Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 61657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 308(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Taking a deep breath, I opened the envelope. Scanning the pages quickly, it was clear Penny had been telling the truth.
“At the recommendation of the board, CEO White is to develop a family-friendly persona with the end goal of revamping Pictogram’s image.”
A cry caught in my throat as the papers fluttered from my fingertips. Unable to speak, I just pointed to the line with a numb finger. Jill saw what I was pointing at and drew in a sharp breath. Hugging me as I cried, she said, “I'm so sorry, Mia. So sorry.”
Of course, she had been worried about Theo's playboy past, but she never imagined he would be sleeping with someone else within the company and even manipulate me to marry him. Jill was just as shaken as I was.
“He only proposed to me because they want to change the company's image after the orgy pictures.” My sobs were erupting from my mouth like sorrowful explosions.
Looking at my beautiful diamond ring on my finger, the pain of the truth shot through me. I was just a pawn in Theo's game. We would have gotten married, and the whole time he would be sleeping with Penny.
He was a monster. Theo and Penny both were. Theo tricked me into falling in love with him just for the sake of his company while Penny, his real girlfriend, knew about it the entire time.
Jill hugged me. “They are both manipulative scheming assholes that deserve each other.”
My best friend's efforts to soothe me fell flat. My heart was broken in a million pieces.
What was worse was that I still loved Theo. I had proof of his dishonesty, but something inside screamed that it just couldn't be true. Our time in Tennessee felt genuine. He had tears in his eyes when he told me how much he cared for me.
Our engagement felt just as sincere. The way he looked at me, his eyes peering back into mine so full of love.
But Theo was a superb actor pretending to love me and care for me. Every moment we had together hadn’t been real. The last few months of my life were all lies.
21
Theo
When Mia didn’t return my phone calls or texts, I wasn’t immediately alarmed, reasoning she probably was busy with work or school. There was no reason for me to believe that anything was wrong between us. I’d seen her earlier that day at my house, and she seemed happy.
Since we had plans to go to dinner that night, I stopped by a lingerie store and picked out a sheer black two-piece baby doll negligee. More of a gift for me than her. Driving home, my cock hardened as I thought about seeing the thin fabric on Mia’s curves. She was so hot. Truly, I felt like the luckiest guy in the world.
When I drove up to my house, Mia’s car wasn’t in the driveway. Had I gotten the nights mixed up? Was she staying in Berkeley that night instead of with me?
No. We were meeting tonight. We talked about it this morning before we left for work. She hadn’t returned any of my texts, calls, or Pictogram messages all day.
Hurrying inside, I worried that something happened to her. An accident on the road. A crazed stalker. A million horrible possibilities flooded into my mind.
“Mia!” I called hoping she was there.
Pulling out my phone, I tried to call her again, but it went to voicemail. “Mia, call me, babe. Are you still coming over tonight?”
My nerves were rattling. Where was Mia?
Upstairs, I went into my bedroom, more and more fraught with worry. I clicked on the lights and froze in place, not believing my eyes.
Penny was lounging naked on my bed. Our bed. Mia’s and mine.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, mystified.
What the hell was going on?
Penny sat up, pleased to see me. “I got rid of that bitch like you wanted.”
“What? Where’s Mia?” I asked, too stunned to understand.
Penny grabbed the lingerie bag out of my hand. “Is this for me?” She held up the negligee, beaming. “You shouldn’t have, Theo.”
Before I could stop her, she slithered into the sheer baby doll top. Puckering her lips to me, she asked, “How do I look?”
I had been looking forward to seeing Mia in that nightie. With it on Penny, it only grossed me out. The bust was too loose around her small breasts dwarfing them and making them look even smaller. Looking away, I replied, “Penny, please. That’s for Mia. Take it off.”
She ignored me grabbing the remote and turning up the volume on the flat screen. Settling back on the pillows, she watched the screen enraptured.
A video had been playing the whole time. I whirled around to see what she was so interested in. It was Penny and I having sex.
How could that be possible? A long long time ago I slept with Penny, but it wasn’t taped.