Page 49 of Ashes of Sin

“No. I told you. Our statement remains the same: I’m extremely upset and at this point my time and energy are being put toward finding Kyra.”

He frowns.

“Except you aren’t. There is no proof of that anywhere and questions are being asked.” Terrance questions me.

“Then do your fucking job. I pay you multiple six figures to protect my reputation and right now you’re about one day away from being fired!” I yell.

He crosses his arms.

Terrance isn’t easily flustered. He’s worked for me for over five years and got the job because he can confront me. Still, he fucks me off most days, but I don’t want some weak-minded idiot doing this job.

“Thisisme doing my job. I’m advising you that you have to get on camera,” he says firmly.

“And say fucking what? That yes, she probably has run away?”

I’m not saying that.

My reputation is the most important thing I have. If the people I control start seeing me weaken, my hold on them does the same thing.

I’ve built my power structure over decades. Like a house of cards, it could all come crumbling down around me.

It can’t happen.

It won’t happen.

He uncrosses his arms and slides his hands into his pockets. “No, we don’t say that. If you agree to do this, we will brainstorm.”

I’m listening.

“We could paint a picture of her having mental problems. Say she stopped taking a medication.”

Nice. I like it.

Make Kyra out to be mentally unstable and that we’ve dealt with this before. That we expect her back, and it will buy us time to find her.

Then I will punish her.

I will clearly need to keep a tight rein on her when we are married. That wasn’t exactly the plan. I chose Kyra Fox because she is attractive, compliant, and the heiress to a fortune.

“What else?” I ask.

“It might’ve been a disagreement with her mother. That they’re not close. That she has called you.”

I pick up a pen on my desk and twist it around my fingers.

This is why Terrance still works for me.

I might even give him a huge bonus this Christmas if it works.

“Fine. Prepare the interview,” I say. “And Terrance, I want the questions vetted and this entire thing tightly controlled.”

“Pfft. Ye of little faith. Leave it with me.” He grins and pushes off the doorframe to set it up.

I stare out at the empty room as I tap the pen on my desk.

Where the fuck is she?

Derek has hired the Barrett Security team, and I was invited to the family meeting to answer questions.

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