Page 47 of Royally Redeemed
ELOISE
The day’s goal was to meet Cressida Patterson, our new director. She was possibly the buzziest new documentarian. Known for blending reality-TV style arcs with credibility, I suspected she would go easy on Duncan, give him a glow up, and stay out of the action for the most part. There would be loads of “confessional”-style decamps, no doubt. I hoped she had the skill to bring out the best in him. Thankfully, she was conventionally attractive.
Maybe he’d glom onto her and leave me be? The thought delighted me in one way and surprised me in how it also disappointed. I swore I didn’t want our game and should have appreciated the distraction.
Was that a pang of jealousy?
While Duncan met his people, I prepared a video call that set my world spinning. With Jax out, I flew solo into a stiff wind. I wondered if Abi assumed Jax was acting like a partner while she let her associates do the schmoozing. They were lucky I was so good at this and not just an average junior employee.
Jax called from a place I didn’t recognize.
“Oh, there you are! Can you see me, Eloise?” She asked.
“Yes. I’m here at the palace waiting for Cressida to pitch.”
“Ah, good. It looks posh.”
You’d know if you even would have shown up once!
“It is a palace.” I hid my annoyance.
“I’m here in a yurt! Can you imagine? How amazing is it that we can work from a yurt?”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “That’s wild, yeah. So, about post-Wales. I wanted to?—”
“We can consider that after things wrap and he goes through with it.”
The goalpost kept changing! I couldn’t show how angry I was, but inside I raged.
Stay cool, Eloise. You don’t need to let her see you sweat. This is a negotiation.
“Are you saying you are taking back what you promised with the promotion and pay rise?” I asked, voice controlled but serious.
“Well, I think it’s more appropriate to do that after he returns and I can say you delivered?—”
“My delivery was in getting him to sign for the documentary. I did that. I used everything I had and more to get him there. I did the impossible, quite frankly.”
“Oh, you did what wasexpectedof you.”
No, I can assure it was far more than that!
“Well, let’s talk about it next week when you are in office.”
It was yet another thing dangled before me. I beat down my disappointment.What had I done this for?
I listened to Jax drone on about her latest smoothie affliction, then hung up. I stared off into the distance, shaken by the realization I had nothing if I didn’t have a written promise. And when would she give that to me? Potentially never.
I fought tears and told myself this was the signal I needed. I deserved better than this dead end. If I was doing the work of a partner, I deserved at least a senior role. I was young but very good at my job. I should have a title that matched my work and a studio of my own. If she wouldn’t see it, I would find something else.
“Miss Mills?” A courtier approached. “We’re moving to the meeting.”
I nodded. “Great.”
I closed my laptop, tucked it in my purse and followed.
I mentally updated my CV as we moved to yetanotherdrawing room to meet Cressida. I needed Duncan as a good reference, so I had to stick it out a bit longer. I also needed a new paystub to land a proper flat. I wondered if I could assume work as a dominatrix to beef up my savings. At this point, I’d rather make men crawl than do the work of two. How was it any worse than this? I left any saintly reality behind.
As I was chuckling to myself about how ridiculous and desperate it was that I would consider eventhatto get out of this job and get a livable place, Duncan, ghostly pale, appeared.
