Chapter 89: No More Patience

Brianna's POV

That bitch.

That fucking bitch.

I’m going to kill her.

I’m going to kill that fucking bitch!

The words repeat over and over inside my head, drowning out every other thought until all I see is red. I lunge toward the office door again, but an arm tightens around my waist before I can get anywhere.

“Dominic, let go,” I grit out, my entire body straining against his hold.

“Brianna…” His warning voice comes from behind me.

Something about the way he says my name calmly, like I’m the one being unreasonable, only makes the anger inside me burn hotter.

How dare he.

How fucking dare he.

“Dominic, I said let go!” I scream at the top of my lungs, throwing my weight forward again.

His grip doesn’t loosen.

Instead, he holds me tighter, forcing me back against his chest as though I’m some hysterical woman who doesn’t know what she’s doing.

I struggle harder.

I twist.

Kick.

Shove.

Anything to get out of his hold.

That bitch is getting away.

She’s walking away after standing there looking me in the face for God knows how long, pretending to care while secretly enjoying every second of my humiliation.

My breathing grows ragged as another wave of fury rushes through me.

“I’m going to kill her,” I hiss through clenched teeth. “I’m going to kill that bitch.”

A long sigh leaves Dominic.

Then… His arms suddenly fall away.

For a split second I’m too blinded by rage to question it. I don’t think to look back to see why he’d released me out of nowhere.

All I know is I’m finally free.

I bolt toward the office door, and I’m almost there when it hits me. I should’ve looked back. I should’ve known Dominic wouldn’t simply let me go.

Before I can reach the handle, he slips past me, beats me to the door, and swings it shut, twisting the lock until it clicks.

I skid to a stop just inches away as Dominic plants himself in front of the door, his broad frame completely blocks my path.

My hands curl into fists.

“Move.”

I pin him with a glare, but he doesn’t budge. His shoulders stay squared while the door remains completely out of reach.

“Brianna,” he says evenly, “you need to calm down first. You’re clearly not thinking—”

“I said move, Dominic!”

I grab both lapels of his suit jacket, yanking him toward me with every ounce of strength I have. The fabric bunches beneath my fists, and I catch his jaw tighten as he stares down at me.

His hands shoot to my wrists, fingers locking around them before I can shove him again.

“Calm the fuck down first!” he shouts, his voice booming through the office.

The echo of his voice lingers across the room as we glare at each other.

Seconds drag by, his fingers remain locked around my wrists while mine stay fisted in his jacket. I feel my chest rise and fall violently, trying to contain my annoyance.

What the fuck is wrong with him?

Why is he defending her so much?

Why won’t he let me give that bitch exactly what she deserves?

“Why the hell should I calm down?” I spit.

My grip tightens around his jacket again. “Can’t you see? Dominic, she’s happy about this. She’s happy that I’ve been humiliated.”

I stare directly into his eyes, begging for him to back me up or at least say something to support me in this but instead of responding, Dominic looks away.

He shuts his eyes before dragging in a slow breath, like I’ve somehow become an inconvenience.

The gesture only infuriates me.

I yank harder on his lapels. “Why didn’t you tell me, Dominic?”

His eyes return to mine, so I move closer until barely inches separate us.

“Why didn’t you tell me she knew?”

I tighten my grip until my knuckles ache, my hands trembling with barely contained rage. “How the hell did she know? How did she know?!”

“I don’t know!” he suddenly roars back.

His unexpected volume startles me. He lets out a grunt, then forcefully pries my hands off his jacket before shoving them away.

I stumble back half a step and watch Dominic drag another frustrated breath through his nose, turning away from me altogether.

Without another word, he walks back toward his desk, one hand pressing firmly against his temple. He leans heavily against the edge of the desk before finally looking back at me.

“This isn’t some malicious thing, Brianna.” He exhales sharply. “Okay? She and Cassie are friends. She was bound to find out eventually. So calm down.”

I pause at his words.

Friends?

A hollow laugh escapes me.

Oh how convenient.

How terribly convenient that Leah just so happens to be friends with the same woman Dominic chose to sleep with in this office.

My mind races, piecing everything together until only one explanation makes sense.

They planned this.

Leah must’ve encouraged that little whore to get close to Dominic. And once she’d gotten exactly what she wanted, she sat back and watched me make a fool of myself. Every single day, she loved that she knew he’d been sleeping with her friend.

My fingers curl into fists at my side.

I want her gone.

I want Leah out of this building.

I push away from the door and walk toward Dominic. He’s still leaning against the edge of his desk, his gaze fixed on the city beyond the window, clearly thinking.

He doesn’t look at me until I stop in front of him.

“I want her gone, Dominic. I want her fired too.” I hold his gaze. “Do it.”

Dominic simply stares at me, then another exhausted breath escapes him. This time, he actually shakes his head before rolling his eyes.

“Brianna…” His voice starts off strained. “You know I can’t do that.”

“And why can’t you?”

“Because I’ve already tried. You know this. You know how much my father’s protecting her. I can’t get her fired that easily.”

A nerve ticks in my jaw.

He’s right.

Nathan protects Leah far too much.

It’s exactly why every plan I’d come up with to get her out of Harrington Group has failed miserably. It’s why I’d hired Hailey in the first place, and even after all that…

She’s still here.

But I’m on my last nerve now, and I refuse to simply let her win.

“So you’re just going to let her keep working here?” I fold my arms across my chest before taking another step toward him.

“Dominic, you’re a Harrington.” I search his face, urging him to hear how ridiculous he sounds. “You’re Nathan’s son, and you let her have this much power over you?”

He stills so completely that I know I must have struck a nerve with my words.

“No one has power over me.” He pushes himself off the desk and walks toward me. “Not even my father.”

He stops directly in front of me, his gaze unmoving, and adds, “This is just about being cautious. The right opportunity to get Leah fired will come, but for now, we need to be patient.”

Patient?

For how much longer?

Till she finally breaks us apart?

Dominic slowly places his hand around my arm, and says softly this time, “For now… you need to calm down, Brianna, and appreciate that I've gotten rid of Cassie. I’ve done exactly as you asked and got her fired this morning.”

I simply study him.

Yes.

I already knew.

I’d gone as far as confirming it with HR myself.

The moment they’d told me Cassie Moore’s employment had officially been terminated, I’d finally been able to breathe again.

What made it even more satisfying—Dominic had done it exactly as I’d instructed. A case of office misconduct and harassment.

According to HR, she’d repeatedly pursued Dominic and behaved inappropriately toward him.

A small smile almost forms on my lips.

Not that it was a lie.

How else would she have gotten him into bed? Women like her always used the same tricks. She’d definitely thrown herself at him until he’d finally given in.

Pathetic.

At least now she knew she’d picked the wrong person to mess with.

Sleeping with my husband and expecting to walk away without consequences?

She’d clearly overestimated herself.

She’s nothing and she’s gone now.

Dominic had also promised he’d never contact her again. That was the whole reason I’d come to his office now. I wanted to thank him. To finally enjoy the relief of knowing I’d taken care of that problem in seconds.

But instead, I’d overheard the one thing that somehow managed to shorten my satisfaction, and that was that Leah knew.

She’d known all along.

Even before I did, it seems.

Heat floods my chest again, so quickly I have to clench my jaw to stop myself from screaming.

Dominic must’ve noticed because his hand around my arm tightens, silently demanding my attention.

“Brianna,” he says carefully, “I think you should definitely go home. Clock out for the day.”

He looks at me with pleading eyes and I wonder what I must have given away for him to think he can reach me now, because he continues very calmly, “Don’t let Leah get to you. She’s beneath you. When the right time comes, we’ll easily get her out.”

His thumb strokes absentmindedly over the fabric of my sleeve.

“For now…” His voice softens. “Go home and get some rest, hmm, my love?”

A faint smile tugs at his lips as he leans in, brushing a gentle kiss against my cheek, close enough to the corner of my mouth. He lingers for a second before drawing back, his eyes searching mine.

“Go home, Brianna. I promise I’ll be home too as soon as I’m done here.”

He gives me a quick, reassuring nod and I don’t respond. I simply stare back at him.

He apparently doesn’t care for one and must think he’s finally gotten to me.

I hesitate to say something countering but he’s already checked out. He gently releases my arm and he walks back around his desk, already reaching for the files scattered across it as though the conversation is over.

As though everything has been solved.

He doesn’t get it.

He doesn’t understand.

I’m done waiting.

Done being patient.

Especially done watching Leah stroll through this office every single day with that innocent little act of hers.

If I could get her pathetic friend out… I can get her out too.

I slowly let out a breath and force a thin smile. Without saying another word, I turn toward the office door.

Clearly, I've been playing too nice.