have changed.
She’s now my wife.” I said calmly but with my tone as cold as ice so he could get the message.
“She’s-” “You had fourteen years to make things work with her and you chose to throw it away for something meaningless, you chose to fuck it up!” I was close to him now, so I poked him in the chest while he shrivelled in fear.
“You fucked up!
You!” I yelled in his face.
Then I drew back, heaving a breath to calm myself.
“This is what I am going to say.
Now that I’m being civil, you’re going to leave and you’re going to stay away from her.
And if you ever speak about her like this again, I’ll teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.” He fumed, breathing heavily before he left.
I sat at my desk, basking in the quiet that followed.
The office felt different with him gone.
It in fact felt cleaner like a disease that alleviated from its victim.
The city outside didn’t care about family drama or wounded pride.
It just continued being what it was.
Vast, Indifferent and full of people trying to just live their lives.
My phone buzzed once again and as usual it was Henry.
“Sir, the flowers were delivered to Miss Reed at her office.
She’s received them,” Henry’s voice came through.
“Mrs Della-Ross.” I corrected him sharply.
“Apologies sir.
Mrs Della-Ross has received her flowers.” “Good.” I nodded.
“That would be all Henry, I would like some time alone.
Hold my next calls for the next ten minutes.” “Alright sir” he said and dropped the call.
I pulled up Sloane’s schedule to confirm that her secretary had done exactly as I told her, which was to clear everything on her evening for me, without her knowledge.
Everything.
I told her there could be no meetings, calls or conferences.
It was her birthday and she deserved to have the time for herself.
She came home at seven.
The door opened and she walked in with her hands full.
She had her work bag slung across her body, shoes in one hand, handbag in the other.
Her hair had fallen out of shape and her makeup was smudged at the corners.
She looked like every ounce of energy in her had been extracted and all that was left behind was a shell.
She saw me and stopped there in the entryway, calculating whether this was another complication on a day already full of them.
“How did they handle the news?” I asked.
“Your stepmother.” I added for clarification.
She set her things down carefully.
“My day was horrible.
Veronica is pitching the marriage as fake.” I went quiet for a bit, letting her think I was considering the logistics when really, I had already known they would take it like that and we needed to do more to convince them that this was real.
“A honeymoon would fix it,” I said.
She looked at me like I’d suggested something insane.
“No.” She stated before letting my point land.
“I’m not going.” I was not to be dissuaded so easily.
“Your PR team could control the narrative, pictures, social media, everything.
To be honest, Veronica claiming the marriage is fake gets harder when they’re watching us on a beach.” She huffed.
“I said no, Zane.” I nodded slowly, still not backing down.
“I hear what you are saying but just listen.
You want this to look as real as possible, who genuinely gets married and not goes for a honeymoon?
If you want to keep Reed Industries and keep your stepmother from tearing apart everything you’ve built, you’re going to have to suck it up, play the part and smile for the cameras.” “I’m not going.” “Yes, you are.” I said firmly but immediately caught myself because I knew forcing her to do anything made Sloane do the opposite.
She was stubborn like that.
“At least, I think you should consider it.
We can leave in three days.
We will pack light and visit five countries in fourteen days.
You won’t need much.” She turned and continued up the stairs without another word.
“Sloane the honeymoon isn’t just for appearances.” I called after her.
She stopped with her hand on the rail, facing me with a frown.
“What does that mean?” I smiled.
“It means I’m done waiting for you to figure out what we both already know.” She paused at the top of the stairs.
“Thank you for the cake,” she said quietly.
“And the flowers.” I didn’t push because she was tired and raw and pushing now would only create resistance.
It was better to let her think she’d won this moment.
“You’re welcome.”