Remember Me? (Book 1) COMPLETED

A New Branch

NICK

Tori was downstairs by the time I stepped out of the shower and dressed, towel-drying my hair. I spied her suitcase by the door, zipped and upright, and lifted it. Empty. Had she unpacked?

A look in the closet and the top drawer of the dresser confirmed my suspicions. My wife had emptied her things into our bedroom. How long has it been since we shared the same space? A year? Last night, she'd come back to me.

I won't let her go again.

I left the bedroom. From where I stood, at the landing of the stairs, I caught a glimpse of Tori flitting through the kitchen. A pot clanged as she dropped it, followed by a waterfall of whispered curses. A smile crossed my lips—then a frown, as I remembered Tori's frigid response last night.

Whatever happened, it had to do with work. Richard Chase. The man who wanted to buy out Katherine's shares of Wayward.

Tori had her back to me when I entered the kitchen, sliding into a stool behind the counter. Her delicate hands worked furiously to scramble eggs, coming up now and again to brush her red-brown hair from her face. The morning sun made her sea-glass eyes all the more clear and bright, but the worried furrow in her brow only darkened her features.

Her eyes shot to me and she stopped, cheeks reddening. "You're awake," she said. "I-I thought you wouldn't be up until later."

She was flustered. When we were newlyweds, this might have amused me, but the gesture was so unfamiliar, like she was looking into the face of a stranger, that it was annoying. I shrugged and walked around to get a cup of coffee. "Well, I have to work, don't I?"

Her gaze had followed me around the kitchen, but when I mentioned work, she snapped her eyes to the stove. "Right."

I held a cup out to her. "What'll you be focusing on? Stealing more shares for Mr. Chase?"

I couldn't keep the icy edge out of my tone. Tori straightened and gave me the same look she'd given Katherine over the Committee meeting yesterday.

"That's business, Nick," she said, crossing her arms. "Katherine can't run the company, so she should get bought out."

I slammed the cup on the counter, hot, brown liquid sloshing over my hand. Tori's eyes widened but I ignored the pain. "How exactly did you meet him, Victoria?"

The concern on her face disappeared in a flash, replaced with the guarded expression I'd seen so much this year.

It hit me like a slap in the face.

Of course.

This would explain her distance, her frigidity, her absolute disregard of me. Why else would she spurn the advances of her husband? Or be out of state, weeks at a time, for a "project"? What else could be true but the worst, most predictable thing my brother had warned me of when I had turned my back on Katherine?

My wife, my gorgeous, adulterous wife, was having an affair.

With none other than Mr. Richard Chase.

* * *

We didn't speak all the way to Wayward. Tori tried to spark conversation on the drive over and even in the empty elevator, but she clamped her mouth shut when we reached the top floor.

My secretary, Stephanie, greeted us with a smile. "Mr. Masiello, Mrs. Pitcher," she said. "Good morning. Ms. Beardsley is waiting for you in her office."

As we walked to Octavia's office, I couldn't help but notice Katherine's office was empty. The memory of yesterday's events, the bewildered, angry expression on her face flashed back in front of me. I wouldn't blame her for not coming. But she had to if she wanted to keep her place in the company.