Page 116 of Counterfeit Connection

“If I asked you to do a couple of things for me today, besides coming down for breakfast, would you do them with no questions asked?”

“Fuck. I hate it when you do that. You’re pulling the big sister card on me.”

“I am. I promise you it will be worth it. You just need to trust me.”

“Fine,” I exhale. “What fresh hell awaits me?”

“Nice. I want you to get dressed. Get your jeans on and a light sweater before you meet us downstairs.”

“Okay. Why?”

“I said no questions.” She wraps her arms around my shoulder, pulling me even closer. “See you in a few.”

After she leaves, I stare up at my ceiling and take a few deep breaths. I have to start moving forward. Nothing can get better if I don’t take the first step, so I sit up and force myself to stand.

I tug on a pair of jeans, admittedly sad to leave my sweatpants behind and pull a pale purple sweater over my head. I even wash my face, brush my teeth, and put my hair up in a messy bun. Go me!

I can hear Jason and Gillian talking quietly when I come down the stairs and turn the corner into the dining room. The smell of coffee and the bacon brightens my mood a little.

“Please tell me you have two gallons of that stuff ready and the strips are extra crispy,” I ask when I see Jason step in to greet me from the kitchen.

Gillian, like an answered prayer, follows him with a coffeepot in one hand and my favorite mug that says “Let’s Keep the Dumbfuckery to a Minimum Today” on the side. “Maybe not two gallons, but I do have a fresh pot, and yes, we know how you like your bacon.”

“I could kiss you,” I say, taking the mug and letting it warm my very cold hands.

“That’s my job,” Jason replies, kissing her cheek then taking a seat at the head of the table. It’s only then I notice his laptop isset up in front of him. He types for a few seconds then flips it around so I can see the screen.

“What’s this?” I ask.

Gillian answers, “Remember I said to trust me? There’s something you need to see.”

“Is everything all right? Is Dad okay? Where is he?”

“Your father is fine,” Jason says. “He’s upstairs with Joseph. Last I checked, he was rocking him for a nap.”

“Sit,” Gillian says again, pulling a chair out for me. I comply and sink down right in front of the laptop screen.

Frozen in front of me is a frame with Tobias on the left, Griffin’s mother Bianca in the middle, and Griffin on her right. They’re still behind a row of microphones. Griffin is in the suit he wore the first night I saw him at the restaurant. “I can’t do this right now. I can’t.”

“Kaitlyn.” Jason’s voice softly growls my name. “You need to listen to this.”

He presses play before I can protest any further. Their images start to move and Bianca begins speaking.

“Good afternoon, everyone. I have a statement to read on behalf of the board of Orion. We will not be taking questions at this time, however, if there is something you feel I don’t address clearly, please submit your questions to Mr. Carter, and I will answer them as I can.

“Lachlan Shaw has formally stepped down from all duties involving Orion Worldwide Investments. While we do thank him for all of his time, effort, and energy over the years, recent events have come to light that do not align with the values Orion stands for. For the interim, and foreseeable future, I will be serving as the head of Orion, with Tobias Carter leading our development and direct investment teams, while my son Griffin will be leading a new division which will focus on new architectural ventures. Griffin is a talented designer, who’s always had aburning passion for creating. He will now get to let that passion out into the world as he was meant to.

“That all being said, I would like to address the media attention surrounding another member of the Orion team, and someone very close to my heart. Kaitlyn Logan is the newest member of our legal team. She has an educational pedigree a mile long, as well as contract experience that any global entity would be lucky to have.

“Her privacy, along with that of my son, was violated to a severe degree. Things have been said in the British press, along with the American press, that were not only false, but vile, disgusting, and abhorrent. Orion will be litigating to the fullest extent of the law any individual or entity that brings those images or any falsehood and portray it as fact.”

Bianca looks directly into the camera lens as if she was searching for me. “Kaitlyn, I know an apology cannot possibly make up for what you’ve been through. Please know, he will pay for what you’ve gone through. I promise you. Thank you, everyone.”

Jason stops the video. Silent tears are rolling down my cheeks. “This was from a press conference they did less than twenty-four hours ago.”

He slides in next to me, placing his hand on my shoulder. “What did Bianca mean when she said he will pay? Did they find out who took those photographs?”

“Yes, they did, honey,” Gillian whispers.

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