Page 97 of Scarred Ruin

Admitting he was right wasn’t something I usually did. Only not just to him. “Then what do you suggest?”

“Well, you could always ply her with gifts.”

“The flowers didn’t impress her.”

“Then try jewelry. You need to do something to get your mind back on business. Between the vendetta and now worrying about what Stonewall might do, your mental bandwidth is shot. Adding your depraved cravings for a woman you keep insisting isn’t that important has created a monster. You’re going to snap and when you do, God help the citizens of Charleston.”

He pushed off, heading to his car. “What if jewelry doesn’t work?”

Spinning on his heel, he walked backward while answering. “Then you could always try apologizing and oh, I don’t know, communicating with her as a woman instead an employee under your thumb.”

In an uncharacteristic move, I loudly expressed my frustration.

To which, with his back to me, he lifted his arm and promptly offered me the finger.

CHAPTER 20

Isabel

“Your work is very impressive, Miss Dayne.”

“I’m glad you approve.” I was much more nervous than I’d intended on being talking with the woman considered one of the most highly respected in the field of cancer research. She was also on the trust board for the investors of the unnamed medical facility I was working on.

She stood in her office staring at the latest sketches, one of them being the onsite laboratory and training campus, the latter part her suggestion. “It will be good to have both research and training abilities in one location. That will significantly improve the care we can provide. You’ve done your homework.”

“Yes, well, I also had some experience spending time in hospitals.”

As she turned to face me, she eyed me strangely. “You don’t remember me. Do you?”

My mind ran through her professional resume. Dr. Kelly Platt had retired from her work with the National Institute of Health five years before, taking an adjunct position at the Medical University of South Carolina in the heart of Charleston.

“I’m not certain what you’re getting at.”

“I was one of your sister’s physicians. Given you were very young, you likely wouldn’t remember. Plus, I wasn’t in charge of the team. I’m very sorry we couldn’t save her.”

“She was my everything. My little companion.”

“I remember. She needed someone by her side and I know your mother was struggling as any mother does when their child is hurting. And with your father’s work, I know it was hard to keep the family going.”

“Yes, she was very torn apart. She tried to keep things going, but Callista’s illness was difficult. I’m sorry I don’t remember you. I was just trying to play big sister. What I do remember was how stark the environment and how frightening everything was.”

“I can imagine. How’s your other sister? What was her name? Genevieve.”

“Yes.” I was shocked with how many patients the doctor had worked with over the years and the time that had transpired that she remembered my sister’s name. Genevieve had barely come to the hospital. “We really don’t talk any longer. She cut me out of her life.”

“I’m so sorry. That’s a shame. I’m certain you’re aware that you were hand selected for the position.”

“Does that mean you had something to do with it?”

She laughed. “Let’s just say when you insisted on brightening Callista’s room with a truckload of items all while providing your thoughts on why everything was poorly spaced in the room, I knew you’d eventually have something to do with the medical field. When your firm and your name was mentioned, it made sense.”

“Yes, Mr. Aristov is very… determined.”

Another laugh. “That’s one way of putting it. From what I’ve heard, you have an excellent relationship with the man.”

There was something very odd about the look in her eyes. “We are friendly.” Was she alluding to more?

I could tell she was debating sharing something with me. “This isn’t my place, Ms. Dayne.”