Jenna’s tension grew with each one, and she realized this was way more important to her than it should be. She didn’t even try and lie to herself that it was all about her relationship with Nataliya and her BFF’s family. This was about Jenna and Dima, about himbeingDima to her and not Prince Dimitri, like his brother would always be Prince Konstantin.
“I agree,” he said solemnly.
Air whooshed out of her in relief, but she still went for casual with her tone. “Good.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
THENEXTFEWhours were more than a little stressful.
It turned out that Skylar had a lot more than just a link to audio files in the cloud from her listening devices that was incriminating on her laptop.
She had pictures of designs that Jenna had kept in a locked filing cabinet in her office, and information files about Mirrus Global and even Jenna’s brother’s company.
However, because neither the royal family nor Jenna’s boss wanted the negative publicity it would bring, both were adamant about not pressing charges.
The magazine actually had a policy to the effect that if an employee was found doing this sort of thing, they were to be fired, but that was all.
Jenna was furious. “It was my privacy that was violated, and yours are not the only companies affected by her criminality.”
Skylar just stood there looking smug. Like she knew she could be fired but wasn’t facing anything worse.
“Let us be clear,” Dima said coldly to Skylar. “If a single piece of sensitive information about my family or company gets leaked from this point, we will not only press charges here in the US, but we will charge you with espionage and file for extradition.”
Skylar paled at this but did not reply. When the magazine’s editorial director made a similar, if less impressive, threat in regard to information related to the magazine, the editorial assistant didn’t even blink.
“They might be content not to file charges against you, but I’m not,” Jenna informed the other woman, her fury renewed by Skylar’s smug attitude. “And considering the information you had stored in regard to my brother’s company, I doubt he will be either.”
Both Dima and Jenna’s boss went tense at Jenna’s words. She did not care. Yes, she understood that it could be damaging for the matter to go public, but this woman had spied on her and other people through her.
What was to stop Skylar from doing the same thing again, if there were no consequences?
“Jenna, surely you understand that would not be the best circumstance for the magazine?” her boss pointed out, her tone not nearly as autocratic as usual.
Because she had to realize it was Jenna’s choice and not hers. She also must see the willingness in Jenna to deal with the fallout for going against company policy. Who had a policy about stuff like this?
Her magazine that she was just thinking that morning was so much better than other media companies, that’s who.
“You and His Highness are acting like you are the only ones affected, and you are not.” He wasn’t Dima when he was trying to get Jenna to back down on something so important to her. He couldn’t be.
A true friend would not ask her to sweep being stalked and spied on under the carpet like it had never happened.
“A promising new designer lost her company and her reputation because of this woman.Ithought she was being ridiculous accusing me of selling her designs. You did that, and you knew what you were doing when you did.”
Skylar looked almost bored. “New designers fail every day.”
Jenna gasped at that cold response. “She didn’t have to. She could have made it.” Jenna had been certain she would. It was why she’d planned an entire spread on the designer’s spring collection.
Dismissing the woman who clearly had no conscience, Jenna spoke to her boss. “I don’t know what Skylar has passed on about my brother’s company, but I aim to find out.”
“What are you going to do, have me arrested for listening to you talk to your brother on the phone?” Skylar sneered now.
“Yes, that exactly.” Jenna let her livid glare settle on Skylar again. “This state has stalking laws, and I’m pretty sure you’ve violated most of them.”
That brought a look of consternation to herformerassistant’s face, but then she rallied. “I didn’t harass you. That’s not stalking. Regardless, the magazine has too much to lose to let you do that.”
“Here’s the thing you don’t seem to get. It is not up to them. You spied onme, not the magazine.” And if it wasn’t stalking, it still wasn’t legal. Jenna was sure of that.
“Jenna,” Dima said in a flat tone.