Love Interrupted

by Jade Winters

  Dylan glanced over her shoulder. ‘I’ve got nothing to lose. I’m no longer Robyn’s solicitor. Despite what you think, I’m not your enemy, Harper. I never have been.’

  Dylan was never one to admit defeat. But in this instance, she knew a losing battle when she saw one. She had no choice but to let Harper go. Maybe one day in the future, when the memories of the Massey case were well and truly behind them, they could hook up again and try and rebuild that bridge that had been well and truly burnt.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Abi’s main concern at that very moment was not about getting into Robyn’s house and retrieving her computer. It was the worry that one of the neighbourhood watch team might spot her staking out the house and call the police. After her previous experience, the last thing she wanted was to be brought to their attention again. She’d only been discharged from the hospital the day before and she could do without any more drama. Abi poked her head around the trunk of the large oak tree she was hiding behind. She’d been waiting outside her old residence for the past hour. Robyn normally left for work at eight but her car was still in the drive. Abi was in the process of deciding whether to leave it for another day. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind, she heard the chatter of Robyn and another woman. Two car doors slammed shut followed by the revving of Robyn’s car. Heart pounding, Abi pressed her back against the tree, attempting to make herself invisible. What seemed like a good idea hours ago, now seemed ridiculous. What if Robyn came back and caught her. There was no doubt in her mind if that happened, Robyn would get her thrown in jail without a second thought.

  Robyn’s black Lexus reversed out of the drive and sped off down the road. She waited a few minutes before breaking her cover, walking quickly across the road, her head turning in every direction, checking to see if anyone was watching. Abi was in a nervous frenzy as she hurried up the pathway towards the place she once called home.

  Memories of her life with Robyn flooded her. The beginning had been good, too good she realised with dismay. The saying that ‘if something’s too good to be true it normally is’ came to mind as she strode up to the front door. For a split second she wondered if she’d been too hasty with her assumptions. What if Robyn had changed the locks? Then what? She’d be back to square one. She needn’t have worried as the lock opened easily as she turned the key.

  Stepping inside quickly, Abi shut the door behind her. The place looked exactly the same as when she’d been living there. Oak wooden floors. Large Buddha figurines placed strategically either side of the wide entrance hall. Abi inhaled deeply. Even her favourite scent of vanilla incense remained. Deciding now wasn’t the time to get nostalgic, she ran up the stairs to Robyn’s office, the floor creaking beneath her. Though she knew there was no one in the house to hear, she trod a bit lighter.

  ‘Right, now where are you computer?’ she muttered aloud. Abi headed straight for the filing cabinet where she had last seen Robyn put it. She pulled at the drawer. Locked. That was to be expected. The cabinet held some of Robyn’s confidential papers from work. Abi also knew Robyn was a creature of habit. Her hands fumbled underneath the desk. Voila. A small key was taped there which she knew would give her the access she needed.

  Abi pulled the drawer open, scarcely believing her luck. There, under a pile of papers, laid her Apple Macbook. The very one Robyn had given her for her birthday. Now I’m taking back what’s rightfully mine! She removed the computer and replaced the papers in an orderly fashion, certain it wouldn’t give away her presence. As she shut the drawer, a file tab named ‘divorce’ caught her eye. Intrigued she pulled it out and flipped through it scanning the sheets of paper with her mouth agape. A statement showing a transfer of £500,000 to Miss Tiffany Adams lay on top of the pile. She flicked through the rest. Stocks and shares were now in this woman’s name. The name sounded familiar. Where had she heard it before? It suddenly dawned on her—W. H. Smith. She planted that credit card on me. So Robyn did have something to do with it!

  Abi continued to read through the papers, the fury inside her mounting with each page. So all the financial information I had about her was only the tip of the iceberg. Abi was amazed at the amount of money Robyn had. During their marriage Robyn dealt with all the finances, another form of control no doubt. Yes, she knew Robyn was wealthy. But not that wealthy! Abi needed to sit down before her legs gave way beneath her. Robyn had so much, yet had fought her every inch of the way for a measly two grand a month.

  Abi doubted there was any chance of making a claim on the funds now they were in someone else’s name, but she thought it might give them some leeway if Robyn knew they had proof of her dodgy dealings. It had to be illegal, surely.

  Abi took her phone from her pocket and lay the sheets of paper on the desk. She snapped picture after picture of Robyn’s lies and deceit. It needn’t have even gone this far. If Robyn would have stepped up to the plate at the beginning things would have been so different. Abi didn’t care about Robyn’s affair anymore. Nor was she worried about the idle threats of applying for full custody. As Harper had once told her, it was time to fight fire with fire.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  ‘Take a deep breath and start again,’ Harper said, as Abi did as she advised and inhaled deeply before releasing an unsteady breath. Abi had rushed through her office door barely five minutes earlier. Her hair was windswept and her forehead perspired with a thin film of sweat.

  ‘Okay, okay. I got it. I got the laptop.’

  ‘You did?’

  ‘Yep,’ Abi said proudly as she withdrew it and plonked it down on Harper’s desk. ‘It was in the exact place she put it before she kicked me out.’

  ‘So she hadn’t changed the locks then?’ Harper hadn’t said anything at the time, but she had wondered if Abi would actually be able to access the premises. That was the first thing spouses normally did to stop the ex-partner from coming back and removing possessions.

  ‘No, thankfully she thinks I’m too meek to go rooting round her place.’

  Harper flipped through the contacts on her phone. ‘I’m gonna give my friend a call. He knows all about restoring deleted files. If he can retrieve what she sent you it will be dynamite.’

  ‘Fingers crossed,’ Abi gulped at the glass of water Harper had pushed in front of her. ‘There’s something else.’ Abi withdrew her phone and pulled up the pictures of the statements she’d photographed. ‘She’s been transferring her assets to her girlfriend, well I assume it’s her girlfriend anyway. Looks like it’s the same woman who said I stole her credit card.’

  So I was right. Harper shook her head in dismay. ‘I’m speechless. I really am.’

  ‘So was I, but it doesn’t matter anymore. Their plan backfired. But at least I have proof now, here look.’

  Harper took the phone from her and looked at the images. ‘Disposed of her assets has she. A judge would look extremely unfavourably upon this. And look at the amounts. Jesus, she’s trusting isn’t she?’

  ‘You think?’

  Harper raised her eyebrows. ‘Would you transfer this much money to someone you didn’t trust?’ Harper asked, surprise in her voice. Not that she should have been. People could be very unscrupulous when it came to money and things they considered ‘theirs’. Hiding money by transferring it to family or friends wasn’t as uncommon as people thought.

  ‘No but then I’m not a sneaky rat like Robyn. It’s a Robyn special. She does something to get into your bad books, then buys you off by making some kind of grandiose gesture. Well, whatever she did to piss this woman off must have been major.’

  Harper shook her head in dismay. Hearing about Robyn’s less than desirable attributes, she couldn’t help but wonder what had attracted Abi to Robyn in the first place. They seemed like chalk and cheese. Abi was kind, thoughtful and by the looks of it very loving. Whereas Robyn seemed to be cold and without a beating heart. Could it be the money that attracted women to her? She doubted that had been the case for Abi. From what she knew of
her she was too idealistic to be that shallow. All the same, if the money was there she was entitled to it and Harper wouldn’t be doing her job if she didn’t ask Abi her intentions. ‘Do you want to go after the money?’

  Abi shook her head vehemently. ‘It would cause more stress than it’s worth.’

  ‘Imagine what you could do with it, Abi.’

  Her voice was intense as she spoke. ‘Money’s not worth my sanity. It would be nice, but I’ll manage somehow. I’ve got to.’

  Given Abi’s fragile state of mind Harper didn’t push it. The longer the divorce proceedings dragged on the more likely Abi would buckle under the pressure again. It was up to Harper to make the process as painless as possible.

  ‘I still can’t believe Robyn’s solicitor didn’t receive that letter. What a blessing in disguise. I would never have written it if I was in my right mind.’

  ‘Hmm. You might have sent it to the wrong address, these things happen.’ Harper decided against telling Abi the truth. What purpose would it serve? If word ever got out Dylan would be in serious trouble and so would she for ripping the document up.

  ‘That’s true. No doubt Robyn’s solicitor will soon be back on track trying to pound me into the ground.’

  ‘Actually, she’s removed herself from the case.’

  ‘Has she? Is that normal?’

  She considered the question for a moment. ‘It does happen. I don’t know why it’s happened in this case though.’ Harper still couldn’t believe it herself. Dylan transferring the case to someone else was the last thing she could have imagined. Okay, so it may have been a bit tense between them but they were both professionals. I wonder what she told her dad?

  ‘Maybe she found her conscience,’ Abi said breaking into her thoughts.

  Harper snorted. Dylan with a conscience? Not likely. ‘Dylan? I doubt that very much,’ she said without thinking.

  Abi covered her mouth with her hand and stifled a yawn. To Harper she looked exhausted. Her eyes were puffier than usual and her skin looked an off grey. It was strange, Harper pondered, how new love could make you radiant but the loss of it turned you into a shadow of your former self.

  ‘Do you know this solicitor then?’ Abi asked.

  ‘Yes, sort of.’

  Harper glanced at her watch as a distraction to side step the topic. Since Dylan’s last visit she didn’t know what to make of her anymore. Every time she thought she’d nailed her, Dylan changed course and did the total opposite of what she was expecting. It was like being on a rollercoaster without any brakes.

  Harper looked from Abi to the laptop. ‘Right.’ Harper picked up the computer and slid it into her drawer. ‘I’ll get my guy to go through this later and see what he can retrieve. In the meantime sit tight. I’ll wait to make contact with Robyn’s new solicitor, in case the emails can give me some leeway.’

  ‘Excellent.’ Abi rose to her feet. ‘I forgot to say thank you for having Tia and Jake round yours the other night. It really helped Tia having a distraction. What I did shook her up pretty bad.’

  ‘I can imagine. She loves you very much. You have a beautiful family around you, Abi. Remember that.’

  Abi stopped by the door before leaving. ‘Oh I will. Not everyone gets a second chance.’ She smiled. ‘I guess I’m one of the lucky ones.’

  Harper returned to her seat and leant forward on her desk, placing her hands on the side of her head. She hated to admit it to herself but she had acted rather hastily in her reaction to Abi’s suicide attempt. Of course Dylan was right. It wasn’t her fault. Deep down Harper never thought it was. Her anger had been misdirected for all the wrong reasons. Dylan had rebuffed her and it hurt like hell, more than she had been willing to admit. So she had done the only thing she could. Retaliate under another guise. Calling her up like that was about her making Dylan feel like shit. There was no other explanation. She wasn’t proud of it. It was totally out of her character. Love makes you do crazy things…. She closed her eyes. Like risk losing your licence, swallowing your pride…oh, Dylan, is that what you wanted me to know? And I was too stubborn and blind to see.

  Over the next hour Harper’s mood swung between anger, hurt, love and hate. She paced the floor of her office, unable to stop the images of Dylan flooding her mind. Her laughter, smile and yes her compassion of all things. Dylan had been there for her when Harper needed her most. So why when things were going so well did Dylan reject her? Push her away as if she meant nothing to her? Harper abruptly stood up. I’m gonna drive myself insane going round and round in circles. There was no point trying to come up with the answer herself. She had wasted valuable time sitting there procrastinating. Instead of shying away from the situation she should have confronted Dylan on the spot and asked her where the relationship was going. Being a straightforward sort of person, Harper had no doubt Dylan would have told her the truth. Even if the truth hurt, she had to hear it from Dylan’s own mouth. This didn’t have to be the end of everything, it could be the beginning of something beautiful. Or it could be the final nail in the coffin. It was only a matter of time before she found out which.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Dylan had spent the past few hours fidgeting and tidying things that didn’t need tidying. Welcome to the world of unemployment. Boring, boring, boring. She had never felt so restless. Normally her life was full of activity, but today, she couldn’t motivate herself to step outside the confines of her home. Maybe I’m depressed. She shot the thought down immediately, knowing what was wrong with her. She was love sick. Visions of Harper standing near the wall looking at her photos assaulted her thoughts. Up until that point everything had been great. Funny how your life can go down the pan in a matter of minutes. Had her life really unravelled to the point where she had no job or the woman she loved in a matter of days? Unbelievable. Her dad had been calling incessantly, asking when she was returning to work. It amazed Dylan that he didn’t get it. He knew her inside out, so it should have come as no surprise to him that when she made a decision, she stuck to it. Returning to work for him was a definite no-no.

  Dylan made her way to the kitchen. What she needed was a caffeine kick. She flipped on the kettle, took a mug from the cupboard then opened the fridge. Oh no. she’d run out of milk. Now she would have to leave her apartment. Changing out of her jogging bottoms and vest into jeans and a jumper, she grabbed her car keys and headed for the door.

  Ten minutes later she was in Tesco trailing around the wine aisle, the lack of milk promptly put out of her mind. As she reached up to grab a bottle from the top shelf, she heard a familiar voice calling her.

  ‘Ms Blue.’

  Dylan turned to come face to face with Cathy. She forced a smile. Dylan had never seen Cathy outside the office before and the situation felt odd. She suddenly realised how stupid it was to have a woman near her age address her as Ms.

  ‘Cathy, how are you?’ Dylan said, continuing to smile through her discomfort.

  ‘Alright.’

  The two women stared at each other in an uncomfortable silence.

  ‘I’m just getting some milk for coffee.’

  Cathy eyed her basket with raised eyebrows. ‘Yeah I can see that.’

  Dylan looked down and felt her cheeks flush. ‘Oh, I mean—’

  ‘—I never thought I’d say this to you, but I’m proud of what you did.’

  Dylan frowned. ‘What I did?’

  ‘Leaving your job the way you did. Everyone’s talking about it.’

  ‘But how did you know?’

  ‘Your mad ex-client came in ranting and raving at Mr Maynard for you abandoning her. Serves her bloody well right if you ask me. What a bitch. She’s nearly as bad as—’ She stopped abruptly and turned away.

  Dylan grinned. ‘It’s okay, Cathy, you can say it. As bad as me?’

  Cathy shrugged. ‘Well you did ask.’

  ‘You’re right.’

  ‘So what are you gonna do now then? You’re not coming back are you?’

&nb
sp; ‘No, I don’t want to be on that side of the fence anymore,’ she was amazed to hear herself say.

  ‘If I could, I’d leave tomorrow. That place sucks the life out of ya. I feel like I’ve sold my soul to the Devil. That place is pure evil. And as for Mr Maynard—’

  ‘—It’s best you stop there, Cathy. I know he’s a bastard but he’s still my dad.’

  ‘He’s your…oh my God.’

  ‘Yes. Imagine how I feel?’ Dylan said. Why had she been so blind to how toxic the company was? She’d been so caught up with winning and earning a high wage that she couldn’t see the wood for the trees. It had taken meeting Harper to lift the veil from her eyes. Dylan was getting ready to say goodbye when a thought entered her mind. Cathy wanted out of the cess pit. She was an excellent assistant, thoroughly dependable and Dylan worked well with her. Dylan was unemployed. Although she had enough money to live comfortably without ever working again thanks to a hefty inheritance left to her by her grandmother, Dylan liked having a job to go to. But one that didn’t include hurting people.

  Without giving it a second thought she said, ‘How would you like to come and work for me?’

  ‘For you. Like me and you?’

  Dylan rolled her eyes. ‘Yes, Cathy, me and you.’

  Cathy’s voice was tinged with ice. ‘Depends. Will it be the new you or the old you?’

  God was I really that bad a boss? Thinking about the way Dylan drove Cathy mad with her demands, Dylan conceded she might have been. ‘The new me. I promise,’ Dylan said. The new Dylan wouldn’t be a walk over for a boss, but a fairer more considerate one.

  Cathy laughed without humour. ‘Good. Because if I’m honest, I didn’t like the old you.’

  ‘And if I’m honest, neither did I,’ Dylan informed her wearily.

  Cathy’s face suddenly lit up with a genuine smile. Dylan was ashamed to admit it was the first time she’d seen Cathy without a scowl on her face.