Albert spent the whole night outside their villa, waiting, but he never expected the two of them to come back from somewhere else. He had no idea when they’d even left. All he wanted was to see Dorothea face to face and get some answers. He knew that afternoon in the attic meant a lot to both of them. He’d had so many chances to figure out Dorothea was the girl from back then, but every single time, he managed to mess it up himself.
His chest ached with regret, but he just couldn’t let it go. So what if he’d only managed a kiss on her cheek? He refused to believe he’d lost his place in Dorothea’s heart.
But instead of Dorothea, Albert only managed to wait long enough for a traffic cop to find him.
“Sir, you can’t park here. If you don’t move, I’ll have to give you a ticket.”
“Go ahead. I’m not moving.”
The officer glared at him, not hiding his annoyance. “You need to leave. Now.”
“Why are you watching that house anyway?”
Albert could guess this cop was probably someone Latham sent just to make things difficult for him. He started the car and stepped on the gas, pulling away fast. Latham couldn’t keep Dorothea under lock and key forever. Sooner or later, Albert would find a way to see her.
...
Dorothea didn’t know any of this. She’d only said she had to get to work as an excuse. The truth was, she just didn’t want to ride with Latham.
“Grandma, let me wheel you out into the yard so you can get some sun. We’ll chat for a bit, then I’ll head to work.”
Pauline smiled. “If you’re in such a rush, why not let Latham drive you?”
Dorothea fumbled for an answer. “Oh, Grandma, my manager just texted and told me to hurry up.”
Pauline didn’t push her. That awkward kiss goodbye this morning was probably just for her benefit too, but Pauline didn’t mind. She was happy to play along with them.
“Mamie, honestly, you didn’t have to come today,” Tina said as they walked in.
Mamie just smiled. “I know, but Raymond asked me, so it would look bad if I didn’t show.”
At events like this, the bureau actually preferred company reps to attend. Finance people knew tax law, but too many business owners didn’t, and they were the ones who tried to get around the rules. The more clearly the bureau explained things, the better chance those owners would stop trying to find loopholes.
Mamie was an executive, so it made sense for her to be there.
She had just parked her car when she realized she’d pulled in next to the bureau chief’s vehicle. She didn’t really know him, but Domingo greeted her with a big smile.
“You must be Mamie, right? I’ve heard Raymond mention you. You all are one of our major taxpayers.”

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