Page 56 of The Wrong Husband

Her face became stern and blank. "Maybe because you weren't."

". I told you that I'm always available to Emilia. And the fact is that you never let me know she even came by, Devi. That's not like you. Em's done nothing to you. So, I can't understand why you've been treating her so badly."

I wanted to scream at Devi. I really did. Emilia didn't deserve what she'd been put through. Because of me her whole life had turned upside down.

Devi took a deep breath. "How the hell do you want me to feel? Bianca is devasted about…she's so…she's broken."

I wanted to call bullshit on that. If she was so broken what the fuck was she doing in Matt Stanton's apartment this past weekend? Talking world fucking politics?

"And how is that Emilia's fault?"

"She stole you away from Bianca, Damian."

I inclined my head. "You've known me for a while, do I look like someone who can be stolen?”

"Bianca mentioned that Emilia has always been like this. She stole a boyfriend from her when they were younger. She caught them in bed."

I wanted to wring Bianca's neck for cooking up stories. No fucking way Emilia would steal anything from anyone. And like hell she caught my virgin wife in bed with some other man.

"Let's get one thing clear. You disrespect my wife even with a glance ever again, I'll fire you."

Devi gasped.

"I find out you're the reason her team harassed her while she was working here, I'll fire you."

Devi put a hand to her heart, and I saw guilt was written all over face.

"What the fuck, Devi?"

She just shook her head. "I…your mother…Bianca. I…I did what I thought they wanted."

"You work for me. Not my mother or Bianca. Where the fuck are your loyalties?"

"With you," she cried out. "Always with you, Damian. I was trying to help you get rid of your wife."

I couldn’t believe what she'd just said. Get rid of my wife? Who the fuck did she think she was to do that?

"I would like your resignation on my desk by the end of the day. I'll talk to Pablo and make sure you get three months' severance."

"You're going to let me go because of a woman you're already planning to divorce?" Devi challenged.

"What the fuck?"

Devi's eyes flashed with triumph. "Yeah, I know you're divorcing her. I know because Mrs. Archer had printed out the divorce document and the NDA in the copy room. I found them and thankfully no one else did. I told Mrs. Archer. Didn't she tell you?"

I slammed a fist on my table and saw Devi flinch. After all the effort I'd put into keeping familial matters private, my mother had basically opened Pandora's box. I knew Mom. She did what she did so people would know that I was divorcing Emilia. So, Bianca would know.

"She's my wife. She's an Archer. She was being bullied by her colleagues, Devi, by you, for no reason." I wanted to pound something hard. I tasted guilt in my mouth, and it was bitter. "Now, get out and get the whole art restoration team into the Degas conference room. I'd like you to stay for the meeting as the last thing you do at Archer Galleries."

Devi stomped out and I called Pablo; told him to get his ass into my office. I wanted him with me when I ripped the team that had treated Emilia badly a new one.

Jimmy was a nice guy. I knew from Pablo, he thought Emilia was good at her job. She worked hard and did work that took people ten hours in three. But that hadn't stopped him from giving her a hard time.

All ten people from Jimmy's team were seated in the conference room. Devi stood at the very back and Pablo was with me at the head of the table.

"Thank you all for coming here." I didn't sit. I was furious. I knew I should calm down, but I couldn’t. I'd done this to Emilia, made her a target. She had been living her life and I'd fucking rained hell on her.

I saw Duncan step into the conference room. He nodded at me. I had no idea what he thought was happening, but I knew my brother would always be on my side, even if I was in the wrong.