Chapter 38 CHAPTER 38
Roman’s POV
I had Jolene pressed against the large window of my office, looking at the streets below with her skirt high up. She was breathing fast with her palms against the window pane. I flipped her to face me and her lips parted. I didn’t kiss her. I never did. She was not worthy of my affection.
Instead I teased her, dragging my knuckles on the insides of her thigh and stopping short where she wanted it the most.
Her phone buzzed and she moaned gently, opening her eyes.
“Who is that?” I whispered in her ears.
She reached for the phone in her pocket and she swallowed. “It’s…it’s Evelyn.’
I let go of her and pushed her away. “Answer it, and place it on speaker.”
She staggered to find balance on her heels. She was wearing heels that were too high for her, skirts that were too skimpy and her lipstick was very red these days because she thought she could seduce me. I sank on my seat and opened a bottle of water.
“Hello?” she said after clearing her throat.
Evelyn’s voice cracked through the speaker. “Jolene. Was it you? I just saw the news.”
She looked at me, asking me with her eyes what to say. But I just looked at her blankly, no instructions.
“What are you talking about?" she asked, moving around as she tried to pull her skirt down.
“The article, Jolene. You were the only one I told about my difficulties with connecting with my wolf.”
She smiled, then she cackled. “I did it, and so what? You don't think you are the only one capable of betrayal , do you?”
There was silence on the other end and she looked at me again. I reopened the bottle of water and took a large gulp.
“What did I ever do to you, Jolene?”
She scoffed. “You went off to be married to Alpha Micael after pandering that you hated him. Then you didn’t think you should even invite me to the wedding. Did you even bother to reach out to me after all these days?”
I heard Evelyn sigh deeply. “I’m sorry I got really busy, Jolene. Things aren’t as easy as you think. And it’s no excuse for you to sell me off to the press. You know this can ruin my standing with the Greywoods.”
She rolled her eyes. I could see she was pushing too far to please me. “Oh please, spare me that. The world doesn’t revolve around you.”
She dropped the call and slid the phone into her pocket. She turned to me, smiling. “I told you it would hit her badly.”
I stared back at her, my face visibly filled with disgust. Her smile faltered. “Roman?”
“Get out,” I said.
She blinked. “I - I did what you wanted. Why are you sending me out?”
“Don’t make me say it twice,” I said, tightening the muscles of my jaw. “Get out.”
She fidgeted with the other part of her skirt hanging over her hips, pulling it down and she rushed out of the office. It was necessary to put her in her place from time to time before she thought she was special.
I picked up my phone and dialed Rosaleen. As the call tried to connect, I rubbed my thumb over the bridge of my nose. When she answered, her voice was grumpy.
“This isn’t a good time, Roman. I’m in the office.”
“Why is she still there? I fulfilled my part of the deal.”
She sighed and then scrambled into a space that made her voice echo. “Things like this will take time, Roman.”
“That was not what you told me, Rosaleen,” I said, anger rising in my chest.
“I know. I know. But I promise you she’ll be out soon. Our plan really worked,” she said.
I leaned forward. “Did it? All I can see is that you bought yourself more fame in Greywood industries.”
“And I’m warming the heart of Alpha Raymond,” she said. “Just give this time. We are on track.”
I didn’t respond.
“Don’t think of side stepping me, Rosaleen,” I said finally. “I’m not someone you mess with.”
She sighed again. I could tell she was trying her best not to get frustrated. “I’m not messing with you, Rowan. I want her out too. In just a couple of weeks, we’ll both have what we want.”
“A couple of weeks,” I repeated.
“By the end of this quarter,” she replied. “You have my word.”
“I’ll be in touch,” I said, and cut the call.
My second phone rang. It was a call from my partner. I had been ignoring his call all week. I knew he had unpleasant things to say concerning our purchase of Moon’s enterprises and I wasn't in the mood for that. It was a good thing he didn’t have my personal phone number. I flipped the phone upside down and it stopped ringing.
I leaned back on my seat and pondered over the situation. I stretched towards my drawer and my fingers brushed over a metal casing. I pulled it out. Inside the case was a flash drive. I looked at it briefly before plugging it into my laptop.
A video played on the screen. Rosaleen and I together. The sounds and sights were clear and I felt my heart thrumming with excitement. I watched the full clip with a satisfied grin on my face. Then I leaned forward to rename the file.
Rosaleen’s insurance.
She was just a pawn in the grand scheme of things and she needed a leash so she knew her place. I pulled out the drive and returned it to the case, tossing it carefully among other such cases in the drawer.
My personal phone rang. It was the financial auditor.
“I have been able to trace the owner of the shell company that currently owns 12% of the company’s shares,” he said.
I sighed. “Who is it?”
“Xavier Heart,” he said. “He’s been buying for a couple of weeks using multiple holding companies -”
I stopped him. “Xavier Heart?”
“Yes. Do you know him?”
“Find a way to stop him,” I said instead. “Investigate him further. I want to know how many companies he owns shares in. I need a comprehensive report tonight.”