CHAPTER 074 Youthful Exuberance
CHAPTER 074: Youthful Exuberance
It’s been a week since I found out Knox has a wife, and I’ve been ignoring everyone in my life like it’s a full–time job. My phone has turned into a graveyard of unread messages and missed calls–Knox, Finn, Serena, and my mom. But I can’t bring myself to open anything. Every time I see Knox’s name pop up, my chest tightens and I feel like I might shatter
I don’t know why I’m this mad. I don’t. It makes no rational sense. He told me the marriage wasn’t real. That it was a favor. That he did it to keep a promise. And I believe him. But none of that justifies the age I feel when I remember him kissing me goodnight at the precinct. Then him calling a cab and going home with her.
To ‘discuss her claim about being framed for shoplifting”
Sure
For all I know, Soraya dropped that bracelet into her own damn purse just to get his attention. Maybe that makes me sound paranoid. Delusional, even. But logic has never been my strong suit when I’m jealous. Because I am, indeed, jealous of that woman, jealous of the fact that the man I’m becoming very much attached to is legally bound to her
It’s lunch hour. Everyone else is out of the office, and I’m hunched over my desk like a woman possessed, Googling “Soraya Hartely
Nothing.
No photos. No gossip blogs. No scandals. Not even an old college yearbook image.
Her Instagram’s locked. Her Twitter’s been inactive since 2018. Her Facebook is completely private. No visible posts. Not even a profile picture. I tried looking through old posts by Dr. Yara Colburn. Still nothing. I even checked Reddit.
The only thing remotely public is her LinkedIn profile–a cold, impersonal list that says she’s been working as an assistant psychologist under Dr. Yara for about a year.
My mouse hovers over the tab for a people search site. You know, the shady kind that promises background reports and contact histories for a small fee. I’m considering it, actually considering it, when a voice startles me.
“Sloane?”
I jump and slam my laptop shut.
Two pairs of curious eyes stare down at me.
Jenna and Carla.
Office gossip royalty.
Jenna’s hair is in its usual flawless twist, a loose curl tucked behind one ear. She always smells faintly of vanilla. Carla, taller, with hoop earrings that swing when she moves and a phone permanently glued to her hand, grins like she’s caught me watching porn.
They must’ve just come back from lunch. Bags in hand, soda cups sweating condensation.
“You didn’t go out for lunch?” Jenna asks.
“Had a deadline,” I reply. “Needed to finish a project.”
They glance at each other like they know that’s a lie. Normally, they wouldn’t give me the time of day, so the fact that they’re both hovering over my desk with interest means they came for something.
I narrow my eyes. “What do you both want?”
“Jeez, can’t someone just want to talk to a fellow colleague?” Jenna says.
“Not you two.”
Carla laughs. “Okay, fine. A handsome man just paid us a grand to lure you outside the building. Says he’s your stepfather. Who has stepdaddies that hot?”
“Jade?”
“Is that his name?” Carla fans herself. “Sounds as hot as he looks.”
I rub my temples. “Could you just… stop fawning over my mother’s husband? And why the hell didn’t he call me? Why send you two?”
“He said something about your line not getting picked up, Jenna says.
With a sigh, I grab my phone and scroll through my notifications. Jesus. Twenty missed calls. From Mom. Serena. Finn.
Knox. Jade.
Apparently, I’m a hotcake these days.
“Where is he now?” I ask, locking eyes with Jenna.
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CHAPTER 074 Youthful Exuberance “Parking lot.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome anytime–as long as the pay’s a grand, Carla says.
They walk off, giggling to themselves, while I push back from my desk and grab my purse
Down in the parking lot, I spot Jade leaning against a shiny cherry red Chevrolet Corvette. His arms are crossed, sunglasses perched on his forehead, phone in hand, looking restless.
The second he sees me, he exhales like he’s just survived a war.
“You had me standing out here forever,” he says.
“You should’ve called first before showing up at my workplace.”
“If you’d picked up your damn calls, maybe I would.”
“What do you want, Jade?”
He pops open the back seat and pulls out a bouquet of roses so massive it looks like a prop from a telenovela. Then he pushes it into my chest. I catch it on reflex, nearly poking my eye on a thorn.
“Your boyfriend asked me to deliver that.”
The hell?
“Why would he send you?” I ask.
“Because he’s in Hong Kong for business and wouldn’t stop worrying about his girlfriend, who’s not picking up anyone’s calls. Now I have to become a delivery man, like I don’t already have enough shit to deal with.”
“Jeez,” I mutter. “What’s got you so angry?”
“You people. All of you. Your mom’s not happy because you’re not happy. And when she’s not happy, it becomes my damn problem. Everything you do circles back to me. If you hadn’t decided to go rogue and date a man like Knox–which exposed my very carefully guarded secret–your sister wouldn’t be calling me every hour threatening to spill it all. Just do what your mother wants, for the love of God.”
I squint at him. “What she wants?”
“I don’t know what you have going on with my boss, but don’t you think it’s caused enough chaos? Your mom won’t shut up about it. Why don’t you just find someone your speed, get married, pop out some cute babies, and we can all move on?”
1 stare at him.
“More my speed? What is this? Pot and kettle situation? You literally married my mother doing the same thing he does.”
“The difference is, I love your mother, and I would never hurt her. Knox–Knox thrives on chaos. He doesn’t mean to hurt people, but he will. And he’s married.”
“I know that.”
“You know? Jesus Christ. What else do you know and not care about? Because apparently your mother’s peace of mind is one of them.”
My mouth opens. Then closes. He did not just say that.
Another time, this amount of hypocrisy would have been funny. But right now?
I want to punch him.
“Thanks for the message, Jade,” I say. “I’ve received it. I’m going back to my day job.”
I turn to leave.
“Sloane, wait.”
I pause.
He runs a hand through his hair. “Okay. Maybe I was too harsh. But you need to know… your mother’s pregnant.”
I stop breathing.
“What?”
“She begged me not to say anything. But she had IVF done. She said she wanted a child. She’s about three months along. I‘ ve tried everything to convince her not to carry it, but she won’t budge. So you must understand why she doesn’t need this stress right now.”
“Why are both my parents having babies in their old age?”
“That’s your reaction?”
“What do you want me to say? It’s her decision. I respect it. See how easy that was? Maybe you should try telling your wife
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CHAPTER 074: Youthful Exuberance
the same. Ask her not to stress me out too, because my brain is just as pregnant as she is.”
He groans. “You’re sounding very selfish right now.”
“I’m the selfish one? Do you hear yourself? Should I walk you back through everything you just said to me?”
He exhales. “Look. I know I won’t get through to you. You’re just as stubborn as your mother. But try to understand: maybe she’s doing this out of guilt. She’s never forgiven herself for leaving you. She’s trying to prove she can do it right this time. And she’s always on edge, nagging Serena about when Nathan’s going to propose, stressing about you settling down with the right man just to make sure that you both don’t end up alone for the most part your young life.”
He looks exhausted.
“Maybe cut her some slack and give all this youthful exuberance a rest,” he finishes. “And tell your sister to stop sending me threats. I won’t entertain them anymore.”
He turns and walks to the driver’s side, sliding into the car.
I stand there, stunned.
Everything he just said swirls in my head, tangling up like Christmas lights in a box. Youthful exuberance? I step closer, knock on his window. He rolls it down halfway.
“How dare you?” I say.
