Page 37 of Entwined
"Not worthy," I finished for her, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.
"Different," she corrected, her tone gentle. "You were always worthy, Joey. But Vaughn would’ve ruined you even more than my father did."
Her words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the tangled web of our pasts. But as I looked at Simone, I saw something new in her eyes—a genuine affection, a desire to make amends. Maybe we weren’t quite sisters yet, but for the first time, it felt like we were on the path to becoming just that.
Returning to the office should have felt like slipping back into a familiar rhythm, but Vaughn's abrupt shift in attitude threw me off balance. His hot-and-cold behavior was maddening. Since Archie Bass had been jailed, Bass Banking had started to stabilize, but they were still struggling financially.
The new CEO, Silas Bass—Archie’s thirty-year-old son—seemed more interested in jet-setting than steering the company. I hadn’t met him yet; he was partying in the south of France wheneverything fell apart. Now, he was reluctantly tethered to a desk and eager to offload the company.
I let Vaughn take the lead on the merger, but getting information out of him was like pulling teeth. It was as if he’d built a wall between us, one I wasn’t allowed to climb. Frustrated, I decided to confront him directly. The day of our scheduled dinner with Silas, I stopped by his office.
Vaughn’s eyes remained glued to his laptop, fingers flying over the keys. “I’m busy, Josephine. I don’t have time for this,” he said, his tone clipped.
“We have dinner with Silas tonight,” I reminded him, trying to keep my voice steady.
It was a formality more than anything; the merger was practically finalized. But Silas insisted on meeting in person. Vaughn had booked a private room at The Diamond Square Hotel, where Ashworth Financial had also arranged a suite for Silas. “Nothing but the best,” Vaughn had said, but now it felt like a hollow sentiment.
“You don’t need to come,” Vaughn replied, his focus still on the screen. “The details are already hammered out. The playboy just wants a free meal and a couple of nights in Manhattan on our dime.”
I frowned, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. “Can you look at me, please?” I demanded, my voice firmer than I intended.
Vaughn finally stopped typing, slowly raising his eyes to meet mine. They were cold, narrowed with impatience. “What can I do for you?” he asked, his voice dripping with condescension.
“I don’t understand you. What’s your problem?” I shot back, unable to hide my frustration any longer.
His expression darkened as he leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. “I can handle this on my own, Joey. I don’t need your input.”
“Well, as long as I’m a CEO, my input is what you’ll get,” I countered, crossing my arms in defiance.
Vaughn’s fingers drummed on the desk, the sound sharp and rhythmic, like a ticking time bomb. “What you don’t understand is that I don’t need you to share duties. I did just fine while you were off finding yourself.”
There it was—the barb I’d been waiting for. He’d been holding it back, and now he’d finally let it loose. My jaw tightened as I fought to keep my emotions in check. I’d taken that time away because I needed to grieve, to think without the weight of the office crushing me. But Vaughn clearly saw it as a weakness.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “I’m not here to undermine you, Vaughn. I’m here because this is my job, too. We’re supposed to be a team.”
His gaze flickered, just for a moment, but it was enough to tell me he wasn’t completely indifferent. “Maybe you should’ve stayed in Europe,” he muttered, barely loud enough for me to hear.
The words stung, but I refused to let him see it. “Maybe you should stop acting like the world is on your shoulders alone. We’re in this together, whether you like it or not.”
For a moment, silence hung between us, thick and heavy. Vaughn’s eyes searched mine, as if looking for something—weakness, maybe, or resolve. I held his gaze, refusing to back down.
Finally, he sighed, the tension in his posture easing just a fraction. “Fine. But don’t expect me to hold your hand through this.”
“I never needed you to,” I replied, turning on my heel and walking out of his office.
As the door closed behind me, I couldn’t help but wonder if this fragile alliance we’d formed was about to shatter. Vaughn had always been a challenge, but this was different. This was war, and I wasn’t backing down.
I returned to my office, wrapping up the last few tasks of the day. By the time I glanced at the clock, it was already 6 p.m. I stepped out into the hallway and noticed Vaughn's office was dark. The few remaining employees were engrossed in their work, and the executives had mostly left. I had expected Vaughn to wait so we could travel to the hotel together, but it seemed he’d had other plans. No message, no heads-up—just gone.
Dinner was scheduled for 6:30, and with the hotel several blocks away, I needed to move quickly. The traffic was a nightmare, and finding a cab was just as bad. I barely made it, arriving a few minutes before the appointed time. The hostess led me to the private room, where I found Vaughn and Silas Bass already seated.
A quick glance at the table revealed no place setting for me. Vaughn didn’t even acknowledge my arrival, his attention fixed elsewhere. Silas, on the other hand, greeted me with a wide, somewhat predatory smile.
"Who is this? Your wife?" Silas asked, his tone dripping with casual arrogance.
"Not even close. This is my father's widow," Vaughn replied dismissively, as if I were an afterthought.
I extended my hand, refusing to let Vaughn’s attitude diminish me. "Josephine Ashworth. I share CEO duties with Vaughn."
