Chapter 23 CHAPTER 023
"Alright, Linc. I will schedule a quick meeting mid-week." Marcus says, drawing my attention from Amelia, who still won't meet my eyes. Fuck, I must be obvious to the rest of the room. Making her all the more awkward.
"Okay. We are done here then." I get up.
Taking one last glance back at Amelia, I step out.
"Mr. Dimitri!" A voice calls to me before I enter my elevator. I turn around to see Ashley jogging towards me with Amelia tugging along behind her, reluctantly.
She still looks angry. It's been a week. I should apologise. But for what? For having her best interests at heart? She has no idea what she wants to throw herself in by wanting us to be more than just stepdad and stepdaughter.
"Hi! I am Ashley..." The girl says, then pauses to catch her breath, Amelia rolls her eyes behind her, "I just wanted to thank you for accepting my application to intern here." She says with a bright smile.
"Oh, you are welcome." I say and all three of us descend into a short awkward silence. I get the sense that Ashley wants to say more but doesn't know how to put it. Amelia wants to be anywhere but near me. And I don't know what I want. I like looking at Amelia.
"Oh well. Enjoy your time at Titan's Construct, Ashley." I say when my elevator arrives again, saving the moment.
"Will do. Thank you!" Ashley calls after me. Before the doors close, I see Amelia rolling her eyes again. It makes me chuckle. She is such a kid and an adult at the same time. She is adorable.
"Mr. Dmitri, you have a message." Charlotte says as I walk past her. I forgot to fire her. I look at the woman, and feel mild annoyance at how easily she can switch between professional and office gossip.
I know she goes about the firm with gossip about mundane shit I don't care about. But she is an excellent worker so I don't mind. But now that she has crossed Amelia, she would have to go.
"Okay." I close my door. Heading straight for my desk. I am expecting an important call and I hope that is where my message is from.
Charlotte connects me and the messages roll in. The first one is from a foreign number. Starting with 33. Paris. I don't know why but I feel a sense of foreboding at the strangeness of getting a call from that city so randomly. Far as I know, I am not expecting any calls from Paris.
I push the button so Charlotte can't listen in from her desk and the voice comes on.
"Bonjour, Monsieur Dmitri. My name is Arthur Beau."
My heart fucking stops at the mention of that name. That is the artist Kathryn got entangled with. I pause the voicemail, running my hand through my hair to calm down. I have managed to do the honourable thing and not get involved in that mess. I never contacted him.
Never intruded into their affair. I simply let her go because I knew Kathryn that well. I wasn't delusional enough to believe that she would be mine forever. So when she left, I tucked my heartbreak away and moved on.
And yet, here is this Arthur character. Calling me after three years of no contact. He didn't even have the decency to show up at the funeral.
Seeing red, I push the button again.
"I will, euh, go straight to the point. I understand you didn't let anyone know why Kathryn was in Paris when she unfortunately met her, euh, end. But I know you knew why, Monsieur. But to protect her reputation and yours, you kept it all under wraps.
Well, I wasn't in on that secret and I am in a fix myself. Not to beat around the bush. I want money and I know you would pay because you have a lot to lose if the world finds out your beloved wife Kathryn eloped with a man."
My pulse jumps. I have never been this instantly angry in my life. My blood pressure must be through the roof with the way I am white knuckling the edge of my desk in blind rage.
The absolute nerve of this guy!
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Amelia POV:
"Why were you being so weird with Mr. Dmitri... I mean, Linc today?" Ashley directs at me. This is the third time she would be asking me the exact same thing and I am getting sick of it.
We are seated on my couch, just chilling waiting for the dinner we ordered. Ashley is staying with me, she arrived New York the very day I told her Linc agreed to have her intern at the firm too. She was already packed. The crazy girl.
"You know, I am beginning to regret letting you come here. Or staying with me in this apartment." I glare at her even though I know my eyes are smiling. She is my best friend and I love her but sometimes she can really get on my nerves when she gets like this.
"Oh please. Like you didn't literally beg me to stay with you in this huge ass empty apartment." Ashley throws a small pillow at my head. I dodge it, laughing in spite of myself because it is true.
I can admit I wanted her to come over mostly because staying alone in the apartment had become a daunting experience. It is so lonely. And I am dealing with an heartbreak. A confusing scandalous heartbreak. I need any comfort I can get.
"I can throw you out at any moment I wish." I say.
"I will like to see you try." Ashley snorts, tipping her head back to drink her can of soda. The TV is on but we are both on our cellphones.
"Pfft."
"So, tell me. Everybody in that conference room could tell something was off between you two." Ashley goes back to the topic. She is like a dog with a bone about the damn situation. I should just tell her about what happened between me and Linc.
But I can't. She is my best friend and I trust her but I just can't. It is too much. I would be able to stand it if she judges me. Which she probably won't. But I can't take that risk.