Page 47 of The Revenge Plan

Of course, he has jokes. The man had been stern the entire time I knew him and chose this moment to be funny with me. I smiled at him and went into the office.

???

The two assistants were there. They looked busy as hell and didn’t act like their boss was away. I smiled at both of them when I reached them and went to the one with a desk plate that read Layla Shand. She was the one I had heard Caiden refer to on his phone a lot. “How are you? I just wanted to check something in Caiden’s office.” I tried to think what it was he would leave, that he would ask his wife to bring it to him when he wasn’t around. “A sweater.” That sounded less convincing, but Layla, who barely glanced away from her computer, said, “sure you can go.”

I was inside. I had only been here one other time and spent little time too. His desk was directly facing the glass doors. Anyone could see me rummaging through them, but there wasn’t anyone coming and the two assistants were out of view. I searched over the desk. There were some printed reports, but I wasn’t sure there was anything on them that Bryce would want. I sent him a text.

Me: what do you want exactly?

It took him little time to respond.

Bryce: We need data on their newest line of jewelry.

I looked at the reports. They were all titled with the name of the jewelry division. Most of them were about what KMVH planned to do with it. Some were sales and financial reports. No data of the line until I saw a mockup book lying under some papers. I flipped through it, and my heart skipped a beat as I went through the sketches. It was exactly what I was looking for. The next line. I took out my phone and just as I was about to take a picture, an overwhelming rush of guilt washed over me. This felt like betrayal to him. To Caiden. Part of me couldn’t do it. Then I thought of the house. If I do this, I could get my inheritance back. If I do this, I would be free. Free from Dad, Bryce, Caiden. All of them. This could be my salvation. I took photos of some of the sketches. The ones that looked like they would not be showpieces. I sent him those and hoped it would be enough. He responded immediately.

Bryce: Is that all you could find

Me: I had to jump hoops to get this info to you

Bryce: Thanks. It will do for now. By the way, do you have any idea where the Emerald mine deed is? Dad’s looking for it.

My heart skipped a beat. I did know. It was with Caiden.

Me: The what now?

Bryce: Never mind, you wouldn’t have a clue, anyway.

Me: Will this be enough?

I was referring to the photos I had just sent.

Bryce: I don’t know, you’ll have to ask Dad.

I thought he was done, and I was about to put my phone back into my purse when it dinged.

Bryce: If I were you, I would do better than this. But, in the meantime, it’s going to have to do.

What a dick.

27

Three days later was when I finally got a response from him.

Caiden: I’m coming back today.

That was it. That was the entire message. Nothing about where he had gone to or why he was there. The asshole sure liked to keep it short. I thought of questioning him and remembered the status of our relationship. We were husband and wife, but he seemed to think he didn’t owe me much of an explanation beyond what he had already given me. After all, would I have bothered to wonder where he had gone, if this was a few weeks ago? A firm no resounded in my head.

I was in the middle of checking my phone when I heard Alicia say, “Gosh, what is he doing here?” I peered through the window and saw my father speaking to Rachel. “Did you invite him?” Alicia asked. She knew that dad and I didn’t exactly gel.

I shook my head. I looked back again and saw the two of them coming over to our office. Rachel was in front of Julian when she peered through the door and said, “Your father is a crack-whip with jokes.”

Dad marched in with a polite and plastic smile on his face. He greeted Alicia, who responded in kind. The veiled anger he had was obvious to no one else but me. There was no way he would come to where I work unless something had gone terribly wrong.

“I was just telling her about your little childhood antics. They jokes write themselves honestly.”

“You had a more than interesting childhood I have to say.”

“What a neat little place you have here,” he said to Rachel.

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