Page 208 of Need You To Choose Me

My heart starts beating violently inside my chest, the sound echoing in my eardrums. I can hear the lawyers going back and forth, their voices just a distant noise as I stare at my husband—my soon-to-beex-husband. He’s leaned back in his chair, his arms resting on the armrests, completely at ease as he watches me, basking in my misery.

He was doing this on purpose; we both knew it.

He loved torturing me.

I left him, and now he wanted to get his revenge. And what better way to hurt me than to do it through our son?

He might not care for him, but he knew there was nothing I wouldn’t do to keep Kyle safe and happy.

John shifts in his seat and leans his elbows against the table. “Stop this nonsense, Rose, and come back home.”

Now he wants me to come back home? And for what? So he can act like I don’t exist? So I can be unhappy and unloved like I’ve been for most of our six years of marriage?

“No.” I push my chair back, the metal screeching loudly against the hardwood. Everybody quiets, all heads turning to me. “Kyle stays with me, that’s non-negotiable. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a job interview to get to, and I’m already late.”

I grab my bag and turn toward the door.

But of course, John wouldn’t let me have the last word, “You didn’t need a job when you were with me.”

Maybe I didn’t.

But I paid the price for my ignorance.

“So, Miss Hathaway, do you have any work experience?” Mr. Larson asks, a lazy smile on his lips.

I try to hold still under his intense, dark gaze, but it’s hard when every instinct in my body is telling me to get the hell out of this room. I thought the lady from HR would be conducting the interviews, but her boss just came out when I got to the office and insisted he would do it himself.

Get a grip, Rose. You need this job.

“Unfortunately, no.” I plaster a big, confident smile on my lips. The one that my mom insisted I should wear at every public gathering when we stood next to my father. “I had to quit college after I got pregnant, and since then, my focus has been on my son. However, I’ve always been a really quick learner, and I’m willing to work hard to learn the ins and outs of this job.”

“Mm-hmm…” Those dark eyes fall on my mouth, and the guy’s tongue darts out, sliding over his lower lip. “I’m sure you are averyquick learner, my dear.”

An uncomfortable shudder goes through me at the innuendo in his voice. The way he watches me makes my skin crawl, and the nickname doesn’t help. Still, I keep my face neutral, that fake, pleasant smile on my lips the whole time as I go through all of the reasons why I don’t have the luxury to mess this up.

Ineedthis job. Like, I need it yesterday. Sure, I had some of my trust fund left, but that would only take me so far, which meant finding a job and saving some money so that I could move out of my parent’s house. Not only did Kyle need some sense of stability, but I also needed to get the hell out from under myparents’ roof. I was sick of listening about how I should get back with John.

I wouldn’t be doing it.

No way, no how.

Mr. Larson asks a few more questions, but those eyes keep staring at my mouth, or if not that, my cleavage. The need to tug my dress up and cover myself is more overwhelming, but I sit still until he wraps up the interview.

Getting to my feet, I extend my hand for a quick handshake. Only his big, sweaty palm envelops mine, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from visibly showing my disgust.

“We’ll be in touch, my dear,” he says, his thumb rubbing over the back of my hand as his other hand lands on my shoulder, squeezing it.

Seriously?

Was I genuinely this desperate for a job?

John’s face pops into my mind, and I force out a smile.

“Of course, I’ll be looking forward to it.”

In my nightmares.

With one last smile, I tug my hand back, but before I can get the hell out of there, his hand lands on the small of my back. “Let me walk you out.”

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