Page 88 of Fifth Avenue Devil

She waves away my concern. “It’s okay, Annie. If you get fired, I’m probably not far behind. I’m a thousand percent loyal to you. Everybody knows that.”

As if on cue, Lori's phone buzzes with an incoming text. She glances down at the screen. I can see a flicker of alarm pass across her face before she turns back to face me. "One of the VPs just informed me that you've been suspended from the company pending investigation. You're consideredpersona non grata."

A wave of nausea washes over me. My heart starts pounding in my ears.

Suspended? Persona non grata? How could this happen so quickly? The life I've fought so hard to build is crumbling around me. I feel utterly unequipped to shore up the walls.

"What am I going to do?" I whisper. My voice is barely audible above the hard rain on the windowpane. "I would normally turn to Nate for advice. Now he's the one accusing me."

“Ach. Kiddo.” Lori pulls me into a warm embrace. "No matter what happens, you're going to be okay. You’ll have me on your side every step of the way."

As her words wash over me, a feeling of gratitude and affection swells within my chest. I tighten my grip on her and whisper, "I love you, Lori."

She gently smoothes my tousled curls. Her eyes glisten with unshed tears. "You're the daughter I never had, Annalise.”

I settle my head against her chest, needing reassurance at this moment. Lori strokes my hair and rubs my back until my tears dry up.

Before I can pull myself together, the doorbell rings. The fragile peace of the moment is shattered. Lori reluctantly releases me from her embrace and goes to answer the door.

Not thirty seconds later, my mother strides into the room, her face twisted with fury. She glares at Lori and snaps, "Leave us."

I'm taken aback by my mom’s hostility. Why is she being shitty to Lori all the sudden? I refuse to let her drive away the one person who has truly been there for me.

“It’s my living room, Monique,” Lori says. “If anyone should leave, it’syou.”

I clutch Lori's hand. "Lori has been here for me. Unlike you.”

“Such a spoiled little girl.” Mom clucks her tongue. “Annalise. You brought this mess upon yourself."

Puzzled, I look to Lori. Lori is glaring at my mother like she’d run her through with a sword given the chance.

“What are you here for, Monique?” Lori asks.

Mom tosses her hair and fluffs her designer jacket. “I’m here to talk about some money that went missing. All little Miss-Gets-Whatever-She- Wants here had to do was keep her fucking mouth shut. But you had to tell everybody, didn’t you? Well, you got what was coming to you. Nate Fordham called and warned us that he was going to fire you.”

My mother’s words ignite fury inside of me that I struggle to control. “You took the money, didn’t you Mom?"

Lori squeezes my hand in silent support, and I’m grateful for it. I feel brave, but I might be doing something stupid.

My mom’s face darkens with rage. A vicious sneer curls her pink-painted lips. Her eyes are cold as ice. "It's your fault that people found out about the missing money, Annalise! Why can’t you just do what you’re told for once in your life?”

“For once in my life? I did everything I could to make you and Dad happy. Look where it brought me!!” My heart skips a beat. I pause, tilting my head. “Wait. How did you find out about the missing money?”

"Perhaps if you'd bothered to turn on the television or check the news, you would know that Gellar Industries is being publicly investigated," Mom snarls, her words dripping with disdain. "It’s dominating the news cycle. You're being flayed alive in the national press, darling. And now the company's stock isn't worth the money it's printed on."

The truth slams into me like a freight train, but I refuse to let her see how it affects me. "If you're so worried about the missing money, Mom, maybe you should be the one trying to find it. After all, it was under your watchful eye that this mess began."

"Excuse me?" Mom’s eyes narrow dangerously.

Little does she know that I'm not done yet. Before I can speak, Lori cuts in.

"I brought in three forensic detectives to investigate this months ago. We knew that the embezzlement started twenty years ago. The forensic detectives traced the transactions back to Archer’s computer. But when we checked the dates of the transactions with his old work calendar, we found that the incidents only happened when Archer was away.” She presses her lips together. “It was someone who had his password. Someone comfortable with his office. Someone who knew when he wouldn’t be in the office…”

My mom pales. “Just what are you accusing me of, Ms. Parker?”

“Just admit it!” I blurt out. “You stole the money. You logged in and wired the funds to dummy corporations under the guise of paying for office supplies.”

Mom lifts her chin, going on the defensive. “Watch yourself, Annalise. I’m yourmother.”

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