Page 87 of Fifth Avenue Devil

As the door slams shut behind her, I'm left standing alone in the office, a maelstrom of conflicting emotions churning within me.

Thirty-Three

Annalise

The sky is a darkened steel color. The clouds gather, churning. Buckets of water are pouring from the sky by the time that I get to Nantucket.

Not that it matters anyway. My whole life isruined.

As I run up the steps of Lori Parker's remote coastal estate, tears blur my vision. The salty ocean breeze stings my puffy eyes. I sniffle and ring the doorbell. The door swings open.

Lori always looks so poised. Even on vacation, her demeanor is a striking contrast to my disheveled state. She looks me up and down before hustling me inside. "Annalise? What's wrong?"

I choke back a sob and lean into her open arms. "Lori... I've lost Gellar Industries."

“What do you mean?” She pauses. “Wait. Let’s go into the living room to talk.”

Lori leads me to a luxurious couch facing a window that overlooks the stormy sea. She whisks a blanket off the back the couch, urges me to sit, then heads to the kitchen to make us both a cup of mint tea.

As I sink into the plush cushions, my heart feels as heavy as the dark clouds looming outside. The time it takes the tea to steep gives me a minute to regain my composure. Lori is right. She knows just how to calm me down.

Hell, she’s known me for my whole life.

Lori returns and presses a fine teacup into my hands. She draws very long, practiced breaths, urging me to do the same.

Breathing along with her feels silly, but it is calming. I manage to stop crying long enough to speak. “Nate found out about the missing money. He… he just fired me as the CEO of Gellar Industries.”

Lori looks shocked. “What? He can’t do that. Only the board can vote to remove you.”

“He’ll call a meeting tonight or tomorrow. And they’ll be happy to vote against me. They always expected me to fail.” I sniffle and sip my tea.

"God, what a mess," Lori mutters, shaking her head as she sits down beside me. "I turn my phone off for one day, and this happens. Tell me everything, from the beginning."

With a shaky sigh, I gather my thoughts. How to recount the tangled web that has become my life?

My cheeks heat as I confess, "I've been... sleeping with Nate Fordham." Saying it aloud makes it feel all too real.

"Nate? Really?" Lori asks. Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "I thought you two hated each other."

“You know what they say. It’s a fine line between love and hate.”

Lori frowns. “You love him?”

I look down at my hands wrapped around my teacup. “I thought I did.” I glance up at her, hoping for reassurance.

Instead, I see worry etched across her usually calm face. My stomach churns with anxiety. I set the teacup down and clench my fists, digging my nails into my palms.

“Nate Fordham has quite the reputation,” Lori begins, haltingly. “He’s supposedly a love ‘em and leave ‘em type of guy. I would hate to see you get caught up in that. Plus, he's possessive and jealous... I can't imagine how you’d begin to deal with it."

"Trust me, I know," I reply. Bitterness rings through my words. Nate's dark gray eyes and chiseled features flash through my mind. Damn him. A blend of desire and anger runs through me and leaves me feeling even more confused than before.

“Tell me more about you getting fired. That happened today?”

Nodding, I say, "It got worse when Nate found out about the missing money. I kept it a secret from him. Now he thinks I'm part of some cover-up. He also accused me of stealing the money."

Lori's expression darkens, concern etched across her features. "That's not good, Annalise. I won't sugarcoat it. This situation looks bad for everyone involved."

“When Nate asked me who else knew, I told him the truth.” I bite my lip. “I’m so sorry, Lori.”

---