I completely pause mid-pace and spin to look at her at record speed. “Davenport is the silent party?”
She nods her head with effort.
I rub my face and begin to feel sick in my stomach. “Fuck.”
“It’s worse, Julian.”
“Tell me how that can fucking be?” I point to the door. “There is someone on the other side of the door who loves her family and worries day and night over their business.”
Caroline stalls for a few seconds before her voice cracks. “You care for her?”
“Yeah… I do.”
“More than someone would a friend or colleague?”
My head tilts to the side to grasp that she means another level. “That’s what people tend to feel when they’re in a relationship.” I drag my finger to the corner of my mouth for a beat. “I’m no exception.”It’s an overwhelming brick inside me that would need to be hammered down.
She shifts, weighing her words. “You know how you let me vote on your behalf at the last meeting?”
Oh no.
I’m already anticipating her following sentence, and my body feels the weight stuck at the bottom of the sea.
She squeezes her eyes shut with remorse. “I voted with your shares to go forward with the plan.”
My body completely turns ice-cold, and I begin to feel the cracks in my world. “Are you telling me that I unknowingly voted to ensure that my girlfriend’s family business closes?” I grit out.
She stands and seems to panic. “I’m so sorry. It seemedlike the right vote, a financial gain for everyone. If I had known,I wouldn’t have. I… thought you should know.”
“I can’t believe this.”
“I’ll do anything to help. I don’t know if it can be fixed, but I’ll help,” she promises.
Raking my hands through my hair, I’m about to combust. That’s probably why I go to my desk and swipe everything off in rage, items landing on the floor. “Fuck.” I rub the back of my neck.
“Julian…”
“Get out.” I’m not angry at her, because she didn’t know, but I’m furious with myself for not paying attention and letting my disdain for my father prevent me from reading the fine details. “Leave me alone.”
Caroline doesn’t argue and nods numbly before following my request.
Maybe it was the sound of the contents of my desk turning into pieces or Caroline’s sympathetic look toward Savannah as she leaves the room, but Savannah enters, worried.
My lips roll in because I’m not sure what to say. I can’t hide this from Savannah. But I’m already breaking down because this won’t end well, I feel it inside.
“What’s going on?” A mix of her confusion and her eyes noticing the floor cause her to race forward to me to inspect me with deep concern.
With my head bowed low, I stand stably in place. “Savannah.” It comes out delicate.
She senses that everything is not alright, and she strokes the back of her knuckles along my cheek, and I trap them to ensure we don’t lose the touch.I kiss her wrist faintly and keep her hand to the side, our hands interlaced.
“We need to talk.”
“You’re scaring me. What’s going on?”
I do everything but look at her.“Promise me that you trust me when I say I didn’t know.”
She steps back and snatches her hand away. “What’s happening?”
