“On my way to your office. See you soon.” I hang up.
Soon feels like three lifetimes as my numb legs trudge across the street, against the background of honking, braking, stomping, humming, and all the other sounds of the city. It all blends into the monotony of my hurt.
When the elevator door finally opens on the Merged executive floor, I expect to see his face. Instead, Roxy, who looks uncharacteristically panicked, waits for me, biting her nails.
“Cora.” She grabs my hand and rushes me across the swanky reception area into a boardroom.
“Where is Xander?”
“He’ll be right here. He had a major fight with Corm just minutes ago, but Corm insisted he stay for a call they had scheduled. Do you want something to drink?” The edge of panic in her voice intensifies with every word.
It’s weird. I met her only a handful of times,but the woman oozes confidence. She is the general around here.
I guess, in my current state, everything is weird.
“He took a meeting instead of talking to me?” Bitterness fills the room.
“No, no, he really had no choice. Can I get you anything?”
“Why are you being weird, Roxy?”
She sighs, looking upward as if she needs strength for what’s coming. “He didn’t get a chance to say anything. He probably wouldn’t anyway. But he was so distraught, he almost punched Corm, and… he said I need to make sure you wait here…” She closes the door and leans against it like she wants to make sure I don’t bolt. “He said you know.”
And the plot thickens. Her words—while I’m not sure how everything relates to her—are like a cold shower, sealing my shattered heart into a box of ice. “And you know as well?”
“Fuck, Cora, I’m so sorry.” She sags against the door. “I should never have given him that file.”
A file?
I sit, because standing currently requires too much brainpower, and I need all I can muster to unravel this clusterfuck of lies and manipulation.
“A file…” I hope to prompt her to reveal more.
“Shit, you didn’t know about the file.” She straightens up.
“Talk, Roxy. I’m angry enough to force you, so you better explain.” I don’t recognize my voice. My tone. My threat.
“Fuck. Look, Cora, you need to know that man was into you since—”
“That’s not what I want to hear from you.”
She stares at me, her expression twisted with regret. “He wanted your address and… that’s my job—to find out about potential clients, partners, employees—and finding your address was super easy, but I got carried away and dug out more. All I could.”
“You dug through my life because he needed my address? Who does that?”
“I’m not proud of that. I enjoy a little sleuthing, and I never planned to give the file to him—”
“And that makes it better? Besides, you apparently gave it to him. What was in that file?”
She lowers her head. “Nothing you wouldn’t have told him eventually. But he was so confused after you ran away after the Ed date fiasco, and I wanted to help him, I guess. And maybe I had my selfish reasons, but at the end of the day, he probably used the information to… propose.”
She knows about my date with Ed? Has everything in my life been orchestrated by others?
“To manipulate me, you mean?”
She sighs. “Cora, he loves you. That man was smitten with you from the day he laid eyes on you. Is his conduct deplorable? Yes. Were his intentions sincere? Also yes. Just give him a chance to explain.”
“Do you know he told me his father was forcing him to marry to help him with some client business? I found out about that omission almost two months ago. That was probably the time he should have elaborated.”
