The Stand-In's Sweetest Revenge

th floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a private garden and a sma

e state-of-the-art kitchen, and my only contact with the main ho

insisted he wear, and every morning at 5 AM, before Bella woke up, he wo

that I got the unfiltered r

morning as he dropped off a crate of organic kale. His usually imma

now?" I asked,

rose petals. Not just any rose petals. They had to be 'the color of a lover's bl

ot to smi

t. I asked for a list. She told me to read the first twelve chapters of a book called 'The Du

nnor' s gastritis is acting up agai

my tablet. His stress levels were through

groaned. "She smashed it. Said it was a 'symbol of our brok

was worth more than

over here," I

back of my neck. This peaceful arrange

open with such force that it slammed against the

house. She spotted the high-end espresso machine, the Diptyque candl

unging on the sofa in a s

t fire you! He's hiding you here! Th

n. "Ms. Salazar, I am a remote employe

picked up a file, and handed it to her. "This is my employment contract

widening in shock as they landed on the salary section. The

ched, her voice cracking. "He's

f dime-store romance plots, could onl

ntorting with rage and jealousy. "This is a re

professional integrity was everything to me. It was the

, my voice dropping to

dialed Connor's number. He

.. friend is in my house, screaming insults at me. I sugg

on the other end. "P

t to Bella. "He wan

speaker. "Connor, darling, I've found her! She

irm, devoid of its usual pati

t s

k to the main house

d away, replaced by a flash of genuine fear. She snapped the phone out

ew my phone onto the sofa. She glar

pat, before turning on h

I should probably ask Connor for emotional distress co

g Apollo pick up Connor's meals from the edge o

oking more stressed than ever. He was

said, handing it to me

o a welcome home party for Bella, hosted

I said, tossing

tly. "He said... he'd pay you a fif

and to attend a pa

nvitation back u

t sincerity. "Connor has done so much for me. It would be rude of me not to go an

ok his head and walked away, muttering so