I crossed to the sofa and sat, rubbing my hands together to control my anger. I didn’t typically get like this. Screw ups happen and perhaps my anger was displaced. But I didn’t care. If this Elle would be on the receiving end of my rage—then so be it. Someone needed to be.
A short moment passed before Dean’s door opened swiftly without so much as a knock. My heated eyes shot up and my breath caught when she walked in.
Isabel?
Either I’d completely lost it, or Isabel just walked into the room in place of whoever this Elle was.
She was dressed in a white blouse and blue mini skirt. She looked at Dean and opened her mouth, prepared to say something until she spotted me on the sofa, all the color instantly drained from her beautiful features. She looked about as ill as I felt.
Dean scratched his forehead and went to stand in front of his desk. “Elle, this is Scott Weston. He’s our new…partner. Scott was also the one to land us the fashion event you ran last night.”
Isabel’s mouth dropped open again and her chest hitched.
No. Impossible.
Physically, I was frozen, but my mind blustered with a mixture of confusion, doubt and hell…more anger than I thought possible moments ago.
“He was highly invested in this firm and the Ballard event was a big deal to us Elle,” Dean continued, his words somewhat a blur, much like my vision.
Isabel tore her eyes from me and faced Dean. Seeming as though she lost her words, she swallowed and took a breath as though she’d been drowning.
I wanted to jump out of my seat and breathe life into her, but instead I stayed where I was, watching it all unfold.
“Elle, I’ve known you for a long time. You were one of Brightman’s best. You plan to perfection. What happened?”
Isabel winced.
“You worked for Brightman?” My hard tone carried in the room.
Isabel bravely turned in my direction. “Seven years,” she answered flatly.
My jaw flexed as I held her gaze before she blinked away. Mentally shaking my head, I tried to snap out of the nightmare I was living. But it was useless.
She turned back to Dean, raising her head slightly. “I don’t plan to perfection, Dean. Whoever told you that was fooled. That’s what I do. I fool people. I fool them into thinking that everything is running smoothly, but it never does. I completely flaked on the Hayes party, but the Winter Ballard was indeed planned to perfection.”
I watched her eyes wander and she swallowed. “There was a cue that… needed to happen towards the end and—well I got distracted.” She glanced at me.
I frowned, knowing instantly what she meant. Ron’s comment about Claudia and how it could appear to someone. He must have known Elle was there.
“What are you talking about? Donovan’s event went smoothly,” Starr argued.
Elle laughed wearily. “Nothing ever goes smoothly, Starr. If you ever worked in the field and were a true professional, you’d know.”
Dean’s solemn features turned angry as he took a step toward Elle, and I stood instinctively. Dean seemed to recover and continued. “I think we’ve heard enough. Elle, last night’s screw up was too big for everyone in the room and…we just can’t have this at our firm, especially since—”
I blinked.Wait. No.
“Hold on a minute, Dean, maybe this is—” I interjected before I was cut off.
“No Dean, please continue,” she demanded, without so much as a glance at me.
Both my new business partners looked at me questioningly, considering moments ago I’d insisted this employee be terminated immediately. How would I explain a change of heart without damaging her career and reputation? I’d have no power over what these two could do to her in this field.
Apparently, I had taken too long to answer and Dean took that as his cue to continue.
“We’re going to have to let you go. I’m sorry Elle; I thought you were better than this.”
I stalked to the window, for once, not knowing what to do. Because all I fucking wanted to do was whisk her out of this nightmare, talk to her, will the life back into her eyes.
