“Hey, hun, are you coping okay?”
“This one’s hit me pretty hard, but I’ll be fine. You know me.”
“Just because you’ve been through a shitload of trauma, doesn’t mean you’re impervious to more. You need to look after yourself.”
I sighed. “I know. I think I’ll take a long break after this one.”
“Good. I really don’t know how you do it.”
“It’s exhausting, but worth it,” I said, thinking about Liam’s family reconnecting after years of conflict.
“That family doesn’t deserve you.”
I frowned. “Why would you say that?”
“Cass…” Her voice grew low. “Please tell me you’re not sleeping with Adam again.”
“You really don’t like him, do you?” Tash had never been so quick to judge before. “He’s really not as bad as the tabloids make him out to be.”
Silence followed.
“Tash?”
“Look, I really didn’t want to tell you this while you’re still working there, but there’s something about the Harlow family I think you should know.”
“Go on…”
I could almost hear the grinding of her teeth. “Harlow Corp. was the company who bought the business Bryce and Dominic worked for. It was their decision to terminate Dom’s job…and the reason you lost your health insurance.”
“What?” I almost laughed. “No, they merged with Enviro-Tech.”
“Which is a business owned by Harlow Corp. Bryce never thought to bring it up until he saw you with Adam at our party.”
My blood ran cold. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“I’m so sorry. I wish it wasn’t true. You’ve been through enough.”
Pain seared my heart. “So, they’re responsible…”
“For leaving you dead broke and almost homeless. Yes.”
“I…I can’t believe it.”
“They’re a ruthless company, Cass. They make money by destroying livelihoods.”
I covered my mouth as bile crept up my throat.
“But it’s over now, isn’t it? After the funeral, you can go home?”
“I said I’d stay on another two weeks.”
“No, you need to get out of there before that man coaxes you into his bed again.”
That man. Adam.My Adam.“I feel so…so…ashamed.”
“Oh, baby. You didn’t know.”
“What would Dominic think?” A wave of nausea crashed over me. “And Finn?! Imagine if he found out.”