Page 85 of Roots of the Wicked

She waved at me, before she bent, and glared into the camera. She whispered loud enough for me to understand her words. “After your identity as Chase Taylorson’s secret girlfriend got leaked, everyone in the world wants to hire us.”

“What?” A deep well of confusion surfaced. The few times I had called to check in, my staff had confirmed that things were going well, but I was convinced that they were telling me what I wanted to hear just to keep me calm. I had convinced myself that it was only a matter of time, before the downfall of NG began.

Jeff walked in lifting the mic of his wireless headphones from his mouth before leaning way to close to the camera. “I don’t know if you meant for your business to get out, but we’re going to become millionaires because of it.”

Again, all I managed to squeeze out was, “What?”

I didn’t understand, and I needed to figure out the situation. I hadn’t slept a wink in two days. I had ignored most of my phone calls, wallowed in the stench of my own self-pity, and wondered if I would still have a business when all was said and done.

Helena and Jeff talked at the same time, and I didn’t understand a word from either. My concentration was shot. All I picked up was something about new contracts and business pouring in.

Lulu also had a phone sat pressed to her ear while she scribbled on a notepad, but it didn’t stop her from smiling and waving.

Bits of Quentin’s phone conversation revealed him sweet-talking his way into a deal he would later sweet-talk me into taking.

Helena and Jeff, took turns explaining that my being outed as Chase’s new girlfriend was apparently good for business.

When I Googled myself, pictures of my employees popped up with mention of me having a successful tech company, along with the few photos they had captured, and leaked of me and Chase.

There was no way Chase could have known leaking my pictures would have a positive impact on my business life. Could he?

There were hundreds of comments, most of them positive, highlighting my success in business. Them mentioning that Chase was dating a fellow business mogul, was a great step up to the airhead model types he had been dating. I wasn’t a business mogul by my standards, but the update was a blessing compared to what I expected to be called.

I swiped at beads of sweat that had gathered on my forehead, still battling the anxiety that constantly plagued me at the notion of being exposed. This could have been worse. Clients could have canceled scheduled work requests, and open contracts could have been pulled since most were at-will. Relief swept through me, easing a little of the dread, and tension I had allowed to make me sick over the past few days.

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