“You are mine, Hillary,” he whispered. “Only mine.”
“Really?” I asked but received no reply. I turned around and saw that he had fallen asleep, and I smiled to myself before surrendering to sleep as well, my heart filled with happiness.
Chapter 13
A Puppet
Gale Fears
Guilt. That was what I felt as I walked to my office the next morning. I had made a mistake. I should never have gone to Hillary’s last night. I should never have said any of those things. I shouldn’t have crept out of her apartment the next morning. Guilt. That was all I could feel. I knew there was no way out of Stella’s clutches. I knew there was nothing I could do. What I had done last night would just hurt Hillary. It would break her heart even more. I should have let her move on. I should let her find happiness elsewhere, even if it was with Jack.
As long as she was happy, what did it matter what I felt? But now, she would suffer more. I shouldn’t have gone to her, but I had been drunk and wasn’t thinking clearly.
“Mr. Fears,” Seth said. “We have a problem, sir.”
“What?” I snapped.
He turned on the news, and I heard the reporter saying, “…There have been reports that the Fears firm has been involved in illegal dealing. The accusation is against Vince Carrow, one of the senior partners at the firm. There are reports that he has been involved in illegal deals and has connections with the black market. The police have received anonymous messages with proof of malpractice, and the investigation is now ongoing.”
I turned the TV off, my mind reeling.
“Is this true?” I whispered.
“It would seem so,” Seth said.
“Who?” I asked. “Who tipped off the police? How was this happening under my nose, and no one knew about it?”
“We don’t know,” Seth said.
“Gale,” I heard Stella’s voice as she walked into my office. “You left rather abruptly last night. Is everything okay?”
“Seth, out,” I barked, and my trusty employee instantly left.
“You did this,” I whispered.
“Of course,” she said. “I do not appreciate being left in the middle of the party like that. Especially if you are going to be sleeping with your secretary afterward.”
“How do you know this?” I snarled at her.
“I told you,” she said. “I have more proof. Not just the stuff I showed you. I have lots more. Proof that can ruin you, your firm, and everyone you love. Don’t ever treat me like that again, Gale, or I will not hesitate to do worse. If you so much as look at that slut, I will destroy you.”
All I could do right now is to curse this evil bitch in my heart, as I watched her stalked off, and I collapsed on the sofa. My phone was ringing, and I knew it was my father, so I ignored it.
“Gale?” Hillary said, knocking at the door. She entered my office tentatively and said, “I heard what happened.”
I didn’t reply, my heart burning with anger over Stella. Hillary walked over to me and sat down, gently touching my shoulder. I pulled it away, Stella’s words echoing in my mind.
“Gale, what’s wrong?” she whispered.
“You should go,” I said.
“But, what’s wrong?” she asked. “What happened?”
“Last night was a mistake,” I said. “I am with Stella now. I love her. You need to leave.”
“You love her?” she asked. “What about everything that you said? What about all those words? What did all that mean?”
“I told you, it was all a mistake,” I said, knowing how much my words would be hurting her.
