Page 21 of The Vegas Rerun
"Yes?"
I hold up the crumpled note. It takes all my will power not to throw it at her face.
"Was this you?"
She barely glances at it.
"What is it?"
"It’s a note. It says you don’t belong here," I say, quoting the words stiffly. "Someone left this on my monitor. Someone without the balls to say it to me themselves."
Sarah tilts her head, feigning confusion, but I swear I see a flicker of anger when I say she’s a coward.
"And you think it was me?" she says. “Honestly do you not think I have better things to do with my time?”
"No, actually, I don’t. What I think is that you haven’t spoken to me in days. I think my work has been mysteriously disappearing. And I think an email you were CC’ed in was accidentally forwarded on to the wrong people," I say. I narrow my eyes. "So, yeah. I think it was you."
She lets out a breathy laugh, shaking her head.
"Wow, Molly. Paranoid much?"
"Am I?" I step closer. "Look, I get it. You wanted the job. And I didn’t mean to take it from you. But I worked hard, and I was chosen. That’s not my fault."
Sarah’s jaw clenches, the mask of feigned innocence slipping for just a second.
"That job should have been mine."
"But it isn’t. And trying to sabotage me isn’t going to change that."
Her eyes darken.
"You have no idea what you’re up against, Molly."
A chill runs down my spine, but I hold my ground.
"Neither do you. Now stop this school kid crap."
For a moment, we just stare at each other, the air thick with unspoken tension. Then, without another word, Sarah brushes past me and walks out of the room. I let out a shaky breath, gripping the edge of the counter to steady myself. I feel like I won that one because she was the first to break eye contact and leave. But I’m under no illusions. I know for a fact that this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.
But if Sarah thinks she can scare me out of this job, she’s wrong. I have too much to lose and I won’t let her jealousy affect my daughter’s future.
CHAPTER 16
MOLLY
The next fewweeks pass more smoothly than I expect. At first, I brace myself for more sabotage, for more of Sarah’s little tricks, but to my surprise, nothing happens. My reports stay where I leave them, my emails remain sent to the correct people, and I don’t find any more passive aggressive notes on my computer monitor or elsewhere on my desk.
Maybe confronting Sarah made her realize I’m not an easy target. It seems that she’s used to people being a bit wary around her and that means she gets what she wants. Well not anymore. Or maybe it’s nothing to do with that. Maybe she just got bored of playing childish tricks on me. Either way, I’m grateful that she’s moved on. I can finally settle into my new role without constantly looking over my shoulder.
Working as the CEO’s secretary is intense. My days are packed with scheduling meetings, organizing reports and documents, taking calls, and ensuring Joshua’s workdays run smoothly. I’m constantly on the move, but I thrive in the fast-paced environment. I was good at my last job, but this is different. I feel valued, trusted - like I actually belong here.
And then there’s Joshua himself. The awkwardness I was worried about doesn’t seem to be there which is a good thing, because he seems to be here a lot more than he usually is. He often worked remotely from what the others have told me, but now, he seems to be in the office most days.
Every day, I sit just outside of Joshua’s office, and because he’s working remotely a lot less, I’m seeing him way more than I ever anticipated that I would. He’s polite but professional when he talks to me, never stepping beyond the boundaries of a boss and his employee relationship. If he does recognize me from Vegas, he doesn’t show it. Not once does he give me any sign that he remembers that night.
And yet, there is something there. It’s a kind of charge in the air when we’re near each other, and there’s a flicker of something in his gaze when we exchange brief glances. It’s subtle, but I feel it. It’s like that same chemistry that pulled us together three years ago is still alive, humming beneath the surface, just waiting for the right moment to strike.
I tell myself the attraction, the chemistry is one sided. That I’m imagining it. But deep down, I know better. I know Joshua feels it too, even if he would never admit to it.
