by Avent, V. R.
Oh, Christ! That was hard to do. He looks so sexy and handsome today. And that look on his face…Oh my God, I want to turn back around and kiss it away. Should I?
Ding! The elevator doors opened, and I got on with my hot chocolate and croissant. I pressed the button for the fifteenth floor and headed straight to the conference room with a few minutes to spare. I sat beside Uncle Ernie, and we waited over fifteen minutes for Zach to come. Joan, his brother, and even his grandfather called his phone, but he didn’t answer. Joan was forced to start in his absence.
When Zach arrived at 8:36 a.m., he made a beeline for Uncle Ernie and whispered, “I’m liquidating the company at Abigail’s request. She resigned today.”
He handed Uncle Ernie the taped resignation letter and walked to the front of the room to take his seat. Uncle Ernie quickly turned to face me, but I kept my blazing gaze on Zach, who took over the meeting.
We were nearly finished with the meeting when Zach texted me:
Meeting is coming to an end. Are you sure you want me to announce your resignation?
I texted back:
Yes.
He texted back:
Should I also let everyone know that they can consider this their two-week notice?
Zach A. McConnallay, CEO with a BROKEN HEART, ZAM and McConnallay Enterprises
I texted back furiously:
Surely threatening the livelihoods of over 250 employees is beneath you, even if you are just a little boy who masquerades behind $4,000 tailor-made suits and a gargantuan bank account. I already know how far you can stretch your arm to make things happen, whether it’s good or bad. I’d rather you use your influence for good and not penalize everyone for my decision to end all ties with you, both personal and professional. Also, you have only yourself to blame for your BROKEN HEART. Deal with it. I sure have.
Abigail M. Winterfield, SOON-TO-BE FORMER (Nothing to You) President, First Choice Health and Wellness, Inc.
I looked at Zach as he read my last text. I could tell he was displeased from the ice-cold look and the furrow in his brow. He stood up to say, “I would like to extend my gratitude and thanks to my brother, father, and grandfather for coming to the meeting today to share their plans for a state-of-the-art, thirteen-story 350,000-square-foot facility that will be available for operation in months to come. I would also like to thank everyone for coming to the meeting. Everyone, except for Ms. Winterfield, may return to work.”
I glowered at Zach as everyone quickly departed from the conference room. As I wasn’t in the mood to hide my annoyance, his brother immediately noticed my look of displeasure and whispered something in Zach’s ear. Zach, still fuming, looked at me, then back at his brother, and nodded his head. I turned to leave the conference room despite Zach’s request, but as soon as I reached the door, Zach was at my side.
“I asked you to stay behind. Didn’t I?” He kissed my right ear.
I turned to face him. “And I told you not to do that anymore. Didn’t I? Why didn’t you mention the resignation? And why would you tell Ernie that I suggested you to liquidate the company?”
“That’s not important right now. Come with me, and fix that look on your face.” Pulling me, he escorted me over to where his family stood waiting.
“This is the Abigail Winterfield. Abigail, this is my grandfather, Thomas; my father, Aaron; and my oldest brother, Xander,” Zach said, gripping my lower back.
“Oh yes, I remember you from the elevator this morning. I’ve heard wonderful things about you,” Xander said, extending his right hand to me. I shook his hand.
His grandfather took my right hand next, kissed it, and said, “So you do exist. I thought Zachy here was just blowing smoke. But now we all know and understand why Xander had better watch himself in elevators more often.”
I smiled, said my pleasantries to his grandfather, and looked to his father with my right hand extended.
“Abi, it is?” his father asked.
“Yes, sir. Abi it is,” I replied with a smile.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet…um…what’s that you call her, Zach?”
“My love. My better,” his brother and grandfather said simultaneously.
Zach moved his tight grip from my lower back to my right hip as he wrapped his arm around my waist.
“Yes, Zach’s love and better,” his father said gleefully, pulling me into his embrace.
I smiled, talked for a short while, and excused myself.
I sat in my office, shocked and thrilled at the thought of Zach calling me his love and better. It was all I could think of. But what did it mean in the context of what had happened the prior weekend?
I didn’t notice when Zach came into my office to sit beside me.
“Abi? Abi? Abigail?” I jumped and looked at him. “What’s eating at you?” he asked.
“You. I mean nothing. Work. Look, Zach, what do you want? I’m trying to work.”
He smiled and flaunted his perfect whites.
“What about me in particular were you thinking?”
“I wasn’t. Why are you here?”
“Because I need to talk to you before I leave for Pittsburgh.”
What the hell is in Pittsburgh?
“As long as it’s business related. Otherwise, there’s nothing to talk about.” He closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
“Are you giving up on us—you and me? Do I get a chance to make it better, fix it…anything? Why did you write the resignation letter?”
“I told you. I need to explore more exciting things.”
His cell phone rang, and he cursed before looking down to see who the caller was.
“What is it, Galloway?” He looked at me and continued, “I know what time I told them to have the jet ready. Tell them I will be making this trip alone.” He ended the call, looked at me, and said, “Abigail, I really need to leave if I want to catch my flight. I don’t want to leave with us like this. I’ll be back Sunday evening, and I hope you will have dinner with me. Would you please have dinner with me? Please?”
“No,” I said instantly and firmly, with a stern look on my face.
He got up looking very sad and disappointed. Walking over to the door, he looked back at me and said, “You’re not the only person Henry hurt.”
My jaw dropped as he left the office, leaving me wondering.
For the rest of the day, I wondered what Zach could have been referring to. I wonder if Epps had hurt him. If he had, I could imagine the pain and torture he must have inflicted on him. I lost my internal battle and texted Zach late that night, asking for clarification. He didn’t reply until late the next morning:
My mother was married to that sick monster.
Zach A. McConnallay, CEO, WHO’S MISSING THE HELL OUT OF HIS LOVE AND BETTER, ZAM and McConnallay Enterprises
Chapter Thirteen
I called Carmen from work around two in the afternoon and told her I needed to talk to her about Zach. We agreed to meet at Sens at six so we could catch up over a drink or two.
“That will be fine,” I said. “Gabe has Gabi for the rest of the week and weekend.”
“Why does he have Gabi for that long?” Carmen asked.
“He wants to spend as much time as possible with his daughters before he flies to Europe to get a few American basketball players signed to some European basketball contracts and to sign two Italian football players to Major League Soccer contracts.”
Carmen had a love-hate relationship with Gabe. She had always praised and slain him under the same tongue. She loved and praised him for loving me when he did and for making sure Gabi and I were well taken care of. But she hated the hell out of him and could have easily killed him for how badly he’d treated me when we were together.
“I commend him for being a great father and wanting to spend as much time with his children before he travels for work, but let’s be real, Abi. He’s going to be feasting his appetite on European and Italian flesh, like always.”
We
joked about Gabe at his expense and said our see you laters.
Lobby security called me at 3:12 p.m. and told me I had a visitor by the name of Mrs. Taylor McConnallay. My heart stilled.
“What did you just say?” I asked the guard.
“There’s a Mrs. Taylor McConnallay here for you. She said you were expecting her. Should I send her up?”
Oh my God. He’s married to her. He “forgot” to tell me that. He lied to me. That lying son of a bitch.
“Ms. Winterfield? Ms. Winterfield?”
“I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“Should I send her up?”
“Sure.” What the hell does this bitch want with me?
Timmie escorted Taylor into my office and asked her if she would like any refreshments. She requested a bottle of water, and Timmie offered her a seat. I looked at her and she at me. She wasn’t as beautiful as I’d remembered. It must have been the drinking that had made me see her as an amazingly beautiful woman. In fact, she was just an average-looking woman who knew how to choose the right makeup and clothes. She wore a gorgeous black Alexander Wang rib knit dress that fit her body very well. She completed the sexy look with a pair of black Liya pumps. Her skin was perfectly tanned, and she had deep blue eyes with rings of light green around the pupils. Even her lips were perfectly injected.
Timmie came back promptly with her water and left. I stared at her while she uncapped her water bottle and drank. Then she put the bottle on my desk and stared me up and down.
“What do you want? I’m sure you didn’t lie about a meeting with me just to come up for a drink of water and to stare me up and down,” I asked her.
“I’m sure I didn’t either,” she replied
“So what brings you to my place of business?”
“You.”
I laughed. “I’m aware that you are here because of me. What I don’t know is why.”
“Sure you know. I mean you’re the president of this company, right?”
“And your point is?”
“My point? Oh, little girl. I haven’t made my point yet. But surely, being the president of this company, you can use your brain to figure out why I’m here,” she said.
“As a little girl, I’m telling you to be the woman I’m sure you are and tell me about this ‘expected’ visit. Surely lying to security is something that only a little girl would do. And as a mentally stable woman, I’m sure you will never find yourself showing up at a little girl’s place of business to talk about a man who is no longer interested in you.” I sat back in my chair, crossed my legs, and placed my fingers over my lips in a steeple. It was a habit I’d picked up from Zach, and she knew it.
She crossed her legs, tilted her head to the left, and countered,” So you do know why I am here. Now what makes you think Zach is no longer interested in me?”
“You.”
“Me? How’s that?” she asked.
“Mrs.—ha-ha—McConnallay, it is?” I laughed again. “Let’s not waste any more of my precious time. If Zach were the least bit interested, you would not be lying to get into my office to talk about him.” I tilted my head.
“I see Zach hasn’t been very truthful with you. And to answer your question, yes, it is Mrs. McConnallay. I am and will always be Mrs. Zach Austin McConnallay. We got married in 2010—May sixteenth, to be exact. You see, you’re just like all the other poor, unsuspecting girls. You let him fuck what little brains you have out your skull—which, let’s be honest, he does very well—but then he’ll dispose of you like the filthy garbage you are.”
I didn’t have a response for her. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Zach was married to this bitch, and he’d never told me. I know I must’ve looked as stupid as I felt. And that smirk—the look of victory across her face—was evidence enough of the fact. When that bitch saw I was down, she kicked the hell out of me. While I was still dazed from what she had just said, she stood up and traced my face with the back of her small, cold left hand.
I slapped her hand away from me and stood. She put the skinny, cold index finger of her right hand over my lips, which I slapped away also. She smiled and said, “You are strikingly beautiful. A gorgeous little bitch. Soft, smooth skin even—a natural beauty. I’ll give Zach an A for that. It would be such a shame if something ever happened to you or that beautiful, flawless face of yours. It would also be a great tragedy if something happened to your equally beautiful daughter. She has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Green from you and blue from Gabriel. He’s really great in bed. A real charmer. You should have married him. Then you wouldn’t be fucking someone else’s husband,” she said coldly.
Forcefully I pushed her away from me and pinned my hair up with two pencils from my desk. “Bitch, have you lost your fucking mind? Don’t you ever come into my office and threaten harm to my daughter. I’ll kick your fucking ass.”
She came close to me again and said, “My point is, stay the fuck away from Zach. He’s mine. And I’m not going to tell you again. Understand me?”
I looked at her and said, “If you ever go anywhere near my daughter, I will mop the floor with your blood. Do you understand me? Now get the fuck out of my office. And stop ruining your knees for every man you meet with money.”
“Oh, I hear you flapping your lips, Abigail, but I hope you’re smart enough to take heed to what I just told you.”
I pointed to the door. “Use it if you’re smart. And I don’t make threats. I make promises, bitch. So if you don’t mind shedding blood, I’ll be glad to stomp your ass.”
She grabbed her purse and left my office.
I closed the door behind her, took a deep breath, and gulped down my smoothie. I grabbed my cell and called Zach immediately. He answered on the first ring.
“Abi, Baby. How’s my love and better doing?”
“You are a lying, manipulative, womanizing, son of a bitch. This is exactly why I resigned—to get the hell away from you and your drama. When were you going to tell me?”
“Abi, I…I should’ve told you about Henry when I first found out. I’m sor—”
“I’m not talking about that fucking rapist pig. And to think I was even worried and scared for you because you had to live under the same roof as him.”
“Then why the hell you are verbally lashing me, baby?”
“Don’t baby me, you fucking scumbag. Your wife paid me a visit just now and threatened harm to me and my daughter.” Tears had begun to fill my eyes at the thought of that bitch harming my daughter.
“Bab—Abigail, calm down. I’m on my way home, and I’ll be there in less than three hours. And for the record, I don’t have a wife. Now who came to the office and threatened you and Gabrielle?”
“You don’t know who you married? Who Mrs. Zach Austin McConnallay is?”
“Abigail, please calm down, and don’t ask me questions while I’m asking you questions. I’m trying to gather as much information from you as possible. Now tell me who came to the office and threatened to do something to you and Gabrielle.”
“So you’re telling me that you’ve had so many women that you don’t know which one would retaliate after you dumped them? For breaking their hearts? How many women have you left broken?”
“Goddammit, Abigail! Would you just answer my goddamn question already? Now who the hell threatened you and Gabrielle?”
“Your wife, Zach. Your wife, Taylor. You know, the—”
“Abi, I’m on my way home. OK?”
“I can handle her, so stay whe—”
Click.
“Where you are.”
You lying pig. Now you’re hanging up on me? Ugh…I hate you, Zach McConnallay!
I went back to work and tried to have a productive day despite Taylor’s visit, but my nerves were shot until Zach walked in my office around 5:43 p.m. He sat on the edge of the chair near me and with great concern asked, “How are you doing, love?”
Love? So now you’re addressing me as “love.”
“How do you think I’m doing after your wife came into my office and threatened to do something to me and my daughter?”
He asked, “Why can’t you just answer my questions first and then ask your questions afterward?”
I asked another question with his question, and he got really frustrated and said, “Dammit, Abi. You keep doing it. Do you know how frustrated it is trying to get an answer out of you when you are always asking questions with a question? Do you?”
I looked at him and shrugged my shoulders as if to say I didn’t give a damn how frustrated he was with me. He looked at me, closed his eyes, shook his head, and took a deep breath.
“Now, back to my original question. How are you doing right now?”
“You could’ve stayed in Pittsburgh and finished whatever or whomever you were doing. You didn’t have to leave before your scheduled time,” I said, crossing my legs, sitting back in my chair, and steepling my fingers over my lips like he always did.
He smirked at me imitating him and pulled my chair closer to him. Licking his lips, he looked at me intensely and said, “Oh, baby. I’m where I want to be and with whom I’d rather be doing. You got that?”
My God, he smells so good and looks so goddamn sexy. Mmm, the smoky grays are pulling me in again.
I bit my bottom lip and inhaled deeply through my nose. Timmie knocked on the door, and Zach and I sat back in our chairs. I called for Timmie to enter.
“Mr. Mc—C—Connallay, sir. How are you?”
“I’m fine, Mr. Goldstein, and you?”
“Fine as well, sir. Abi, I’m heading out for the evening. Is there something I could do for you before I leave?”
“No. Thank you, Timmie. I’ll be fine. I’m just going to finish up this spreadsheet and give it to Mr. McConnallay so I can get out of here myself,” I replied.
“OK, then here’s your day’s end report, and I will see you tomorrow. Good evening, Mr. McConnallay,” Timmie said.
“Good evening, Mr. Goldstein,” Zach replied, looking at a blank computer monitor like he was deep in work.
“See you in the AM, Timmie.” I nodded at him. From the look on his face, he probably thought Zach was there to harass me again—professionally, that is.