Page 127 of Taming the CEO

"It's confidential, and strictly speaking, I shouldn't be telling you this."

"Then why are you?"

"Because I know how much you care about the park."

I swallowed hard, my throat constricted. "What about it?"

"You put your trust in the wrong people."

"Not this shit again, Bill." I rose to my feet. "Listen, I know you don't like Maddox, but I’ll stand by him.”

"You're right, I don't. I don't like him or his brother. I think they believe they're above everyone just because they're extremely rich."

"They are very down-to-earth, honest people. I’ve met the whole family and can vouch for them."

"Ha! Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but they're anything but. Didn't you say Maddox Whitley promised not to cut down your precious trees?"

"Yes, and I saw the plans for it too."

"Then you'll be surprised to learn that they submitted other plans, no matter what they showed you."

"That's impossible. It was an annex to the contract I signed."

He smirked. "Well, they can always say you misunderstood the annex or the legal jargon."

I shook my head. "I don't believe you. I'm sorry, but I don't. I know how much you dislike them."

"You're calling me a liar?" he said. "We've known each other our whole lives."

I breathed through my nose slowly, trying to keep calm.

"I’m not calling you anything, but I trust Maddox," I replied.

He reached for one of the folders, taking out some documents. He put them right in front of me, showing me the plan of the park.

It wasn’t the one Maddox and I went over. Instead, it was the one Dad showed me all those months ago—the one I’d flat-out refused. My breath got stuck in my throat.

“I knew it,” Bill said triumphantly. "This isn't what you agreed to, is it?"

I looked up at him. I deeply disliked Bill, and I didn’t trust him. How did he get his hands on these documents?

I grasped the cup tighter in my hands; I was shaking, and I didn't want him to see it.

"You were right," I told him. "You weren't supposed to show me this. It’s confidential, after all."

His smile fell immediately, and his eyes went cold. "Cami, this is a courtesy to an old friend."

I shook my head. "We were never friends."

"No, you're right," he said. "I've always wanted more. And in time, I’ll wear you down.”

I couldn’t believe he was still going on about that. I’d never had any interest in him and never would, and his persistence was getting creepy.

“Clearly, you can see you can’t trust Whitley. He's a snake.”

“I’d appreciate it if you’d stop talking about Maddox like that."

"You defend him even when you have proof that he lied to you."

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