Chapter 79 Chapter 79
“Boss. She’s gone. We would never lie to you. We would never do something like this. Carlo, Rob, Jax, and I, including all her friends. We made sure we were 100 percent sure before we came to you.” Joe said, and I broke.
I'm fucking broke. I dropped the file onto the floor and went to my room. I stood under the shower, suit and all, and just allowed it to happen. My heart felt like it was being ripped out of my fucking chest; it hurt so fucking much. She forced me to leave her, and now she was gone. I sank to the floor and cried for the first time since I was a kid. I cried because I had hoped I could actually have her, and now she was gone, and I’ll never get to see her again.
I don't know how long I was there, but when I walked out of my room, my parents were there, sitting quietly in the living room. My mother stood up and made her way towards me. “I have work to do,” I said.
“Zaiel,” she said.
“I’m fine. People die every day. “I need to go to the office,” I said, walking towards the door.
“Zaiel, it’s nine in the…” my mother started saying but stopped.
“Okay,” she said. When I walked out, Joe and the others were in the hallway.
“Joe, Find out what happened. Jax, take me to the office.”
“Yes, Mr. Rhyland,” Joe replied.
On the drive to the office, I could see Jax looking at me in the rearview mirror, but he didn't say anything. When I got to the office, I got straight to work.
Month One
I was sitting in a meeting with Archer Group; they wanted to collaborate, and I was listening. They were good; I would give them that. One month since she’s been dead, and I was dead on the inside. Seth and Jared have tried to get me to go out, but I refuse. I spend all my time working. Two weeks ago, Joe came to tell me he found nothing. It looked like Calyton went to her before she got to him, because he was still missing. I just told them to leave it; she was gone, and nothing would change that.
But one thing never changed: I never took the ring off. The ring she put on my finger was still on my hand and would be until I took my last breath.
I was deep in thought when something touched my foot, and I was brought back to reality. When I looked to the left, a woman, who looked like she was in her thirties, was smiling at me, and then she had the audacity to use her foot and touch me again.
“If you ever touch me again, you will regret it,” I said. I didn't care if the entire room heard it. Her face went red, and everyone stared at her.
“Is this how you get your contracts?” I asked, looking at William Archer.
“No, Mr. Rhyland, it is not. “You,” he said, pointing at the woman.
"You're fired," he said, and she scrambled to her feet and began apologizing.
“Get out,” he said.
After she left, he continued. Jax walked in and came to me. “Boss, Ms… umm. Her friend is here; she said she has something,” Jax said.
“Have her wait in my office; I’ll be there in a few,” I said, and he nodded and left.
When I walked into my office, the girl was sitting there; when she saw me, she stood up. “Mr. Rhyland?” she asked.
“Yes, I am, and you are?”
“Paige. Tessa… we were friends. I’m here because I was in her apartment cleaning it up, and I found this.” She said, nodding towards the box on the desk.
“It was hidden all the way at the back of her closet. I don't know what is inside, and neither did I open it. On top was a note. She pulled it out and handed it to me.
“Paige, Savannah, Harper, or whichever one of you finds it LOL”
If something ever happens to me (yea, yea, yea, I know, Paige, don’t say that shit), but seriously. If something should happen to me, I need you to do one last thing for me. Everything is in this box. Take it to Rhyland Global in Manhattan. In the blue envelope is money for a plane ticket. When you get there, you’ll run into security. Ask them for Jax and tell them Tessa is asking for Jax. When you meet Jax, tell him I left something for Zaiel, and he’ll take you to him. PS, Zaiel is an idiot; he may look like he wants to bite your head off, but he won’t. Luv you guys.”
I folded the note and looked at her.
“Why did you wait so long to clean her apartment?” I asked.
“We couldn't bring ourselves to do it. The apartment is in my name, and the landlord knows this, and he knows what happened to her. He asked if we could give up the apartment; there’s someone that needs it. All her stuff well, she didn't have much. But most of what we found of her papers are in that manila envelope,” she said.
“Do you know…” I couldn't bring myself to ask.
“We know what happened to her. We know what they did to her. We know she killed Caroline; we were her decoys, and we don’t regret it, Mr. Rhyland. It’s just…. She was a kind person. We don't know what your relationship with her is. All she said was that you were a friend and you helped her,” she said, and I nodded.
“Well, that was why I came. I’ll take your leave. “Goodbye, Mr. Rhyland,” she said.
“Thank you.”
After she left, I stared at the box. I didn't trust myself to open it, especially here, because I knew it would screw with my mind and the rest of my day.
“Jax, put it in the car. I’ll check it at home.”
“Yes, Boss,” he said, picking it up.
When I got home, after my shower, I took the box and envelope out to the balcony. I took a swig of scotch and opened the envelope first.
It was all the papers, her new identification, and the like. The papers to her house and a letter. I opened it.
“Idiot. Didn't you realize that I had feelings for you?. Sorry, if you’re reading this, then something went wrong and I… well, I’m dead. Maybe this is the life God planned for me. For years I was scared, afraid to trust any man, and you… You fucking idiot, you tied me to my own damn bed. In that box you’ll find something of yours that I stole.”
I opened the box hurriedly, and on top were three shirts. I picked up the letter.
“I stole your shirts. When you were at work, I went to your room and took them. Now they smell like me; don't you dare wash them.”