Chapter 40
Chandler
Gabriella’s text made a lump form in my throat. My first thought was her father had a heart attack at the office, which had me quickly buttoning my shirt and heading out the door of her apartment. I locked it from the inside and closed the door before jogging toward the stairs. I just wanted to get to her.
I knew how devastated she would be if something happened to her father, especially since they weren’t on good terms. I hated that I was the cause of that, knowing they hadn’t spoken in days. I hoped that after today’s reconciliation, her father could get on board with our plans.
Plans.
It was so strange to think that we were planning a future together that involved a tiny human being. It didn’t quite feel like my life, but I could feel the flutter of excitement overcoming the fears that still lingered. Gabriella made me feel better about the fact that my life was about to change in the biggest way possible. It felt like I could do anything with her by my side. But first, we had to get through whatever was happening right now. From the look on her face when she emerged from the bedroom, it didn’t seem good.
I hopped in my sports car and weaved through traffic as quickly as I could, but it still took me about thirty minutes to get to the office, which was just under two miles away. I probably could have walked faster, but had taken my chances with Manhattan traffic. As soon as I saw the glass tower above me, I peeled toward it and parked on the curb, not bothering with trying to find a meter. Being towed was the least of my worries right now. I walked into the large lobby that I used to call my own.
The place was weirdly empty. The round marble tables that sat in front of the modern, leather couches were empty from their usual laptops and coffee cups. There wasn’t the familiar hum of murmurs from phone calls or meetings, or theclick-clackof laptop keyboards. The silence was unsettling. I nodded at security, wondering if they would even let me up after Mr. Harold practically kicked me off the premises. But the guard was busy talking in hushed whispers with the lobby attendant who had a worried expression on her face.
He’s dead.
Mr. Harold is gone.
Gabriella. I have to get up there.
These thoughts ran through my head as I rode up the elevator, willing it to go faster. But then I thought about the absence of an ambulance or EMTs downstairs. Maybe I was jumping to the worst conclusions. I started breathing a little steadier, my heart rate slowing, but then the elevator doors open and it felt like my stomach bottomed out.
There were SEC agentseverywhere. I recognized them immediately, having had my own experience in dealing with them in the past. It was nothing I had done, but shady business dealings with the wrong people had me as collateral a time or two before. Several of them were carrying cardboard boxes filled to the brim with files through the hallways, stacking them high. Others were poring through the files, paperwork everywhere. Desk drawers were opened and ransacked. There wasn’t one employee in sight, having probably been sent home to not interfere with the investigation. It was a wondered Gabriella had gotten in here.
“Excuse me, sir,” said an agent, holding up his hand and preventing me from passing by. I looked past him for any sign of Gabriella or her father.
“I need to get through,” I said, trying to hide the desperation in my voice.
“And you are?” he asked, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.
“Chandler White. CEO,” I said firmly.
Confusion flickered over his face, and I hoped my little white lie would get me through. I didn’t know if these men were aware that I had been fired from the position, but thought I would try my luck.
“I am Penn Harold’s successor and I need to speak with him immediately,” I said, taking an authoritative step forward.
The agent hesitated a moment before stepping aside. I heard him call over another agent to most likely discuss what the hell was going on. I quickly strode on, knowing my time might be limited. Gabriella and her father weren’t in my old office, nor were they in hers. The offices looked like they had been torn through. I winced slightly at the sight. This was one hell of a mess.
Someone must have come forward about the account discrepancies. I wondered if Mr. Harold had called them himself, though it didn’t seem likely. Something like his he would want to deal with internally and quietly. He wouldn’t want this sort of scandal out there.
I continued down the hall and breathed a small sigh of relief when I saw Gabriella through the windows of the conference room, sitting around the large table next to her father and another man. I knocked before pushing the door open and slipping inside.
“What the hell are you doing here?” asked Mr. Harold, standing from his seat and placing his palms menacingly on the table. His face was red, and he looked haggard.
“I told him to come, Dad,” said Gabriella, placing her hand on his as if to calm him down.
“You had no right to involve him in this, Gabriella.” He shook his head in disgust at me. The man next to him, whom I assumed was his lawyer, watched the exchange anxiously.
“He alreadyisinvolved in this,” she said sharply, her eyes lifting to me and they looked like they were quite literally on fire. I couldn’t help but feel like the anger was directed toward me, but wasn’t sure why. Before I could say anything, she stood up from the table and swiftly walked toward me.
“Come with me,” she said under her breath, her shoulder hitting mine as she walked past me and out the door.
Confused, all I could do was nod at Mr. Harold, who still looked furious, and his attorney, who looked scared, and follow after her. The way it seemed as if smoke was coming from her ears as she walked ahead of me reminded me of our early days together. I would find it humorous, sexy even, if I wasn’t so confused. How did we go from making love to this? Just over an hour ago we were naked and wrapped around each other on her couch, talking about our the future with smiles on our faces. I wished we were back there.
I followed her into my old office, closing the door behind me. She kept her back toward me as she looked out the window at the city below. I kept quiet, waiting for her to speak. Waiting for an explanation. I didn’t have to wait long until she whipped around,her hair flipping over her shoulder as her eyes narrowed in at me.
“How could you do this?” she asked, her voice low.
