by T L Osborn
“Goodnight, babe. I love you,” she whispers.
My heart aches a lot just knowing that come Monday she’s probably going to hate me. I lean down kissing her forehead lightly. “Goodnight, my love,” I whisper before allowing sleep to catch up with me.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Aria
“Miss Thompson. My office. Now,” Simon demands as he enters the reception area just after lunch. I sigh. He’s been in a foul mood all day and I’d hoped that the break to the gym at lunchtime might’ve improved his mood. Seems I was wrong. I get out of my seat, making my way into his office.
“You wanted to see me?” I say closing the door behind me.
“Take a seat.” He motions for me to sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk. I watch him as I cross the room. He’s leaning back in his chair, his body language is tense, arms resting on the arms of his chair while his hands are clasped across his waist. He’s trying to be casual, but his body is tense, there’s something wrong.
“How can I help?” I ask taking a seat.
“Someone from within the organisation has been stealing from me,” he explains calmly.
“What! That’s terrible. Who would do such a thing? Do you know who it is?” I reply horrified that someone has been so cruel.
“You don’t know who?” he replies raising an eyebrow.
I shake my head. “No, and if I did, I’d certainly bring it to your attention.”
He sighs. “Then you might want to take a look at this.” He pushes a piece of paper across the desk to me. I pick it up, skimming over the contents and finding my name highlighted across various emails, and documents. Why is my name highlighted?
“Why is my name all over these?” I ask placing the file down and looking at him feeling rather confused.
“The thief according to these documents is you,” he says. I open my mouth but close it again unable to form words. I can’t believe this, I haven’t and never would do such a thing to him or anyone else for that matter.
“Do you believe these?” I slowly ask looking him straight in the eye.
“Honestly, I don’t know what to think. I don’t want to think it’s you.”
“Of course, it’s not fucking me!” I say leaping from my seat. How can he believe I’d do this after all we’ve been through? “I don’t want your money Simon, nor have I ever wanted it. I’ve only ever wanted your love.” He remains silent not looking at me. “You’ll never fully trust me after what she did to you. You declare your love for me then you’re accusing me of this.”
“Aria, I haven’t accused you. I’ve just said I don’t know what to believe,” he growls. I scoff. “Right now, all I’ve got is pieces of paper with your name all over them as my evidence.”
I inhale. “Okay, so what happens now?”
“I have to suspend you from your position here at Billington, pending an investigation. You will be on full pay during this time and I expect the investigation won’t take long to complete.”
I turn away from him, my body shaking with anger as I wipe my eyes with the tears of anger threatening to break the banks. “I don’t fucking believe this.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry but, I have to do this,” he says.
“Yeah right,” I scoff as I remove the jewellery I’m wearing and place it on his desk. His face saddens as I do this, but he doesn’t say anything. “Do I at least have the time to pack my desk?” I ask without looking at him.
“Take your time.” I turn and exit his office slamming his door closed behind me. How can he believe I’d do this? I’m not her. I carry my bag and jacket out to my desk, I remove everything from it Simon has ever bought me, including my beloved Kindle. If he cares so much about his money he can have all of this back.
As I’m almost finished Lara and James enter the reception area.
“What’s happened?” Lara asks.
I look at her. “I don’t want to talk about it.” The last thing I leave on my desk is the swipe card, it’s not like I’m going to need it anytime soon.
Heading towards the lifts I turn over my shoulder, hoping to find Simon’s door opening and him begging me to stay and that he’s made a mistake. He doesn’t. I get into an empty lift and as the doors close I sob into my hands. Did he ever really truly love me or was I a plaything for him this whole time?
Simon
Staring at what is left of Aria in the building my heart is heaving. She didn’t take things well though, she took them better than I expected. I pick up her Kindle and swipe card wiping my thumb across her face. I missed her this afternoon. Every time I had to walk past her desk I couldn’t bring myself to look at it. Things were strained with Lara; I suspect she’s mad at me too for doing what I did and now I get the joy of going home to break the news to Charlotte that she won’t be seeing Aria for a while.
“You know that’s not a sign of someone who wanted our money,” James says from behind me. I turn to face him confused and he points to Aria’s desk. “If she did, she wouldn’t have left all that stuff behind.”
“How do I know this isn’t some ruse of hers?” I ask.
“Don’t be such a dick for once. Aria isn’t Clarissa, and the sooner you see that the better,” James says. He’s right. Aria isn’t Clarissa; she’s sweeter, sexier, funnier and I love her. Truly love her.
I pick up what remains of Aria’s things and put them into a box. I carry the box down to my car and see Roger is waiting for me.
“No Aria today?” he questions. I shake my head and climb into the car not wanting to talk about this with him or anybody for that matter. The car ride home is faster than I thought and as Roger pulls up in front of the house I see Charlotte in the library windows waiting patiently. It’s not me she wants to see but Aria. I’ve already destroyed Aria, I know I’m about to shatter Charlotte’s world.
“See you tomorrow, Roger.” I climb out of the car, making my way inside with the box.
“Daddy!” Charlotte squeals, racing towards me, wrapping her tiny body around my legs. I place the box on the floor as I bend to pick her up. She snuggles into me. “Where’s Ari?” she asks.
“She had to go to her place tonight princess so it’s just you and me,” I lie.
“Why?” she asks.
“Because she has to see her family too.”
“Can we go to her house?” she pleads.
I shake my head. “No princess we can’t. You have to go to bed soon and I need to do some work.”
“Stink!” she pouts at me.
Believe me, princess, you have no idea how stink this really is.
“Shall we get ready for bed?” I ask.
“Can we read a book?” she asks.
“We sure can,” I say. I put her down and she races away up the stairs ahead of me. I hear humming in the kitchen and I poke my head around the stairs. “Good evening, Linda.”
She turns to smile at me. “I’m just finishing up here and then I’m going I promise.”
“You work too hard for me.”
“Dinner is in the oven for you and Charlotte has already eaten. I’ll be off shortly.”
“See you tomorrow, Linda,” I say as I chase Charlotte, finding her in her room pretending to hide. I bathe her, dry her hair and get her ready for bed. She climbs into bed sitting on it waiting for me patiently having picked not one book but three. I sigh. She’s exactly like me.
“Can I ring Ari and say goodnight?” Charlotte asks as I settle beside her on the floor to begin reading. My heart aches as she asks this. I want to make Charlotte happy but, I know, that if I was to try and call Aria, she wouldn’t pick up the phone and I can’t bear the thought of telling Charlotte she won’t answer because it’ll break her little heart.
“Not tonight, princess,” I say opening the book. I begin reading and Charlotte is distracted by the time I’m finished the book she’s asleep. I lean down kissing her forehead and head out of her room. Entering the kitchen, I open the oven finding two plates of food in there.
Linda obviously expected Aria would be coming home with me tonight and made sure to put food away for us both. I must remember to tell Linda not to serve a meal for Aria.
“Hey,” James says as he enters my kitchen.
“Don’t you have your own house to go to?” I question as I reach for oven mitts to pull the plates out of the oven.
“I do but I’ve just had word from the forensic accountant that they’re starting the investigation today,” he informs me as I place a plate in front of him.
“Good.” He eyes up the food. “It’s yours if you want to eat it.”
“I take it Linda expected Aria.”
“Yeah, I forgot to mention to her what I was doing today.”
“I’m not going to let great food go to waste.” He chuckles as he begins to dig into the meal. I move the fork around on the plate. Linda has made lasagne tonight. Aria’s second favourite meal—my fettuccine is her absolute favourite. I drop my fork onto the plate, suddenly not hungry.
“See yourself out I’m going to do some work in my office.”
“You going to eat that?” James asks pointing at my plate.
“Nah, bro, you eat it.” I walk away from him and go back to the front door to pick up the box of Aria’s things. I place them into my office not looking at them. I’ve got to remain neutral in all this and can’t let my feelings cloud my judgement. I sit down at my desk and open my emails reading my way through them and get to work on some documents. James comes to say goodbye before he leaves. When I finally retire to bed for the evening I climb the stairs to my room. I stare at our bed, empty without Aria laying in it, reading as she usually would be. I dress into my pyjama pants and brush my teeth but heading to bed is a different story. I can’t bring myself to lay in our bed without her.
I grab a blanket and head to the couch in my office. I’ll sleep here tonight and for the rest of my days if I have to. That bed is ours.
Aria
I’m pouring my second glass of wine when the front door opens and Toby walks in.
He looks at me with a confused look. “What are you doing here?”
“I do have a bedroom here,” I reply.
“You haven’t used it in the last few months, I’ve been contemplating turning it into my room,” he chuckles.
“Well, you’re shit out of luck because it’s still mine and I’m going to be using it a lot more now.” I sip my wine as he pops open a beer.
“What’s happened?” he asks coming to take a seat on the couch next to me.
“Simon suspended me from work this afternoon. He called me into his office telling me he’s discovered someone from the office has been stealing from him and showed me a folder full of emails with my name highlighted all over them. He then informed me that according to the documents that the thief is me. I’m pretty sure our relationship is over, and I walked out leaving everything he’s ever bought me behind.”
“Did he say your relationship is over?” Toby asks.
I shake my head. “He didn’t need to. Accusing me of theft is enough. Honestly, he was never going to fully trust me after what Clarissa did and this just proves it.”
“I think your being a little harsh on him.” I glare at him. “Aria, I mean that he’s just following protocol of the company, it’s got nothing to do with the fact that you’re his girlfriend. Think about how it looks if he’s seen to be investigating you for stealing from the company but you’re still working there. He’d do it if it was James or hell even himself, it’s about the company and following procedure.”
He’s got a point not that I’m going to admit it to him.
“Toby I didn’t do it. You believe me, don’t you?” I ask.
“I do.”
“Then why doesn’t he?” I ask.
“Aria what did he say exactly?”
“He told me he doesn’t know what to think and all he has for evidence right now is my name on all the documents that are connected to the theft.”
Toby nods. “Okay, so he hasn’t said he think it’s you nor is he accusing you directly. He’s just asked that you take suspended leave while he gets to the bottom of the situation.”
“It won’t take long, will it?”
“Depends on how in depth the investigation needs to be,” he shrugs.
I take a sip of my wine. “You’re being unusually calm about all this,” I observe.
“I have to be, I’m a cop and trained to observe. I have to remain impartial.”
“Yes but, this guy has broken my heart, accused me of a serious crime and you’re sitting there like it’s nothing. Did he come and speak to you? Do you know more than you’re letting on?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Nope.”
I get the feeling that he’s lying but, I don’t press him. “I haven’t told Jake what’s going on. Do you think I should?”
“No, I don’t. You know what he’s like, he’d march straight over there, and kick his ass, and it won’t solve anything.” I nod. “Aria, listen to me. Your romantic relationship isn’t over with Simon, there’s still time to repair this.”
“No, Toby there isn’t. He made it pretty clear.” I get off the couch and walk over to the kitchen, grabbing my bottle of wine off the bench. “I don’t want to discuss him any further. Can we talk about something else? Hell, I’ll even talk about sports with you.”
He grins at me, “I’ll take you up on that offer baby sister.”
I groan. I wish I hadn’t offered that as part of the conversation.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Simon
I’m scrolling through my emails while I wait for James and the forensic accountant to arrive. I sigh as I see there are several important ones about meetings which need to be scheduled for next week and my temporary PA hasn’t bothered to put them in my calendar. Now, I need to go back and check every email from the beginning of the day, to make sure she’s done her damn job.
A knock on my door interrupts me. “Enter,” I call.
The door opens I glance up as a woman walks through my door. Slender, with long bleach blonde hair, a tight black dress with a plunging V line all the way to her breasts, with matching high heel shoes. She smiles as she strides across the room, her body language full of confidence. She’s pretty no doubt about it, but she’s not Aria. My chest tightens as I think of Aria, I try not to let it show on my face. I’ve got to remain professional and not let thoughts of Aria cloud my judgment.
“Simon, may I introduce Tanya Spiers the forensic accountant we’ve hired,” James says. I catch the look on his face as he practically eye fucks her in my office.
“A pleasure to meet you,” she says, stretching a hand out to me.
“Likewise,” I reply shaking her hand. I gesture to the containers on the bar. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“No, thank you, I’m fine,” she replies.
“Have a seat on the couches and we’ll get started,” I say grabbing a file from my desk and joining her and James on the couches. “How much has James told you so far?”
“He has given me a basic run down of what’s going on however, as I explained to him that since you are the CEO I need to talk with you as well. I have a few questions for you and other things to discuss as well.”
“What would you like to know?” I ask leaning back against the back of the couch.
“Am I correct in saying that there has been some theft of money and your personal assistant is suspected as being behind it?”
“Yes,” I reply.
“And your credentials were used to get the funds released?” she asks.
“Correct, however I can assure you I authorised no such payment nor do I believe my personal assistant is behind it.”
“May I ask why you think this?”
“She has never authorised a payment without me signing off on it in the entire time she’s worked here,” I reply. I don’t want to tell her that Aria is also my girlfriend. I slide the folder to her that I’d brought over with
me. “This is a list of the financial records since the time she has worked here, as you’ll see when you start looking at these documents the theft only started occurring two months ago.”
She opens the file and skims over it, “I can see why you’re concerned; there’s a lot of money missing.”
“I would also prefer you to work closely with James and if possible, could you work here, I’d like to be kept informed at all times especially if you find something.”
“Of course.”
“Is there any chance you can trace who is really behind the theft or at least where the money is going?” I ask.
“I should be able to, we have a team of forensic computer technicians within our office as well, so I’m sure they’ll help me.”
“Excellent, and one more thing. Can you watch the accounts for the next month as well? I believe there is a pattern and it’ll help our case too.”
“Of course, we will investigate this thoroughly and up to your standard. Your invoice will be sent once the job has been completed. If that’s all, I shall get started reading through these and make notes, but if you can have a computer prepared for me tomorrow then I can begin properly.”
“I’ll have my PA set it up in the morning,” I reply.
“Don’t you mean my PA?” James laughs.
“I’ll walk you out,” I say to Tanya choosing to ignore James’ comment. Though, he’s right, I will ask Lara to set up the computer for her. Tomorrow’s temporary PA will only be trusted to bring me my coffee and maybe answer the phone. Once I’ve seen Tanya off I walk back into my office, I’ve got a bit of work to do before I head home for the evening. James has already poured himself a whiskey and looking over the newspaper on the coffee table when I return.
“Are you going to tell me why you asked her to look into the accounts for the next month too?” he asks.
“I have a feeling who is behind this and the less you know right now the better, because it’s just a hunch; I’ve got no proof.”
