Chapter 59: I Need To Know

Chapter 59: I Need To Know
Chapter 59: I Need To Know

EVANGELINE 

Why…? What is he…? 

No. It doesn’t matter. 

I swallow back any emotion. 

“I’m sorry… I thought Charles would be here,” I say, avoiding his gaze before turning to leave. 

“Wait,” he says, forcing me to stop, though I don’t let go of the doorknob. “Charles won’t be coming. Sit down.” 

“I don’t believe we have anything to discuss.” 

“You’ll want to hear what I have to say, since it concerns your job.” 

My job? 

I turn around instinctively, regretting it the moment I face him.

Part of me was happy to believe I’d never see him again.

“What is this about?” I ask, trying to sound indifferent.

He doesn’t answer immediately. He simply stands in front of Charles’s desk, studying me with that damn blue gaze that never wavers. Now, more than ever, I hate it. 

“As of today, you will no longer hold the position of editorial assistant,” he states. 

Completely stunned, I try to process the words. 

“The board has decided to promote you to assistant editor.” 

I blink, confused. 

What? 

Promote me? 

I’m not being fired? 

For a moment, a flicker of joy threatens to take over. 

Until it hits me. 

Why him?

Why is he the one telling me this? 

Why is he here?

Does he have something to do with it? 

No. That can’t be. 

He can’t stoop that low. 

But… what other reason would he have for being here? 

Maybe using me wasn’t enough. 

But it doesn’t matter. I won’t let him humiliate me like this. 

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m going to have to decline,” I state, struggling to suppress my anger before turning my back on him.

“Wait,” he says, stopping me before I can open the door. “May I ask why you’re refusing?” 

“It’s personal.” 

“That doesn’t answer my question. This is a professional decision.” 

I take a deep breath. 

Releasing the doorknob, I turn to face him. 

“I don’t need your charity.” 

Without showing any reaction, he simply remains silent for a moment. 

“Don’t confuse the two.” 

Unbelievable. 

“If you’ll excuse me,” I say sarcastically. 

“We’re not finished yet.” 

“Do you need anything else, sir?” 

“Do you really think this has anything to do with what happened?” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Nothing happened,” I say. 

His gaze hardens. 

His jaw tightens almost imperceptibly. 

The silence begins to grow heavy as he suddenly moves closer.

With every step, my body grows more alert. 

I swallow hard, trying not to show any hesitation. 

He stops in front of me. 

Too close. 

“Look at me and say it again,” he demands. 

All I want is to run, but I force myself to lift my gaze and meet his. 

“I don’t want anything to do with you,” I say, pushing away every memory that surfaces. 

“Take the opportunity. You've earned it.” 

Earned it? 

The words make my blood boil. 

“Go fuck yourself,” I growl through clenched teeth, controlling the urge to hit him. 

For a moment, surprise crosses his face, followed by the almost imperceptible curl of the corners of his lips. It only makes me angrier.

“What do you think this is?” he asks. 

“If you intend to keep coming here, I think I’m going to have to find another job,” I say, still unable to understand why he came. 

Why come all the way here just to torment me? 

“You’re about to make another mistake.” 

I scoff. 

“Getting involved with someone like you was the biggest one.” 

His gaze hardens once again. 

“Bigger than forgiving a traitor?” 

What? 

Traitor…? 

“What are you talking about?” 

“You let him get close to you again.” 

Him…? Get close…? 

Wait… 

Is he talking about Luke? 

How? 

“How did you…?” 

Oh my God… The cameras. 

I stare at him in shock. 

“You’ve been spying on me? What the hell is wrong with you?” 

He doesn’t even blink. 

“Tell me what happened.” 

“Oh my God… you’re insane,” I say, incredulous. 

“Tell me.” 

“My life is none of your business!” I declare before turning my back on him. 

I reach for the doorknob, but hesitate. 

“Oh, and I want you to remove the damn cameras,” I demand. 

Without waiting for a response, I open the door and leave. 

Distraught, I don't notice Tess until I stop a few steps later to pick up my bag off the table.

“Eve, what happened?” she asks, taking in my state. 

Swallowing the knot in my throat, I take a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears. 

“I’m sorry, I have to go.” 

“Eve…” 

“Sorry. I’ll talk to you later,” I say, leaving her behind. 

✽ 

After the long train ride home and a shower where I finally allow myself to fall apart, crying out of anger at myself, I head downstairs to make something for dinner. 

Even though shedding all those tears is making me feel lighter, nothing can lessen how stupid I feel. 

And after Luke… 

Which only makes everything worse. 

How could I let myself be seduced by someone like Aleksander? 

A rich, mysterious guy. 

It’s such a cliché. 

But I think I always knew. 

All those mind games, right from the beginning. 

I don't know how I could have believed any of it was real.

It seems I’ve overestimated my intelligence all this time. 

Now I wish he had simply disappeared forever, just as I thought he would. 

Just some random guy I slept with. 

Yeah, because that’s me now. 

I laugh to myself as I open the refrigerator. 

That would have been less awful. 

Sighing, I grab a bottle of wine. 

But no. He had to come back. 

Of course, he practically owns the publishing house now. 

Damn it. How did this happen? 

I take a glass from the cabinet and pour myself some wine. 

Well... I know exactly how. 

But… I just don’t understand. 

I sigh, leaning against the counter. 

What else did he want? 

I always thought sex was the goal for that type of guy.

So why did he come back? Is he really that sick? 

Sick enough to try to use that promotion to humiliate me even more?

Maybe. 

He really does seem like the kind of man who would enjoy that. 

And on top of everything else, I let him install cameras. 

Another nutcase. 

The masked stalker doesn’t seem so bad now, does he? 

Even though I shouldn’t, I find myself wondering what happened to him. 

Suddenly, a knock at the door echoes through the house. 

My heart stops for a moment, and I nearly choke on my wine. 

Shit. Who the hell could that be? 

Leaving the glass on the island, I head for the door. 

I try to calm myself along the way, telling myself that masked men don’t knock on doors. 

But when I open it, the surprise is even worse. 

Aleksander.