Page 83 of Thorns of Malice

I hear the grin in his voice. "It'll be done in an hour."

"Good. It's in our cloud."

"I'm already looking at it."

"Let me know when the job's done." I hang up and pace my office, wondering how I'll make everything right between Ivy and me.

She has to forgive me.

How can she though?

She sees me as the enemy.

I have to prove otherwise to her.

The only thing I'm certain of, whether she forgives me or not, is that everyone's going down. Somehow, I have to prove to her I didn't kill her dad. And I don't know what it'll take, but everything in my gut tells me it'll be her sticking point.

My phone rings, and I glance at it.

Unknown: You think you can buy me off?

My pulse quickens. It has to be Ivy.

Me: I'm not buying you off.

Unknown: It looks like it. You left your credit card. I guess I am your whore now, huh?

I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head, regretting too many things.

Why did I call her that last night?

I couldn't help it.

She wanted me to.

But did she?

Me: You've never been a whore, and deep down, you know that.

Unknown: That's convenient for you to say now.

Me: Did you read my letter?

A few moments pass with the dots bouncing on the screen, then they disappear. More time passes, and my pulse rises as I stare at the screen, waiting.

A message finally comes across.

Unknown: Yeah, I read your letter. Then I threw the flowers in the trash where they belong.

My gut drops.

Me: Those flowers are your legacy.

Unknown: The flowers you stole that Carrington Enterprises is profiting from? Sure they are.

Me: I told you everything will come to light soon. You have to trust me.

Unknown: There's that trust word again. So convenient how you use that and think that anybody could trust you. Is there anyone in the world you haven't fucked over?

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