Chapter 28 Chapter 28

Chapter 28 Chapter 28
Sydney

The door clicked shut behind Bryce as I stared at the phone. Sighing, I tapped Eric’s number, calling him. He answered on the first ring. 

“Sydney, baby, I was starting to worry.” His voice was warm. I almost laughed at how easily he was able to get me to do his will, sounding like that in the past. 

“I’m sorry,” I muttered, injecting just enough softness in my voice. “I was trying to get into my suite. How are you?”

“Better now that I’m hearing your voice.”

I rolled my eyes. Oh please. 

He continued. “How was the trip? Is everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine. The suite is lovely. We’re heading to the welcome dinner soon.”

“We?” His voice sharpened. 

“Yes, Eric.” I sighed in exasperation. “I’ll be going with Bryce.”

He was quiet for a bit too long. I counted the seconds wondering how long it would take him to throw another tantrum. 

“Hm. Well, I sure hope he’ll be professional,” he murmured sorely. His voice quickly shifted back to its doting tone. “Are you comfortable with this arrangement? I can fly out if you need me, baby. You know you just have to say the word.”

Once again, I rolled my eyes, my grip tightening on the phone. How weird it was once you stopped giving people what they wanted. 

“That’s very sweet of you,” I smiled, sarcasm on my tongue. “But there’s no need. I’m perfectly capable of maintaining professional boundaries”

“Of course. Of course.” He exhaled, finally choosing acceptance. “Promise me you’ll be careful? And that you’ll call after the dinner?”

“I don’t know how tired I’d be from the event but I’ll try.”

“That’s enough. I love you Sydney.”

It felt as though he had taken a bag of stones and hit me with it. I closed my eyes, pushing back the sting in my chest. 

“Me too,” I lied, unable to say the words. 

He was quiet for a second before murmuring goodbye and ending the call. I dropped my phone on the bed, resisting the urge to hurl it across the room. My hands were shaking. How could he lie so easily? So casually? I pressed my palms against my face, trying to calm my breathing till my trembling stopped. 

Straightening, I headed to the bathroom and took a shower. The bathroom mirror fogged as I stepped out, wrapping my body with the hotel’s robe and hurriedly getting dressed. I opted for a floor length green dress that dipped a little at the chest, placing my brown hair in a chignon. 

I was just applying the last touch of lipstick, when someone knocked on my door. 

“Coming,” I called, capping the lipstick and heading towards the door. 

Bryce was standing outside wearing a charcoal suit. He looked good. He raised one thick eyebrow. “Ready?”

“Almost. Let me get my clutch.”

I hurried inside, stole one last look at myself in the mirror, and grabbed my clutch. “I thought you said we’d be meeting at the lobby,” I mocked, shutting the door behind me. 

His lips curved into that arrogant smirk that played with my belly. “Didn’t want my partner showing up alone.” He offered his arm. “Shall we?”

My heart beat spiked and I paused for a second too long before taking it and lacing my arm around his. His smirk deepened. “For a second there, I thought you’d leave me hanging.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re enjoying this a little too much.”

“Enjoying what? All I’m doing is working with the heiress of Prestige Global. I’m supposed to be excited about it and I am”

I snorted as we walked to the elevator, the thick carpet muffling our footsteps. The hallways were empty except for the expensive artworks on the wall. 

“You know,” Bryce started, pressing the elevator button. “I can’t help but wonder. Did you call your husband back?”

“Is that any of your business?”

“Yes,” He nodded. The elevator dinged, doors sliding open as we stepped in. “If he gets too suspicious, he’s going to start acting up, remember?"

I stepped inside, watching my reflection on the mirrored wall. “Well, I remember saying that I would stall the divorce. Not that I would kiss his ass.”

He shrugged as he pressed the button for the lobby. “Fine then.”

The elevator descended smoothly in silence. My heart was still thudding loudly. I wanted to say something and break this weird silence but there was nothing to say and my tongue felt stuck to the bottom of my mouth. Luckily, the elevator chimed again.  

The doors opened to the lobby. Bryce led the way outside. He had arranged for a Mercedes with a chauffeur and I  couldn’t help but be pleased. We drove in silence until we got to the venue. Stepping out, Bryce offered his arm again, flashing a smile for the cameras. 

“Try to look like you’re enjoying my company. We’re supposed to be partners.”

“Well, that’s going to be quite some effort,” I mocked, taking his arm and forcing my lips into a polite smile. “You’re not very entertaining.”

He shot me a look and I couldn’t help laughing as we headed for the red carpet. The hall was a grand oceanfront pavilion. It was made of glass and seemed to float on the Atlantic. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, reflecting the light on the polished marble floor. The tables were covered in navy silk with vases of white orchids sitting in the center of each table. I could see the ocean from the floor to ceiling windows. 

“Impressive,” Bryce murmured in my ear as we walked in. “Let’s get a drink then we can go shake hands” he murmured, heading towards the bartender. 

The young man was in a white Oxford shirt with the first few buttons open. He flashed Bryce a grin. “What are you drinking tonight Sir?”

Drinking sounded weird. In the past, I typically avoided alcohol at events like these. Mostly because I went with that asshole who kept insisting I would look unprofessional and cost him a deal. 

Bryce ordered a scotch. 

“White wine,” I added. “Sauvignon blanc if you have it.”

Bryce raised an eyebrow at me, grinning. When the drinks arrived, I took a sip of the wine. The hall was filling quickly. I could spot folks I’d met simply by being in the business world, a couple of business journalists, and some of Dad’s friends too. Including some of those VC guys in their Tom Ford suits. 

“There’s Harrison,” Bryce leaned towards me, nodding at a tall man walking in. He had a young woman on his arm. She was gorgeous but could be no older than twenty five. Odd. 

“Controls half of the commercial real estate between here and Boston. I met him through one of his associates. Didn’t know he got remarried.”

I turned to him, raising an eyebrow. “That’s his wife?”

“Third one” he grinned at me. “Well, let’s go. We didn’t fly all the way here to sit in the corner.”

We spent the next hour networking as the dinner went on. We talked to players in the industry, discussing our partnership.  We had barely finished our meals when someone walked towards our table. 

“Bryce? Bryce Westin?”