Chapter 82
One of the receptionists immediately softened. “Miss, I’m sorry. I spoke out of line. Please, can you not post the video online?” The other one, clearly just as anxious to keep her job, rushed to add her apology.
“We’re sorry. Our attitude was unprofessional… According to company policy, we can’t let you upstairs without an appointment, but you’re welcome to wait in the lobby.”
Sharon hadn’t come to make trouble. Seeing that they’d already apologized, she lowered her phone without another word.
Time passed quietly. Outside, dusk crept in, darkening the glass panels of the lobby windows.
She hadn’t eaten all day, afraid that if she left for even a moment, Carter might appear just then and vanish again. She waited
silently.
She didn’t know how long it had been when the sound of calm, steady footsteps began to echo across the marble floor.
Sharon looked up and saw a familiar figure walking toward her.
Nate saw her too. He paused at the entrance, taking in the sight of her sitting alone on the waiting area sofa, then turned to the receptionists.
“What’s she doing?” he asked, his voice laced with disdain.
The receptionists, who clearly recognized him, still carried a trace of resentment toward Sharon, though they now tried to hide
“Nate,” one of them said, “this woman came to see Mr. Biggs, but she didn’t have an appointment. Company policy says we can’t let her up.”
The other muttered under her breath, “She claims to be Mrs. Biggs, but couldn’t even get through to his phone…”
Nate’s face lit up with understanding. A cruel smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he stepped closer to Sharon.
“Well, well,” he said mockingly. “If it isn’t Sharon. Or-sorry, my mistake.”
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He corrected himself deliberately. “Didn’t you say you were Mrs. Biggs? If that’s true, why are you sitting out here instead of heading upstairs?”
Sharon looked at him, her gaze blank and unmoved by his sarcasm. She said nothing.
The quieter she was, the more arrogant Nate became.
“Sharon,” he said, his tone dripping with contempt, “I warned you last time, didn’t I? Told you to stop bothering Carter. But here you are again, begging for humiliation.”
He tapped his own cheek with exaggerated flair. “Aren’t you ashamed?”
Sharon’s voice came cold and even. “Wendy-what happened to her. That was you, wasn’t it?”
Nate had shown up around her and Wendy far too often lately. It didn’t take much to guess what he was trying to do-poke, provoke, stir things up. 1
Wendy, direct and fiery by nature, had always felt that Sharon had been wronged in her marriage. Seeing Nate act out in front of them only fueled her anger.
Nate looked pleased with himself, almost proud. His arrogance swelled.
“So what if it was me?” he said, shrugging. “It’s your friend, not you. Even if it were you, Carter still wouldn’t blame me.”
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He paused, something clearly occurring to him, and his smile widened.
“Remember when I splashed water on you last time? Did Carter cut ties with me over that? Nope. You know what that means, don’t you?”
Sharon’s pupils contracted slightly, but her eyes only grew colder.
Nate gave a theatrical sigh and turned to the receptionists. “Ah, I showed up unannounced today. No appointment. Is it okay if I head up to see Carter?”
The receptionists rushed to reassure him. “Nate, with your relationship to Mr. Biggs, of course you don’t need an appointment. Please, go right ahead.”
Nate gave Sharon a dismissive glance and said pointedly to the two women, “There’s always a certain kind of shameless woman trying to get close to Carter. You two better keep your eyes open and don’t let trash like that slip past.”
They both picked up on the implication immediately and gave flattery-laced smiles.
“Don’t worry, Nate. We won’t let in any strangers.”
Only then did Nate seem satisfied.
Upstairs, he recounted everything with smug excitement. “Carter, guess who I just saw downstairs? Sharon. Can you believe it?”
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