He Waited She Wilted (Ottilie and Yorath) novel Chapter 112

"I ran into Mr. Schmidt at the plaza earlier, and he gave it to me."

Ottilie had already made up her mind—next time she saw Lachlan, she would suggest he wear a different cologne.

"What is it?" Yorath tapped his finger against the wrapping.

"I don't know, I haven't opened it yet."

"Open it now."

"There's no need. Bringing it back was just a polite formality. I left it there and forgot to throw it out."

Yorath nodded, standing up, and tossed it straight into the trash can.

"Does this handle it?"

"It does." She didn't spare the gift a single glance.

He stepped closer, lifting a strand of her hair and twirling it around his finger.

"Tilly, Lachlan is not a good man. Stay away from him."

She smiled but said nothing.

Were there any good men in this industry?

There were only permanent interests.

Only what you could grasp in your own two hands was real.

Ottilie took a shower, then spread a makeshift bed out on the floor.

Yorath sat on the edge of the mattress, watching her work.

Once she was done, he shifted closer, sitting on the side of the bed nearest to her.

"I said I was going to give you a car. Why haven't you contacted Soren?"

"I don't need one right now," she replied.

His money wasn't something you could spend freely.

For every cent she took, he would demand ten times that amount back in flesh.

He didn't say another word, simply lying down with his back to her.

Ottilie sat on the floor for a moment before reaching up to kill the lights.

The next morning.

When she woke up, Yorath was already gone.

The trash can was completely empty.

Ottilie sent a text to Lachlan.

{The clothes were sacrificed.}

He replied instantly, {I'll send you another set.}

He didn't ask for an address or a phone number.

While handing out flyers at the plaza, a courier delivered the new clothes to her.

He looked entirely too pleased with himself.

"You find this thrilling, don't you?"

He couldn't hold it back anymore and burst out laughing.

"Just thinking about the fact that we're going behind his back, doing God knows what right next door, and he has absolutely no idea... it adds years to my life."

She couldn't relate to his brand of joy.

Knowing Yorath was right next door was going to take years off hers.

"Can I back out now?"

"Absolutely not. I've assembled a whole team for you. If you don't go, you might as well forget about ever making it in this industry."

She kept her mouth shut after that.

They arrived before Yorath's group.

Inside the private dining room sat some of the most renowned directors in the entertainment industry.

Lachlan guided Ottilie to a seat and began introducing her.

No one really knew much about her before this; most hadn't even heard her name.

But after *Echoes of Antiquity* premiered, rumors about her had spread like wildfire.

Most of them had heard the whispers and knew she belonged to Yorath.