Sweet Pleasures ✔︎

[26] 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒍

Status : Unedited

❦︎

"Where's the fucking budget report?" Josh snapped.

And what the fuck was wrong with everyone? Why couldn't they do their fucking work and get him the fucking paperwork on fucking time?

"Sir, you just asked Roger for it two hours ago." Kate looked so impacably unmoved that Josh was all the more annoyed. "I'm certain he's working on it."

"Whats taking him so long?"

"He's running the numbers as we speak."

Josh shoved away from the desk, his fists clenching. Why was his executive assistant so calm when there was a wolcano roaring inside him, scorching his veins with lava and burning him to the core? Why were popel acting if nothing was wrong, as if the world hadn't fallen off its axis? Why the fuck was the sun still rising every morning?

Everything should have damn well stopped the second Jupiter Rhoades walked out of his life. No. Flew out of his life, on the way to live her dream in Paris.

She'd been gone by the time he returned from Switzerland. He'd dived straight back into work. Because what else was there?

Countless times he'd reached for his phone, desperate to call her, to hear her voice, but something always stopped him. The truth of his responsibilities. The knowledge that he'd been right to let her go.

Cowardice. Fear.

"I'll call Roger and get you an ETA." Kate strode to the door. "Will there be anything else?"

"Yes. Get me a coffee."

"You don't drink coffee, sir."

"I do now. Black. Not one of those fancy au laits or whatever. Nothing French."

"Yes, sir." Kate pulled open the door and tossed him a glance over her shoulder. "By the way, I forgot to tell you your aunt is on her way up."

Josh ground his teeth gogegher and shot Kate a glare that could have sliced meat.

"You forgot, huh?" he snapped.

Kate blinked, somehow managing to look innocent despite her severe scraped-back hairstyle and crisp black suit. "It completely slipped my mind, Mr. King."

"See that things don't slip your might again," he gritted.

"Yes, sir."

He could have swore she muttered something under her breath as she stepped outside. He heard her talking to Julia, and before he could get to the door and lock it, his aunt entered his office.

"I hear you're terrorizing everyone here to Timkuktu." Julia tossed her handbag onto a chair. "And that your employees are working beyond overtime to get shit done for you."

"I pay them well to do their work," Josh retorted. "What are you doing here?"

"Someone has to tell you you're being an asshole, and everyone else is too scared to confront you," she replied bluntly. "Not to mention that I've gotten half a dozen calls about your association with the inventor of the Declair."

She took out her phone and scrolled through it before turning the screen toward him. Josh took the phone, his chest twisting as he stared at a photo of him and Jupiter standing beside each other at the museum exhibition. Although the phot was grainy and dark, his girl glowed with an iridescent, inner light.

He handed the phone back to his aunt. "There's no association. She's gone."

Jupiter had been gone for exactly one week and three days. The Rainbow Palace was still selling plenty of Declairs to the customers lined up outside every morning, and they had launched online orders through their website. According to Julia, Celementing had delayed her move to help Isabelle settle in, and Jupiter's friends Freya, Tom and Ramona were all now working at the bakery. Everyone had railed to help Jupiter fulfill her dream of going to Paris.