Chapter 6 Plan for revenge

Taylor

After finally leaving his office, I pushed my head back against the door and breathed in deep, shaky breaths.

My heart hammered so loudly I felt it in my throat. I couldn't stop replaying his words, "I'll get you soon."

Some part of me knew that wasn't an empty threat. Devon was the kind of man who got what he wanted even if it meant hurting people to do it. Yes, I thought it aloud. There had been times I suspected him of ordering hits. So far, though, it was all just whispers and ugly suspicions.

Right now, I had to keep Ashley far away from him. If he wanted me back, dragging Ash into it would only make things worse.

A ridiculous thought jerked through my brain: what if he could hear my thoughts?

I walked slowly to my desk, one hand pressed against my chest as if to steady the thudding inside. Devon was up to something, and I couldn't prove a thing. Why return after three years? And why was he still with Ivy if he wanted me back?

As I reached my office, heads turned. For a moment I missed being invisible; it had been nicer. Now I could feel everyone's eyes slicing through me.

Just as I'd feared, three women drifted over as I adjusted my documents.

"So..." one began, her voice coated with fake sugar, "how exactly do you know Mr. Devon?"

I creased my brows and hesitated before answering. "Know him? I don't. It's my first time meeting him. I mean, come on.. an intern like me? If I knew him, I'd probably own this place."

The second one chipped in. " That's why I've been seeing him at the hotel lately. Um...he has a girlfriend, you know?" she said with a wink like it was some big inside joke.

Oh no. I knew where this was going.

"It's not like that," I said quickly. "I'd never go near someone who's taken. I've been on the other end of that, and trust me, it's not something I'd do to anyone," I replied, forcing a laugh that felt brittle.

"Whoa! Chill! Why are you so defensive?" she blinked, exaggerated.

Before I could reply, a voice cut through the small storm. "Would you stop?"

It belonged to a woman I knew only by sight, quiet, punctual, five years at the company with no promotion. She never caused trouble. For a moment, I thought she was going to save me.

She poked her head out from behind a stack of files and said, flat and stern, "She's right. Do you think Mr. Devon possibly has anything to do with her? I mean... look at her."

She glanced at me once and slid back to her seat. The crooked smile I had been clinging to vanished. For a brief second I thought she might defend me then I remembered who I was dealing with. They were all the same. I felt like shoving her face in the document she stared at all day.

"She's right. His girlfriend's on a whole different level," one of them added.

I wanted to scream that I had married him once, to sting them with the truth. But the thought of his cheating being said across the office made my chest tighten. Better them thinking I was connected to him than knowing what he'd done. Fuck it, let them believe whatever they wanted.

Still, something about their words made me pause. They kept saying girlfriend. I'd assumed he'd married Ivy. So... he left me for someone he never even put a ring on? What a pathetic man.

"I bet she looks stupid at tomorrow's party," they murmured under their breath.

Party?Party for what?

Suddenly, a woman in a smart suit walked in carrying a present. The click of her heels cut through the chatter.

"Miss Taylor," she said, calm, stepping forward.

I looked around, hoping another Taylor might magically appear. No luck. My stomach dropped.

"Miss Taylor, Mr. Devon asked that this be given to you," she said, placing a box and a glossy envelope on my desk.

I froze as a dozen pairs of eyes bored into me. I reached out, then stopped.

"Um...maybe there's another Taylor, right? It's not for me," I blurted.

The woman sighed and set the present down.

"He said you'd do this," she started, then pulled a folded note from her pocket. My pulse thudded in my ears as she read aloud, "This present is for Taylor..the woman I met at the entrance, the woman I talked to in my office. And lastly, she is my ex..."

"Yes, I'm the one," I cried, the admission tearing out of me before I could stop it.

" Example of a hardworking person! " she continued.

Oh fuck!

The woman smiled the smallest, most polite smile, dropped the note, and gave me a little bow. "Enjoy your day, Miss Taylor."

My eyes darted to the back of the card. There was a handwriting I knew too well, where the words: "You'd better open it or else."

What a prick! How dare he command me like a puppet?

The envelope contained an invitation to his welcoming party, VIP. VIP? How could a welcoming party be divided like that?

I stared at the box, not noticing the stares anymore.

"I can't believe she got VIP. Who is she, anyway?" someone whispered.

I let out a shaky laugh. "I'm sure it's a mistake. I'm not going, anyway."

A voice I did not want to hear cut through the room: "Oh, you're going, Miss Taylor."

Henry, my PR manager, stood behind me like with his face still bruised up. If I had to admit, I laughed in my mind each time I saw him.

"What? I don't understand."

"Oh, you're going. I've been here for years without direct contact with upper management. You, Taylor, will get me up there. You're going."

He nodded and repeated, " You are going! "

What does he mean? First, he tried to rape me and now he's commanding me. I can decide to ignore him but I was afraid of what he could do. Because, why hasn't he been fired?

Something was fishy.

____

9:00 PM

I stepped out of the taxi into the humid night, the present heavy in my hands. Anger fluttered low in my head that I could barely contain. Each time I started at the box, I felt a pang of irritation ... .I could have thrown the box and watched it shatter.

Today has been a very humiliating day. Henry had held me back at the office "for discipline," which I knew was just his way of staying bitter about Devon humiliating him. Why was Devon acting like nothing had happened? Why was he so quiet after punching Henry days before?

I reminded myself. I'm not his responsibility anymore. We're not together, and he doesn't owe me protection.

I set the box down at the porch and reached for my keys, every creak of the door making me tense. What if Devon was already inside?

Slowly, I turned the doorknob and opened the door. But, Lara stood in the room, frozen, and my heart skipped. "Lara, what's wrong?" I asked, breathless.

"Boo!" Ashley yelled.

I screamed and dropped the present. Ashley, small, fierce, full of mischief had leapt out to scare me, laughing hysterically. It was nearly Halloween and she was practicing.

"Oh my God, Ashley!" I gasped, clutching my chest. She ran up and planted a messy kiss on my cheek, grinning like an angel of chaos.

"Stop being scary!" I huffed, crouching to her level.

She laughed, that bright, fearless sound. Then her attention snapped to the box. "Wow! A box!"

Lara came toward me, worry written across her face. "I thought you were pale when I saw you. What was that?"

Ashley tried to cut the ribbon. "No...don't. There's a big... angry goat in there!" I announced solemnly. She hated goats and would flee from one on sight.

I sank down onto the sofa. "Devon," I said to no one and everyone. "He's playing his game again. I'm scared he'll try to take Ashley from me. I can't..I'm just so tired."

Lara put a hand on my shoulder. "That prick is an idiot," she said, and then laughed. "How can someone who cheated be so obsessed? He wants you back because of sex, Tay. He's just a man walking around with his dick out looking for trouble."

Her eyes flicked to the invitation in her hand. "Wow. He's really intentional about eating your pussy. Ten bucks says it'll just be you and him in a room."

Panic pricked at me. What if that's exactly his plan?

She noticed my face fall. "Hey, relax. He's not that stupid... okay, maybe he is, but still. Are you going?"

"I don't know," I admitted softly. "Everyone at work hates me now because of him. I don't even know what's in that damn box. I'm just scared he'll find another way in."

A smirk ghosted across Lara's lips. "You know," she said, squeezing my hand until my knuckles whitened, "I've been waiting for this. And no, I haven't been dreaming about killing him with a tractor since he hurt you... but I do have a plan."

"Why a tractor?" I asked, because it felt right to be ridiculous for a second. " Really? " I added.

She winked. "Trust me. Tomorrow night, he won't expect what's coming. You're going!"

Though, she started ranting about a revenge plan. My mind couldn't help but think about Devon and threats. Is it just a matter of time before he finds out about Ashley?

But if she's very taken away from me, I swear I'd kill myself. She's my everything.