Chapter 17

Mr Fancy Suit guides me to an even fancier car. It is sleek and black and the doors opened up backwards, I mean how fucking cool is that? My suitcase is loaded into the back and I slide onto the smooth leather seats as the door is shut behind me. I lean forward towards the small window separating the front from the back, "Ah, Mr Fancy Suit, where exactly are we going?" "Mr Everett has asked to meet with you. After, I am instructed to drop you off at the residence of his grandson, Chase." He answers as he moves the car away from the curb, "Please relax, Miss Jones, and enjoy the complimentary snacks." "Snacks?!" I questions as I turn around and notice the small shelf of snacks ranging from nuts to chocolate to tiny marshmallows  There was complimentary waters, cokes and orange juice as well as a few tiny bottles of alcohol  I move back to the window and fold my arms on top, "Mr Fancy Suit, are you free everytime I come here?" He chuckles softly as I go back to eating all of the snacks. By the time the car had come to a complete stop and the driver informs me we had arrived, I honestly thought they were going to have to roll me out. But I eventually manage to climb through the opened door and back into the world. My eyes widen as I stare up at the building before me. Wait a damn second, this is where Chase works when he's at his university? Mr Fancy Suit orders me to follow him once more and I do. He leads me to an elevator and I step inside. He pushes a button, steps back into the lobby and the doors close between us. What the hell was happening? I gulp as I watch the electronic grows higher and higher. When it lands on floor 52, a light ding echoes through the small box and the doors open once more. I step out. "Miss Jones?" The redheaded lady at the contemporary marble desk questions as she stands from her chair, "Mr Everett is waiting for you." She gestures for me to follow and I do as she leads me down the hall and to a large room that was basically a glass box. In the middle was a long table with numerous chairs and huge windows overlooking downtown LA. Seated at the head of the table was none other than Thomas Everett. The lady opens the glass door for me and I step in. "Hello Hayden." Thomas greets in a very professional manner as he does every time. "Hi." I give him a small smile as I stand awkwardly at the end of the table. I felt even more stupid when I noticed there was a chocolate stain on my unzipped grey hoodie. Thomas then gestures for me to take a seat and I do, instantly. "We have something very important to discuss." Thomas explains as he intertwines his hands together and rests them on the table. He lens forward slightly, "Now, were you aware that in the past year Chase has handed in only four of the nine assignments he was meant to?" My eyes widen and I can only shake my head. "His professors are quite worried about him, as am I." Thomas purses his lips as he narrows his eyes on me, "One of them was a compulsory assignment and he missed it. Any idea as to why?" I shake my head once more. "He was visiting you in Rhode Island." Thomas answers as I let out a deep breath I didn't even know I was holding. "I..." I trail off, "I didn't know." "No, of course you wouldn't." Thomas replies and I could hear the sarcastic twinge to his words. Trust me, I'm no stranger to that type of tone. "Were you also aware, Miss Jones, that Chase gave up a 1.6 million dollar deal to build an art gallery for Glass Animal Galleries?" I gulp at the familiar name. "You're familiar with that company right?" Thomas questions and I nod, "Yes, Chase informed me how poorly they treated you when you were an intern there. Two weeks and you quit, correct? Not to mention they're also the sworn enemies of Marchland Galleries who you now work for." "He's never told me any of this." I answer truthfully as I grip onto the strap of my shoulder bag so hard that my fingers were turning white. A small smirk stretches across Thomas's face, "You're not a selfish girl, are you Hayden?" I had no fucking clue how to answer that. Any answer I give him will just play right into his trap. "I'm not here to make you feel bad but only to open your eyes." He explains softly, "You're ruining his life, Hayden. Anyone could see that Chase is struggling to keep up with school work, with his work here, and with his relationship with you. The easiest solution to his misery is to take one out of the equation." I connect the dots in my head at lightening speed and I frown at him, "You want me to break up with him? End the relationship?" "Of course I do." He smiles at me as if it were so damn easy, "I mean, you have one measly nightmare and Chase drops everything to rush to your rescue as if he doesn't have his own life to worry abo—" "Don't you dare belittle my trauma." I lean forward as I narrow my eyes, "You have no fucking clue, Thomas." "Right, do forgive me Hayden I didn't mean for it to come out that way." Thomas apologises and I can only scoff as I fold my arms across my chest and lean back into the chair, "All I'm saying is that if you love him, you will see how much pain your causing him. I can see it on his face as clear as day and, quite frankly, I think he's beginning to wonder if it's all worth it." Fuck, there it is. I felt like I had just been run over my a forklift and then said forklift had reversed back over me. I had always wondered that too, if I was worth it. But when Chase looked at me, every little doubt washed away with all the traumas of the past. What if it was pity that I was just misinterpreting? What if. What if. What if. "If that's not enough to change your mind then I have prepared this." Thomas announces as he places a white envelope on the table, "Inside you will find twenty thousand dollars and a check for another two-hundred and eighty thousand dollars. I'm sure that will be enough compensation to mend your broken heart..." Vera now sat criss-cross apple sauce on the ground as I told her the events of that meeting. She stared up at me in silence, listening and processing every word I said. "Did you take it?" Vera questions. "Fuck no." I shake my head at her as I take the towel turban from my head and my wet hair falls onto my shoulders, "I told him to shove it up his ass." "That's my girl." Vera winks at me as I chuckle. She then frowns again, "But then why did you and Chase still break up?" "I don't know. I feel so stupid for letting what Thomas said get to me but some part of me knew he was right. Chase was giving up all his dream, goals and happiness for me. I couldn't sit by and let him do that." I explains s Vera tentatively grabs my hands to hold. I could feel the tears forming but I manage to crack a smile,  "I mean, that's what they say right? If you love it let it go." "Oh my baby." Vera pouts as she rolls onto her knees and wraps her arms around my shoulders, "My heart is aching for both of you." I open my mouth to reply but instead am distracted by the opening door. Levi steps one foot into the room. "Hey guys, we kinda need some help downstairs. Spencer is currently kicking out everyone who spent the night and it's hilarious." Levi cracks a grin at us as he slowly surveys that room, "Whoa, what the fuck happened in here—wait, are those Chase's board shorts?" Both Vera and I follow the line that his finger was pointing to see that the pair of board-shorts lying on the ground next to my bikini top were indeed Chase's. Just fucking peachy.