Chapter 201: You Are Fired

Holly’s POV

“Wait.”

I stopped by the door, a smirk curling my lips. I knew there’s no way he would let me go.

The word cracked like a whip in the room, slicing through the tense silence. My hand froze on the door handle.

This is it. The moment he gets on his knees to beg me.

I steadied my face, slipping my mask back on, and then, slowly, deliberately, I turned back.

But instead of begging me to come back, or apologizing…saying all the right words I needed to hear…David simply pointed to the table.

“You forgot this,” he said slowly, an amused grin plastered on his lips.

Fucking maniac. He did this intentionally. Raise my hopes, then crush them.

I followed his hand, and my face burned with anger and humiliation. Two buttons. My shirt buttons. They must have popped off earlier when I was putting up an act, and now they lay sprawled on the table like trophies.

I looked down at myself in shock, instinctively covering my chest with both hands. Then I remembered…thank goodness…I had worn a camisole underneath. Not for modesty. For camouflage. To hide the love bites from last night.

Oh, David. I will fucking make you pay.

Before I could collect myself, his voice sliced through me. “You should behave properly while you’re here instead of trying to seduce someone, Miss Rodriguez.”

Seduce? Did he just say seduce?

I froze, heat rushing to my cheeks, anger searing through my veins. Ah, David. I’ll make you do what you least expect. I’ll make you crawl and beg for the very person you’re humiliating right now.

Without a word, I snatched the buttons off the table, swallowing the storm rising in me. Surprising even myself, I bowed slightly to the room…mask intact…before leaving.

The corridor swallowed me whole.

“Holly!” Amber’s heels clicked behind me until she was close enough to whisper. “Are you really leaving?”

I plastered on a tired smile. “That’s what the boss wants, so I’ll let him have it.”

I didn’t wait for her response and began moving away. In my office, I dragged out a carton and started packing my belongings as fast as I could. My coworkers filtered in one by one, whispering.

“Don’t worry, Holly. We’ll beg the bosses on your behalf.”

“Yeah, don’t take it to heart. He’ll bring you back.”

I smiled lightly, nodding at their words, but inside I was laughing. Beg him? Oh no, sweethearts. It’ll be your boss begging me to come back.

I bade my goodbyes with the grace of a queen stepping down from her throne, then walked out of that building, a carton tucked under my arm.

Sliding into my car, I sighed dramatically. “Well, at least I got a day off. What should I do?”

As though he heard my thoughts, my phone blared. I glanced at the screen.

“Justin.”

I picked up, my lips quirking. “Did you install a spy cam on me or something?”

Silence. Too long. Then his voice cracked through, awkward and defensive: “W-what? No! Of course not! Why would I…Holly, come on, that’s crazy.”

I burst out laughing. “Relax! I was joking. Chill, Justin. I just mean… it’s a crazy coincidence. I literally just got sacked and here you are calling me.”

“Oh… Sacked.” His laugh came, forced and thin. “Yeah, wild timing, huh?”

Suspicion itched at the back of my mind, but I let it slide…for now.

“Well,” I drawled, “since you’re psychic or something, what’s the plan? I’ve got a whole free day.”

That was his cue. He pounced.

“Free day?” he repeated with a mocking snort. “Holly, come on. You got fired in less than two months. Two. Months. That’s not a free day, that’s…what do they call it? Oh yeah, a personal record. Who even manages to piss off their boss that fast?”

I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh even as my cheeks burned. “Wow, thanks for the pep talk. Real supportive.”

“I’m just saying,” he chuckled, laying it on thick, “people usually try to last at least the probation period before they get themselves kicked out. But you? Barely a month in and boom…you’re back on the streets. If there was an award for speed-running unemployment, you’d win it.”

I shook my head, laughing despite myself. “Laugh all you want, clown. I’ll get my job back tomorrow. Just wait and see.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” he said in that playful, exaggerated tone he always used when he didn’t believe me. “But until then, your knight in shining armor has a plan. Put this address into your navigation. Drive down. I’ll make sure you relax. I have a pile of fun activities waiting for you.”

“Relax.” I smirked. “Big word for you.”

“Big life crisis calls for big words,” he shot back without missing a beat. “And don’t act like you’re too high-class for my definition of fun. I stocked up…snacks, booze, video games, maybe even karaoke if I feel generous.”

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn’t see me. “Wow. Truly a five-star experience. Who needs a job when I can waste away with you?”

“Exactly!” he laughed. “Why chase paychecks when you can drown your sorrows in cheap whiskey and my dazzling company?”

“Dazzling is not the word I’d use.”

“Fine. Sexy. Handsome. Devilishly charming. Pick one.”

I snorted. “How about annoying? Or maybe suspicious.”

That caught him. A pause. Barely a second, but I heard it. “Suspicious? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

I smiled to myself, letting the silence linger before I answered, soft and sly. “Nothing. Just…funny how you called right after I got fired. Almost like you knew.”

Hold on. Is he working with his brother now to kick me out for good?

Another pause. His laugh came a beat late, too forced. “Come on, Holly. You think I’ve got a wiretap at your office? That’s paranoid, even for you.”

“Maybe,” I hummed. “But you did sound way too eager, like you were waiting for this call.”

“Holly, you’re giving me villain vibes I don’t deserve,” he said, dropping into a mock-serious tone. “I’m the good guy, remember? The sidekick. Your comic relief.”

“Comic relief doesn’t usually stalk my career progress.”

“Or lack thereof,” he teased quickly, trying to flip the tone back to playful.

I laughed, but my grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Careful, Justin. Keep mocking me and I might just go home.”

“Yeah, right.” His confidence returned, warm and cocky. “You’ll come. You always do. Because deep down, you can’t resist me.”

“Resist you?” I scoffed. “I’ve been resisting you since we met, Justin. It’s practically a full-time job.”

“Which is probably why you suck at your actual job,” he fired back, and his laugh echoed so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear.

“Asshole,” I muttered, but I was smiling.

“See? I made you smile. That’s the point. Admit it, I’m already making you feel better.”

I hesitated, biting the inside of my cheek. “Maybe.”

“Not maybe,” he said firmly. “Yes. Now get over here before I decide to start karaoke without you and post the videos online.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.”

I sighed dramatically, finally turning the ignition. “Fine, fine. Send me the damn address before I change my mind.”

“You won’t,” he said smugly.

We hung up, but the smile faded quickly. His words replayed in my head, but so did his pauses. The way his laugh had cracked.

It didn’t sit right.

My instinct pricked at me, sharp, insistent.

Something about the way he got defensive way too fast when I teased him… too defensive. Like I’d hit a nerve without knowing it.

Ava always said my instincts were sharper than a sharp knife.

So what was this gnawing feeling in my chest?

Could it be…?