I shrug, and head upstairs to the bedroom. I glance at a clock along the way. It’s nearly eight. On a Friday night, Jeremy should probably be home soon.
When I enter the bedroom, my eyes are instantly drawn to a white binder lying on the bed. Against the stark black sheets, it stands out like the reflection of a full moon on the surface of a tranquil lake. There’s a small envelope clipped to the top.
I walk over and pick it up. The words, “To Lilly” are written on the top.
I brush my hands over the binder. It’s not one of those cheap plastic ones, but rather something substantial and heavy. It feels cool to the touch. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s coated with white gold.
I shake my head. A luxurious binder. I never thought I’d see the day.
I open the envelope first. Jeremy’s familiar fine, tight handwriting is scrawled along the sheet:
Two things to show my true intentions:
The first, in the binder, is a new offer of employment. I had it drafted while you were away. The terms are negotiable. There is no pressure to sign. But, I would be very pleased if you did.
The second is more along the lines of a gift. Go into the surveillance room. You will find the computer turned on. On the underside of the keyboard is a piece of paper with a 16-digit PIN.
I am the only one in this world who knows that PIN. Until now.
The digits will give you access to the entire surveillance system in the house. There are archives, too. Video footage of everything that has ever happened in my home.
I made you watch the videos once. That is something I sincerely regret.
You can do anything you want with the recordings. I will not be coming home tonight so that you feel no pressure from me. You have access to the entire archive. Keep it or delete it. It’s up to you.
I thought that the elimination of such evidence should rest firmly in your hands.
Jeremy Stonehart
I take a deep breath and put the note down. Jeremy really is showing me his intentions. And they really are—or they seem to be—different from what they were when our paths first crossed.
I sit down on the edge of the bed and eye the hidden entrance to the surveillance room. I have bad memories of that place. But maybe, now, I can approach it differently. I can go in there as someone in full control.
And control has always been my ultimate desire.
But first, there’s the employment offer. I have no idea what it might be. Could it be the Dextran gig? That just seems way too soon…
My phone rings, making me jump. I’ve grown so accustomed to being away from technology that it takes my brain an extra second to process what the noise is.
I fish the phone out of my purse and look at the screen. Jeremy’s number. I press ‘answer’ and bring it to my ear.
A cool, deep voice greets me. “Have you signed yet?”
By instinct, my stomach clenches. This comes too close to the words that accompanied the first contract.
“I—“
He starts to laugh.
“I’m joking, Lilly. I know that you haven’t looked at the offer yet.”
“How do you know…” I trail off, and glance at the ceiling. The cameras. Duh.
“Where are you?” I ask. I can hear sounds of conversations in the background.
“Entertaining,” he says. “We have quite a gathering here at my penthouse in San Jose.”
A burst of female laughter comes from the distance. A pang of jealousy hits me. “Why didn’t you invite me?”
“I expected you would be tired from your trip. More importantly, I wanted to give you space to think over the terms I outlined in the new offer. I did not want my presence to pressure you into doing anything.”
“Yet you’re still watching me through the cameras,” I say.
Amusement fills his voice. “Yes. For the moment. It might be my last such opportunity .”
“What do you mean?”
“You read my note?” Jeremy asks. “The second part is of some importance.”
“You want me to delete the footage,” I say. And therefore eliminate the last strand of evidence.
“No,” he says. “I want to give you the freedom to do so. You are in full control of your actions, Lilly. The days of dictating what you do are over.”
“Is that so?”
“It is. As proof, here is what I offer. The moment you input the sixteen-digit PIN, you will be prompted to create a new one. One that only you will know. You will have full control of the house. You can choose which cameras to keep on. You can choose which ones to turn off. Hell! You can turn all of them off. I am locking myself out of my own home, Lilly. Anything that I want, from now on, will be up to you.”
I sit back, astonished. “I didn’t realize that’s what it meant,” I say softly.
“If that’s not enough proof of the trust I place in you,” he says, “the new employment offer will be.”
I lift up one edge of the binder and leaf through the pages. It’s all small, legal print. “What is it?” I ask.
He chuckles. “You’ll see.” Then, on a dime, his voice takes on a new inflection. One that is much deeper, and full of heat.
“All these women around,” he tells me, “and all I can think of is you. I wish you were here tonight, Lilly. I would fuck you right now. In the bathroom, in the closet, on the upstairs patio. We would christen this apartment, you and I. I’d make you scream so loud all the other guests would hear.”
My heartbeat ratchets up at his words. I cross my legs and clear my throat, trying to dispel the sudden arousal.
“Alas,” he amends, “You are occupied with more important matters. Another reason I am not home. I’ve missed you. If I were there, I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off you tonight.”
“So, you hosted a party as a favor to me?” I try to sound skeptical. “How thoughtful.”
“If you knew my mental state, you wouldn’t jest,” he says. “I’ve half a mind to ditch my role as host and speed home to fuck you raw. So don’t tempt me.”
Somebody calls his name in the background.
“I’ve got to go,” he says. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Bye,” I say. I’m not entirely—or really, at all—opposed to his last suggestion.
“Oh, and Lilly?” he adds, just before hanging up. “I’m glad you’re home.”
Chapter Seventeen
The offer of employment turns out to be everything I ever dreamed of, when I was back at Yale.
It’s a position as the marketing lead in charge of public relations for Stonehart Industries in anticipation of the upcoming IPO. Of course, they already have a team in place. This would be supplementary, created on a special, ad-hoc basis. My team would work in tandem with them
I would be in charge of six marketers already familiar with the company. Our role would be to mitigate the damage from negative reports about Stonehart Industries. The ultimate goal would be to best position the company for a spectacular IPO.
I would be accountable only to Jeremy Stonehart and his board. Ultimately, since he still has majority control, I’d be accountable only to him.
Time is tight. The IPO is less than a month away. As far as I can tell—though I don’t know, because I still haven’t been given access to the information—there are some pretty damning allegations going around about the company.
Jeremy’s behavior since he got back confirms that things aren’t quite right in his enterprise. If they were, I don’t think he’d be putting in the hours he does. I remember the reporter who jumped us outside the Gala. If those are the type of stories floating around… well, my team and I will have a lot of work to do.
If this were just a regular job offer, I’d be over the moon. But it’s more than that. It’s my ‘in’ into the company. It’s exactly what I need to get my final revenge.
Despite all outside appearances, revenge is still on my mind.
After the IPO, my role would transiti
on to something else. The offer does not clarify what that is. But, I can read between the lines: This is Jeremy testing my suitability for the Dextran spot.
I no longer doubt that he actually means to give it to me.
That’s the gist of what I find in the binder. There are other terms, NDA’s, and legal compliance things.
There’s also the compensation offer: Three hundred thousand dollars, flat, per year… not including performance bonuses.
Living with Jeremy, it’s not like I need the money. I can’t help but feel that it’s a bit of a sweetheart deal. Then again, maybe it’s not. The role definitely is important.
Still, it’s astounding to think that, if I sign, I would have that type of income. Had I actually graduated Yale, it would have taken years—a decade, maybe more—before I could even have the chance of earning that much. Had I graduated Yale and gotten a job like that, I would have wiped my debt clean in a year.
I glance to where the camera is. I don’t think Jeremy is watching me. Not now. Finally, that feeling of constant surveillance is something I can erase.
I rise purposefully from the bed. Into the control room I go. As promised, I find the PIN right under the keyboard.
I type it in and the system prompts me to enter a new master password. I get goose bumps when I hit the “enter” key.
With that, I think, I am in true control of the house.
The first thing I do—the thing I’ve waited for so long--is turn the cameras off. All of them. Not a single one will remain in use any longer.
From here on in, this house will be blind.
Then I log off. Now is not the right time to think about what to do with the archives. It’s not even the right time to see what type of things Jeremy’s been doing without my knowledge. I want to know if there’s been anybody else like Angelica, or exactly how Jeremy first deposited me by the pillar in the sunroom… whether he had any help, maybe even from Rose… but not tonight.
Tonight, all I want to do is think about the new contract… and plan, exactly how I will make use of the position to get my revenge.
Chapter Eighteen
One week later Jeremy and I are together on a plush rug in front of a roaring fireplace in his San Jose apartment. I have my head in his lap. He is gently stroking my hair, while we both sip an astounding vintage wine.
The last seven days have been a whirlwind of events. I signed the contract, and Jeremy personally introduced me to my new team on Monday. He told me to come to him if there were any problems, and then left me alone to do my job.
Getting acclimated to being around people again took some time. But, by mid-week, I was in full stride. I learned just how badly some people wanted an IPO to fail. You don’t create a company the size and influence of Stonehart Industries without making a few enemies. When it was still private, there was little these people could do. But now that Stonehart Industries is gearing up for the public offering, all the wolves have come out to play.
I’ve found the mental stimulation that I’ve been missing. Dealing with Jeremy for as long as I have has prepared me better than any type of education would have for the job. I assume some of the situations I’ve been thrown into in the workplace would be stressful to most. But, I don’t even bat an eyelash. Nothing comes close to dealing with Stonehart—when he still was Stonehart. Having that experience makes me immune to pretty much anything on the job.
Jeremy and I leave the house at the same time each morning, but in different cars. That was my idea. He was against it at first. He didn’t give a damn if others whispered about favoritism in his company. But I convinced him, in bed, at the time when men are most receptive to such things, that it would allow me to appear more independent that way.
I also had him fire Angelica.
Things with Rose remain exactly the same. That is, she is still avoiding me.
That’s something I still need to figure out. But I haven’t had time to commit to it.
“A toast,” Jeremy proclaims. “To the most spectacular first week on the job that I’ve seen yet. You are a star, Lilly. You’ve shown me I made the right choice.”
I smile, sit up, and clink glasses with him. Sleet and hail pound the window. But here, by the fireplace, with him, everything feels perfect.
We sip our drinks. He puts his glass down and looks at me. I see the dancing flames reflected in his eyes. More than that, I see such unbridled adoration. Such ultimate devotion is enough to make my heart beat faster.
I lean towards him with a sly smile. “Lie back,” I whisper, placing one finger on his chest and pushing down.
He complies without a word. Our eyes stay locked.
His back hits the rug. I drape one leg over him and run my hands from his waist up to his shoulders, then down both his arms. Our fingers entwine. I want nothing more, right now, than to melt into him.
Our lips touch. It’s a delicate kiss, unhurried and unrushed. With nowhere to be tomorrow, he and I have all night.
The kiss deepens. It is not exploratory anymore, but more excited. He slides his hands along the sides of my body, holding me tight, pressing me into him. I can feel him growing hard.
And then the phone rings.
“Fuck!” he mutters. I roll off him. I know that if he gets a phone call to his personal cell, it is important.
But like I said, we have nowhere to be on the weekend. I’ll let him take it, and then we can resume.
Jeremy reaches for his jacket. Halfway through the motion, he stops, and frowns.
“That’s not me,” he says. “It’s you.”
He’s right. My heart skips a beat. There’s only one person outside this room who has my number: Fey.
“What time is it?” I ask.
He looks at his watch. “Already eleven.”
“That’s nearly two in the morning on the East Coast,” I say.
Jeremy nods. “If she’s calling now, you’d better take it.”
I hesitate. “Are you sure? I mean, we…”
He smiles at me. “Take it, Lilly,” he says softly. “I’ll be right here waiting when you’re done.”
“Okay.” I take the phone out of my purse and pick it up. “Hello?”
“Lilly.” Fey sounds breathless, frantic. “Oh my God! Thank goodness you’re there.”
Immediately, I sit up, concerned. “Yeah. I’m here. What’s up? Is everything alright?”
“No,” she tells me. “No, it’s not.”
My gut seizes up. “What is it?”
“Robin,” she says. “He’s… he’s…”
I stand and pace away from the fire. “What about Robin?” I ask, fearing the worst. “Fey, what’s happened? Is he okay?”
“Yes,” she says quickly. “Yes, Robin’s fine. It’s what he found, Lilly. It’s you.”
“Me?” My senses go on high alert. I glance over my shoulder at Jeremy. “What do you mean, me?”
“Are you alone?” Fey asks. “Jeremy. Jeremy Stonehart. Is he around?”
“No,” I lie. “I’m by myself, Fey. You have to calm down. Tell me what’s going on.”
The words pour out of her so fast that I can barely keep up.
“After you told me about your father,” she rushes, “I couldn’t get the story out of my head. Something about it didn’t jive with me. I told Robin, and he agreed.
“Well, you know how he’s now a reporter. Right? He put those resources at The Economist to work. He did some digging. Some investigating. And I just heard what he discovered.”
A feeling of apprehension washes over me. “What?” I whisper.
“Jeremy Stonehart,” she says, “did not just take a random interest in you.”
I look back at the man sitting on the rug before the fire. He is watching me very carefully.
“What do you mean?”
“Your father—Paul—and his mother—Jeremy’s mother? They knew each other, Lilly. Robin showed me. He traced it all back.
“It happened right around the time y
ou were born. When Paul left you, he went to California, chasing drugs.
“Paul was young, strapping, handsome. He was also poor. He needed cash to fund his drug habit. He met and seduced Jeremy’s mother, Lilly. He used her as the gateway to get what he needed.
“They had an affair. She was a much older woman. Her marriage wasn’t working. She was rich. She had money. I don’t know how they met. But, Paul used her, Lilly.”
I feel a chill wash over me. My hand trembles as I hold out the phone toward Jeremy. I press the button to route the audio to speakerphone.
Fey continues rambling.
“Paul used her,” Fey repeats. “She was susceptible to his charms. She gave him money so that he would keep coming back. Somewhere along the way, he got her addicted… and, well, this is where things get murky.
“Robin told me as much as he could. But, all this was covered up. He had to dig really hard to find it. Apparently, Jeremy’s mother was deaf. One day she was in Paul’s apartment, alone. She fell asleep waiting for him. Something went wrong. A fire broke out in the kitchen. The alarms went off, but she couldn’t hear them.
“She was the only casualty. By the time the smoke woke her up, it was too late. She couldn’t get out. She burned to death.”
Jeremy, on the floor, gives absolutely no indication of whether what Fey is saying is true. He just continues to watch me. I can tell that his mask has remained.
“So…” I breathe.
“So, don’t you see, Lilly? You were targeted by Jeremy Stonehart.”
“Think! What would a man with his power, his wealth, want from a fresh-faced twenty-three-year-old still in college? Did he pluck you out of the crowd because of your looks? I’m not saying this to hurt you, Lilly. But you’re not exactly model-material, you know. Sex? He could get that from anybody. It did not have to be you.
“But revenge… vengeance… for his mother’s death? Oh, yes.
“He’d already gotten to Paul. I’m sure of it. But maybe when he found him, and saw his mental state, it was not enough. So, Jeremy went after his daughter. He went after you.
“You have to get out, Lilly. I’m warning you.” Fey’s absolutely frantic at this point. “Get out of California. Get away from the man. You’re only there as a pawn. Your life might even be in danger. Don’t you see? Don’t you see, Lilly? This is a revenge plot. You’re in the center of it! You have to get out. You have to—”
Uncovering You: The Complete Series (Mega Box Set) Page 58
