Page 113 of It Starts With A No

Clary frowned.

“I just want my watch,” Hugh continued. “One watch, Clary.”

That again. “No.”

“What’s your problem?”

She ended the call. “You. You’re the problem,” she said to the phone.

“You’re supposed to say that while he’s still on the line. Not after you end the call.”

Clary narrowed her eyes.

“Good job, boss,” Andrea said in a bored tone and a nonchalant shrug, making Clary laugh. “Is everything okay?”

“Hugh paid a visit to the office.”

Andrea got up when the doorbell rang. “What did he want?”

She pursed her lips as Andrea opened the door. “His watch.” She threw her phone onto the couch. “I wonder which watch he so desperately …” Could it be? She ran her hand through her hair.

“What about his watch?” Andrea asked while taking food out of the paper bag.

“He came the other day, asking to take one watch. Just one.”

“Maybe it’s his favorite. Maybe it’s the most expensive, and he wants to try to sell it. Since he’s out of job and all.”

“He’s not out of his trust fund.” Then again, no amount of money ever seemed to be enough for the Eolenfelds. “I was kind of acting out the other day and knocked a watch off the shelf. Seth picked it up and said it looked like there was a chip in there.”

“And you think that’s the watch Hugh wants?” Andrea set the empty paper bag aside and sat. “Why doesn’t he just take it?”

“I guess he knows how shaky his current standing is in the family, so he doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize it further.”

“Like having you complain to Edward Eolenfeld?’

She nodded.

“So? What was the chip?”

Clary shrugged. “I can’t even remember what happened to the watch.” She blinked, poking her tongue into her cheek as she thought about it. “Seth was holding it when Tamara came in. She questioned him about it, and he made some snide remarks. After that, I packed up and we headed out for dinner. I didn’t keep track of the watch, but I suppose Seth has it.”

“And he didn’t say anything about the chip?”

“We didn’t talk much yesterday.” Or this morning.

“You should ask him.”

Clary blew out a breath. “I don’t really care why Hugh wants it back, and Seth can have the watch.”

“Aren’t you curious?”

“The Eolenfelds are always up to something.” Clary waved it off and dragged the food closer. “It’s probably something that Hugh thinks will get him back into Mr. E’s good graces.” She opened a white box with a red panda logo.

“And you’re not curious?”

“No.”

“It’s like a soap opera.”

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