Chapter 41: To Tell or Not To Tell
Cassandra’s POV
“What is it, Cass?” Stella asked, concerned. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“No,” I said. “It’s just that, well, I just remembered something.”
Was I sure? Was it really the same man? I hadn’t got a good look at him from the street. And he wasn’t outside for very long. What if I were mistaken?
But I shook my head. No. It was him. I was positive. I’d met him several times and I knew that face, even from a distance.
“You know that man I was telling you about?” I said to Stella. “The one who was kissing Ellie on her front step when I delivered her dress?”
Stella nodded. “Sure. Ellie’s little side lover,” Stella teased.
“Yeah,” I chuckled. “Well, you’re not going to believe this, but he’s an executive over at Sterling Silver Limited.”
“What?” Stella’s eyes went wide. “Ellie’s sleeping with Jordyn’s competition? Jesus. That woman really has no morals.”
My mind flashed back to a recent business event we’d all attended. It was a luncheon with’a charitable slant. Businesses could buy a table and all the proceeds went to the local hospital for cancer research. Both Stella and I had bought a table but most of our staff cancelled at the last minute. That left us sitting pretty much alone at a big table, looking like idiots. We got over it though since the lunch was really, really good. And since most of the seats at our table were empty, we were offered second helpings of everything, which we gladly accepted.
The reason I was remembering this specific luncheon was because Jordyn had also bought a table, which had surprised both Stella and I. As such, I’d had to pretend the entire time that I was Stella’s assistant.
Half–way through lunch, a man went and sat down at Jordyn’s table. It was the executive from Sterling Silver Limited. We’d talked to him the day before on the phone and he mentioned he was going to the luncheon. We said we looked forward to seeing him, but when we saw him with Jordyn, we avoided him like the plague.
I didn’t want to talk to Jordyn, but we slyly watched them for the rest of the luncheon. It was quite comical because they were pretending to be friendly with each other even though they were competitors. It was like watching two male lions circle each other, knowing neither one could actually attack.
So yes, the man’s face was burned into my memory.
I relayed all of this to Stella.
“Right,” she said. “I remember him. He had a really awful Hawaiian shirt on under his suit coat. I remember wondering what would ever possess him to wear such a thing. That’s the same man you saw with Ellie?” Stella asked.
“Yup. One and the same.”
“Huh. Well I guess he’s her type,” Stella sighed.
“And what’s that?”
“Rich.”
I chuckled. It was true. Ellie clearly had expensive taste. Still, it didn’t sit right with me. I’d been pretty convinced that Filie was madly in love with Jordyn. So why was she hooking up with someone else? And a competitor’s of Jordyn’s, too?
“Should I tell him?” I asked.
I really didn’t care what Ellie or Jordyn did. But there was this little voice inside of me telling me that I should let Jordyn know. Maybe I still had some lingering protective feelings? Or maybe I knew too well how it felt to find out someone you loved was cheating on you and I wanted to soften the blow for Jordyn. How long had this been going on, I wondered. And how serious was
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Chapter 41: To Tell or Not Todell
it?
+15 BONUS
Why the hell would you tell him?” Stella scoffed. “He doesn’t deserve to know. He did the exact same thing to you. This is karma, plain and simple.”
“Ellie’s his assistant,” I reminded Stella. “She might be sharing company information with his competitor.”
“So?” Stella put her hands on her hips. “Sounds like a ‘them‘ problem.”
“I don’t know. Maybe you’re right. Jordyn and I are divorced. Maybe it’s not my place to interfere.”
We both sat in silence for a moment stewing it over. Stella eventually broke the silence.
“Unless…” she said, her voice trailing off.
“Unless what?”
“Unless that little bitch does something that hurts Jordyn’s company. If she gives Sterling Silver information that causes Jordyn’s company to suffer, or cripples it somehow, then it could impact our collaboration with Jordyn.”
“Oh.”
I hadn’t thought of that. Stella and I had a great idea with our female power theme and fashion show. But we needed the financial support of Jordyn’s company to make it happen. If the collaboration fell through, we’d have to go back to the drawing board. We’d need to find a new company to collaborate with, and that could take some serious time and effort.
“So what do I do?”
Stella shrugged and stifled a yawn. “Maybe sleep on it? Think about it some more. I mean, you don’t have to tell him right away. Let’s think about it. Honestly, I’m wiped. I think it’s time to call it quits for the night.”
Stella’s yawn made me yawn, too. I was tired as well. I agreed.
“Yeah. Let’s pack it in. I need to think about this some more. Besides, it’s only speculation at this point. I saw them kiss, but perhaps I misinterpreted the situation. I should probably wait until I have more proof.”
Stella and I packed up our things and left the office for the night.
I tried to relax but the question turned over and over in my head.
“To tell or not to tell? It was a really tough question…
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