Chapter 21
1732words
I was doing my best to remain calm amidst that which pissed me off to no end, but as always, Christina remained unrepentant.
"can't you see what this woman has done to you? Because of her, you're a completely different person. I barely even recognize you anymore." Christina said, shaking her head.
"You don't recognize me? Christina, you've become an absolute monster! And I'm the one who can't be recognized."
"At least I'm seeing clearly. At least I see that damned woman for what she actually is. A gold digger and an opportunist."
I massaged the knot between my brows and shook my head, "I'm done here. I'm done with this conversation. I had promised myself that whoever did this would be punished. I won't go back on my word just because the culprit is my sister."
"what are you even talking about?" Christina asked as she stood
"I'm saying that you've done two wrong things. First, you took my company's secret and traded it to strangers. And two, you slandered a complete stranger. You let them take the fall for your wrongdoings. Both are crimes, both are punishable. I'm only sorry that I have to be the one meting out justice.``
"you wouldn't dare," she said through gritted teeth, but I took out my phone and dialed security,
"what are you doing?" she snapped as I brought the phone to my ear,
"what I should have done ages ago. I'm saving Ember from your malice."
"Yes, Big Joe, please come into my office."
"what are you doing?" my sister asked when the security guard entered into the office,
"Let's just say, we're taking you to a place where you will be alone. But at least, you'll get to think about your choices."
"you're out of your damn mind!"
"You drove me here. You and your mother. The both of you drove me to this point!"
"Do you think this changes things? Do you think locking me up will change anything? You're wrong! I won't stop, and neither will Mother until Ember Macgregor is known for the gold digger that she is."
"take her away," I said to Big Joe, unwilling to listen to Christina anymore,
"let go of me!" Christina snapped when the man reached for her, and I tsked.
"better him than me. I assure you if you make me drag you down, you'll never see me the same way."
She looked at me spitefully, and might have spat if she were such a woman, "I already stopped seeing you the same way, Paris." she spat, and finally let Joe take her.
EMBER'S POV
I got Paris's mail. Or at least the mail sent on his behalf, rendering the lawyer's letter null and void, but I was still yet to respond to it. I'm not sure I wanted to.
"You should look at this," Axel said, walking into my room, his laptop in his hand, and I could only sigh,
"you no longer knock," I said quietly and shook my head.
He took a seat beside me in my bed and I watched as a smile formed on his face,
"The door was open. In any case, you haven't that much to hide."
"Oh, my life." I sighed again, and focused on the laptop he dropped on my bed, "what am I supposed to see,
"look. Read."
I scanned through the words on the screen and made a face, "What is playing at?" I asked weakly.
It was a public statement made by Paris on the leakage of confidential information about his company and the rumors that stated that I was the one who did it.
"all is being resolved, " a line in the statement stated, "and Miss Macgregor has no part in all of this. And to the cruel rumors as to Miss Macgregor using foul means to win the Alpha Banquet's Competition, such comments should be silenced. Ember Macgregor won fair and square." I read out loud, echoing Paris' words, and blinked in confusion,
"Paris put this out?" I asked looking up at Axel and he nodded,
"what do you even want?" I said and folded my arms. I appreciated the efforts, but I couldn't but feel as though there was an underlying reason
"Who knows for sure. But at least he took the initiative to clear your name."
"Yeah, he did. But he's also saying that he's handling the leakage well. No company wants to be caught having such issues. I don't know, but I can't help but feel he's doing this more for himself and his company than for me."
"maybe." Axel said, still looking at his screen, "but at least it favors you."
I thought about it and shrugged. I didn't want any favors from Paris, I just wanted him and his family to leave me the hell alone.
"speaking of things that favor you, " he began and pushed the laptop to the side, "I set you up," he said with a broad grin, and I was filled with sudden anxiety,
"you set me up for what, Axel?" I asked meekly, but I thought I knew,
"on a date, sissy."
"Oh, brother."
There was no way out of the date. I had tried to pull out from it by pretending to be sick, but one look at me, and Axel knew I was faking it,
"I really don't know why you're trying so hard to get out of this one. Rowan is a really nice guy."
And indeed, he was.
Perhaps because of Paris, and then the run-in with Keith, but the idea of men in this phase of my life was actually a big deal for me. Safe to say it left me with some amount of anxiety.
But Rowan was different. In all the best ways,
"so, Rowan, what do you do for a living?" I asked the guy, trying my best to be at ease. If my nervousness showed from time to time, he didn't say anything.
"I paint," he said, leaning back in his chair. He had the demeanor of a man who was very comfortable in his own skin, but not in an irritating way. It was actually quite attractive.
"you paint?"
"yes. I lived in Venice for the past four years, growing my craft, and only just relocated here a couple of months back."
"that explains the accent," I said with a smile, and when he smiled too, my heart galloped and then it clicked,
"Rowan? As in Rowan Pablo? Didn't you have an art exhibit a couple of weeks ago?"
He smiled and nodded and I opened my mouth awe-struck,
"I attended that exhibit. It was thought-provoking and very soothing." I had attended before Paris and I separated, and the guy's paintings had healed parts of me that I wasn't even aware wounded.
"I'm glad you like my work," he said somewhat shyly and I smiled,
"I loved it."
We fell into a comfortable silence after that, and I was working on finishing my fries when my eyes caught sight of Paris, I might have groaned in frustration if it weren't for Rowan who was there.
Paris was with Kate and the both of them were having what I supposed was a dinner date.
So many restaurants in the area, but it had to be this one they came to.
"Is something wrong?" Rowan asked, drawing me out of my inner monologue,
"What?" I asked, and he tilted his head,
"I'm asking if something is wrong. You have grown quiet."
"oh, it's just" I began and trailed off when I heard Kate laugh out loud and my eyes wandered to their table. So did Rowan's and I immediately regretted looking in that direction.
"I noticed you've been looking there a lot. Do you know them perhaps?"
I was stunned and quickly began to shake my head, "No. I don't. why would I?" I said, trying to elude his probing eyes by focusing on my food. Suddenly, my chicken looked all the more interesting.
" I am," I said and hastily finished my food. I needed to finish my food and get the hell out of there before Paris noticed me and turned a good evening sour.
"ember?" Rowan said with worry when I rushed down my drink, and I shook my head,
"You'll have to excuse me. Something came up at the company, and I need to be on my way. I swear I had a good time, we should definitely try this again." I said and began getting up before he could reply.
“But, don't you think this is very sudden? You're leaving out of the blue,” he said, sounding surprised I had to pause for fear of appearing rude and smiled,
“I really did have a good time. But I'm the managing director, and if I don't attend to this now, I could really lose my job.”
He looked at me for the longest time and sighed, and I knew I hadn't lost him,
“Fine. Fine. Go ahead.”
“Thank you,” I said, more grateful than the guy could imagine.
“I promise I'll make it up to you,” I said and meant it, and he smiled,
“Let’s just try and do this again.”
I was caught in the deep blue sea, but I think love had just found me regardless.
I was out of there in seconds and rushed out the front door. Luckily I had come in my own car and went looking for it. I had been opening the door to my car, when I heard footsteps behind me, and nearly dropped where I was at the sound of my name.
"Ember."
I slowly turned in the spot, and pressed my lips together, "Paris." I said, feeling like I was glued to that spot by the way he looked at me,
"what are you doing here?" he asked,
" I should be asking you the same thing. Aren't you supposed to be in there with your mate? "
"I…I told her needed to get something from the car," he said quietly.
"Then you should do that. She'll be waiting for you." But he didn't turn away, and neither did I. Instead, he took measured steps toward me, until we were mere inches away, and I swallowed. I had really been trying to get away from him.
But now, I was trapped.
