Page 115 of Snapshot

“Lennox, he’s a label exec. He doesn’t own her. I asked Emmett for his help in persuasion. It was his decision to make. Royal Bahamas got to her first…independently. They must’ve had some sort of contact on the inside.”

She shakes her head, her big brown eyes starting to glisten. “Dex, there has to be a way that we can?—”

“We have to shut down Luxe Adventure Cruises in phases to prevent further loss. We’ll retire the ships one by one. By the end of next year, nearly twelve thousand people will have lost their jobs.” I bang my fist on the table. “And I want to know who’sfuckingresponsible. If I have to find out the hard way by searching every single email on the server, I will ruin them. Releasing trade secrets is a breach of contract, a violation of an NDA, and at this magnitude,illegal.” Everyone squirms in their seat, exchanging nervous glances. “No one wants to speak?” I turn my lips down and nod. “Fine, then we’ll all wait here together until legal has answers for me.”

I turn to my right to see my wife looking on the brink of hysteria. Her bottom lip is shaking. I can barely make sense of her words. But I hear enough…

“Me,” she whispers. “It…it was me. I talked to Richard. Stop yelling at them,” she musters out. “I’m the one to blame.” She throws her hand over her mouth as she kicks her chair back. “I’m so sorry. So, so sorry,” she says between short gasps, then flees the room.

Lennox

I’ve never seen Dex so angry. What’s worse is that he’s angry at me. After I confessed in the board room, I practically sprinted to Dottie’s office. I kicked off my shoes and tucked myself onto the couch, holding my knees tightly to my chest like a frightened child. An apt description—that’s what I am here. A child.

I wrecked my life in Vegas with stupid decisions, and it took me less than a month to destroy Dex’s too. The weight of the consequences is so much heavier now. Before, I lost my job, relationship, and apartment and had a few thousand dollars stolen from me. But at least my wrecking ball behavior was localized to my life. Now, tens of thousands of people are going to lose their jobs. How many dads are going to feel like mine did? Lost, scared, and unsure if they can keep feeding their families. All because I can’t seem to spot a snake in the grass. Everybody else can. Even my twenty-one-year-old assistant seems to have better character judgment than me.

It wasn’t like this back home. There were good people and bad people. But none of this conniving. I didn’t want to make mistakes. I made them all innocently. Not that it matters. On purpose or not, somebody is still going to pay the price for my screw-up.

I dig through Dottie’s letter box, trying to find something to comfort me. Her letters have been my constant companion. When I feel lost, it helps to dive into her feelings. Yes, she was an amazing leader, but like me, she was also a woman in love—questioning her decisions and her identity just as much as I am.

Maybe this is what Dex needs, to feel close to his grandma like I do right now. My stomach churns because I have to make matters worse and tell Dex the truth about Kat’s article. But maybe… I think Dottie needs to tell him. I just need to find the right letter. The one that conveys how much she loved him and how Dottie isn’t some master manipulator. Every choice she made in her life was rooted in love. For her daughter, her family, her husband… The only person she left out was herself. Never finding her happily ever after with the man who held her heart.

I think that’s why she did all this. To break the cycle. She wanted Dex to choose love. No matter how difficult it’d make his life.

The various scenarios play through my mind as I try to determine the perfect first letter to show Dex. Nothing is landing quite right. I’ve pieced together the truth with dozens of letters by now. I don’t know how to sum it all up in one perfect introduction to the truth. Where’s the best place for Dottie to start? I have to hope it’ll come to me in the next few minutes because it’s time to face my husband.

Letter box in my hands, dead set on winging it, I leave Dottie’s office to find Dex. I tiptoe down the long hallway and bank right. The final twenty feet is the hardest. My footsteps are slow, and my legs feel heavy. Dex has been so wonderful to me, but every person has a breaking point.I fucked up.Accident or not. What if he sees me differently now?

Tucking the box under one arm, I knock.

“It’s open,” he calls out.

He’s sitting at his executive desk, face hidden behind his monitor. When he sees me, he smiles. Rolling back in his chair, he loosens his tie.

“There you are,” he says softly. “I was going to give you a few more minutes and come find you. Want to sit?” He points to the couch. “Where are your shoes?” he asks, peering at my bare feet.

I wore my most intimidating designer shoes to meet Kat. My poor feet are an angry red. “I left them in my office…if it’s even my office anymore.” I hang my head as I take a seat on Dex’s sofa. His office is set up similarly to Dottie’s. Desk area, built-in shelves behind, a sitting area with one sofa and two single chairs. The difference is Dex’s office is decorated with dark colors and leather furniture. Sort of a yin and yang situation in comparison to Dottie’s office.

“Len,” he says softly. He joins me on the couch and wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in tight.

“I’m sorry,” I blubber out. “You have to know it was an accident.”

“I know. Thinking back…it was the charity event, wasn’t it?”

I nod glumly. “I thought Richard already committed to the merger. I told himeverything.He made a comment about you being in charge of Hessler Group and I was just trying to brag on you and your great idea.”

Dex looks so tired and worn down. It must’ve been a long day for him too. He looks like a babysitter who’s been put through hell with rebellious toddlers. From what I’ve learned, it’s kind of what this job entails. Babysitting me, his company, and his leadership team. There’s always something going wrong, and I don’t understand when he’ll ever find the time to rest.

“I understand. It’s okay. But…” He hooks his finger under my chin and guides my eyes to his. “I made quite a show back there. The leadership team is calling for your removal.”

“Rightly so,” I reply.

“That’s why I’m upset. Now this is out of my hands. I wouldn’t fire you. In fact, I can’t. But what happened with Spellman…technically it’s considered releasing trade secrets. It’s against company policy, and in a way, illegal.”

Hot tears coat my cheeks, but I force myself to keep my voice steady. “So, based on a company policy, I’m out and the position goes to you. Problem solved.”

“I can try to fight it,” Dex adds.

“Why?” I ask. “This is perfect. Happy accident that we stumbled onto a loophole. I’m just sorry I let you down.”

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