Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 127

"So, what are you suggesting? I date Ashlee?"

Helen gave me a look that didn't need any words.

"Seriously?"

"You should invite her to Vegas."

"Fuck nol"

"Marcus-"

"I'm leaving town to get away from all of this! I'm not taking it with me!"

"It's a good opportunity to isolate her," Chloe sald. "Cartwright and Roger won't be around."

I looked at Chloe like she had just stabbed me in the back. She simply shrugged at me.

"Chandler's here," Erin said, looking at her phone. "I need to go get him. Want me to bring him to your office?."

"Yeah," I said sullenly..

"I'll come with you," Helen said. She gave me a look. "Think about it, Marcus."

Erin gave me a piteous smile as she brushed by me and trailed Helen out the door, leaving me with Chloe and Psalter.

"Henry, can you keep an eye on Helen while I'm gone?" I said as soon as the door shut behind her.

"Certainly," he replied. "Is there anything specific you're interested in knowing?"

"I just want to make sure she's being above board with me."

"And the girl?"

"Ashlee?" I asked. I looked at Chloe for guidance but got nothing from her except a stone-faced expression. "Maybe. I'll let you know.

After saying my goodbyes to the investigator, I returned to my empty office. A few minutes later, Erin entered, followed by Chandier and Helen. Chandler Grayson was all smiles as he walked in, bright grey eyes wandering and taking in the typical vibes it gave off. Considering I'd just bought an apartment and an airplane, the office decor at the Dunbar building wasn't exactly high on my list of priorities and still looked like any random office you might see in marketing stock photos.

"Hello again, Mr. Upton! Lovely to see you again!" he said, stepping forward and extending his hand to me.

I stood up and grasped it, smiling back at him despite all my frustrations. I had only met Grayson once, but that was enough to decide I liked him; his friendly demeanor, easy smile, and bouncing gate made him seem more like a lovable uncle than a high-level executive of one of the most successful companies in the US. The fact that Helen trusted him made it all the easier.

"Chandler," I said and gestured at him to have a seat, "It's good to see you again."

Unlike Psalter, he didn't give me some weird story about murdering priests and altar boys before resolving to never sit in the presence of others again, which was another point in the likable column. He unbuttoned his suit jacket and took a seat as he thanked me. I sat behind my desk while Helen and Erin both took the couch. Fortunately, the smell of sex from earlier had faded to almost nothing.

"I'm terribly sorry I didn't get a chance to speak to you after yesterday's interview with Mrs. Lyons," Chandler said. "You did rather well, considering you're a new hand at this sort of game."

"Thanks," I said with a nod of gratitude. "There's no need to apologize. I saw how busy you were. Everyone wanted a piece of you after it was over."

"No doubt," he said. "Yunger was quite taken aback by the change in the messaging, but he's an old pushover. He'll fret and fuss but ultimately fall in line. I dare say you're going to give poor Mrs. Rodriguez a bald batch if you keep this up." When he noticed my apparent confusion, he clarified. "The communications director up there with us. I don't think you've had a chance to make her acquaintance yet."

"Hopefully, I won't give her any other reasons to pull out her hair. Listen, Chandler... Helen filled me in on the situation with the new CEO. Apparently, there's a push to bring on someone named Kelly Maddox?"

"Er... yes," Chandler said, shooting a look at Helen.

"And you don't trust her?"

"Not particularly," he said. "How much has Helen told you?"

"Just the high-level stuff. I know my grandfather had his hands in all sorts of things and that you probably have a better idea than most what those are."

"I'd like to think so.. at least to an extent," Chandler said.

"So he trusted you more than most?"

Chandler snorted. "I should say not. Colin Gerrard wouldn't have trusted his own mother, let alone anyone who worked for him."

"Doesn't mean anything if she was a horrible person," I countered.

"The woman was an absolute saint," he retorted without missing a beat. "Anyway, Colin didn't trust anyone with the full picture of what he was involved in. He had everything thoroughly compartmentalized in a confusing network. Maddox knew some of it, as did I. At one time, his brother was a key player in Colin's machinations. I'm quite convinced he handled some of Colin's shadier ventures. Truth be told, he was likely the closest thing your grandfather had to a friend and valued confidante."

"They were close?"

"Indeed."

"Not close enough to keep him out of prison like he did for this Cartwright guy."

Any good mood still in Chandler's expression vanished. "Charles Cartwright?"

"Yeah. You know him?"