"Sugar."
I freeze and my body tenses immediately. Anger rises quickly to the surface before I even look at her.
"Ivy, I've been waiting here for hours. We have to talk." Her voice is cracking.
I finally lock eyes with her and she's a mess. Her hair is unkempt, her clothing hanging from her frame. She's not wearing any make-up and the redness around her eyes is a clear sign that she's been crying. I realize in that moment how vulnerable she looks. "I don't want to talk, Liz."
"This is important." She grabs my arm forcing me to take a step back.
"Don't touch me," I seethe.
"Ms. Marlow." Oliver is standing beside me now. "Can I help?"
"I'm fine." I try to sound reassuring." We're going to talk here, in the lobby, for a moment."
"I'll be right over there." He points to the reception desk which is only a few feet from where we're standing.
"Thank you." I move towards a bench that sits adjacent to the elevators. "Why are you here?"
"You never answer my calls or texts." She takes a seat on the bench.
I sigh heavily and tap my foot against the floor. "We have nothing to talk about. Nothing."
"Jax." She blurts out. "We have to talk about him and you."
I'm instantly agitated when I hear her mention his name. "No. You don't get to say his name. We will never discuss him or anything else for that matter." I walk to the elevators and press the call button again.
"He has secrets. He's using you," she hisses loudly.
I feel assaulted again, this time by her words. I'm fuming as I turn one last time to look at her. "Go to hell, Liz." With that I step into the elevator. As the doors close I cling to the package, my body shaking from the sobs.
***
I step into my apartment and place my keys and purse on the foyer table with trembling hands. I hadn't expected to see Liz and her continued anger unnerves me. It was obvious that she wasn't going to allow me to be happy regardless of where things stood with her and Mark. For the first time since discovering they were lovers, I feel a sense of calm about their betrayal. I'm moving forward with my life and I have to stay focused on that.
I slide onto the couch with the package in my lap. I reach for the corner, ripping the tape away. The lid pops open and the contents are nestled within several layers of gold tissue paper. I carefully peel away each layer until I get a glimpse of the edge of a frame. The frame. I rip the rest of the paper away as my eyes flood with tears. It's the picture of my mother and me. The frame masterfully restored. I turn it over, surveying each corner, studying where the splintered wood had been only a few days ago. It's perfect. The glass is new and the image itself is exactly as it was. I recall Jax's words about trusting him with it. He was right. I could trust him with it, and with my future.
I reach for my phone to call him to thank him for the gift and realize I've missed a call. I excitedly check who it's from. Disappointment ripples through me at the sight of Mark's name. I need to deal with him and since I've already given Liz a small piece of my mind today, seeing Mark seems logical too.
When I emerge from my apartment an hour later, I feel refreshed. A quick shower and a change of clothes have given me time to weigh my decision to confront Mark this afternoon. I know he'll still be at his office and if I broke the news to him about selling my shares before it was leaked through the grapevine it would make the transition easier for us both. I know I shouldn't give a second thought to his feelings regarding the transfer of my part of his business to Jax, but I don't want any lingering hostility. I need this to be over. I need Mark out of my life.
I slip into the back of the taxi Oliver has hailed for me and I once again try and call Jax. There's no answer so I leave a brief voicemail asking him to call me back. I glance out of the window of the taxi knowing that soon I won't be in this neighborhood. I need to speak to Mrs. Adams about my decision tonight.
I pay the driver before stepping out onto the curb. I adjust the hemline of the navy blue shift dress I'm wearing and glance down at the nude heels. I'm coming to see Mark as his business partner, not his former lover and I want to keep my composure intact. I anticipate he'll be rife with questions about who I'm selling to but he'll ultimately have to accept my decision.
"Hi Janice." I greet the young woman sitting behind the reception desk in the lobby of the building. "Is Mark still here?"
She grins before she picks up her phone. "Is he still in?" She's curt with the person on the other end. She covers the receiver with her hand and holds the phone a few inches away. "Do you want me to announce that you're here?"
"No. I'll just go up." I decide that it will be easier to share my news with Mark if he doesn't have any warning about my arrival.
She hangs up and turns to me again. "Carrie picked up Phyllis' phone." I see a not-so-subtle eye roll before she continues, "apparently she left early today so you can just go in when you get up there."
I nod. The fact that Mark's personal assistant isn't hovering over his office is a welcome surprise. Phyllis never liked me and if I don't have to deal with her antagonistic attitude today that removes one hurdle from my path.
I board the elevator for the swift trip up to the twenty-third floor. I can't recall the last time I stepped foot in the building but after today I won't have to be here again. That knowledge alone gives me the courage I need as the doors fly open and I step out into the lavish space that houses Mark's personal offices. Carrie, one of the human resources manager's pops her head out from around the corner. "Ivy, how lovely to see you." She gives me a comfortable hug.
"It's so good to see you too, Carrie. How are you? Your husband? The kids?" I smile as I remember fondly all the dinners Mark and I shared with her family.