Page 7 of Blinded By Hate

“Jaclyn, what’s wrong? I thought you would like this? You’ve always said you liked fighting.”

“I can’t interview him,” I say, putting the paper on the desk.

She doesn’t know the history between me and him. Only Patience, Brandon, mom, and Calvin know.

Jules doesn’t know that this boy fucking ruined me.

Jules furrows her eyebrows and she now looks pissed and confused because I never turn down an assignment, ever.

For the past three years I have been at her beck and call and that’s why I am one of the lead journalists here. I’ve worked hard to earn my position by never saying no. But this interview is the one interview I can’t do.

I would be forced to tell him about the son he never knew he had.

“You never turn down an assignment. Why this one?”

“I can’t do this, Jules. I wish I could give you an answer as to why, but I can’t.”

Jules leans back in her chair and rests her hands on the arm rest. “You’ve been working here for three years, Jaclyn. You have never turned down any assignment. Why this one? If you can’t tell me then you might as well not come back after today.”

I furrow my eyebrows at her. She’s never threatened my position, ever. But at the same time I’ve always been a good employee, saying yes to everything.

“I can’t. This interview-”

Jules cuts me off. “If you can’t tell me, then it must not be important,” she says, making my heart crack a little. “This interview is so important for us, Jaclyn. It could get us so much publicity, you don’t even understand.”

“I do, it’s just-”

“No, either you do it or you can just start packing your things up. I can have other journalists take this assignment. No one would pass it up.” Jules sighs and she leans forwards, resting her arms on the desk. “I don’t want to fire you, Jaclyn. You’re a great asset to this company and I know you need this job. But you can’t let something like a cocky fighter stop you from something that could change your life.” I nod my head and nip my lip. Jules is right, I can’t let him control my life or emotions. I can be strong enough to do this. “I’m going to offer you something. I’ve been thinking about it for a while but if it will convince you to do this interview then so be it.”

“What?”

“A pay raise. Say $115K a year instead of $98K?”

My eyebrows probably touch my forehead because that is such a huge pay raise.

I could use the extra money, especially since things are getting more expensive.

No one could say no to money.

Everyone has a price.

So I agree to the thing that will most definitely change everything in my now peaceful life. “Okay.”

Three

Jaclyn

Five Years Ago

For Thanksgiving, I’m at the Night’s with Hayden.

Last year I spent it with my mom but because I’ve been spending so much time with Hayden, he asked me to come with him. He told me his aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandparents are coming. When he was talking about them, he didn’t seem too happy.

He told me that coming with him would make him feel better.

Right now, I am making the mac and cheese because last time I made it for Hayden at my house, he fell in love. He told Alex about it and she demanded that I make it.

I’m not much of a good cook but I can make a good-ass mac and cheese, that’s for sure.

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