LOVING THE DEVIL [02]

Chapter 35.

CHAPTER 35: the deal

vote and vote

I sighed in my seat, pushing myself away from my desk and turning the chair to face the window. My eyes glided over to the clock that hung on the wall on the left side of my desk where the smaller hand was nearly on the eleven to indicate the soon arrival of Cassidy.

She agreed to my request of lunch but wanted to go out first because it was her day off and even though I wished so much to spend the whole day with her, I had several files to go through and sort out. Instead, she would get a lift from her cousin who had the afternoon off and was going to visit his parents.

On my desk, there was an array of papers from the files as well as a discarded intricate envelope containing an invite to Zane and Sofia's baby shower. I was quite surprised I received an invite in the first place because I wasn't close with the two, associates, yes, but I didn't think it would cross their minds to add me to their guest list.

Now that I did have an invite, though, it would only be fitting to buy them a present for their mystery baby. I must get Russell to put that down on my schedule, I thought.

Suddenly, the sound of the phone on my desk went off, slightly muffled because it was under a few sheets of paper before the voice of the receptionist rang through my office and sliced through the peaceful silence I had landed myself in.

"Sir, miss Harrington's here to see you," she spoke and almost immediately, I became less tired, almost not tired at all. My frustration of the disruption of my peace had withered away like the pot plants I was told to look after by Andrew and ended up forgetting all about them a few years before. Excitement was building up now of our awaited brunch and all I wanted was to see that woman again. I pressed the button on the phone system.

"Okay, she can come and see me now." I was almost quite certain that at about eleven to twelve, everything will be bustling of people out and about. If anything, this was the perfect hunting ground for the paparazzi. Although, this wouldn't be the first time they caught us out in public together and even though I didn't see the fuss about us, I knew Cassidy did.

When I first arrived, Cassidy was incredibly famous, though she didn't like to admit it and that was because she was in the height of her mother's scandal. Coming from a family like the Harringtons, they held themselves with dignity and respect. To have someone in the family cause such trouble, only made them into an embarrassment.

I was young, held my own and handsome to just about every woman here. I was Andrew Smith's future, the person who was set to inherit everything when he died because he had no children. I preferred being single and being by myself just like Cassidy did.

Putting us both together—two people who disliked the company of other rich people—and that gets everyone talking. That makes rumours go around, that makes everyone suspicious and that allows them to ask and assume.