Chapter 3 - Into the Cold
Diane looked at the eviction notice, her hands shaking so violently that the paper rattled.
"I am a society woman!" she screamed, her voice echoing shrilly in the large dining room. "You cannot throw me out onto the street on a Sunday night!"
"You seemed perfectly fine with throwing me out," I reminded her, crossing my arms over my chest.
I looked at the bucket of dirty mop water she had left sitting in the corner of the room.
"You even gave me a head start on a shower."
Vance checked his heavy steel wristwatch.
"You have five minutes remaining," Vance announced to the room.
Jessica didn't need to be told twice.
She grabbed her expensive designer purse—the one bought with my company's money—and sprinted for the front door without looking back.
"Jessica, wait!" Brendan yelled, but the heavy door slammed shut behind her.
Brendan turned to me, his eyes filled with a toxic mix of hatred and sudden, desperate realization.
"Cassidy, please," Brendan begged, dropping his voice to a whisper. "We can fix this. We're having a baby together. You don't want our child to grow up without a father."
I let out a harsh, bitter laugh.
"A father?" I repeated, stepping closer to him so he could see the absolute disgust in my eyes. "You told me yesterday that this baby was a 'parasite' ruining your lifestyle."
Brendan swallowed hard, sweating profusely.
"I was just angry," he lied, his eyes darting around for a way out. "I love you, Cass. I always have."
"Time is up," Vance interrupted, stepping between us.
Vance gestured to his men. "Escort them off the premises. They are allowed to take only the clothes currently on their backs."
"My jewelry! My furs!" Diane cried out as two massive guards took her by the arms.
"Purchased with stolen company funds," Arthur noted, checking off a list on his clipboard. "They belong to Vanguard now."
The guards dragged Brendan and Diane out the front door.
I walked to the massive bay window and watched them being pushed out onto the front lawn.
It had just started to rain—a freezing, miserable downpour.
May you like
Vance handed me a warm, dry towel he had fetched from the master bathroom.
"Your car is waiting out back, Madam Chairman," he said gently. "Let's get you home. The real home."
