Page 48 of The Funnel to You

“Eight in total before we started working together.”

“What else did you do?”

“I filed for the trademarks after you attended that first event. I knew you were someone that would do well with a business, you just needed the support to get there. I added you to a few emails that would help you increase engagement and give you ideas for things that were trending, and a few things that were in the pipeline for companies that hadn’t been released yet. That way you would be posting about certain trends in line with releases. I never did anything to hurt your business or your engagement. All I did was support what you were already doing.”

“Why not tell me? When we started working together and then when we started dating?”

“I didn’t want to freak you out.”

“Well, consider me totally freaked out, Matt. Was there anything else?”

“I set alerts on your devices so I could adjust your algorithm, send myself notifications, and bump your content to certain brands.”

“Alerts? Did you clone my phone?” My heart is racing again. This is so much to take in. I’ve read about this level of involvement in some of my dark romance books but I didn’t realize people did this in real life.

“Yes. One of our first coffee meetings. I cloned your phone and then I downloaded a tracker onto your devices from there. Again, I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted to help you. I love you, Sasha. I have for a while.”

“You don’t get to tell me that right now.” I am crying now as I stand to walk away. I pace in his living room. “I need some time to go through all of this. Was any of my success my own? Or was all of that manipulated by you? This whole thing with Natalie, does she actually want to work with me or have you done all of that too? What about Ashley, does she know?” I’m spiraling and I know it. I’m about ten seconds from hyperventilating.

“Ashley didn’t know. I kept her outside of everything. And this was all you, Sasha. You are the one behind the brand and behind the campaign. This was you.”

“But it wasn’t, Matt. You put things in place that I wasn’t ready for. You did all of this. So I’m guessing all of those times that I saw you outside of our meetings wasn’t coincidence either was it?” I walk back over to the table and grip the back of the chair.

He drops his head softly before he meets my eyes again. “No, it wasn’t a coincidence. I believe fate brought us together, Sasha. Brought me to a place where I could help you. And yes, I knew who you were before you met me. I have loved you longer than you’ve known my name. But I have always been your biggest supporter. I want to see you succeed. And I want to be by your side while you do it. You are the most incredible woman I have ever met and I say that with all of my heart. I love you, Sasha. Please let me show you how amazing you are.”

“I don’t know if I am ready to hear those words, Matt. I don’t understand and I am trying not to totally lose it. I have that meeting with Natalie this afternoon and I am supposed to be doing this major campaign. Can I actually do this without you manipulating things on the back end?”

“I know you can.”

“Then let me.”

And with that, I grab my bags and walk away.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Matt

Maple Cinnamon Latte

Social Post: I think it’s time to start thinking about helping my parents with Christmas decor…wondering what the theme is going to be this year… #christmasincolorado #holidayseason #keepingbusy

Image Description: Throw back photos of old decor at my parent’s house for the past couple of years.

It feels like it’s only been moments since Sasha walked out of my home. I am praying she didn’t just walk out of my life. But I honestly don’t know. I knew she was going to be nervous about what I had done, maybe a bit self-conscious about everything, but I wasn’t prepared for that level of confrontation from her. I’m about to reach for my phone when I hear the front door opening, maybe she changed her mind.

But Ashley is the one to come inside. And she does not look happy. Apparently I’ve been sitting here for several hours and not just the moments I thought it had been.

“How was your meeting?” I ask her, wondering if this is because of the meeting with her professor if Sasha has already told her how awful I am.

“Nope. Not going there with you right now. What did you do?” She says. Actually, she accuses. She shouts. She throws. ‘Says’ is not the right word for the way she is talking to me right now.

So, I tell her. I tell her everything.

“You are smarter than this. Did you really think this would end well?” She asks as she sits next to me. She’s exasperated with me, and I can’t say that I blame her.

“I just wanted to help her. I wanted to help you. She needed support to be all she could be, and I could provide that. I fell in love with her along the way. I can’t lose her, but I will do what she needs.”

“Dude, we have this call with Natalie in just a few hours and you basically just showed her that she didn’t do anything on her own. She went from thinking she could run a major collaboration with one of the top luxury brands in the country to not sure if any of her content can reach one hundred views without you manipulating things.”

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