Chapter 8: The Final Word
She saw me, and her face went bright red, but she didn’t leave. She stepped forward, blocking my path, voice sharp and defensive.
“I know you banned me,” she said, “but I’m not here for a job. I’m here to tell you the truth—Elliot didn’t just lie to you. He lied to me too. He told me you were cold, that you didn’t care about him, that you’d already agreed to split everything 50/50. I never would have gotten involved if I’d known how much power he was stealing from you.”
I studied her for a long moment. She looked less like the entitled woman who’d thrown her coat at me, and more like someone who’d been played just as badly as I had.
“Believe it or not,” I said, “I don’t blame you for falling for his lies. He’s very good at making people see exactly what he wants them to see. But you still walked into my house, insulted me, and assumed you could take my place. That’s not something I can just forget.”
I pulled a small folder from my bag—one I’d had prepared just in case. “I can’t hire you back here. But I talked to the design firm downtown that’s been trying to recruit you. They know what happened, and they know you were misled. They’re waiting for your call.”
Julianna stared at the folder, then at me, stunned. “You… you did that? After everything I said?”
“I did it because you’re good at what you do,” I said simply. “And because I’m not going to punish you for the rest of your life for trusting the wrong person. Just… next time, check who really owns the house before you plan the renovations.”
I walked past her toward the door, and didn’t look back. Outside, the sun was bright, the sky a clear, perfect blue. My car pulled up, and my driver opened the door.
“Where to, Ms. Voss?” he asked.
I smiled, leaning back against the seat. “Home. And then—let’s go pick out some paint samples. I’ve got work to do.”
**THE END**
