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Oliver's eyes gleamed with a hint of his old pride. "I trained you well," he said, attempting a weak chuckle. "I might have to be your protégé when I come back."
"You just might," I replied, my voice devoid of emotion.
I turned away, reaching for my coat that I'd removed before stopping in the ER to see Teagan. As I slipped it on, Oliver's voice stopped me.
"Aren't you going to wish me a happy birthday?"
I froze, my back to him. "Oh shit, is that today?" The words came out harsher than I'd intended.
"Ryleigh, I'm sorry this happened," Oliver said, his voice cracking slightly. "I ruined everything."
I took a deep breath, steeling myself before turning back to face him. "There's plenty of time to talk. Happy birthday," I said flatly. "I need to go."
Oliver's eyes pleaded with me. "Don't I at least get a kiss?"
Reluctantly, I leaned in, barely brushing my lips against his dry, pale cheek. The closeness made my stomach churn, but I fought to keep my expression neutral.
"I'll see you later," I said, already stepping towards the door.
"Tonight?" Hope flared in Oliver's voice. "You'll come back?"
I paused, my hand on the doorknob. "I'm not sure. I have dinner planned with Ty."
It was a lie, but I knew the mention of Ty would sting. Oliver's distrust of him was well-known, and a part of me - a part I wasn't proud of - wanted to hurt him the way he'd hurt me. As I left the room, guilt and vindictiveness warred within me. I knew it was horrible to want to cause pain to someone who'd already been through so much, but the raw ache of betrayal still throbbed in my chest.
I walked down the sterile hospital corridor, my heels clicking against the tile, each step carrying me further from Oliver and closer to a future I wasn't sure I was ready to face.
I arrived back at the office just in time for my first conference call. Handling it with the precision Oliver would have admired, I navigated the discussion seamlessly. The second call didn't go as smoothly, but I managed to gain the upper hand with one of our distributors trying to raise prices on circuitry with no clear reason why.
When I finished, I decided to get myself a cup of coffee. I could’ve asked Henri, but I prided myself on my self-sufficiency and wanted it made to my liking. As I neared the kitchen, I heard three men talking in hushed tones about me. I paused at the doorway to listen.
“What a fucking cunt. I hope Fox recovers soon. This company is going downhill,” one man sneered.
“She’s got more brass balls than Fox ever had. Doesn’t she realize that treating the staff the way she does won’t win any fans?” another grumbled.
“She’s young. Oliver must have been thinking with his cock when he gave her the power to run this company. What the hell was he thinking?” a third voice chimed in.
“He was definitely thinking with his cock. One thing I have to say for Mrs. Fox, she is one hot number,” the first man added with a lecherous tone.
I backed away from the door and bumped into Mark, who gave me a sheepish look. The hallway leading to the kitchen was separated from the cubicles, so the staff didn’t see me.
“I need a cup of coffee. Come with me,” I said, my voice tight.
Mark nodded, and we walked into the kitchen together. The three men—Tim Stoddard, Bryan Durvan, and Todd Cook, all executive vice presidents—greeted us and quickly left as we entered.
“We should talk,” Mark said quietly.
“I think so. Do you want coffee?”
“No.”
I made myself a cup of coffee, even though I no longer wanted it. Mark followed me back to my office, closing the door behind him. I settled into my chair, feeling the weight of the words I had just overheard.
“Did you hear them?” I asked, looking up at Mark.
“Yes. I’ve heard it before. They don’t think you should be heading up Fox Asset Corporation.”
“What else do they think?” I pressed.
