Nothing makes sense anymore.
They told me to play nice with Reed Medical. “Good for the company,” they said. So, overcharging us $200,000 is good?
I bring it up and get an “oopsie.” A shrug. “Errors happen.”
Errors. Plural. Convenient.
I’m finding it hard to play the game these days. I’m finding it hard to be the representative of the Pemberley name the way Dad wants me to.
Alisa Reed.
The dinners, the trendy bars, the small talk about nothing. She doesn’t care about me. I don’t care about her. We’re both being pushed into an alliance that neither of us wants.
But the company “needs” it. So I’m constantly told.
And Lizzie.
I can’t look her in the eye right now.
She found the $200k. She handed it to me on a platter.
And I’ve done nothing.
She must think I’m an idiot.
Or worse — that I don’t care. I do care.
More than I should.
More than I can afford to.
What must she think of me?
If only I could stop myself from thinking about her.
Chapter 8- Cash Cycle, Zero Chill
The weight of the week crashed into Lizzie the moment she got home. Exhausted and drained, she craved nothing more than a warm bath to soak the stress away. She warmed up the leftovers Abuela had left before heading to her aunt’s, then sat down to eat. Lidia burst in, dressed to kill—blown-out hair, slinky blue silk dress, large hoop earrings. Lizzie felt even more tired just looking at the effort.
“Oh, hey, Lizzie,” Lidia said, startled. “Long week, huh?”
“The longest.”
“You didn’t want to go out, did you?”
“Well, when you say it like that, how can I resist?” Lizzie teased.
Lidia suddenly looked nervous. “It’s just—I assumed you’d be tired, so I didn’t think to ask if you minded.”
“Mindwhat?” Lizzie said, not wanting to be rude but not wanting to chit-chat with Lidia right now.
“I’m going out with George.”
Lizzie froze, fork halfway to her mouth. “Are you mad?” Lidia asked, puppy-dog eyes wide.
Lizzie’s gaze darted to her phone. No text. “No, not mad—just surprised.” She checked again. Nothing. “Is it a date?”
“No!” Lidia said emphatically. “Just meeting a group of friends. Nothing like that.”
