The Arrangement

Chapter 40

Here you are my darlings!!!  It's short, I know, but the next part needs to start where this one stopped.  I haven't edited yet, but enjoy!! <3

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Chapter 40

It wasn’t a bad day.  I broke down a few more times and Nikki let me.  She was there to listen or to distract me, whichever she thought I needed at the time.  She made me eat some chocolate.  I tasted the wine, but drank water.  I didn’t see how drinking could possibly improve my situation.  We spent the day watching rom-coms then horror movies as the rom-coms just seemed to make me feel worse.

I hugged Nikki and thanked her before I went back to my parent’s house.  I was heartbroken still.  There was a giant gaping hole in my chest.  I felt incredibly alone, but I knew what I needed to do.  I had to pretend to hold it together.  If I had to break down, fine, but I’d do it on my own time.  Alone.

I swallowed hard before I opened the door.  I still had a job to do.  I wasn’t defined by Trent.  I'd had a life before him.  Now that things had changed, I still had a life.  I still did important work.  

I ate dinner with my parents and Katie was home tonight too.  I didn’t eat much and I tried to be interested in the conversation.  I excused myself early and went to bed.  It would be an early morning.

I woke up earlier than I needed to be up and arrived early.  As expected I had a ton of emails and a handful of voicemails to respond to.  I was in my office when my door opened.  I looked up to see Director Hildebrandt.

“Hello sir, can I help you?”

“Ah, you’re back early.”

I nodded.  “Yes, I wanted to get an early start.  Can I help you with something?”

“Yes, I’d like to discuss something important with you.”  He closed the door behind himself and sat himself opposite me at my desk.  “As I mentioned before, we are running short on funding for the reconstruction.”

My eyes met his and I waited for him to continue.  Don’t you do what I think you’re going to do.

“As this facility has allowed you the opportunity to do the research necessary to reach your goal, I believe you owe it to us to assist us as well.”

I propped my elbows on the desk and laced my fingers together and rested my chin on top.  “Director, please don’t play this game.  Speak plainly.”

“You know what I want.”

“I want to hear you say it.” I growled.

“I want you to use your funding to fill in the gaps.”

I raised an eyebrow.  “And just how much money are we talking?”

“Only about two hundred and fifty thousand.”

“Only a quarter of a million dollars?” I asked, eyebrow raised.  “Are you serious right now?”

“Mikaela, you and I both know I do not kid around.  I can count on you, can’t I?”

I shook my head.  “I don’t exactly have that kind of money just sitting around.”

“Don’t play coy.  We both know your husband is worth millions.”

“That’s my husband, not me.”

“Then I suggest you ask him.”

“Since we aren’t speaking at the moment, that’s a little hard.  Feel free to ask him yourself.”