Chapter 33
Silas strode into his office, anger simmering in his chest. By the time he reached the reception, most of the alcohol in his system had
cleared
Mrs. Harris stood up when he opened the door.
“Mr. Stone,” she said, her tone quaking with regret. “I tried to stop him, sir, but he wouldn’t listen.”
Silas nodded, keeping his temper in check. “Is he inside?”
“Yes, sir,” she replied, nodding. “A security guard is with him.”
“Alright,” Silas said, heading toward his office.
His office was a spacious room with three big windows above the bustling street below. Standing by the windows always gave him a sense of power, as if he was sitting on top of the world,
And everytime he entered his office, he always looked forward to standing at the window, watching nameless strangers go about their lives.
But today, he felt no anticipation–just pure anger towards Dylan, Well, anger, confusion and curiosity.
When he pushed the door open, the security guard turned to face him.
“Hello, sir, the guard greeted.
“The Silas Stone,” Dylan said, the corners of his mouth curled into a mocking smile. He was lounging on Silas chair, spinning lazily with a magazine in his hand.
Silas clenched his jaw at the sight. “Get out of my chair,” he ordered.
The security guard shuffled nervously, his voice quaking. “I tried to tell him… not to touch anything.”
“It’s okay. I’ll handle this,” Silas said, assuring him.
The guard nodded and left.
Dylan smirked, dropping the magazine on the desk as he stood. “How are you doing today?”
Silas snarled. “What the fuck do you want?”
“Oh, cursing are we?” Dylan teased, sauntering away from the table.
Silas inhaled sharply, resisting the urge to lunge at Dylan and punch the smirk out of his face. Instead, he moved to his desk and sank into his chair.
“How can I help you, Dylan?” Silas asked,
Instead of replying, Dylan scrolled around the office. He paused at the bookshelf Silas used as decoration and pulled out a book.
“Still looking sharp in here,” Dylan said, flipping through the book like he wanted to consume its content, “You’ve done great these past months. Well done.”
Silas rolled his eyes at the insincere compliment, his anger simmering. They used to do everything together. Dylan used to be the COO of the company, overseeing its operations with precision–before he decided to sleep with Kim.
Silas hadn’t fired him, Dylan had just been too ashamed to carry on.
“What do you really want?” Silas demanded, his voice filled with irritation.
“Can’t a man visit an old friend?” Dylan asked in a tone Silas didn’t trust. “I just wanted to see how you’re doing, how the company is doing
“As you can see,” Silas said coldly, “the company is thriving beyond your wildest dreams.”
“I heard you got the Entrepreneur of the Year award,” Dylan said, returning the book to the shelf before facing him. “Technically, I put
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Chapter 33
you on that map.”
“Still delusional, I see,” Silas shot back, his patience wearing thin.
Dylan had always been a cocky bastard, but that cockiness had its advantages. It had gotten him far–gotten them far. Silas felt a pang of longing slicing through his anger. As much as he hated to admit, he missed his best friend. But he knew better. No best friend would harm another. No best friend would take his best friend’s fiancée to bed–even if she was a cheap opportunist.
Dylan chuckled. “A man can only hope.”
Silas had a lot to do today and no time to pretend Dylan’s betrayal wasn’t still hurting him. “I don’t have all day, Dylan.” His voice was cold and he saw that Dylan noticed it.
Dylan nodded, and started to pace. He placed his hand in his trousers pocket like he always did when he was struggling with his ego. “Well,” he began softly, his blue eyes shifting with guilt, “I came to apologize.”
Silas clenched his fist under the table. “For?”
“Ah, come on!” Dylan whined. “Don’t be like this.”
Silas wanted to laugh at Dylan’s discomfort, but his anger swallowed the urge. “If you don’t have anything worthwhile to say, use the door.”
“Fine,” Dylan sighed, dropping his hand. “I’m sorry for… smashing Kim.”
God, Silas had been waiting for Dylan to say those words for months. The image of Dylan grinding Kim had haunted him relentlessly, but he’d been willing to give Dylan a chance–a chance to explain, a chance to apologize. And yet, Dylan gave him nothing.
Now, hearing the apology he’d longed for brought no relief. He felt nothing.
“Alright,” Silas replied flatly, turning back to his desk.
“Alright? That’s it?” Dylan asked, incredulous.
Silas raised a brow. “What else were you expecting?”
“I don’t know,” Dylan shrugged, moving closer. “Maybe that you forgive me? That you’re not angry anymore?”
“I’ve already worked through my anger a very long time ago,” Silas said without looking at him. “I’m not mad at you.”
“But you won’t forgive me?”
Silas feit the anger rekindle in his chest. “Forgive you? You slept with my fiancée!”
“Well, we slept together, Dylan countered.
Silas shook his head, disgusted by Dylan’s attitude. “Just leave, Dylan.”
“Fine. I was a terrible friend, and I shouldn’t have done that!” Dylan blurted out, his eyes glistening with regret. But Silas wasn’t buying it.
“Go,” Silas said, reaching for his laptop.
“I couldn’t keep my dick in my pants, and neither could Kim,” Dylan added hastily. “But I’m not blaming her-”
Silas sprang from his seat, anger tightened his chest. “You’re a womanizer, cool. But you had no right to touch what was mine!”
Dylan flinched at Silas’s tone and nodded slowly. “I understand,” he murmured, lifting his hands in defeat. “I understand.”
Silas adjusted his shirt and sat back down, exhaling slowly.
“Congratulations on your wedding. Am I invited?” Dylan teased, trying to lighten the mood.
“Get out,” Silas scoffed, without sparing him a glance.
Dylan gave him a long, sad look, brushing a hand over his hair. “Fair,” he nodded. “Bye. Talk to you some other time.”
Silas ignored him until he left the office. Once Dylan was gone, Silas let out a sigh. He couldn’t believe he’d handled that better than he’d
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Chapter 33
expected.
He reached for his intercom and dialed his chief security officer. When the call connected, Silas spoke firmly. “Dylan Wright has no authority to walk into this company again. If I find him here again, someone’s getting fired.”
“Understood, sir,” Bruno replied.
Silas dropped the call and spun his chair around. He walked to the window, taking in the scene below. As he closed his eyes, to the distant noise of activities, he felt his anger begin to thaw.
s another matter. He couldn’t let Dylan get close again–especially close to Ivy.
was calling.
He wasn’t mad at Dylan anymore, but trusting him
His phone rang interrupting his thoughts. He returned to his desk and picked it. Wade.
“Hello Silas,” Wade said, his tone impatient.
“Yes?” Silas replied, weariness seeping into his voice.
“Have you seen the news?”
Silas stiffened. What now? “No, I haven’t,” he said.”
Silas
“Well,” Wade began, his tone a blend of disappointment and frustration. “Ivy’s c mother, getting her hospitalized.”
on the news.
Apparently, she got into a fight with Mason’s
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