Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
First of all, how had Robert known where to find me that night? Why had he been so helpful in helping me find Max? It was he who had suggested going back to the office. Why hadn’t we gone to Max’s apartment instead? Why had he allowed me to search Max’s desk? Wasn’t it risky to have a stranger do that, especially with the sort of sensitive information Max always had? I remembered how easy it had been to find the photos. They had stuck out like a freaking sore thumb in that well-organized drawer. They were meant to be found.
Obviously, Robert had played me for an idiot, but instead of feeling upset, I felt electrified and almost dizzy with excitement. My heart was pumping in my chest. I took a deep steadying breath. It didn’t work so I pulled over to the side of the road, got out and started to pace on the dirt. I had been wrong about everything.
Max was innocent!
Robert was the guilty party.
I thought about how kind and considerate Robert had been over the years, and it made me feel foolish. True, he had duped me, but not completely. Even though my eyes saw the kindness and accepted his knight-in-shining-armor act as reality, some hidden part of me always knew it wasn’t real. No matter how kind he seemed to be, there was always that secret revulsion inside me whenever he touched me. When his fingers brushed against my skin it was the same feeling I had whenever a blue bottle fly landed on my skin. The sensation of wanting to wash my skin clean again.
I had just got confused with all the mixed signals. I was too hurt to see clearly.
Max spoke the truth.
Robert was a liar.
My chest felt tight as I thought about how Robert had offered to donate to the school if only I would help patch things up between them. Why did he do it? Surely, if he was jealous of Max and me being together then why pay to make us get closer? Unless he had a hidden motive. Was he planning to make me betray Max, the way he had manipulated Lillian with money to do his bidding?
A dark blue sedan had slowed down next to me, and a man with gray sideburns put his head out of the window and asked, “Hey Lady, everything okay?”
I was so deep in my own thoughts his appearance made me jump. “I’m good, er… thanks.”
“Okay, you stay good, little lady,” he said with a nod before speeding away.
I got back into my car, turned it around and headed back home, when Stacey called me.
“I’ve just taken delivery of twenty desktop computers already loaded with software packages, all courtesy of BB Tech.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Yes, that was my reaction too.”
My fingers were shaking and gripping the steering wheel hard. “Look, let me get back to you.”
I could not breathe. I had been so wrong. If I had still harbored any grudges against Max, they were all erased now. Every last one. He was a good guy. He was always a good guy.
Instead of driving back to my apartment I headed towards Mom’s place. I’d promised her I’d drop by sometime later, but since I was so close I might as well go now.
I found her on the couch, reading as usual. Benny was already home and in the kitchen. I’d learned that he was an excellent cook. In fact, he claimed to be better than my mom. Mom looked at me for help, but no way was I getting involved. Not after eating his cornbread. I stuffed another spoonful of the delicious chocolate mousse he had made into my mouth and pretended I couldn’t talk with a full mouth.
I sat next to my mother.
“What is it?” she asked.
I looked at her. “What is what?”
“You’ve got something on your mind. Talk.”
I flopped back against the sofa. To be honest I was dying to talk to her about Max and Robert. I started from the beginning, ensuring that I left nothing out.
“… and they both said Robert put them up to it. So, all along, Robert has been playing me for a fool. Max was innocent all along.”
“I could have told you that from the beginning. Max is a good guy and a hard worker. I mean, look at him now. How many people do you know who would start a successful business while in prison? Ill-gotten gains are not his thing. For what it’s worth, I am glad that you’ve finally realized what I have been saying all this time.”
“What bothers me, though, is how quickly I believed him to be a liar, cheat, and thief. If I loved him so much, how could I have believed the worst of him like that?”
“You were young, pregnant, emotional and probably hormonal. It happens to the best of us. But more importantly, you’ve come out on the other side stronger.”