Page 9 of Wrapped in Perfection

His words only make me cry harder. I don't know why I'm fighting Chase. I know Mitch crossed the line again. I saw what he was capable of in his eyes, which is far worse than what he did to me. If Chase hadn't shown up, I might be dead right now.

If my friend told me this was going on in her relationship, I would tell her to run. But I've put my heart and soul into the last five years. I love Mitch. Not the person he was tonight, but the person he is most of the time.

Except for the previous year, but that's from the stress of his job. Plus, you were growing your career and had less time to focus on Mitch.

He warned me I was putting my business before us. Tonight is a perfect example.

I had to think I could do it all.

Why am I thinking like this?

I put my hands over my face and sob. "I'm so screwed up!"

Chase pulls me into his arms again. "None of this is on you, Anna."

Then why do I feel like it is? Why can't Mitch love me without hurting me?

The thought that I've been pushing down for over a year, since the last time he beat me, rushes back.Maybe I'm just unlovable.

2

Dmitri

Two Months Later

"Lada's retiring? With no notice?"I say in Russian.

The barista sets my coffee down, and I pick it up.

Maksim replies over the phone, "Yep."

"She isn't going to finish our project?"

"No. She eloped and is traveling for the next month. She said she would refund our fees."

"We're in the middle of construction on a twenty-million-dollar building. She was supposed to go over materials with us today," I bark.

"I know. I'm walking into the meeting with Lorenzo. Figure it out. I can only focus on this right now. If this prick doesn't sell us this land, we're in trouble." He hangs up.

I curse, louder than I should.

"Bad day?" a familiar woman's voice asks.

I spin. "Vivian. How are you?" I lean down and kiss her cheek. We've worked together on several real estate transactions, and I've done some things with her foundation. Her baby bump is poking out of her jacket.

She smiles. "I think I'm better than you sound."

I sigh. "I'm in the middle of a new build, and our interior designer met some guy, got married, and flew the coop. She was already behind schedule. If I don't get materials ordered soon, we're going to lose millions."

Her face brightens. "I know a really talented designer who can help you."

"Who?"

"It's my sister-in-law. She's from New York and staying with Chase and me. She has her own business there but is relocating, so she doesn't have any projects right now."

"This is a twenty-million-dollar building. It's a large project," I say.

An amused expression appears on her face. "She can handle it. She's amazing."

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