He Waited She Wilted (Ottilie and Yorath) novel Chapter 108

"It's a bad week for me. It's that time of the month," Ottilie replied calmly. "Besides, the contract hasn't even been signed yet."

Yorath just stared at her in deafening silence.

Ottilie maintained her polite, unbothered smile.

It wasn't until he finally turned and walked away that she knew for sure he wouldn't be coming back tonight.

Relieved, she changed the bedsheets and stretched out on the comfortable mattress, thrilled that she wouldn't have to sleep on the hard floor.

Just as she was drifting off, her phone rang. It was Nyssa Tarrant.

"Mrs. Fordham's birthday party is next week," Nyssa chirped. "We should go together!"

"I didn't receive an invitation," Ottilie replied flatly.

"Oh, my gosh, really? I had no idea. I'm so sorry."

"Was there anything else you needed?"

"Well, actually, yes. A while back, Yorath bought us both cars. My burgundy Rolls-Royce Cullinan just got delivered today! I was wondering if yours had arrived yet?"

Ottilie stared up at the peeling, yellowed ceiling of her tiny apartment and let out a dry laugh.

"No, it hasn't. What exactly are you hoping to hear from me, Nyssa? Tell me, and I'll say whatever makes you feel better."

Silence hung on the other end of the line.

When Nyssa didn't answer, Ottilie continued. "Yorath hasn't given me a single thing. He's bored of sleeping with me. He's never going to take me home to meet his family, I'm not getting the movie, and everyone in my life despises me. Is that what you wanted?"

Nyssa hung up.

Ottilie sneered at the phone.

If Nyssa desperately needed to rub her 'victory' in her face, Ottilie was more than happy to play along.

With Yorath gone, Ottilie slept deeply and dreamlessly.

The next morning, she woke up feeling completely refreshed.

At noon, she ran into Lachlan Schmidt near the plaza.

She got into his car, and he immediately said, "You blocked my number."

"I did."

"Why?"

Lachlan rolled down his window. "I poached Henri's former protégé to be your personal stylist. Henri got blacklisted by Yorath, and now Nyssa is the only one willing to hire him. I want you parading his protégé all over town just to piss him off."

Ottilie looked back, offering a small smile, entirely unsure of how to respond.

Lachlan handed a sleek gift box through the window. "This is for you. If you decide to come to the dinner on Monday, wear this."

He didn't point out that she was too broke to afford a proper dress.

He just thoughtfully provided one ahead of time.

Ottilie took it, tucking it under her arm. "Alright. I'll call you when I've made up my mind."

"I know exactly what you're thinking right now," Lachlan said quietly. "You're disgusted by how toxic this industry is. But you know better than anyone that if you walk away now, you'll never have access to these circles again. And the truth about your innocence will stay buried forever."

Ottilie didn't say a word. She just lowered her head and walked away.

Lachlan Schmidt didn't control half the entertainment industry for nothing.

He saw right through her.

He knew exactly what she needed, and he knew exactly how to dangle it in front of her.

When Ottilie returned to her apartment that evening, Yorath was already there.