Chapter 3
Samuel had just opened the passenger door when Helena tried to slip in after him.
"Get lost!" I barked. "This is my car. Homewreckers like you aren't welcome."
"Ashley, you're being way too harsh." Samuel frowned.
"Oh, I'm the one being harsh?" I scoffed. "What about what you two have been up to? Is that supposed to look good? Let me repeat myself. Get lost."
Helena cast Samuel a pitiful, pleading look, her eyes shimmering with desperation.
Samuel, under my unwavering glare, finally relented and turned to Helena.
"Get out. I'll call you a cab," Samuel said.
Helena finally climbed out, clearly unhappy about it.
When we got home, I dropped myself into the head spot on the couch and pointed straight at Samuel.
"Lay it all out. Don't miss out on any detail, every incident. I want the truth," I demanded.
"What are you talking about?" Samuel tried to play dumb.
"What am I talking about?" I sneered. "You set up a 1.5-million-dollar joint account for Helena, let her move into my bedroom, and now she's parading around in my clothes like she owns the place.
"And today, you even took her to a hot spring hotel for a steamy couples' soak.
"Samuel, do you think I'm blind, or dead?"
Samuel looked visibly annoyed by my interrogation.
"What steamy soak? Ashley, that's way out of line," he shot back. "Like I said, it was a public area. What do you think we could do there?
"As for the money, I told you, it's the 1.5 million dollars she got as a bonus. I was just keeping it safe for her.
"Now you've frozen the funds, I can't give her the money.
"She's fresh out of college with nowhere to go. I had to let her crash at our place for now.
"And that hot spring... We were wiped out from work and needed to relax, that's all.
"We had a professional relationship and nothing else. You're always suspicious, imagining things."
The more he spoke, the more convinced he was that he was right, and his tone got sharper.
"She hasn't even gotten her paycheck yet. Once she gets paid next week, I'll have her move out right away. Will that satisfy you?" Samuel said.
I caught the hint in his words, raised an eyebrow, and shot back with a challenge. "Hold on. Didn't I fire her? What paycheck?"
"I overruled it," Samuel replied, sounding absolutely sure of himself. "I promised you could handle the finances, and I stand by it. But Helena isn't here for you to take out your anger on.
"She's only been here a month, but her performance speaks for itself. She's got real potential."
"Real potential?" I echoed.
His upside-down logic was so ridiculous, I couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright, since you care about her so much, let's call it quits and get divorced," I said.
Samuel looked like I'd stepped on his tail, rubbing his temples in frustration.
"Are you out of your mind? I've been living on ten bucks a day like you wanted. We were married for years. Now you want a divorce?" Samuel snapped.
Like he was throwing me a bone, he said, "Fine, I get it. You can't stand her.
"I'll tell the butler to pack her stuff and set her up somewhere else.
"Our daughter's still here, and I don't want to turn this into a mess.
"I'll crash somewhere else for now, and come back when you've calmed down."
To my shock, Samuel simply threw on his coat and walked right out the door.
Just like that, we kicked off a full-blown silent war.
The next day, I went to work as usual, but made a point to avoid anywhere Samuel might be.
When lunch break rolled around, I headed up to my exclusive lounge on the top floor, hoping to catch a quick nap.
But when I got there, the keypad wouldn't open, and my fingerprint had been wiped from the system.
With a stern look, I called over the HR director.
"What's going on?" I demanded.
Before the HR director could say a word, the lounge door swung open from the inside.
Helena stepped out, still half-asleep, practically drowning in Samuel's oversized shirt.
When Helena saw me, she acted all surprised, like she hadn't expected me to show up.
"Ms. Hiller, why are you here?" Helena asked, her voice laced with fake innocence.
"Who let you in?" I snapped, my tone cold as ice.
"Mr. Duncan said I could," Helena replied, sounding all sweet and innocent. "I don't have anywhere else to stay, so Mr. Duncan said I could stay here for now."
She played the victim, shrinking back and acting meek.
"I'll move out once I get my paycheck next week. I won't be in your way," Helena added.
I was so infuriated by how shameless she and Samuel were that I couldn't help but laugh.
I dialed Samuel's number and ordered him to get over here, now.
Samuel rushed over right after his meeting, but before he could say a word, I shot him a cold glare.
"Samuel, explain yourself," I said.
Annoyance was written all over Samuel's face.
Samuel shot back, "Helena's my employee. She's got nowhere to go. Am I supposed to leave her out in the cold?
"I'm not even using the lounge, so what's the big deal if she crashes there for a few days?"
"Ashley, can you stop being so petty?"
"Me, petty?" I echoed.
Seeing Samuel still making excuses, I didn't waste another second. I turned straight to the HR director and barked out my orders.
"Fire Helena immediately," I snapped. "And get someone to smash this lounge to pieces. I'd rather turn it into a cat house. At least that would be cleaner than whatever this place has become."