Page 85 of Fifth Avenue Devil

To distract myself, I work out at my company gym, take a shower in the private ensuite in my office, and dress for the upcoming day. Then I sit on the couch, mulling over my options.

They are few. And the options I do have are repulsive.

At seven a.m., I text Annalise and ask her to meet at her office. Then I steel myself.

I may be in love with Annalise, but that doesn’t mean she is blameless in this situation.

At eight a.m., I stride through the imposing glass doors of Gellar Industries. The tightness in my chest is a constant companion today. Am I going to have a fucking heart attack if I find out that Annalise is a thief?

Maybe.

Upstairs, I'm met with an eerie silence from the office floor. The once-bustling office now a veritable ghost town. It seems word has somehow spread about last night's findings. The rumor mill runs rampant on Fifth Avenue and Wall Street.

Gellar Industries is a company in turmoil, its future uncertain. The vultures will soon begin to circle. And by vultures, I meanme. My stomach turns as I approach Annalise’s office.

She’s here, relaxing on the couch in a sleeveless gold minidress. She looks up when she hears me approach and smiles. She looks worried, though. “I guess the employees heard about the layoffs.”

She gestures to the mostly empty office. I shake my head. There’s no time for that right now. I come right out with it, not wanting to beat around the bush.

"Annalise, some serious accusations have been leveled at you."

She stills, her cheeks flushing. “What? By whom?”

“That doesn’t matter,” I snap. My patience is thinner than thawing ice. "There are millions missing from this company. It looks like someone embezzled from the employee pension plan.”

The look on her face isn’t entirely surprised. She swallows.

Fuck. Could Annalise actually be guilty?

“Just wait,” she says, her voice raspy. “Let me explain.”

“Christ.” My stomach clenches hard. “So you did know. Did you take it?”

“Me?” Her eyes widen. “No! Of course not.”

I sag onto the couch beside her. “You were just complicit in covering it up. That’s great.”

“Nate.” Annalise reaches her hand out to touch my arm. I rear back like her hand is made of flames. “Look at me, please.”

“How long? How long have you known?” I stare at a point in the distance. It’s taking everything I have to remain calm.

All I can think about is the fact that I said I loved her last night. What was I thinking?

“A few months,” Annalise admits. “Lori came to me about the missing money. We’ve been trying to trace where the money went, but it disappeared in a labyrinth of shell corporations and offshore bank accounts. Lori hired some forensic accountants–”

I stop her with a hand. “Lori was in on it too?”

She hesitates. “She found out about the missing cash when I did. She has been searching the company records and asking questions. I told her that I planned to pay the money back–”

“Wait.” I shake my head. “Why would you do that if you didn’t take the money in the first place?”

“Well, the employees were going to find out eventually.”

“Bullshit. If you embezzled the funds, I need you to tell me right now. Then you can start explaining to me how you only told me that you love me to manipulate me.”

Hurt flashes in Annalise’s eyes. She grabs my hand and pushes it away. Heat laces her tone. “I didn’t steal anything. And I do love you. I can’tbelieveyou would question that!”

“You’re really going to sit there and lie right to my face??” I scoff. “Unbelievable.”

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