Shattered Lives (The Shattered Series Book 1) Read online

  “What about your car?”

  “I'm not worried about that, I'll get it. It's late, you should go.”

  “Are you okay? I can stay with you.”

  “Yes, I'm fine. Go home and I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  Ramona walked Rhonda to the door and remained outside as she walked to her car. From the porch balcony, she also noticed Janice walking up the stairwell. “Where the hell you been?” Janice asked once she reached the top of the stairs.

  “Hello to you too, Janice.”

  “I thought you moved out.”

  “No, Janice I'm still here,” sighed Ramona.

  “I kicked Jackson out. We had another fight last night, so I told him to leave.”

  “Janice, that's great. But, I don't care. We’ve been neighbors for years and we’re rarely friendly on a good day. If it’s true Jackson is gone, then there isn’t a need for us to be social. You go your way and I’ll go mines,” said Ramona, before slamming the door in her face. For the life of her, she could not understand why Janice has tried being friends with her. She’s barely tolerable sober. Once she had too much to drink, she’s a nightmare. She becomes belligerent and wants to fight everyone in the room. That's too much drama for Ramona to deal with, she's too busy creating her own.

  Ramona switched off all the lights and went to bed. It was around two in the morning when Nick called. Her first thought was to not answer, however, curiosity got the best of her. She had to know what he thought about her leaving.

  “Hello.”

  “Hey, where are you? I returned home, and you weren’t here.”

  “I left.”

  There was dead silence on the phone for what seemed like minutes before Nick spoke.

  “What do you mean you left? I thought we had a deal?”

  “Nick, that deal only benefits you. I'm not asking you to leave your wife. We’re not an official couple, I can’t make that request. Most importantly, I can’t allow you to make a fool out of me either.”

  “Ramona, listen —”

  “No, you listen. I made up my mind and there isn’t anything you can say to change it. I'm going back to sleep. Bye!”

  Ramona hung up the phone and did not wake until noon the next day. The sound of Janice's loud music next door woke her right when her dream was getting good. She dreamed she was at Tami’s house and she opened her mouth to spill all of Tami’s secrets in front of her friends and family. Before Ramona could speak one syllable, Beyonce’s Single Ladies blared through her eardrum waking her.

  She fixed herself a cup of coffee and thought of her conversation with Nick from the night before. If she was honest, she’ll admit that second thoughts had crept into her mind. She wondered if returning home was the best move. Ramona called Nick to ask him to come over. He was happy to hear from her but he was hesitant to come to her house because of the neighborhood she lived in. In her eyes, the neighborhood was safe because she knows just about everyone that lived there. If someone watched the news long enough, they’ll think it’s the worst part of town. She reassured him that nothing would happen to him. He was at her door an hour later. The sight of him caused an instant regret to leave his place. “I asked you over because we need to talk,” she said.

  “Yes, we do,” said Nick, turning up his nose. “I can't believe you left me to come here.”

  “Nick, I'm serious,” said Ramona, as she led him to her couch. “Last night I left because it had become too intense. When you asked me to move in everything about your life had become a reality and I couldn’t deal with it. Despite how I felt the night before when I woke this morning I missed you. You're right when you said there's something between us we can’t put into words. My problem is your marriage. It doesn’t matter if it’s open, I can’t get past it.”

  Nick held her hand as he spoke. “My marriage is a mutually beneficial arrangement. It may not make sense but it works for us. I don't have feelings for her. What I feel for you is real.”

  Ramona was more confused than ever. She sat silently, rubbing her forehead as she tried to decide what to do. “Maybe I am over analyzing this.”

  “That’s the problem right there. You’re making it more complicated than it is. Just go with how you feel.”

  She closed her eyes and exhaled sharply. “I'll stay with you under one condition.”

  “Name it.”

  “Let’s not call it ‘moving in’. It’s more like an extended visit therefore, I will keep my apartment. We’ll proceed one day at a time. If it doesn't work for me, I can walk away with no interference from you.”

  “Agreed.”

  Ramona packed her bags to take with her but before she left, she made breakfast for them both. It was over breakfast she opened up to Nick about her childhood and the few memories she has of her mother. She told him about the one picture her parents had taken together that she kept in her wallet. She shared that if her parents hadn’t abandoned her, she would have made better life choices. Maybe, she wouldn’t have gotten into trouble that resulted in time spent locked away in juvenile detention. Ramona also told Nick about her father’s death. She left out who he was and his relationship with Tami. She surprised herself with how open she was with him because she never shared her past with anyone. It's hard to talk about the losses she's had in her life with anyone except for Rhonda. Normally, she kept a wall up but Nick had penetrated through it. Hopefully, the decision she’s made was the right one and not turn out to be a disaster waiting to happen.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Ramona unintentionally worked past the end of her shift. She finished her fifth spreadsheet that had to be completed by morning. Working long hours has helped her take her mind off Nick. He has been playing the role of Lauren’s husband for the past three weeks. Every time she tried to call him, either the call goes straight to voicemail or he says he can't talk and will call back. Fed up doesn’t begin to describe how she feels about both Nick and his wife. She walked into the triangle with her eyes wide open and expected there would be weeks where she wouldn’t see him. What she didn’t expect was how deep her feelings would develop for him in such a short time. She never thought she would become jealous of the time he spent with Lauren.

  Staring at a computer for hours had put a strain on her eyes. When she stood to stretch her legs, she noticed right away there were only a handful of people left working on the floor. Suzette had been busy in Tami’s absence, they hadn’t had lunch in over a week. That’s why when she visited Suzette’s desk she wasn’t surprised to see she had already left. With her gone, it was the perfect moment to rummage through her desk. Inside, there was a note stating Tami would be out another week. Having this tidbit of information was invaluable. With Tami out for another week, it would be the perfect time to sabotage her project. Initially, Ramona was against Tim presenting because Tami was supposed to take the brunt of the fallout. In the end, the project still had her name on it, therefore, she would get the blame if it goes south.

  At her desk, Ramona retrieved her personal laptop out of her bag. She brought it with her because she had planned to visit Rhonda after work. That was before she had five spreadsheets to create. Ramona opened the spy program that allowed her access to Tami's computer files. She opened the file labeled Emergence, inside there were spreadsheets, flowcharts, pie charts, and a slide show. Her first thought was to delete the entire file, but it satisfied her to only change a few figures on the spreadsheet and delete the slideshow and a flowchart. After she finished destroying Tami's project, Ramona then entered Tim’s office to log on to his computer. He never turned it off, he said he didn’t have to because it was password protected. But, little does he know she had figured out those six characters. She watched him type it in enough times she was able to piece it together. She searched for any emails from Suzette or Tami that contained a copy of the project file. There was one from Suzette he hadn't opened yet. Ramona deleted the email, in the morning she would ask Suzette to send Tim another copy of the files, that
would guarantee he received the sabotaged files. Ramona remained seated in Tim's chair as she envisioned him at his meeting flustered as he tried to explain away the errors and missing information. If only she could be a fly on the wall. There's nothing like a little sabotage that puts her in a celebratory mood. She stood to leave. It was time to call Rhonda to celebrate. That’s when she remembered she didn't close out Tim's email. She walked over to the desk, placed her hand on the mouse and right as she was about to click the x in the upper-right hand corner, she saw an email with her name in the subject line. She darted her eyes to the left to see the name of the sender it was Gordon Bishop. What in the hell is this? Why would Gordon Bishop send Tim an email? The email stated Gordon would have to put his investigation on hold because he’s about to start a trial that could run for weeks. Ramona picked up the computer’s mouse and threw it across the room. Almost hitting the glass vase on the table. That bastard! She was livid, she couldn't believe Tim had the audacity to hire someone to investigate her. He definitely would pay for going behind her back. Ramona drove home to her apartment, angry with herself for not having a tighter leash around his neck. For Tim, to have the courage to do something like request an investigation did not sit well with her at all. She will use her biggest ammunition to teach him a lesson he will never forget. She entered her apartment, slamming the door behind her. She grabbed the lockbox from the top shelf of the entryway closet. Inside was a small manila envelope, she opened it to verify that everything she needed was inside. She couldn't wait for tomorrow to come it promised to be a day of reckoning.

  Ramona placed the envelope in her purse when suddenly there was a knock on her door. She looked out the window and it was Janice. “Janice, what are you doing here? It's pretty late.”

  “I know. There’s something you should know. I wanted to tell you last time we saw each other, but you were so rude I didn’t get a chance.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “A few weeks back, a man came snooping around, asking questions about you.”

  “Did he say his name was Gordon Bishop?”

  “I don’t remember. He gave me his card and said to call if I see you or find out your new address?”

  “What do you mean my new address? Has he come here more than once?”

  “Don’t know. He said his firm has sent several people to this address and you’re never home.”

  “What did you tell him?”

  “I told him I haven't seen you in a while. I didn’t mention you still lived here. That was none of his business. Anyway, he said his client was trying to track you down about a large sum of money.”

  “That's a lie. I know exactly who his client is and I plan to take care of him tomorrow. I’m surprised you didn't rat me out and tell him what you knew.”

  “You’re the rudest bitch I’ve ever known, but I owe you,” said Janice. “You helped me out with Jackson when others wouldn’t step in.”

  “Like I said before, you don't owe me anything. I helped with Jackson because I don't agree with men beating on women, I’m glad they locked him up for that shit.”

  “I agree and he’s gone for good this time.”

  Ramona thanked Janice for the information and apologized for her rude behavior the last time they spoke. She explained she had a bad day and shouldn’t have taken it out on her. Will they become friends? No, but she can be cordial. Janice had every reason to rat her out to Gordon, but she chose not to. In Ramona’s book that’s huge. Her thoughts switched to Tim and his betrayal. Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough, she couldn't wait to give him exactly what he deserved. Instead of driving back into town to the condo, she spent the night at her place. She had to get up extra early to put her payback in motion.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Tim walked in the next morning feeling unusually grumpy. He could contribute his mood to many reasons. The major contributor was Miranda, she informed him she might be pregnant last night. You can say he didn't take the news well. When she shared the news, it caught him off guard and responded like a jerk by putting the blame on her. He’d told her that someone like her should have been more careful and made an effort to use birth control. She became angry and asked him not to call her. He was to wait to hear from her after she has gone to the doctor. After staying up most of the night praying, he wasn't about to become a father, the last thing he wanted to do was to stand before a group of his colleagues to give a presentation. Since Tami has been on leave, he had to deal with the fallout. She had a full plate that they pushed onto him, like that damn Emergence Project.

  Tim turned the corner of the hallway that led to his office, he saw Ramona chatting with Pete from Accounting. “Good morning, Tim,” she said in an upbeat tone as he approached her. “Morning,” Tim replied avoiding any eye contact. He wasn't in any mood to deal with her. He closed his office door behind him which he rarely does. Normally, he kept his door open, it was his way of keeping an eye on Ramona. Today he wanted privacy.

  He placed his briefcase beside his desk and checked his voicemail for messages. No new messages, the automated voice told him. That was a relief, he desired a quiet morning, free from any disruptions. He had little time to review the presentation notes. Tim checked his email, he recalled receiving a message from Suzette the day before. He slowly scrolled through his inbox, he came upon one from Gordon. His friend had a bad habit of sending messages to both his personal and business email address. He said he never knew which one would be checked first, so he sent messages to both. Tim read the email once more before deleting it. He wasn’t angry that the investigation on Ramona had to come to a halt because he understood Gordon had other clients. He would have to find another way to eradicate her from his life.

  Three knocks on this office door disrupted his thoughts before he could say anything Ramona emerged with a mug in her hand. “Here’s a hot cup of coffee,” she said with a grin so wide Tim grew suspicious. “You never bring me coffee, why now?” he asked. Ramona placed the mug on the desk and handed him packets of sugar. “Well, you looked like you were having a rough morning. So, I thought a cup of freshly brewed coffee would relax you.” Tim pushed the mug to the right side of his desk, he refused to drink anything made with her hands.

  “What’s got you in a good mood?” he asked.

  Ramona ignored his question, instead, she sat in the chair facing his desk crossing her sexy well-toned legs. With every movement, her black mini skirt hiked further up her thigh, allowing the straps of her black garter belt to peek through. There was a time seeing her provocatively dressed would turn him on. Not anymore, he only saw her as a worthless slut that uses her body to get what she wants. “I see you completed all the spreadsheets and reports I needed. But, I can't find the email Suzette sent me. I know that I saw it yesterday,” said Tim.

  “Maybe you moved it to another folder,” replied Ramona.

  “I didn't open it or move it anywhere. It's not a big deal. Can you have her send another copy right away?”

  “Sure. Anything else?”

  “No, that's all for now.”

  Ramona left and within ten minutes he received an email from Suzette. He checked to verify everything was in order and it was. He spent most of the morning preparing for the presentation and asked for no interruptions unless it was a complete emergency. At exactly 12:01 Ramona knocked on the door to notify him he had an urgent call on line two. Tim picked up the receiver on his phone. “Goddamnit, Tim! Did you see the email?” It was Robert Polinsky, one of the board members, shouting into the phone.

  “Bob, what are you talking about? What email?”

  “There was an email sent to the entire company, including the board of directors. Read it and then meet me in the boardroom in twenty minutes. I called an emergency meeting.”

  Tim opened the email listed at the top of his inbox, in the subject line it said Dirty Secrets Revealed, no sender listed. Tim opened the message, he read it slowly to himself and with each word read he felt an additio
nal knot form in the pit of his stomach.

  The email stated: Tim Lansing, the man who has made a name for himself in the financial business world has a dirty secret. He has paid millions of dollars in hush money to women he has sexually harassed. These women were co-workers he preyed upon until he destroyed and dismantled their lives hoping that a fat check would bury his sins.

  There was a copy of the confidential agreement showing he had paid off his former secretary, several pictures of him with women in compromising positions on the job, and lastly the video of Ramona and him having sex in his office. Of course, nobody knows it’s her. “That bitch!” he muttered, slamming his fist onto his desk. Tim sprung from his chair and frantically paced the floor of his office back and forth. Think.....think Tim, what do I do? How do I get out of this mess? He called Gordon but got voicemail. Damn it!!! He checked his watch, and he had twelve minutes before the board meeting. He continued to ponder a strategy out of this nightmare when he heard his office door open. He turned around and Ramona stood in the doorway with a satisfied look on her face. The sight of her caused immense rage to rise within him, he grabbed her by the throat, pulling her into the office. He slammed the door closed.

  “What's the matter, Tim? Your extracurricular activities finally caught up with you,” Ramona said, mockingly.

  “Shut up!! I know it was you that did this, we had a deal. I held up my end but I should've known I couldn't trust a whore with anything,” he said pushing her down in the chair.

  “We had a deal until you doubled crossed me!” spat Ramona.

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “You paid Gordon Bishop, your attorney, to investigate me! What did you find? My juvie record? So what, I used to shoplift here and there. That's nothing compared to what you've done.”

  “I know who you really are and I know about the connection between your father and Tami,” said Tim enjoying every moment of removing that smug look on her face.