Page 128 of Knot All is Forgiven

"Jordan, are you there?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here. None of that is true," I insist. "Someone is lying."

"It's not just that. There is a contractor, a model, that filed a formal complaint of unprofessional behavior and claimed that you tried to blacklist him after a failed romantic entanglement."

I swear again, knowing only one model who'd say something like that. "Henrik. That fucking cu-"

Julie interrupts me before I can finish my thought."I don't have to tell you how these complaints, combined with you not reporting your Omega status, means we can't even get you a severance. They had every right to terminate you."

"But none of it is true! The model had to have been Henrik, and yes, he's my ex, but I never did any of those things." Hot tears form in my eyes, and I fight to contain them. Henrik was an asshole, but I never thought he'd stoop so low as to ruin my career.

"What about the employee? Did you take unapproved leave?"Julia interrupts my spiraling thoughts.

"I filed for heat leave. I gave the documentation to my PA for processing. The only meeting I walked out of was one that Cyrus was in. I had asked my PA to keep the Stargazers away from me, and I was taken aback that he was in the meeting."

"The same PA who was supposed to file your designation change paperwork?"

Julia's words ring in my head, and I nearly drop my phone.

Lanie sabotaged me.

My best friend set me up. How could she do this? Why would she do this?

"Thanks for trying, Julia," I say softly. "Send us your bill. I appreciate what you've done." I don't wait for her to reply before hanging up.

I wish I could be strong enough to seek out Lanie and confront her in person or at least call her. But I'm not.

Why? I thought we were friends.

Lanie

You got everything you ever wanted when you became an Omega.

I figured I should get what I wanted, too.

I stare at that message for longer than I am willing to admit. No apology was offered from my supposed best friend. She took what I had for herself, regardless of how it affected me.

Suddenly, I don't feel like I got everything I ever wanted.

No, I feel like everything has been, like I am, ruined.

I find several lay-flat packing crates in the hall closet just outside my bedroom. Carrying them into the nest, I methodically assemble them and line them up in a neat row.

One. Two. Three. Four.

Working from the top down, I remove my fairy lights and curtains, folding them gently and placing them in the first crate. Already, the room looks less appealing.

Next, I gather up all of the pillows, candles, and loose furnishings. Each item holds a memory of me and my pack picking them out together, of their excitement when they first saw my nest after it was built.

These memories also get packed away, nearly overflowing the second black crate. I have to sit on the yellow lid to get it to snap in place.

Next, I strip the recessed mattress of all its linens.

I should wash them before I pack them away.

I stand in front of the washer and watch the numbers on the front tick down as it completes its cycle. Dae and Blush circle my feet, the orange one screeching for food. Even though it's not mealtime, I scoop a little kibble into their bowls to stop the racket as I watch the sheets tumble in the dryer.

I'm not sure how long a dry cycle is, but eventually, the dryer chimes a melodic little tune, alerting me to its completion.

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