Page 95 of Committed to You

The blood drains from my face. “What?” I hold out my hand again for the phone.

Vivian puts it on speaker.

“Mr. Caras, this is Chase.”

His voice comes across the phone gruff, unlike the previous night. “Chase, are you engaged to this woman?”

“No, sir. I have never been engaged to her, nor will I ever be.”

“Are you with this woman and my Vivian at the same time?”

“No, sir. I give you my word.”

“Why is this woman threatening my Vivian?”

My stomach is flipping at the thought of Vivian being threatened. “Sir, I did not realize until today that Meredith is obsessed with me. I have not seen her in months, and when I saw her today, I told her it was over. She has never done anything like this before. I apologize for any trouble she has caused you.”

“If you have not seen her for months, why did you need to tell her today that it was over?”

My stomach drops, and I swallow the bile that rises in my throat. I close my eyes then look at Vivian, whose eyes are wide.

“Sir, I have not seen her in a few months. We weren’t seriously dating. I should have spoken with her sooner, and I didn’t. I see now that I should have.”

“I do not think that is any way to treat a woman, keeping her hanging on like that, do you?”

I swallow hard. “No, sir.”

“Páppa, this woman is crazy. That isn’t Chase’s fault,” Vivian cuts in.

“Chase, please take me off speakerphone so I can speak with you man to man, without my daughter listening.”

“Páppa!” Vivian protests.

I take it off speakerphone and hold the phone to my ear. “It’s only me now, sir.”

“Chase, I don’t know what is going on, but have you put my daughter in danger?”

“Sir, I think I may have unknowingly.”

He sighs. “What are you doing to protect her?”

“We are locked in my hotel room right now. I already called the police, but it seems that the best course of action is to go to the station and report it tomorrow morning. They said we needed more proof for this to go further than just documentation. I think it would be helpful if you come to the station and report the phone calls. Are you free to do that?”

“It’s my Vivian. I will make time.”

“Yes. Of course you will.”

“Chase, I saw how my daughter looked at you last night. If you do anything to hurt her, if you mistreat her in any way, I will hunt you down and kill you myself.”

“Sir, I have no desire to do anything except love your daughter.”

“You love my daughter?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Why did she not know you were coming last night?”

I sigh. “Sir, can we discuss that in person?”

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