The Publicist's Plight (Book I in The Harrison Inc. Series) | ✓

Chapter Sixty Five: Forgive Me for My Transgressions

"So I took the check," I snap at her. "So what?"

"So what?" she replies aghast. "You don't understand how vulnerable he really is, do you?"

"Of course I do! I was there for him when he needed it and—"

"But for the wrong reasons!"

"Is this why you brought me here? To antagonize me? I took the check, I gave it back, it's over! You just can't handle the fact that he loves me, not you! He'll never love you, Ingrid, so get over it!"

I've made Ingrid speechless, and I know I should feel bad. But I don't; this woman is clearly insane.

I grab my purse and thank her for the coffee. She's still crying, and for a minute I feel even more pity for her.

"You need help, Ingrid," I say to her before leaving the coffee shop.

**
Throughout the rest of the day and even to the early next morning, I received countless questions about what the dinner with Sebastian was like from Beth and Paul. I told them that dinner was amazing, but I purposefully left out the fact of Sebastian and I sleeping together. I don't think I'll be telling anyone that, especially with what happened with Ingrid.

I get dressed after taking a shower. This morning, we're meeting with a social media team to talk about making Sebastian's Instagram and Twitter. They're specialists—they know exactly how to market Sebastian's name to appeal to the public. Hopefully that will get him more good publicity; we still have pictures of him with Amelia that we can definitely use.

In the back of my mind, the thought of Ingrid still lingers around. This is something I'm horrible at; I think relentlessly about something bothering me until it consumes any other good thoughts. So, I tell myself to think of the positives.

"I'm seeing Sebastian today," I tell myself; a smile appears in front of the bathroom mirror. "That's a definite positive."

I get to the building where the meeting is to be held at around 11:30AM. The meeting is at 11:40, so I am a little late

After parking in the parking structure and taking the elevator up to the fourth floor, I exit on a department with the same general cubicles and businessmen and women. The design is a lot more distinguished, and the lobby of the floor has nice sleek design to it; I'm sure we'll be in a conference room anyway.

I get a text from Sarah, telling me that they're on their way up to the fourth floor. And by their, I'm assuming she means Sebastian, too. I smile to myself, unsure of what I'll say when I see him but reminding myself that spontaneity has worked well in my favor so far.

Ding. My phone notifies me of another text message. I assume it's from Sarah, so I unlock my phone only to see its from someone I don't know.

And just like that, my entire world crashes around me.

"Did a bit of digging. Doesn't seem like a decade ago, does it?"

Below the text is a photo out of resolution, but I can still understand exactly what it means. It's a picture of me and Candy from ten years ago, running out of Axel's house. Immediately, my head floods with the memories I've tried to suppress. Bile rises in my throat as my hands begin to shake.

"You could have saved him," the next text says. "Why didn't you?"

A picture of eleven-year-old Axel then pops up on my screen—much different than the man he turned out to be. I'm overwhelmed with the guilt that I could have save him. Shit—so this is how Garrett gets me? Constantly digging up my past?