Chapter 176

Esther was upset for a few days after. She put on a brave face for the world, acting like everything was fine. She’s a tough woman, even when she doesn’t need to be. Like when she’s with Miles.

Yet even with him, she says that she’s fine, or that she just needs some distraction. She’ll claim to leave the lights on in the hallways so the girls won’t be scared, but the girls aren’t even home. Miles doesn’t stay over on the nights Esther has her daughters, not wanting to confuse them.

“I think I’d like to go visit my family today after work,” Esther tells Miles later, while they are both in his office, after having a legitimate meeting about the events coming up.

There’s one event Miles purposefully left of the agenda, and while he was surprised Esther didn’t notice, he’s pleased as well. Maybe she thinks he wouldn’t attend such as the donor mixer tonight simply because Edward is going to be there. Under different circumstances, she’d be right.

But, after hearing all that Edward has done to the woman that Miles cares more for than any other, Miles wants to meet this man for himself. He’ll have to contain his rage. It will take everything within him not to punch this guy right in the face.

Somehow, he will manage. He won’t make a scene.

He simply wants to look his enemy in the eyes.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Miles tells her. “Perhaps Thea will feel like talking.”

Esther nods sadly. She’s been upset about her sister. Miles thinks Thea is a wretch for what she did to Esther, but Esther has a bigger heart than him. She wants to forgive and forget. For Esther’s sake, Miles will attempt the forgiveness part. He’ll never be able to forget.

“I’ll have a car take you,” Miles says.

“I can drive myself,” she says.

Miles nods. He knows she doesn’t like to be alone, which is why he offered the car and driver. But he won’t press her if she feels she can do it on her own. She’s so capable, she’d tell him she’s going on a day trip to the moon and back, and he’d probably believe her. He’d worry, but he’d believe her.

He kisses her before she can fully escape his grasp. She smiles against his lips, so he knows she’s okay deep down.

It’s difficult, remembering. He too has some memories that he’s kept hidden.

“Call me if you need me,” he says. Even if he’s at the mixer, he’ll bail at once at the first sign of trouble from Esther.

“I’ll be fine,” she says.

She has no idea the power she has over him. Anything in the world that she wants, he would work tirelessly to give to her.

But that’s Esther. She doesn’t ask for anything. She just works to earn it for herself.

After work, Miles waits for Esther to drive away, then he signals for his car. He has had help in his little deception tonight. An aide named Crystal has been helping him with everything, and knows to keep Esther in the dark about it, though doesn’t fully know why.

Crystal is a hard worker who doesn’t ask many questions. In this case, Miles likes that about her.

“Mr. Zimmer’s team is aware that you accepted the invitation,” she says, reading notes off of her phone. “So you can anticipate he will approach you.”

“Good,” Miles says. He checks himself in the reflection of the glass of the door.

“Uh… Are you prepared to face him?” Crystal asks. She seems nervous, as she should. She’s trying to fill Esther’s usual role right now. Not something easily done.

“I’ll think of it in the moment,” Miles says.

Crystal frowns. “Sir, I’m not sure that –”

“Your car is here,” one of the security guards tells him.

Miles turns to Crystal. “You’ve done good work, Crystal. I know who is going to be there and generally what to expect because of you. Now let’s see to the main event.”

Crystal nods.

Together they leave the office.

The Donor Mixer is at an extravagant hotel, in their expensively decorated banquet hall. Golden curtains hang over the windows. A crystal chandelier hangs down from the center of the room. A table with food sits near a champagne fountain.

Edward Zimmer stands near the fountain, holding high his flute of champagne. He has a sea of supporters around him, hanging on his every word.

“It seems as if most of your supporters are hanging out on this side of the room,” Crystal says from beside Miles, pointing him toward the side opposite the champagne fountain. Miles glances and recognizes a few friendly faces. Most of them are already large donors to his campaign.

Curiously, this mixer was to put the donors of both parties in one place, to help promote unity and bipartisanism, after the nation has been so divided for so long.

A fine idea, in principal. But with how the room is so distinctly separated, it doesn’t seem as if that has translated into reality.

Not wishing to be rude, Miles does follow Crystal over to where his donors are. He spends time talking and mingling among them, doing his best to charm them and keep them happy and laughing.

All the while, his eyes are on Edward, waiting to get him alone.

“I think he’s too loud,” one of Miles’s donors says of Edward.

“He is charming though, in a way,” says another, with a lowered voice, as if they are hoping Miles wouldn’t hear. “And the charity work is nice…”

The charity work would have been nice if it hadn’t been a front for horrendous child exploitation and abuse. Miles can’t say that though, as much as he wants to. His hands are tied without proof.

Then, finally, Edward steps to the side, away from the main of the pack, and Miles starts forward, ready to talk to him. Edward lifts a brow at his approach, but then smiles.

“Representative Miles Hamilton, I’ve been looking forward to making your acquaintance.”

Edward holds out a hand. Miles wants to ignore it, but he’s very aware of the many cameras trained on him in this moment, waiting for a perfect photo opp. If he ignores Edward, who is so beloved, he will end up looking like the asshole, not Edward.

Internally begrudging, but outwardly smooth as ever, Miles grabs Edward’s hand and gives a firm shake.

“A solid handshake says a lot about a person,” Edward says.

Edward has a strong grip too. Neither man seems to want to be the first to let go.

Edward does, after a moment, but only because Crystal, following Miles, moved too close.

“Back up,” Edward snaps at her. His smile disappears, become a vicarious scowl in a half-second. “You are in the picture.”

Crystal flushes with embarrassment as she takes a few step back.

“Where did you find this one, Miles?” Edward asks, overly friendly. His smile is back, after having a momentary flash of rage. “Maybe you should send her back.”

“She is a competent member of my staff, and I would appreciate if you wouldn’t use that tone when speaking to her, or to anyone, for that matter.”

Edward smiles wider. “Women should know their place, Miles. Surely we can agree on that.”

“I think not,” Miles tells him, even as he flashes his own smile for the camera.

It’s everything Miles can do not to punch this asshole right in the face.

Beneath that friendly façade lies a monster. How many other women has he hurt? How many is he hurting right now?

Miles notices Edward keeps glancing at Crystal, and it makes his stomach turn. Crystal is younger than Miles, basically straight out of college. She’s one of Esther’s favorites in the office, a hard worker who is sure to go places.

No way she’s going anywhere with Edward.

It was wrong for Miles to have brought her tonight, he can see it now. If he needed someone, he should have brought an older man instead.

Crystal shouldn’t have to face that kind of situation, but knowing what Miles does about Edward, he’s afraid she will tonight.

Miles signals for his security. “If you’ll excuse me,” he tells Edward, then hurrying to Crystal, leads her to the safety of his security.

“I’m sorry I embarrassed you…” she starts.

“Listen to me,” Miles tells her. “Never be alone with Edward Zimmer.”