Chapter 8

I was a mess, throwing up in the bathroom. The liquor burned as it went down, and my already aching stomach twisted in even more pain.

I swallowed a couple of pills without thinking and stepped out.

A tall figure blocked my path at the end of the hallway. Hendrick put out his cigarette and walked toward me.

“Chloe, do you want that contract?”

The strong smell of smoke made me take a step back. That was when I realized that it was the first time I had ever seen Hendrick smoking.

He’d always been reckless, but he had never touched cigarettes, only alcohol. Back then, he had a unique scent, like citrus but more bitter.

The smell of smoke grew stronger as he pinned me against the wall.

I looked up at him, my eyes still red from throwing up.

“Hendrick, what’s the point of asking questions when you already know the answer?”

He stared at me, looking stunned.

“I can give you that project.”

A flicker of hope sparked inside me. Maybe he was not as heartless as I thought.

“But you hav