Page 139 of Unsealing Her Fate

“Atta girl,” she says, patting my hand. “I’m right there.” She points to her office.

I give her a quick nod before she walks away.

First, I walk over to turn off the open sign, doing my best to look as casual as possible. As I do, an idea pops into my head, and I have my racing thoughts to thank for it. I pull my phone from my pocket, fake smiling as I look at nothing to make it look as though I’m distracted by a text. Then I turn in the opposite direction of the door.

This way, it looks like I forgot to lock it on accident. Not only will the sight of me smiling and happy be enough to piss him off and want to approach, but he’ll actually believe I was dumb enough to forget the lock.

I grab a spray bottle of cleaner and a damp cloth. For the plan to work, I need to make myself visibly alone. I walk through the dining area and clean each table, starting with those closest to the windows where Andrew and I sat earlier in the day. I take my time, pulling out each chair and wiping them down.

My body tingles with dread as though I can physically feel his eyes on me, but I somehow manage to not turn and acknowledge it. I don’t look out the windows. I continue to clean and focus on my breathing. I have to keep myself calm, casual, or this will all fall apart. Not getting my life back isnotan option. This ends today. If he wants me, he’ll have to come in here and get me.

Sliding the clean chairs back under the table, I head to the back to rinse my rag out. My back is to the dining room, but I don’t need my eyes to know when he walks in. All the hair stands on the back of my neck. The door didn’t make a sound, but I know he’s there. A chill creeps up my spine, and I fight harder than ever to calm myself.

Breathe, Andrea, in and out. Remember to breathe.

I turn, and, as expected, he is standing in the middle of the dining room waiting for me. He looks disheveled, crazed almost. Even knowing he’s there, I don’t have to fake the small, but still visible, jump I make. I didn’t plan it, but I’m glad it happened. It adds to the façade, making me look surprised to see him.

A sly grin spreads across his face. “Hello, love.”

My stomach churns, and I may vomit at those words. I take a deep breath and curl my hands into fists, refusing to let him see me shake.

“Hello, Christopher,” I say, not a trace of fear in my voice. That surprised jerk may not have been planned, but I couldn’t be prouder of myself in this moment.

He’s dressed in a suit, his typical attire. His hands rest casually in his pockets, and he rocks on his heels. “So, you and your brother think I’ll just roll over, huh?” he asks.

“What are you talking about?” I ask, baiting him.

Nodding, he paces back and forth. “I overheard your moronic brother and birdbrain sister hatching their plan at your parent’s house after dinner. They didn’t even have enough sense to wait until I wasn’t around. You really got the brains in the family. Don’t get cocky, though. That’s not saying much.”

I refuse to fall for his bullshit tricks. I won’t take his bait. “Oh, yeah? What’s the plan?”

It takes real effort to not laugh since he’s the birdbrain that fell right into the trap. It’s difficult, but I manage to keep my expression indifferent, not giving away how victorious I feel. Every moment that passes, I feel stronger and stronger.

He stops pacing to face me. “Andrea, Andrea, Andrea.” He lets out an exaggerated sigh. “Have it your way then.” He paces again. “You knowexactlythe plan I’m talking about. The one where you fly back to Sacramento with your big bro, file charges against me for assault, take back your power, and all that independent woman bullshit.” He spits those last words like he just bit into a chocolate pie only to discover it was made of dirt.

“You nearly killed me, Christopher,” I tell him flatly. “Why the hellwouldn’tI file charges?”

“Pfft. Boo-fucking-hoo, bitch. I keep going over that night. It’s too damn bad I choked you so close to your fucking nightstand.” He rubs his head. “I had to get eight stitches to close my head up because of you.”

My blood boils at his comment. I want to rip his throat out right now, but that isn’t what this is about. This is about nailing his ass to the wall.

Before I can respond, he paces again. “If you would’ve just been a good girl, I wouldn’t have needed to do it anyway. This is really your fault, you know.” He doesn’t even wait for a response. “I put you up in a beautiful brownstone, bought you the nicest clothes, designer bags, provided all your wants and needs. I even got you that bullshit job so you’d feel like somebody. All you had to do was look pretty on my arm and keep your fucking mouth shut. But you couldn’t do that, could you?”

He stops to face me. It appears he wants an answer this time.

“What you did, what you’re doing is wrong. It’s illegal as hell, and you’re not taking me down with you. Youdeserveto go to jail for everything you’ve done.” I tell him the outright truth without holding back, and it’s empowering.

Without warning, Christopher quickly closes the distance between us. His thighs hit the front of the counter as he slams his fists down on top.

He leans over to speak through gritted teeth. “What I do is none of your fucking business. And what I did was make a fucking life worth living for you, you ungrateful bitch!” His voice echoes off the walls.

A shiver runs through me, but I stand my ground. I’ll never wince or run away from this son of a bitch again.

“A life worth living for me? The shit you’ve done isnolife I want. You had a man killed! Don’t think I don’t know about that. I know everything. Speaking of, whydidyou kill Jonathan Swank? Seems pretty stupid, if you ask me.” I refuse to let his insults distract me from getting his confession.

He laughs. “Always so damn nosey. You just couldn’t stay out of it, huh? What? You think you’re so fucking smart because you figured that out? Love, you don’t know nearly as much as you think you do. I’ve been five steps ahead at every turn. How the fuck do you think I got here so fast?” A dark grin spreads across his lips, chilling me.

The plan must be working because hegenuinelybelieves he’s in control, and it allows him to be his true, authentic, unapologetic self, and it’s fucking terrifying.