Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 58

“So. Ms. March, what you are saying is that as long as I cough up enough dough, you’re down for letting your ex–mother–in–law warm up to Cecilia?”

I was not sure if it was just me, but it felt like Hogan’s voice went up a couple of decibels when he said that.

I kept it real and said, “Depends on how much you are willing to shell out.”

If the price was right, pride could take a hike, right?

A chuckle came through the receiver. “Xaviera, you better walk the talk.”

He was probably questioning my allegiance as a business partner.

After a few seconds of thought, I cheekily asked, “So, what’s the offer, Mr. Zade?”

The line went dead silent.

I thought the call dropped, but a quick glance at my phone screen showed we were still connected.

I figured the capitalist on the other end was crunching numbers, so I didn’t sweat it and just chilled.

After a good while, I heard Hogan say, “If you can get the Zade family to take to Cecilia, I’ll make sure you get a fat reward.”

“How fat? Fat enough to buy a place in Rivertown?”

to have such thick skin after ditching my shame, and after. hesitating for

with that, he

myself for not talking about an advance with Hogan.

unspoken understanding, because moments later, I actually got

“Advance.”

immediately flipped it over to my aunt.

ten at night. Not two minutes later, my aunt

the sudden

beat around the bush, “Just struck a deal.”

“My daughter has been much better recently, hardly any attacks. You

fall and winter. There were a couple of close calls last year, and my aunt was just trying to ease my

egg was never a

swallowed the lump in my throat and made

usual

laptop and stared at

and asked, “Something

so hard with an injured wrist, what if it gets

and said, “It’s just a scratch, no big

to hesitate.

to say, I stopped my work and asked, “What’s up?”

“There’s a dinner tomorrow night, need to bring a