Page 6 of The Stranger
Despite this, I’d done my best to remain polite and ate every small portion the server had placed on the fine China dish in front of me. Surprisingly, it all tasted delicious. Since I was possibly going to owe my firstborn to this fine establishment in lieu of payment for my meal, I was glad it was at least enjoyable.
I dragged out the eating portion of our brunch date as much as I could, but before I knew it, the time I’d been dreading was upon us.
Eloise eloquently dabbed the corners of her mouth with the white linen napkin before saying, “Now, darling, what is it you wanted to tell me?”
I fidgeted in my seat as both of my hands moved to my lap. As nervous as I was, I straightened my shoulders, tipped my chin, and just blurted it out. “I’m not dating your son. I only put up that status to get back at my sister for stealing my fiancé.” When she grimaces, I bow my head. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “I acted impulsively when she posted pictures of the two of them on what was supposed to be my honeymoon.”
“Sweetheart,” she says, placing her hand back on top of mine. “Believe me, I get it. My husband left me for a woman a few years younger than Spencer. When it first happened, I was devastated, so I learned to refocus my grief.”
“Towards what?”
“Revenge.”
My eyes slightly widen. “Did you ever get to exact that revenge?”
When a devious smile lights her face, I know she did. “My husband always wanted Spencer to join the family business, but it wasn’t something he was particularly interested in. His father was always tough on him, so when he was growing up, they butted heads.
“While Spencer was in college, his father offered him twenty-five percent of the company to sweeten the deal. It worked. I was pleased with that because it was his lineage, so he needed to get to know the business from the ground up. After all, it was going to be all his one day.
“Spencer loved working there, but not alongside his father. He could be extremely cruel and didn’t like that our son was a visionary, and smarter than him. He was constantly undermining him in front of everyone. The poor boy put up with it for years before he’d finally had enough. It was also around the time his father left me for the woman who would eventually become his child bride. God rest his soul.”
“Oh, my God! He remarried, then died?”
Eloise throws back her head and laughs. “You are too adorable for words, Delilah. Unfortunately, no, that son of a bitch is still living, but he’s dead to me.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Money and power meant everything to that man,” she continues, flicking her diamond-covered hand aroundin the air. “so although I needed nothing from him—I have plenty of my own money—I hit him where it hurt … in the hip pocket. I took half of everything, including thirty-seven-point-five percent of the company he still owned, and then I sold my shares to Spencer for a dollar. My ex-husband and his incompetent lawyer tried hard to block the transition, but we ultimately won. My son took over as CEO the day the papers were signed. He was the better man for the position anyway. The company now has record profits and has grown expansively under Spencer’s rule. His father abhorred change, but technology is always advancing, and if you don’t keep up, you get left behind. That’s where the company was heading until my son took charge.”
Smiling, I lift my glass and clink it with hers. “Revenge, a dish best served cold.”
“I’ll drink to that,” she replies with a sheepish grin.
Chapter 3
Delilah
Along, agonising week has passed since my brunch date with Eloise Prescott, which stretched into a late lunch. I’d spent the entire time opening up and spilling my guts to a somewhat stranger, and when she signalled the server to order a third round of mimosas and some more food, I ended up telling her about my limited funds.
This made her laugh.“I’m loaded, sweetheart,”she had said.“Today is my treat.”
We’d hugged on the sidewalk when it was time to leave, and she made me promise we would meet up soon. Although I had nodded in agreement, I had no plans to see her again. We are still Facebook friends for now and I left my relationship status up—which Eloise has loved-hearted since our meeting—but once my sister returns frommyhoneymoon tomorrow, I plan on removing it and deleting my account.
It was time to let go of the hate and the anger and move forward. As Eloise had noted, Abigail was Kayne’s problem now. If they could do this to me, chances are they’d do the same thing to each other.
The hurt and betrayal were still incredibly raw, but I was going to do my best not to let it hold me back.
If only I could afford to move out and start fresh. I’m not sure how I’m going to cope with living under the same roof as my sister and having that dirtbag constantly coming over to visit. Kayne’s mother is the daughter of a minister, so their strong Christian values are firmly against cohabitation before marriage. The two of them moving in together is not an option for now—just the same as it was for Kayne and me.
So here I am, heartbroken, jobless, broke, and living in a situation less than ideal. At least Abigail and I don’t share a bedroom, so I won’t have to lie awake at night contemplating all the ways I can murder her in her sleep.
A month ago, I was the smiling face of my father-in-law’s dental clinic. My image is plastered across the shopfront window, the website, and all the pamphlets and business cards. I also worked as a receptionist there, but when this shit show that is now my life unfolded, I took some compassionate leave and was consequently fired.
In truth, I wouldn’t have been able to work there under the circumstances, but it was still a shitty thing for them to do.
I’ve been looking for work ever since, but my position at the dental clinic is the only job I’ve ever had. I’ve been forced to put them down as a reference, but I’m wondering if that’s the reason I’m yet to get a callback. Who knows what those fuckers are saying about me?
I’m pulled from my thoughts when there is a knock on my bedroom door. “Come in,” I say.
