Chapter 41
Fiona
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Staying far enough behind that I don’t get caught, I follow Jessica and Angela down the hallway, ducking behind a door when one of them turns around. I can’t hear their whispers, but with the way they glance over their shoulders, they’re up to something.
They finally walk into the bathroom at the end of the hall, and to keep from being seen, I stand right outside the door. It may look ridiculous, but I press my ear close to the door.
“He did?” Angela asks on a gasp.
“Of course. With this promotion, he’ll get my job back, and soon, we’ll have the inheritance, and Fiona will be out of your way,” Jessica says. I clench my jaw to keep from saying anything.
There’s a giggle from inside before Angela asks, “What do you have planned?”
“Just a little something.”
“Tell me,” Angela urges enthusiastically.
“Fine, but this doesn’t get repeated,” Jessica says, and there’s a pause in their conversation and the sounds of doors opening. They must be checking the stalls to see if anyone is in the bathroom with them.
I lean in a bit closer to the door, not wanting to miss whatever is said next.
“Well, Jack and Fiona’s father took her mother’s original will and hid it after making a false copy,” Jessica says softly, and my chest tightens. “They knew she would search the house, so they hid the true document in Daddy’s safe at work.”
My stomach drops at her words but lifts at the same time. I’d been searching for what seemed like forever for a way to find
my
mom’s will, and now the information has finally fallen into my lap.
“Seriously? He’d do that to his own daughter?” Angela asks, gasping in surprise.
“Mmhm,” Jessica hums. “Once Jack gets the five million, he promised to give Daddy a million for his help.”
It’s then that I realize those scheming, backstabbing, good for nothing men have been lying to me for longer than I thought. Was this always their plan?
I think of the few times my father defended me against Jack and Jessica’s cold insults and remember the half–hearted attempts. He’d never truly defended me, just deflected the situation by trying to calm me down.
“There’s not much someone won’t do for a million dollars,” Jessica adds, and my gut churns even more. The fact that they all turned against me for something so petty as money breaks my heart. The ache in my chest rises again, starting as a dull pinch and turning into a gaping wound.
“And she doesn’t know?”
“That’s the best part!” Jessica laughs, drilling the knife deeper into my heart. “She actually asked her dad for help. Fiona doesn’t know how bad the situation truly is for her. She’ll never get the money back and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. Jack has everything figured out.”
Another laugh echoes through the bathroom and into the hallway. I lean against the wall and close my eyes. What had I done to deserve this?
I’ve never done anything to Jack or my father to make them hurt me like this. They call me selfish and weak, but they can’t see how horrible they are. Nothing about this situation is right, and all they’re doing is giving into greed.
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Chapter 41
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“I’d love to see her face when she finds out,” Angela says with an arrogant sniff. “Anyway, we should get back. Jack will have started his speech, and you don’t want to miss it.”
Pushing away from the wall, I dash down the hall and slip into a small janitor’s closet. The chemical smell of cleaners makes my eyes water as I make sure to close the door quietly. It clicks closed, and I lean against it, listening to any sounds.
While I hide, I pull my phone out and send Isla a message.
Me: Operation will–finder is back on.
My phone buzzes almost immediately.
Isla: Did you find something?!
Me: I heard Jessca say Mom’s will is hidden in father’s safe at work.
Isla: Jackpot! We can make a plan while your dad is still gone! When does he come back?
Me: …
Before I can send another message, the clicking sound of heels passes the door, and after another five minutes, I push the door open.
The hallway is silent with no signs of partygoers when I poke my head out. The hallway lights are dim, but no one is around, so I slip out and make my way back to the ballroom. Jack’s voice filters loudly through the building, and I realize he’s already making his speech.
His words are muffled until I enter the ballroom again, and I stop at the door.
“I’d like to thank my employers for seeing my dedication and loyalty,” Jack announces into the microphone. I nearly laugh at his words. If they really knew what his loyalty was like, they’d drop him like a hot potato. Loyal is the last word I’d use to describe Jack.
“I put everything I have into this job. Dedication is one of the many values I strive to set forth in my everyday life. I believe in earning everything through hard work. Silverclaw Law Firm has given me many amazing opportunities to grow, not only in work but also as a man,” he says, smiling through the lies.
How he has the audacity to stand up in front of all these people and lie through his teeth, I have no idea, but it makes me sick. They all smile and nod, taking in everything he says as he goes on and on about his workplace and the great people there. He talks about how he treats everyone equally and believes helping people is an honor he has in life.
I scoff.
If he wasn’t paid a high salary, he’d leave the firm in the blink of an eye. He’d told me that twice before, and at first, I thought he’d been stressed, but I don’t doubt it now. I believe he would drop everything and run to another job if they offered more
money.
His greed is easy to see if you look close enough.
The fact that he hides behind a mask fools many people, but now that I know it’s in place, he can’t hide from me anymore.
“This award, as stated before, is given to the most loyal employees,” Jack announces, holding up a glass statue. “I will continue to do everything in my power to help Silverclaw Law Firm thrive even further than it has, so thank you.”
Anger swells within me at the blindness of the people around me. They don’t know a snake lurks in their midst, and if someone doesn’t show them, they’ll get bitten before they know it.
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Chapter 41
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So, to open their eyes, I march toward the tables, weaving between them and scooping up the divorce papers as I pass Isla sitting at a table on the left. She widens her eyes in question as I grab the large envelope, but I say nothing.
Instead, I march to the stage and throw the papers down at Jack’s feet.
“Loyalty?” I question loudly. “A man like you has no loyalty to anyone other than himself. Lying, cheating, stealing are the furthest thing from loyal, and I think your audience should know what a fraud you are.”
I step up onto the stage and narrow my eyes at Jack as he gawks at me. His mouth drops open, and he sputters for words.
“I will not allow you to fool anyone else with your pretty words,” I tell him, looking down at the ring on my finger and then at the envelope on the floor. “We are divorcing because you are unfaithful and untrustworthy. You’re rotten from the inside out, and I want nothing to do with you anymore.”
Whispers and gasps break out through the crowd, but I ignore them.
“And you can have this back. I won’t be needing it any longer,” I say, yanking my wedding rings off my finger.
Jack, expecting me to hand them to him, holds his hand out. I scoff. Like I’d risk touching him again.
As his hand comes closer to mine, I tilt my hand and let the rings slide from my palm. They fall to the floor, hitting the stage with a light tinkling sound.
Another round of gasps sound through the room as I turn and walk away without looking back. Whatever happens from here on out is on him. I want nothing to do with Jack anymore.
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