by Dawn Doyle
“See ya.” Emily said bluntly. She was definitely pissed.
“Why did you do that?” she asked him as the elevator doors closed.
“Do what?”
“Exercise your authority over them like that? There was no need for it. You could’ve just allocated them the usual way. You didn’t have to get them jumping up as soon as you walked in, or is that what you wanted? Let them know exactly who’s boss?”
“Emmy, it’s not like that.” He breathed.
“Then enlighten me.” She crossed her arms waiting for his response when the doors opened to their floor.
“I don’t want to talk about it right now. But just understand this; I’m not the person that they make me out to be, Emmy. They know nothing about me. Nothing.” Nick turned and headed back to his office, closing the door and leaning back against it for a moment whilst taking a calming breath.
They don’t know anything.
He wanted to tell Emily the truth, but he was afraid that she wouldn’t believe him. The way she had looked at him after hearing what those ‘employees’ had said, made his stomach roll.
He wanted to fire the women for what they’d done. If there weren’t laws against that, he would.
Those bitches upset my Emmy. My Emmy!
Nick began to slap himself gently on his left arm, from his shoulder to his elbow. It itched like a mother fucker and he wasn’t allowed to scratch.
Some time later, when Nick had finally come out of his office, he saw that Emily had gone.
“She’s in the marketing department.” Diane said with a knowing smile as he looked around.
“Did she say anything after we got back?” He thought she may have been angry with Diane, but Diane hadn’t come to give him a telling off so he guessed she wasn’t.
“Well, she knew I told you, which I’m not happy about Mister, but she understood why. However, and I don’t know if she was serious about this, but she said the sooner she finds a new job, the better, and you’ll get the chance to hire Louise after all.”
What. The. Fuck!!
“What?! She wants to leave me? I mean the company… she wants to leave the company.” He quickly corrected himself, but it was too late. Diane had caught every word and was grinning at him. “She’s not leaving and I wouldn’t hire Louise anyway. I’ve seen her resumé. She doesn’t have any business knowledge and the highest skill she has is painting her nails, and I bet even Cora can do that better than her.”
“You have personal experience with that too.” Diane giggled.
“Not funny, Di.”
“Oh come on now, sweetie. I think she may have said it because she was annoyed.” Diane looked towards the elevators, checking for Emily. “This is her sixth week and I’ve gotten to know Emily pretty well. She wasn’t just angry honey, She was upset at what they had said about you.”
“Why would she be upset? You told me she said she wasn’t bothered by it.”
“Did you hear what she said to you?
Nick nodded. Of course he heard. It was like a kick to the balls when she’d asked ‘whose bed’.
“Of course she was bothered, sweetie.”
Nick returned to his office in a bad mood. Emily wanted to leave. He wasn’t going to let that happen.
She can’t leave me. I need her.
Nick couldn’t focus on his work. Too many thoughts of Emily leaving and going somewhere else made him feel ill. He didn’t know if it was a side effect of reducing his medication that was making him feel so bad, but he knew he hadn’t felt any symptoms until Diane told him what she’d said.
Nick stared at the document on his monitor, not seeing anything, when he received an email from Emily.
See attached.
Emily.
Direct. Exactly what he was expecting from her.
Nick opened the first of the attached documents and saw that it was a comparison report for the last two years financial reports.
Two of the companies he’d invested in, had increased their costs by at least seventy percent over twelve months.
Four of the companies had increased their admin costs by twenty to thirty percent.
He opened the second document and immediately understood why she had shown him the reports.
The increases were unnecessary and it looked like the companies had made it look like their costs had increased, so that they wouldn’t have to pay him as much of the profit as contracted.
Emily had looked into it and found out that one owed him over eighty-thousand dollars in unpaid profits and the other owed him sixty-five thousand.
That was a deal breaker right there. As per the contract, he could pull his investment, reclaim the money and leave. His exit route could be happening a lot earlier than anticipated.
That made him think.
He would do just that; to set an example for those who had the same ideas.
Can I see you for a moment, please?
Nick.
Emily opened the door and walked into his office and Nick stared.
He couldn’t before, because it would have been so obvious that his sole attention was on her but now that she was in front of him, and she was trying not to make eye contact, he had the advantage.
Her light brown hair was loose, hanging down her back, and the light coming in from the windows created a halo shining on her hair.
Like an angel. My angel.
Her deep red blouse fitted in at her slim waist and tucked in to her black pencil skirt, that allowed him to see the curve of her hips. The hem caressed her toned legs, just above the knee, and he let his eyes wander down her calves to her black heeled shoes.
His heart thundered and his skin prickled from the sight before him.
Nick licked his lips.
“What do you want me for?” she asked, interrupting his thoughts.
What do I want you for? Emmy, you have no idea.
“Oh… Um… take a seat.” He said, feeling heat creep up his neck.
“I’ve just read through the financial reports that you sent to me. I saw the increases that you spotted.”
“That’s one of my jobs, isn’t it? To compare them for unnecessary increases and keeping costs down?” she said, as if she was mocking him.
He didn’t care, it only made her cuter.
“Yes it is, Emmy. I’m glad you looked into it, but I have just one question… Why didn’t Craig notice this in the last quarter? And, what did you do to confirm it?”
“That was two questions.” She said flatly. “But I’ll answer them anyway, ‘cos I’m good like tha’.”
Even with her bad temper, Emily explained to Nick what she had done.
When she saw the amount of the increases, she checked into the company’s records and found that the extra suppliers they had listed, didn’t exist. They’d been putting false invoices in, so that they would pay out a lesser percentage of their profits to Nick. The increases from the other companies were from poor supplier choices and could be handled with cost saving advice.
“Thank you for doing that, Emmy. You’ve saved the company hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
“That’s what you pay me for.” She said, looking out of the window.
Nick watched as her eyes, that weren’t really looking at anything, stayed focused on the window. She was avoiding looking at him… again.
Look at me, Emmy.
“It is, but I appreciate it nonetheless.”
“You’re welcome.” She said quietly, before getting up and leaving his office. He wanted to call her back, asking her what was wrong and what he could do to fix it, but somehow he thought that may not go down too well.
*****
Emily sat back at her desk, still upset at what happened earlier with overhearing what the women said. Burying her head in the finance reports hadn’t helped at all.
Nick calling her into his office to thank her had only made things worse. He looked at her like he was happy to see her and she wondered how many women
had been on the receiving end of that look, when it meant something else. Something that didn’t have anything to do with business.
Emily had no idea why she felt that way. She had no right to. He wasn’t hers and she didn’t want him to be.
Did she?
What am I doing?
Going home, to her parents house, she saw Holly and Alex in the kitchen making coffee.
“Hi Em! Want a brew?” Holly asked with a smile.
“Yes please babes.”
“So, what’s up? You don’t look too happy.” Holly said,placing the cup in front of her.
Emily looked to Alex and then back to Holly.
“Alex won’t say anything.” Holly assured her.
Emily told them what had happened that morning.
“I can’t believe they said that! Oh my God, Em!”
“Well, what he does is his business, but if he starts bringing all kinds of girls into the office I swear I’ll have to physically hurt him.” Emily said with malice.
Holly and Alex passed a look to each other.
“What?”
“Nothing, Em.”
“I’m going upstairs.” She said and picked up her coffee to take with her. She wanted to talk more but she didn’t want to discuss it in front of Alex.
Emily felt bad at wanting Holly alone. The pair hadn’t been apart since Holly had been taken by Stacey. Alex had promised he wouldn’t let her out of his sight and he’d kept his word.
Emily felt alone. She couldn’t even turn to her Mum because her Dad would know and then he might tell Nick ‘in conversation’.
There was no-one she could turn to.
Emily sat on her bed as the first tear rolled down her cheek.
Chapter 7
Emily noticed a strange woman but the security desk when she walked into the lobby the following morning. She hadn’t slept well that night and the woman, who looked to be having a heated discussion with Joe, wasn’t helping Emily’s mood at all.
“I need to see Nick. It doesn’t matter that I don’t work here, you need to let me through. It’s important.” The woman snapped, her blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders. She had on a long, navy, fitted dress and black heeled shoes.
Emily got closer and as Joe looked to her, the woman turned her head in her direction.
“Is everything ok, Joe?” she asked as the woman looked her up and down with a scowl.
“I need to see Nick.” She repeated and turned completely to Emily.
Emily’s eyes widened when she saw the front of her dress.
She was pregnant.
“I’m Rochelle. I need to see Nick. It’s important.”
Emily’s stomach rolled and she felt nauseated.
Her heart began to race and she could feel the tremors in her hands and knees.
The tingling in her nose told her that tears were coming.
No! Don’t you dare cry!
“Hi, Rochelle. I’m Emily, Nick’s assistant.”
“I know who you are. This guy told me so. Anyway, can you take me to see him? As you can see…” she said gesturing to her stomach “…it’s important.”
Emily tried to stay calm as the realisation of why Nick hadn’t been seen with anybody hit her.
He has a girlfriend. A pregnant girlfriend.
“It’s OK Joe. I’ll take her up to the office.” Emily said with a smile.
“Thank you!” Rochelle said as she teetered on her heels next to Emily.
“Have you been together long?” Emily asked as they got into the lift, with the doors closing immediately behind them.
Normally she wouldn’t pry but she couldn’t help it. The question flew out of her mouth before she had time to think about it.
“Oh, we’re not together.” She snorted. “Nick dumped me and I haven’t seen him since. I’ve been trying to get hold of him for a while.”
Emily didn’t like what Rochelle was saying. Nick may be some things, but she doubted he would abandon a girl who he’d impregnated.
“We went on a few dates…” Rochelle continued as they exited the lift. “Things were going really well, then out of the blue, he says ‘I’m sorry, I’m not looking for a relationship. I have a lot of work.’”
“Well, he should be here soon so I’m sure you guys can sort things out.” Emily smiled as she gestured for Rochelle to take a seat whilst they waited.
“He has until November sixth. That’s when I’m due.” Rochelle said as she flicked her hair back.
It wasn’t long before the lift doors opened and Nick stepped out. He walked a few paces before Rochelle stood. He paused only for a moment before continuing.
“Congratulations.” He said, looking at Rochelle’s rounded stomach.
“Thanks. It’s yours.”
Nick stopped then and his face turned deadly serious.
“Not a chance in hell.”
“Really? The evidence says otherwise.” She said slyly as she stroked her stomach.
“I’ll talk to you in my office.” He growled as he glared at Emily.
Rochelle beamed at Emily before walking into Nick’s office with her nose in the air, full of self importance.
*****
“That baby is not mine and you know it!” Nick snarled at Rochelle.
Rochelle just looked at him with a blank expression. There was no way he could have fathered her baby. Only a miracle would have made it his.
“Did you tell Emmy that?” he asked, worried.
“Of course I did. She asked if we’d been together long, too. I told her you dumped me. Which you did.”
Oh my God!
“Why the hell did you do that?! We went out a couple of times, that’s it!”
“Well, I thought I may have been different for you than the others. I thought that maybe you would keep me. I thought I could be the one to make you settle down.”
“Keep you?! What the fuck does that mean? You keep a dog, not a person!” Nick paced, running his hands though his hair in frustration.
“I tried to contact you a few times. I’ve never been able to get past the front desk until today.”
“Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?” He knew the answer before she even said it.
“I want money for my baby.”
“What?” he snorted in disbelief. “What about the father? Or has he disappeared?”
“He doesn’t have any.”
“That’s not my problem and neither are you.”
“Oh but we are.” She said rubbing her stomach. “You see, you’re going to give me money, or I’m going to go to the media and tell them that you’re the Daddy but you refuse to acknowledge your responsibilities.”
Nick’s stomach rolled and his skin broke out in a cold sweat.
That kind of publicity could damage his company, even though it wasn’t true.
*****
Emily could hear a little of what was said, through the door, but not much. She heard Nick’s voice rumbling and Rochelle sounded like she was laughing but she couldn’t make sense of anything.
The door opened and Rochelle walked out with a satisfied grin on her face.
“Thank you, Emma. You’ve been a great help.” She said, before getting into the lift.
“Bye.”
My name’s Emily, you stupid cow.
Emily walked into Nick’s office and closed the door. He was sitting on his sofa, his head in his hands.
“So… You’re going to be a father.” She said quietly as she stood in place.
“The baby isn’t mine. She’s lying.” He said without looking up.
“Why would she lie? Too many people have seen her. If she was lying, then she would be made a fool of.”
“I’m telling you, Emmy, there’s no way that baby could be mine.” He said, making eye contact with her. The grey in his eyes hitting her in the chest like silver bullets with the hurt in them.
“How can you be so sure?”
Nick got up and began pac
ing. Something Emily recognised that he did when he was annoyed but trying not to lash out.
“Nick?”
“I never slept with her. I never slept with any of them!” he said, raising his voice. His arms out to the side.
Emily stood, shocked, at what he said. For a so called ‘serial dater’ that she’d heard him named, that kind of behaviour didn’t fit.
“I took her on three dates, about six months ago, and that was it. I didn’t even remember her name when I came in today.”
“Why would she do that if you never slept together? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Money.”
Of course! Dirty gold digger.
“She said that even if people know I’m not the father, I’ll pay her just to stop her from telling people. Just giving them an idea that I left her pregnant will damage the company.”
“What about the father?”
“I asked that too. She said he doesn’t have any. I’m assuming he’s a nobody, so telling the press won’t have any consequences for him. But me… She wants me to pay her or she’s going to the media.”
Emily had her hands over her mouth in shock.
“Oh God, Nick, I am so sorry I brought her up here. She told me… I thought she was telling the truth.”
