Chapter 5 The First Betrayal

I quickly reached for my phone and dialled his number before I could second-guess my actions. His voice as chilly and distant as normal, the phone rang three times before he answered. Kendrick said, "Sofia" Is everything okay? I hardly kept it together. The financials I have observed. We have to speak. You mean now? Though his tone was harsh, I could see I had his focus. Sofia, I'm busy. "No," I said tersely. We have to talk. Right now. The other end hesitated. Okay. I will arrive in fifteen. Hanging up the phone, I felt my stomach in knots.

The man I had once loved and trusted had let me down. But why is that? What was he concealing? Fifteen minutes later, Kendrick came into my office and the strain between us was obvious. I didn't wait for niceties. Keeping my voice steady, I continued, "You've been lying to me." Kendrick, what is happening? Who has been robbing the business? Though his face stayed unreadable, his eyes darkened. You are spouting nonsense. My heart pounding in my chest, I tossed the report on the table. Kendrick, then tell me this, Someone has been stealing money from your business. And I am certainly not dreaming it. Kendrick stood there for a time, his expression blank. Though he remained silent, the stillness spoke a lot. Then, in a quiet, nearly defeated tone, he eventually remarked, "I should've never let you get involved." My hands trembled as I battled the tears about to rise, and I felt my breath catch. "You used me," I said softly. Kendrick stepped back. For a single second, his features softened; yet, it vanished just as fast. "You can either support me or hinder me." Later that evening, I couldn't get rid of the impression that I had just found something deeper than simple treachery. My thoughts were racing as I walked around my flat. The talk with Kendrick still made my heart ache. Every word he spoke made me feel as though every wall I had erected around myself was collapsing. The phone rang once more; I didn't even look at the number. I responded right away. What do you wish? I insisted. Kendrick's voice came over the phone, distant and hoarse. You have to listen to me. Sofia, please. I hesitated. His voice's rawness nearly caused me to hang up, but I held on. Your honesty has made me question whether I can trust you any more. I understand. Still, you have to grasp more. This... this goes beyond the business. It's about something larger. Something I didn't want to include you in. I gripped the phone more firmly. Then what is it? What is all of this for? I never meant to offend you. I never wanted any of this, he admitted softly. You were always destined to be a part of something larger. I erred, though, and without you I couldn't correct them. His remarks shocked me, but the uncertainty remained. So you've been deceiving me all this time... for what precisely? You have been controlling me. Kendrick's tone became more severe. Not. I have been attempting to rescue you. I did all of this, all of it for us. I laughed derisively. For our sake? You have ruined us. I did what was necessary to save us. Should you not get that, perhaps we were never meant to be. I didn't know how much more time I could continue this. Keep pretending that things would somehow work out. Though the agony in my chest was louder, Kendrick's words rang in my thoughts. I had always believed him. But what now? All I now experienced was treason. The walls closing in on me and the pressure rising with every passing second made me feel... I wanted solutions. The phone rang again and my heart skipped a beat. I didn't want to answer it. I didn't want to listen to Kendrick's voice, or for that matter, anyone else's. But I did. The voice on the other end of the telephone, muffled and low, said, "Sofia," Your enquiries have been incorrect. I stopped breathing in my throat. This is who? My heart was pounding as I said. You believe you know everything, but much more is going on here than you see. Kendrick cannot be trusted. Mason cannot be trusted. They have been concealing information from you. I felt my blood freeze. The voice went on, every syllable striking me more forcefully than the previous one. Leave now, before it is too late. Torn between responding or letting the phone ring, I stand in the stillness of my flat gazing at it. The reality has been gnawing at me for days, though, and I cannot keep pretending I do not notice it. Before I call Kendrick, I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Every ring seems like a never-ending countdown I cannot control. His voice is firm and controlled when it eventually responds. Sofia. Though I try to maintain a calm voice, the anger I feel for him and for myself comes through. We have to talk. Right now. "I'm busy," he says. Yet his tone suggests some urgency that wasn't there previously. What is this about? "I discovered," every syllable seemed to rip me apart, says me. "You have exploited me. The finances, the treachery, it's all pointing back to you. On the other end, a lengthy quiet follows; when he next speaks, it is nearly a whisper. Sofia, I never meant to harm you. But you have to realise, this is larger than us. The words struck me more than I expected, but I suppress them. I cannot let my feelings to control me once more. So, all along, I've been your pawn? A way to an end? "No," he replies, momentarily breaking his voice. Sofia, I need you though. I have always required you. Though I can feel the tears beginning to rise, I swallow them down. I snap, "You've always needed me for something." Kendrick, what about me then? What do I gain from this? The ensuing quiet says a lot. At last, his voice is low as he murmurs, "I'm sorry." I never should have put you here. I wish to trust him. I really do. Still, the uncertainty remains, intensifying like a tempest within me. The doorbell pulls me from my reverie. Kendrick's voice crackles in my ear, "Please, Sofia. I need you to have faith in me, only once more. Staring at the door in bewilderment, I draw the phone away from my ear. I no longer know what to do. Everything is different the next morning. The choice sits on me like a junction I am always aware of. Though I know I can't go back, I'm standing at the edge of a cliff gazing into a future I can't quite see. My heart a mix of feelings, I put on my coat and go for Blackwell Enterprises. The atmosphere changes as I enter the structure. Now it is colder. Betrayal's weight hovers over everything. The truth is out there; I no longer know who to trust. Waiting outside Kendrick's office, my pulse quickens. When he opens the door, his eyes meet mine and for a second I believe he could finally utter the words I require. "Come in," he whispers softly, moving aside. Every step seems to be pulling me deeper into a web of falsehoods, so I inhale deeply and enter inside. The door shuts behind me and I stand in front of him once more. But this time, the pressure is unbearable. "I need answers," I cry, my voice quivering with pent-up rage. "Why?" Kendrick runs a hand through his hair and his face tightens. You wouldn't get it. Not yet. "Try me," I offer, arms crossed across my chest. He groans and gets up to stand in front of his desk. This is not only for the business. It's about survival. "Survival?" I say, my bitter laugh escaping. You've been relying on me to survive. What about me, then, Kendrick? Where do I belong in all this? "You fit into everything," he continues, almost pleadingly now, his voice quieter. "You have to believe me, though. You have always been the one I required. My stomach is turning and I shake my head. Kendrick, you have deceived me. I don't know who you are now. "Please," he says, moving closer. You are not looking at the larger picture. I see enough, I retort. It bothers me, too. The door opens unexpectedly and I turn to find Mason standing at the entrance with an unreadable expression. "I believe it's time you knew all," he replies icily. Kendrick's expression toughens as he glances at me and then at him. Mason, what are you talking about? Mason enters the room, eyes icy. Time is running out. So are we all.