THE OTHER WOMAN

Chapter 11

The shrilling of my phone woke me up from a troubled sleep. I threw a pillow over my ear and turned to face the wall to avoid the noise. The caller didn't give up. A moment later, my ringtone blasted crazily again and I was forced to wake up. I glanced at the bedside clock and realized it was way past midnight.

I blindly reached for the phone and glanced at the screen. It was a new number. There was no way I was going to pick a stranger's call in the middle of the night. I rejected the call and closed my eyes. A second later, the annoying ringtone was back, full blast. I cursed silently and grabbed the annoying gagdet. I answered the call grudgingly .

"What?"

"What is wrong with you, Julie?"

Shit.

"Jack?"

"Yes, Jack. Who else could it be? How many people's lives are you messing with at the moment?"

Jeez, he was angry. I had never heard him shouting, least of all, shouting at me.

"I have no idea. I don't keep track of them. I'm a busy woman, you know?"

"Uh huh."

He was ready mad. My mood was brightening.

"So let's get straight to the point, Jack. You just called me three fuckíng times at one fuckíng thirty in the morning to check out how many guys I'm messing with?"

"You know why I called you. I need my company car and my allowances back!"

I suppressed the laughter bubbling in my throat and mastered as much innocence as I could.

"I have no idea what you are talking about right now."

"You fuckíng know what I'm saying. Stop playing dumb, it doesn't suit you."

"You once thought it did when you took me for a fool."

He stayed quiet for a moment and I was about to disconnect the call when his voice came through.

"Julie, I know you have something to do with what happened to me."

I rolled my eyes in the dark and feigned innocence.

"Jack, if you don't mind, I'm going back to sleep. I have to wake up early. I have lives to destroy."

"Don't hang up on me."

"Then tell me whatever you want to say or get the f**k off my damn line "

He cursed and I could almost feel his anger.

"My boss confiscated my company car and cut off all my allowances."

"Then you're obviously calling the wrong person. We both know I'm not your boss."

"I know you, Julie. I know what you're capable of."

"You should have thought about that before you chose to cross me."

There was no regret in my voice, just plain old anger and hatred.

"Jules, I didn't have a choice."

"We always have a choice."

"I really didn't have one. You have no idea what a fuckíng nightmare my life is."

"That'll help me sleep better tonight. Go to your wife. She must be cold and lonely in bed."

The bed that should have been ours, I wanted to add that but I held my tongue.

"You know I don't give a s**t about Isabella. I don't love her. I don't even like her. I never did. What I give a shít about is my job. Stop messing with it, Julie. You don't want me for a enemy."

Was that a threat?

"Are you threatening me?"

"No, I'm warning you. Whatever connections you have with my workplace, you should severe them. I don't care what kind of sick shít you do with my boss in exchange for favours but leave me out of it."

"You know, I'm gonna make you eat those words, and it's not gonna be pretty. And yes, I'm threatening you."

I disconnected the call and exhaled deeply.

It was time I hit hard.

He had no business talking to me like that.

I placed my phone back on the nightstand and the glitter of the engagement ring Jack had given me almost two years ago caught my eye. It had been sitting on that little stand for close to a year now. I knew it was time I disposed it.

I felt the diamond stone with my thumb and forefinger and my mind went back to precisely two months before, when I met Jack's boss.

Paul was his name.