“What’s stopping you?”
“Damar doesn’t want me to go back to school.”
“Why not?”
“Because he’s ready for us to have a baby.” I blurted it out, hoping that it would stop him from looking at me with those eyes.
He swallowed hard but managed a loving smile. “But what doyouwant?”
“I want to go back to school.”
“Then do it. Damar will just have to fall in line.”
His authority made my brown skin tingle. I yearned for his embrace but knew that it was a place I would never return from, so I fought the urge.
Pulling into the parking lot of Dream Realty, my eyes narrowed. As they focused on the figures standing in front of the office, my heart started to pound violently. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of federal agents surrounding the building.
“Let me call you back, Jeremy,” I rushed.
“Okay,” he said before I hung up.
Without a second thought, I hurried out of my car and rushed inside.
But before I could step through the doors, my eyes widened in shock at the sight of more FBI agents escorting Mia out of the building with her hands cuffed behind her back.
I looked behind her through the glass walls. Other staff members and agents watched from the other side—appalled—from their desks and peering out of their office doorways.
“Mia!” I blurted as I rushed toward her. “What’s going on?”
An officer stuck out his arm, keeping distance between us. Her eyes met mine. Anger and accusation burned in her glare.“Really, Aviana?” she spat. “Are you that upset that I got the job instead of you?”
Shock rooted me to the spot that I was standing in. “What are you talking about? No!”
Mia’s expression was so hardened with conviction as she shook her head. “You lying ass bitch,” she seethed, her voice laced with betrayal as the cops led her away. “I trusted you!”
I blinked slowly, staring at her anger-fueled accusations with shock and disbelief.
As Mia was being led to a car, I walked inside the building in a daze of confusion and worry. The entire office was eerily quiet, like everyone was holding their breath. I stood there, frozen, watching through the window. Her head was low, but there was no real shame on her face.
Then I heard my name. “Aviana.”
I jumped a little, and my heart hammered wildly. Antonio was standing in the doorway of his office. I hadn’t even noticed him there. He had this serious look on his face, the kind that made my stomach drop.
“Come into the office,” he sternly told me.
My legs felt like lead as I walked past him into the office. I couldn’t lose this job. Though Damar had been splurging lately, we weren’t comfortable enough with his finances to trust that he could carry us. He still spent money frivolously, and the promotion business was too unpredictable.
Alfred was already sitting at the desk with an expression just as serious as Antonio’s.
“Sit down,” Antonio said, gesturing to the chair in front of the desk.
I sat, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach. My palms were sweaty, and I didn’t know where to look. Antonio stayed standing,arms crossed over his chest, while Alfred leaned back in the chair watching me carefully.
“Did you know anything about what Mia was doing?” Antonio asked as his eyes narrowed.
I acted obliviously the best I could. “What was she doing?”
“Stealing money from the company,” Alfred answered.
