Page 18 of One Love
The ring of the doorbell echoes behind the thick, ornate oak doors of the gorgeous brownstone, and Madison greets us a few moments later with a soft smile. “Hey, Devin.” Her eyes cut to Mark and she introduces herself. “Hello, I’m Madison Brooks.”
“Mark Miller,” he answers before offering a hand. “I’m Devin’s brother.”
Madison shakes his hand and guides us into the foyer. I look around, taking in the large area surrounding me. This home is absolutely stunning. I’ve never seen anything more elegant. The crisp beige marble shines under our feet as we follow Madison through double doors leading into an office complete with a library, then into a large sitting room where Veronica, Sebastian, and an older couple are chatting around a fireplace.
“Devin, Mark,” Madison says, “these are my parents, Thomas and Melinda Brooks. Mom, Dad, meet Devin and Mark Miller.”
“Thank you for coming on such short notice,” Mr. Brooks says, standing to welcome us. “It’s a pleasure to meet you in person, Ms. Miller. We’re extremely pleased with all you have done for us at Midtown.”
There is so much to take in at the moment. I don’t know how to handle our warm reception. We are here to discuss the photo of Sebastian and me that could potentially bring more problems for Midtown, so I expected a cold greeting.
There is a chilly breeze in the room, and it’s coming from Sebastian’s direction as he leans against the fireplace on the far wall, holding a tumbler of dark amber liquid. His stare burns through me as he watches my interaction with his father.
“Thank you,” I accept his praise. “My apologies over having to meet like this and under these circumstances.”
Mrs. Brooks looks at me curiously with an odd glint in her eyes. I’m not sure what to make of it. I don’t get much time to dwell as Veronica clears her throat and calls us to attention.
“Okay,” she says, shuffling through a stack of papers in her hands. “Paul Atler’s story checked out. We were able to verify using the lobby cameras. Paul can be seen picking up the envelope just as he told us.”
“Then where did the envelope come from?” Madison asks.
Veronica’s body language doesn’t look promising as she turns to Madison with a stiff spine. “It’s not clear. There were three deliveries and a lot of employees shuffling into the lobby that morning. It wasn’t there at 8:38 a.m., and then an office supply delivery came, a currier, and breakfast delivery for the meeting that took place in accounting. Somewhere during this time and 8:49 a.m., the envelope appeared on the floor, but it isn’t clear who dropped it in the busyness of the boxes, caterers, and employees.”
“Dammit,” Sebastian grumbles before bringing the glass to his lips.
“There were too many people in the lobby to make the distinction.”
“What does this mean?” Mark asks.
I know what it means, and it awakens the storm inside me until I can’t contain it a moment longer. “It means we have no leverage. We have nothing to call their bluff with. Either I leave the company, or this person will ruin me. They will be able to ruin the rest of my career.”
Mr. Brooks shakes his head, standing from the couch. “This may not solve anything related to your concerns about your reputation, but Madison, Sebastian, and I have spoken regarding your work at Midtown and how much the employees seem to respond to you. You’re a wonderful fit and we’d be silly not to ask you to stay on permanently. We’d really love to have you if you wanted to stay.”
Mr. Brooks looks between Madison and Sebastian, and they have a conversation with their eyes no one else in the room is privy too.
“We don’t typically hire this way,” he says after a moment, “but we’d like to offer you the permanent position of CCO.”
“There is no CCO at Midtown,” I say.
Sebastian steps forward to speak, and I feel the pull to be close to him despite the argument we’re currently in. “CCO was my role before Dad stepped down. We hadn’t gotten around to interviewing for a replacement before everything hit the fan.”
“What’s a CCO?” Mark asks.
“Chief creative officer,” Sebastian answers.
Mark’s excitement vibrates off him in waves. He wants nothing more than for me to find a way to stay here permanently, but this still doesn’t solve the problem at hand.
“While I’m thrilled to be offered the job—” I hesitate, thinking about how to word this delicately. “—I don’t know how great of a choice it would be after the tabloid situation gets out and people’s opinions of me and the way I got the job change. You might regret the decision when I become nothing more than office fodder and am no longer taken seriously.”
Veronica disagrees. “Not necessarily. I have a plan that may solve the issue, if Sebastian is on board with it.”
My heart thunders in my chest.
She has a solution.
There may be a way out.
My worst nightmare may not have to become my reality.
