Business Proposal

Violet POV

Bereft, I clenched my teeth. How did Jayden manage to talk to me? Wasn’t he lodged in a prison? Was Martha sitting with him?

When I didn’t reply, he continued, “How’ve you been?”

Taking a deep breath in, I said, “I am well, Jayden.”

“Good to know,” he replied in a calm voice that was anything but calm. It was the voice of a man who wanted revenge.

“Where is Martha?” I didn’t want to talk to him.

“She’s right here. But won’t you ask me how I am?”

“I don’t—”

“I know you aren’t interested, but I insist on telling you, Violet,” he chuckled. “I was in prison because of you. No, because of your fucking boyfriend, Dane Llyod. He used his connections to have me incarcerated. I expected you to support me by speaking the truth, but you chose not to. You know, that was a terrible decision.”

I swallowed saliva down my dry throat. He sounded like a man who had lost his mind.

“Every day I spent in jail, I remembered you,” Jayden sighed. “Not because of how beautiful you a