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Eli.
What the fuck did he want?
Talking to him was the last thing I wanted to do, especially when Bianca was so upset, but I knew he wasn’t the kind of man I could ignore.
“I’m so sorry Bianca. Can you give me two seconds?”
She was too upset to do anything but wave a soggy tissue in my direction. Moving to the doorway, I answered the call and huddled around my phone to try and hide the noise of her crying.
“What?”
“Oh you sneaky, conniving little bitch,” Eli barked down the phone.
A sickening chill crawled down my spine, turning my arms to gooseflesh in the process. “Excuse me?”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice? Did you really think you could try and scam me and get away with it, huh? You little cunt. I warned you what would happen if you betrayed me but you didn’t listen.”
“Eli, I have no idea what?—”
“Don’t speak,” he hissed darkly. “Just listen, for once in your miserable existence. I don’t know if it was misplaced confidence or if you were just sick from all the dick Sawyer gives you, either way you’ve gone and crossed the wrong motherfucker.”
Each word dripped in venom and the confusion in my chest eventually gave way to cold fear.
“You thought your life was miserable before me? When I’m finished with you, before me is going to look like fucking heaven. Do you understand me bitch? Bianca was first. An appetizer of what I can do. Your mother is next. I hope it was worth it, Callie, because when I’m through, there’s going to be nothing left for you.”
The call ended, leaving a hollow silence ringing in my ears as I struggled to process everything he yelled at me in a span of thirty seconds.
Bianca was first?
Slowly, I turned back to Bianca who was still crying into her tea. She hadn’t drank a sip but that was okay. I’d made it mainly for the warmth.
Did… Eli gets Bianca fired? But why? She wasn’t a part of this. She wasn’t a part of anything. She was just my best friend.
Maybe that was her crime. He hurt her because he knew it would hurt me, and he definitely had the money and the influence to spew god knows how many lies to get his own way.
Slowly, I typed out a message to Eli asking for clarity because I had no idea what the hell he was talking about. I did everything he asked of me, didn’t I?
I did everything.
Just as hopelessness swelled up inside me like a balloon, Bianca let out a louder sob and it pulled my attention away. I hurried to her and wound my arms around her in a tight hug.
Bianca first. This I had control of. I could soothe her and care for her. Everything else would come later.
“Listen to me Bianca. We know there’s some kind of mistake here. There has to be,” I assured her gently, stroking her hair with my hand. “I know you’re heartbroken right now but I’ll get to the bottom of this, I promise. And I’ll get you your job back. I swear it, okay?”
“How?” Bianca wept, turning her tear-stained face to me. “How can you possibly fix this? The things they said I did to their poor dog, I can’t even think about it.”
“I don’t have the answer right now but I’m not giving up, okay? This isn’t over. You’re going to get your job back, I swear it.”
Bianca didn’t believe me, and I couldn’t blame her. She cried until she had no tears left to give, then I was able to guide her out of the chair and into my bedroom. Sending her home was not the greatest idea and I didn’t want her to be without some sort of comfort. She was compliant as I guided her into bed. As she lay down, I kissed her forehead and drew the covers up to her neck, then I firmly tucked her in. She sniffled and stared up at me with hollow eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” I hushed gently. “Just get some rest, okay? Things will look better in the morning. I promise.”
I sat with her until she fell asleep, then left her to rest and retreated back to the kitchen. Numbness weighed down my chest, and I sat down with a thunk, staring into the now-cold tea left by Bianca. It had been a few hours now since I messaged Eli, but he hadn’t replied. Outside, the world was as dark and silent as my kitchen, and the lull of quiet was broken occasionally by the rising hum of my fridge.
I stared at Eli’s text until my eyes blurred, replaying his threats over and over in my mind.
