Scorned

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter 13

"How many times have you called her?" Shawn asked whilst pacing the floor of his living room. For over an hour, he'd been trying to get in contact with Beyoncé because the event had already begun and they weren't en route. Never in his life had he been late to anything business related.

"Mr. Carter, I've called her several times. Maybe she's just not showing up," his assistant, Meagan, spoke with her usual calm voice. It was part of her job to always remain calm even in the most dire situations. There could be a death on her hands, and she'd have to remain calm for the sake of everyone else.

Shawn wanted to curse, but he couldn't lose his cool when it came to Beyoncé. The whirlwind that she took him on when it came to business was simply unusual. She did things her way and Shawn was still trying to cope with that. "Alright. I'll just leave, alright? If she calls you or whatever, tell her that she'll have to find her own way there."

"Yes, sir."

Shawn looked into the mirror once more before grabbing his phone. On the way, he still had business to attend to and would need the car ride to the event to do so. Just as he was making his way out of his mansion, he was stopped in his tracks by Beyoncé talking to Antonio in the driveway. The two stopped talking and looked at Shawn briefly.

Beyoncé wore a beautiful black gown that Shawn knew as Michael Costello's "Elizabeth". She looked amazing in the dress. Her curves filled out the entire dress, making her seem like the truer model than the woman he'd seen modeling it for the company. The dress was elegant with the right amount of sexy that he knew she was going for. She made her way to stand before Shawn with a smirk. "Heard you've had your panties in a bunch waiting on me."

Shawn chuckled and shook his head. "I thought I told you to behave?"

Bey shrugged her shoulders. "Thought I told you that wasn't in my vocabulary? Where's my long speech about lateness, Mr. Carter?"

Shawn rolled his eyes. "I won't give it, because I know you've prepared your very own speech. Let's just get to the event, okay?" Shawn took her hand and walked her to the SUV. It had always been his favorite thing to travel in regardless of the event. Limos just didn't do him justice. He helped Beyoncé into the backseat and climbed in behind her.

Antonio soon began driving them to the event and Shawn went right into work mode. Beyoncé watched him for a few minutes before shaking her head. She couldn't believe that on a night like this, he was still working. Instead of entertaining her with conversation, he would rather entertain business with emails. "Is everything business to you?"

Shawn never took his attention from his phone. He was too busy sending and checking emails. "Yes," he answered. "I created this company, so I have to stay two steps ahead of everything. Your situation got out of hand."

"Because you trusted me?"

Finally, Shawn looked at her and sighed. He shook his head, knowing that he couldn't and wouldn't blame her for the things that had transpired. "No, some things are just bigger than you, and I'm aware of that. You can't help the CPS case."

"I could've prevented it. Years of showing my body."

"That has nothing to do with it, Beyoncé. You cannot back out of your career right now," Shawn stressed. "Even before you met me, you stood for something. Keep standing for that until the day you die. That's your body and it's your right to do what you please with it."

Beyoncé laid back in the seat and looked out of the window. Shawn didn't bother speaking to her any more of the ride, because he had nothing more to say to her. After what happened at his office, he knew he had to tread lightly when it came to her. She had a powerful aura that attracted him to her, but he was good at fighting it off. He mainly ignored it due to business.