CHAPTER SEVEN:THE JEALOUS EX
969 Words
By 9AM the photo was everywhere.
Emily was stirring coffee in the hotel suite when her phone started buzzing.
Tasha: EMILY IS THIS YOU???
Another text: GIRL YOU ARE ON BLOG TRENDING
A picture. Her and Damian getting off the jet in New York.
Her in the navy dress. Him holding her elbow like he was scared she’d fall.
Caption: BILLIONAIRE DAMIAN STERLING SPOTTED WITH MYSTERY WOMAN
Her stomach dropped.
She wasn’t a mystery. She was an assistant.
The door to Damian’s room opened. He was already in a suit. No tie.
He glanced at her phone. His jaw ticked.
“Don’t read the comments.”
“What comments?”
“Emily.”
“I’m fine,” she lied.
He walked to her. Took the coffee from her hand and drank it.
“We have a problem.”
“The board?”
“No. Worse.” He put the cup down. “Victoria is in the office.”
The name from the text last night.
ASK him about Victoria.
Emily’s hands went cold. “Your ex?”
Damian didn’t answer. Just grabbed his keys. “Let’s go.”
---
The Sterling Corp office was silent when they walked in.
Too silent.
Every assistant, every intern, was staring. At her.
Whispers followed them to the elevator.
"Is that her?"
"He brought her to New York?"
"Victoria's going to kill her."
The elevator doors closed.
Damian stood in the corner. Arms crossed.
“You don’t have to talk to her.”
“I’m not scared,” Emily said. Her voice shook.
Damian looked at her. Really looked. “Liar.”
The doors opened to the 40th floor.
And there she was.
Victoria Hale.
Blonde. Tall. Dress that probably cost more than Emily’s rent.
Red lips. Diamond earrings. She was sitting on Damian’s desk like she owned it.
She stood when she saw them. Eyes went straight to Emily.
Then a slow, cruel smile.
“Well, well,” Victoria said. Voice like honey and glass. “The famous assistant.”
“Victoria,” Damian said. One word. Warning.
“Don’t ‘Victoria’ me, Damian.” She walked around the desk. Heels clicking.
Stopped right in front of Emily. Looked her up and down.
“The dress is cute. Borrowed?”
Emily didn’t flinch. “It’s mine.”
Victoria laughed. “Sure it is, sweetie.” She turned to Damian.
“Since when do you hire from the bus stop? Desperate times?”
The room went dead.
Damian stepped forward. Put himself between them.
“Don’t talk to her,” he said. Low. Dangerous.
Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Or what? You’ll fire me too? Oh wait, you can’t. My dad owns 10% of this company.”
“I can make sure you never set foot in this building again.”
Victoria’s smile faltered for half a second.
Then she laughed again. “You’re really doing this for her? After 2 weeks?”
She looked past Damian at Emily. “You should know, he gets bored fast. Two weeks. That’s his record. Then he drops them and goes back to me.”
Emily felt her face burn.
Damian’s hand came down on the desk. SLAM.
“Get. Out.”
Victoria didn’t move. “Make me.”
Damian leaned in. “Security is 30 seconds away. Do you want to be dragged out, Victoria? Because I will.”
For a second, no one breathed.
Then Victoria picked up her purse. Kissed Damian’s cheek.
“You’ll regret this.” She whispered just for him. Then louder: “Enjoy her while she lasts, Damian. I’ll be waiting.”
She walked out. Click. Click. Click.
Silence.
Damian turned. His eyes found Emily immediately.
“You okay?”
Emily nodded. She wasn’t. Her hands were shaking.
“Good.” He picked up his phone. “Security. Ban Victoria Hale from the building. Effective immediately.”
He hung up. Looked at Emily again.
“Let’s go to my office.”
---
His office door closed.
No one was there.
Emily stood in the middle of the room. Still shaking.
Damian poured her water. Handed it to her.
“Drink.”
She did.
“She was lying,” Damian said suddenly.
Emily looked up.
“About the two weeks. About all of it.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I saw your face.” He stepped closer. “And I don’t like when she makes you feel small.”
Emily laughed bitterly. “She’s right though. I don’t belong here. Not in your world.”
Damian grabbed her chin. Gently. Made her look at him.
“Stop.”
His thumb brushed under her eye. She hadn’t realized she was crying.
“You belong wherever I say you belong. Understand?”
Emily couldn’t speak. Just nodded.
Damian dropped his hand. Sighed. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”
The car ride was quiet.
When they pulled up to her apartment, Emily reached for the door.
“Emily.”
She stopped.
Damian was looking at her. Jaw tight.
“Victoria was lying.” His voice was rough. “I don’t get bored. I get obsessed.”
Emily froze.
“What?”
“I said I get obsessed.” He held her gaze. “With things I want to keep.”
His eyes dropped to her lips. Then back to her eyes.
“Goodnight, Emily.”
She got out of the car on shaky legs.
Upstairs, Tasha was waiting.
“OH MY GOD. WHO IS THAT MAN??”
Emily just collapsed on the couch.
Her phone buzzed.
Unknown number:
Told You.
He always chooses them. Then he breaks them.
Run while you still can.
.V’
Emily stared at the text.
Then at the door.
She could still feel Damian’s thumb on her cheek.
She didn’t run.
*********
- Writer
