Chapter 8 Violet, Do I Need to Come Down and Get You? Chapter 8 Violet, Do I Need to Come Down and Get You? Violet headed to the law firm first thing in the morning. "Violet, you're finally here. The boss is fuming today, waiting for you to put out the fire. Lily and Sean botched their case in court yesterday," her assistant, Thea Vega, whispered in her ear. Violet flashed an OK sign and knocked on the meeting room door. "Come in." She pushed the door open and saw Lily West and Sean Woods looking frustrated, while Victor Gray's face was stern, clearly too angry to speak. "Violet, you're here. How did the first hearing go for the SilverTech Capital guarantee contract dispute you handled yesterday?" Violet sat down. "Boss, the first hearing went smoothly. The opposing counsel is open to a settlement." "Good. You two should learn from Violet. Maybe then I wouldn't need blood pressure meds every day. Alright, you two, out. Violet, stay." Violet took a deep breath. "Boss, there's something I'd like to discuss." Victor, always patient with his top lawyer, nodded. "Go ahead." The legal advisory contract with Pinnacle Entertainment expires at the end of the month. I'd like to hand it over to either Sean or Lily afterward. What do you think?" Pinnacle Entertainment was a subsidiary of the Braxton Group, run by Gavin himself. Since they'd broken up, Violet wanted no ties left with him. Victor frowned slightly. "Pinnacle Entertainment was your client. Now you want to pass it off? Violet, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Pinnacle might not be a big deal, but the Braxton Group behind it was a goldmine. Victor had called Violet in today, hoping to explore connections with Braxton Group's top execs. If their firm could land even one piece of the Braxton Group's main business, it'd bring in massive revenue. Violet's engagement to Gavin was only known in elite circles; outsiders in New York's high society had no clue about her ties to the Braxton family, let alone that she was the heiress of Miller Tech, "Boss, I know what I'm saying. To be honest, I got the Pinnacle Entertainment contract because my ex-boyfriend pulled strings. Now that we've split, it's not appropriate for me to stay on." Victor was stunned. This was the first he'd heard of her boyfriend being tied to Pinnacle. "Weren't you two getting married?" Violet gave a bitter smile. "Not anymore." Victor mulled it over, tapping the desk. "Fine. When it expires, I'll handle the new contact myself!" The morning flew by, and Violet didn't realize it was already 11:30 until she wrapped up. Her phone screen showed no messages from Gavin. She gave a wry smile, not surprised. Chapter 8 Violet, Do I Need to Come Down and Get You? "Violet, you sticking with your usual light lunch? You're already so slim, no way you're worried about fitting into a wedding dress," a colleague teased. Violet's almond-shaped eyes curved with a smile. "No more dieting. What are you all eating? I'm joining you." Someone chuckled, "Whoa, Violet's breaking her three-month streak?" "Not breaking anything. Just no need for a wedding dress anymore. Let's go, or we'll be stuck waiting for the elevator." Her colleagues exchanged glances. No wedding dress? Wasn't she getting married this month? Gavin had stayed up until dawn chatting with Luna, his dearest sister. He'd slept on the couch, with Luna just thirty feet away in her bedroom, yet he felt oddly at peace. When he woke, it was already noon. Only then did Gavin remember he'd promised Violet they'd get their marriage license today. He expected a barrage of angry texts from her, but when he checked his phone, there wasn't a single message from her-just a few from his buddies. Gavin rubbed his temples and got up. Not wanting to disturb the still-sleeping Luna, he left a note and rushed back to Harborview Heights. Gavin pushed open the front door in a hurry. "Sir, you're back," Margaret greeted. Gavin scanned the room. "Where's Violet? Still asleep?" Margaret hesitated. "She's probably on a business trip." Another trip? He'd told her they were going to the city hall today. But he also felt a slight relief. If he'd really missed their appointment twice, she'd never let him hear the end of it. Gavin tossed his coat on the couch, asking casually, "Did she say when she's back?" Margaret faltered, unsure how to respond. Was she supposed to say Violet said she was never coming back? "Uh, sir, she didn't say. Maybe give her a call? She didn't look too good when she left." Gavin thought back to last night. He'd given her a gift-what was she still mad about? Going on a trip without a word? He's the one who should be pissed! "Yeah, got it." Margaret saw him brush it off without calling and sighed inwardly. Would this marriage even happen? Violet took a break to drop off the necklace at a resale shop. "Ma'am, this is brand new. You sure you want to part with it? Even new, I can't pay you retail price." Chapter 8 Violet, Do I Need to Come Down and Get You? Violet smiled faintly. "No worries. Just give me what you can." The shop owner inspected it, punched numbers into a calculator, and offered, "$70,000, max." "Tine, $70,000. Here's my account number for the transfer." "Done! Hey, if you've got more brand new stuff to sell, I'll give you a better deal next time!" Next time? Violet shook her head. "There won't be a next time." The shop was in an alley, so Violet had parked her red car at the restaurant next door. But as she approached, she saw a dent in her car door. A note was tucked under the wiper: [Sorry, my driver accidentally hit your car. No emergency contact was left. Please call me when you see this.J The handwriting was neat, masculine. Violet dialed the number on the note, and the voice on the other end nearly stopped her heart. That familiar tone, cool and detached. Violet's almond eyes narrowed. "Mr. Braxton?" A brief pause, then, "Violet." The man seemed to realize something. "Was that red car yours?" Violet gave a resigned smile. "Yeah. It's fine, Mr. Braxton. You don't need to pay for it. I'll get it fixed at my next maintenance." "I'm at the tea house right in front of you. Come up to the second floor." Violet gave an awkward laugh. "Heh, Mr. Braxton, I don't need to come up, do I?" After a moment's silence, the man spoke slowly. "Violet, do I need to come down and get you?" Violet fell silent for a moment. "I'm coming up now." (0) (0)