Chapter 81 Dog Park
Verena
I walked Daisy to the Dog park. That’s been my new routine since I returned from New Orleans. Take her on a walk after work and return home to take care of my bunnies.
Daisy never hesitated to show that she loved coming here to play with the other dogs.
She wagged her tail, ears flopping, tongue lolling while I ran a finger through her fur, falling to one knee and unclipping her leash. “Have fun, Daisy and…”
I had barely completed my words when she sprinted to the gate, another golden retriever bounding towards her, sniffing my Daisy. I whipped my phone out, ready to take pictures to share with Daxton when a voice touched my ears.
The back of my neck prickled from the familiarity of that voice.
I just hoped it wasn't who I thought it was—
Snap.
It was her. Mandy.
She looked drained, her eyes sunken with exhaustion, dark circles under them as she opened her mouth to speak but no words came out.
I cocked a brow, feeling a fresh resentment course through me when I remembered how she had slapped me. “Sure, you didn't call the wrong person’s name?”
She shook her head, swiping a stray tear with her thumb. “Can you spare me time to talk. I promise not to take much of it,”
“Please keep to it. I don't enjoy talking to you,”
She sat beside me on a bench, my eyes never leaving Daisy who rolled onto her back. She was going to get herself dirty again. And sometimes, I think she intentionally did this because she knew how much Daxton loved bathing her just as much as she loved getting one.
“I messed up,”
I tore my gaze from Daisy, fixing it on this woman whose face alone made me mad. “Hold up there, Mandy. Don't entertain any thoughts of manipulating me into making Daxton rehire you. It won't work,”
Her eyes sparkled with tears as she turned to look at me and let out a painful, humorless laugh that struck me. What was going on?
“I wish it were as easy as that,”
She attempted to reach for my hand but I drew it back sharply. And just when I thought, things couldn't get worse, she dropped to her knees—heat of shame flaming my cheeks as people turned their eyes to us.
We were in public for fuck’s sake.
“Mandy, please don't embarrass me,” I muttered through gritted teeth, occasionally flashing a smile at the people who stared at us with interest.
“I was wrong,” She blurted, fingers curling above her knees.
About hitting me? Yes. But kneeling like this wasn't just right and…
“If I had known, I wouldn't have taken that job from her. Now, my life is in danger and I'm scared for my children’s lives. I have lost everything, Verena,”
What was she talking about? Who was the ‘her’ she was referring to?
Despite the confusion that nudged at me, I found myself gripping her shoulders and forcing her up. “Please sit. That is the only way this conversation could work,”
She was back on the bench and relief flooded through me. “Now talk,”
“I was on my own, still trying to have a word with the boss when this woman came to meet me. She saw how desperate I was to get back at you and took advantage of my desperation,”
“She told me that you were powerless, a prey that I could pounce on. She lied to me and used me as a defense against the attacks that will—
I cut in, feeling more confused than ever. “What the hell are you talking about?”
She sucked in a deep breath, steadying her breathing. “That woman made me believe her lies. She told me that you were the other woman who tried to ruin her relationship. She was the one who gave me the information about your past, how you are the daughter of the chairman of TMC holdings. She sent that video of that anniversary night and—”
My heart had now slowed to a stop as I struggled to process everything she said.
“Wait. Wait. You mean that you were the one who published those things about me and Zita was the one behind it?”
Her shoulders sank. “Yes. I didn't know it was a lie. She lied to me and refused to pay me”
I stared at her incredulously, anger consuming every part of me. Was the attack from them? From Mandy and Zita! The heck.
I had always wondered where the attack was from—after Josh told me how much work Daxton did into changing the narrative going on about me in the media. So it was then all along.
My chest heaved. “To hell with you, Mandy. If you think I’m going to forgive you, then you are wrong. So damn wrong…”
The audacity of that witch to attempt to make friends with me.
I had never felt this urge before but now, I wanted to pull Zita’s blonde hair and leave her bald.
I should pull up at her house, cause a scene, and—
“You don't have to forgive me, Verena,” Her fingers latched on my arm before I could rise to my feet and one sharp glare from her made her remove her hand…
“I don't deserve to be forgiven for running along with an unverified lie. But, I certainly don't deserve to die but Mr. Daxton wants me dead!”
I froze.
“He has taken everything from me—everything except the pending lawsuit filed in your name. Now men are following me. Armed men. They trail me everywhere I go. I’ve been forced to change motels because of them and now I’m terrified they will hurt my children,”
I glared at her. “So, you are trying to insinuate that Daxton controls a gang that wants you dead? Does it make sense to you?”
“You have to believe me, Verena. He also wants Zita dead. She got into an accident that almost made her lose her life. She told me a car almost ran her over in church,”
“Clown masks. It isn't a coincidence anymore. He wants all of us dead and I’m one second away from committing suicide…”
Something inside my heart softened and I hated that it did. From the little I knew about Daxton, I knew that he was far from perfect but would he really kill someone?
I knew they deserved the worst things in life but death was a bit too far-fetched.
Zita deserved to suffer for the things she did to me. But she was pregnant and certainly didn't deserve to die. That innocent baby too.
“No. This is a lie and I know him…”
She interrupted. “You don't know him. He shows you the version he wants you to see. Please just save me and my children from this mess…”
“I will expose what Zita and I did. Then disappear to another country and never show my face here.”