Page 50 of Hate the One You're With
“So it’s condemned, and you’ll have to find a new place to live ASAP,” Jane says, as if she’s talking about a minor inconvenience like running out of coffee.
I stare at the phone, then let out a short, incredulous laugh. “Great. Just what I needed—another reason to question my life choices and how much my grandmother or the entire universe likes to make me pivot and fix shit.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Emmersyn
It’samazing how quickly life can go from mildly chaotic to full-on disaster.
“So, who exactly said it’s condemned?” I ask, trying to think of a way out of this mess.
“The crew that’s trying to work on it. Condemned isn’t the word. More like you can’t live there until they fix it and you’ll have to pay for the damages to the otherapartments. Technically, they want to sue you or the owner,” Jane replies over the phone, her tone a mix of concern and frustration.
I’m about to respond when I see Caleb approaching. His usually calm demeanor is laced with worry, his brow furrowed, and there’s a tightness in his jaw that wasn’t there before. He stops just outside the two-foot mark, that invisible line we’ve drawn between us, respecting our ridiculous rule, but the way his body tenses tells me he’s itching to cross it, especially after that kiss.
“The contractor just reached out to me,” he says, his voice low, laced with an urgency that sends a chill down my spine. “Something happened with the plumbing last night. The crew was gone, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say someone tampered with the plumbing intentionally. Ethan is trying to hack into the building’s security system and the cameras Percival set up.”
“Great,” I mutter, rubbing my temples as the pressure builds. “Just what we needed—sabotage and a lawsuit.”
Jane, still on the other end of the line, picks up on the tension in my voice. “This sounds serious. Do you want me to come over and help with anything?”
“No, Jane, that’s okay,” I reply, trying to sound more collected than I feel. “We’ll handle it but thank you. I’ll keep you updated if anything changes.”
“Alright,” she says, her tone softening with concern. “Take care, and don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.”
“Thanks, Jane,” I say, before ending the call and lowering the phone, feeling the weight of this new complication pressing down on me.
As soon as the call ends, I turn back to Caleb, running ahand through my hair. “Hope you find the culprit because apparently, they want to sue us,” I say, my tone edged with exasperation. “And if this was intentional, we’re dealing with more than just faulty plumbing.”
Just then, my phone buzzes again. I glance at the screen and see Percival’s name flashing. With a sigh, I answer, bringing the phone to my ear. “Percival, what’s going on?”
His voice comes through, calm, almost too calm, like he’s holding something back. “Since you can’t live in the penthouse, I’ll find more suitable accommodations for you both. Leave it to me.”
I blink, momentarily stunned by the casualness of his tone. “So, you know about the damage? Interesting.” My voice is sharper than intended. Caleb’s eyes narrow, instantly alert to the change in my demeanor.
“Well yes, I was in charge of the maintenance and I live in the building. There’s a lot of damage to the structure,” Percival continues smoothly, as if discussing the weather. “For safety reasons, the penthouse and the three floors below have been vacated. I’ve already taken the liberty of securing an alternative location. It’s being prepared as we speak.”
My heart sinks further. This situation is spiraling out of control faster than I can keep up. “Percival, is this really necessary? Can’t we just?—”
“It’s already done,” he interjects, his tone brooking no argument. “I’ll send you the details shortly. Don’t worry, everything will be handled.”
I press my lips together, frustration bubbling up, but I know better than to argue when he’s in this mode. “Fine,” I manage, my voice tight. “Send me the details.”
“I’ll be in touch,” he says before ending the call.
Caleb’s eyes are fixed on me, concern etched into his features. “What did he say?”
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “We have to vacate the penthouse. Apparently, the damage is worse than we thought. Percival’s arranging new accommodations for us.”
Cal’s jaw tightens, a flicker of frustration crossing his face, but he nods, always the one to take things in stride. “We’ll deal with it. We’ll also figure out who’s behind this.”
That’s the least of my problems though. I’m more concerned about where I’ll be living for the next six months. “He apparently found us suitable accommodations,” I say, breaking the silence. “Probably a tiny apartment where we can barely fit. He’s just as petty as Gertrude.”
Caleb smirks, though there’s a hint of regret in his eyes. “If that happens, your two-foot rule is going to be impossible to maintain, babe.” He smirks and this feels like old times when we had to figure out a problem together. “Maybe I shouldn’t have blown up that many walls.”
“It was fun,” I admit, a small smile tugging at my lips as I try to lighten the mood. Still, a part of me knows he’s right. We’re in deep, and I can’t help but wonder how close we’ll be forced to get before this is all over.
I tilt my head, a playful glint in my eye as I add, “You can just forget about getting any of my inheritance. Or keep your hands and mouth to yourself.”
