Page 74 of I Despise You
“But why? Why not just take everything and destroy it? Why leave it?”
“Because I’m dancing with Kayla, and there’s nothing suspicious going on.”
“Would someone have seen something if you’d done something to her at the club?” Even if he just gave her one of his pills, someone could’ve seen it.
“I don’t know.”
“Do you think she might have taken one of your pills by accident or that you might’ve given it to her without knowing what it would do to her?”
“I don’t know.” There’s a hint of desperation in his voice.
“If your father did this, could he have the original footage somewhere?”
Chase’s gaze meets mine. “Maybe. If he wants to use it to blackmail me.”
“Blackmail you?” I arch an eyebrow at him. “How? He’s the one who doesn’t want it out, especially if you did something incriminating.”
“Maybe he’ll offer to give me the footage in exchange for my silence or something he wants me to do, but only when he wants it. That’s why he hasn’t done it already.”
“Or you’re innocent and he has proof, but wants you to think you’re guilty because if you don’t know the truth, he can use it against you.”
He nods. “And tell me I should be grateful that he saved me from going to jail. It’s his favorite thing to say when I do something he doesn’t like.”
“Is there any way you could find the footage on your own?” I don’t think Chase talking to his father and asking nicely would do any good, because there’s nothing in it for his father, so he wouldn’t be interested.
“No idea, but I can try.”
***
“MY FATHER’S THROWINGa party at his house,” Chase says. “I think that’s my chance to snoop around. I can pretend that I’m willing to do whatever he wants me to, and maybe I can slip into his office. The footage could be there. He has a ton of security, but there should be a way around it once I’m in the house.”
“That sounds like a good plan.”
“Except, I don’t know if he’ll be suspicious. I’ve never shown interest in his business and his parties unless he forces me to do it, but now he’s only invited me and maybe doesn’t even expect me to show up. It’ll be weird.”
“I can go with you,” I blurt out before I can even think it through.
“No. You’ve already done plenty for me. I can’t ask that of you too.”
“But your father doesn’t like me at all, right? Maybe I can be your excuse for showing up at the party. You can say to your father that you’re willing to compromise, but only because you want to keep dating me. I know it’s not the perfect plan, but he might focus on me instead and you’ll get your chance. Even if it fails and he gets angry, you can tell him you broke up with me again.”
“Actually, I haven’t told him we broke up. It just never came up. But are you sure you want to go with me all the way to my father’s house?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.” As crazy as it sounds, I still want to help.
***
AS SOON AS CHASE ANDI enter the foyer, his father spots us and calls him with him. Chase glances at me, but I only give him a nod. When he leaves, I feel weird standing there in my long cream gown, surrounded by people I don’t know in a huge, shiny house.
Judging by the amount of statues and paintings on the walls, I think Chase’s father likes to live in a museum or an art gallery. Everything about the house screams rich, and every part has been perfectly cleaned and arranged so that nothing is out of place.
Relief floods my chest when I see Chase coming my way. He stumbles and bumps into a guard. As he apologizes, I see him quickly stuff something into the pocket of his suit.
“Everything okay?” I ask when he reaches me.
“Yeah. My father is pissed because you’re here. He thinks you’re only after my—well, his—money, and that I’m dating you only to spite him. But I think he’s glad I’m fighting with him over you rather than over the past.” He leans forward, his lips brushing my ear. “And I just swiped a guard’s key card.”
“Does that mean you have a plan?”
