The Perfect Charade - PORDEE

6.1

Michelle

Day Two

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Subject: Itinerary Change + Your Family ...

Michelle,

Watson would like to join you and "Mrs. Dee" at your family's house as an overnight guest for a few days this week, since all hotels are booked. I told him you already said yes, so you're welcome.

ALSO: I thought you said you wanted to take pictures with Anntonia today? Why did you text me that you don't want to do it until tomorrow?

Email me back ASAP.

Kate
Special Advisor of the CEO of Dee Industries

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Subject: From Your Mom ... Again :-)

Michelle!

I can't believe it takes you getting engaged to come home to see us! I'm sure your father is looking down and shaking his head in utter disbelief since (between you and me) he didn't think you would ever get married.

Anyway, as I told you before, the house will be ready for you, your guests, and your lovely fiancée tomorrow. We've added two new additions that we can't wait to show you. Oh, and your brother has installed bear nets around the property to keep the paparazzi as far away as possible.

I'm really looking forward to meeting your future wife! In fact, I'm avoiding all news reports, and I'm not talking about the occasion with anyone here, so I can size her up for myself.

Love you and see you soon,

Mom

PS—I'm sure I'll love her, whoever she is, but ... a part of me is hoping it's your EA, Anntonia ...

PSS—Is it Anntonia? :)

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It's way too early for this shit ...

I closed my inbox and got out of bed. I walked over to my bedroom windows and pulled the drapes open, catching the sun's slow rise above mountains.

The only thing on my agenda today was making sure that everything back in New York was running smoothly and that the other deals with the non-intrusive and non-family-oriented CEOs were still going through as planned.

Out of habit, I did the first thing I did any other morning—scrolled down to Anntonia's name and called her.

"Yes?" she answered on the first ring.

"At what point can I expect the morning updates?" I looked at my watch. "Do you want to give them to me on the balcony or in the living room?"

"Excuse me?"

"We talked about this," I said. "I made it perfectly clear that just because we're engaged doesn't mean that you don't have to do any work. So, do you want to give me the morning updates on the balcony or in the living room?"

She hung up in my face.

She didn't answer my calls or my text messages for the rest of the day.