Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 107: Everyone Likes Pete

Although Genevieve wasn’t in the mood to talk to her father, she headed for his study when one of the housekeepers came to inform her that he wanted to see her.

She had been about to go into the bathroom to shower so she could get ready to leave for the hotel to see Jamal when the maid came to get her.

She knew he wanted to talk about her date with Jamal since she had not seen him when she returned the night before, so she had avoided his calls when he called earlier. Seeing how he had sent someone to get her, she could tell he was pretty determined to talk to her.

She took a deep breath before walking into the office, and the moment she saw him, she felt uneasy. She liked him less and less by the day.

”How did it go yesterday with Jamal? I didn’t expect you to come back home last night,” he said before she was even seated.

Genevieve looked at him for a minute, wondering what sort of father he was. He hadn’t even bothered to ask how she was or if she slept well or anything. All he cared about was her date with Jamal.

”It went pretty well,” she said as she took her seat opposite him and crossed both legs in front of her, adjusting her sleeping robe around her.

”Didn’t you try to seduce him? Did you fail?” He asked, and Genevieve winced when she remembered her failure, but it didn’t sting because she also remembered Jamal’s kindness and humor.

”Genny?” Ryan called, and she met his gaze, realizing she had not answered his question.

”I tried. It didn’t work,” she admitted flatly.

”I guess you don’t know how to use your feminine wiles when it matters,” he said, and she shrugged but said nothing. There was no need to.

”What do you think about him? Do you think he might be interested in you? Pete thinks so,” Ryan said, watching her closely.

Genevieve sighed inwardly. ”Pete? Why does Pete think so? Did you ask Pete to watch Jamal?” She asked, pretending not to know.

”He’s only observing Jamal from a man’s point of view. And speaking about Pete, that’s the reason I called you. How much do you know about him?” Ryan asked, and Genevieve narrowed her eyes, wondering why he was asking her that.

”Do I need to know so much about him? My assistant was the one who employed him before you made her quit,” Genevieve said, and Ryan nodded thoughtfully.

”Did you know he could sign?” Ryan asked, and Genevieve’s eyes twitched with surprise.

”You mean sign like Abigail? I didn’t know,” she said, and Ryan nodded thoughtfully.

”He can. I’d like to have his folder. Bring it to my office on Monday. I want to see his credentials,” Ryan said, and Genevieve frowned.

”Why? Why are you interested in my driver?” She asked since it was the first time he was showing this much interest.

Usually, he would ask her drivers to spy on her and report to him, and when she fired them, he didn’t really mind. But with Pete, it seemed different. He was interested in Pete, and it made her wonder why.

”Because he’s interesting,” Ryan said with an easy smile, ”He is too smart, too bold, too calm. I’m curious about him,” Ryan said, and Genevieve frowned.

”Don’t be. I’m tired of changing drivers, and I like Pete. Jamal likes Pete,” she said flatly.

”Jamal likes Pete?” Ryan asked with a cocked brow, and Genevieve nodded.

”Yes. And I like him too. So please leave my driver alone. Get yourself someone else to dig into if you are bored. I’m willing to share him with Abigail. He can drive us both around. I’m sure Abigail would also appreciate having a driver she can easily communicate with. Just let him be, please,” Genevieve said as she rose.

”I never said I wanted you to fire him. I like him too. I’m just going to look into his background and make sure he’s someone we can trust. And if possible, I’d give him a better position,” Ryan assured her.

”I trust him. He’s my driver, and I trust him, and that’s all that matters. And why are you giving him a better position? So you can use him like you use everyone else? I don’t think Pete is someone you can use,” Genevieve said, and Ryan raised a brow.

”You don’t think so? You’re not scared that he would report your movements to me as the others did?” Ryan asked with a twitch of his lips.

”Can you stop messing with my life?” Genevieve snapped. ”You’ve made it clear you don’t care about me. You intend to give everything to Abigail and Josh. I’m fine with it. But can you just back off now and let me be?” She asked, holding his gaze.

”Why would I do that? You’re my daughter. You are Dawn. I have to make sure you get married into the right family. That’s what a good father would do,” he said with a small smile.

”A good father? Please don’t make me laugh,” she spat, eyeing him with disdain. ”There is nothing good or fatherly about you...”

”Genevieve...”

”I need to go get ready for my date so I can marry into a good family,” she said, cutting him off.

”I want you to keep an eye on Abigail when she starts working with you,” he said before she could walk away, and she raised a brow.

”What do you mean?”

”Last night, she received a text quite late in the night, and I’m wondering who would be sending her a message at that time of the night. What if she has friends or is hiding something?” he asked, and Genevieve frowned.

”She’s been away for a while. It’s very possible she has a friend or two or even coursemates she chats with.”

”And they would chat with her at that time of the night? What if it’s a boyfriend?”

”She’s an adult. There’s no reason she can’t have a boyfriend. Besides, why didn’t you just ask her?” Genevieve asked, wondering why he was making a big deal out of a text.

”She was sleeping and...”

”Were you with her phone? How did you know she received a message when she was sleeping?” Genevieve asked, and when Ryan didn’t answer quickly enough, she narrowed her eyes.

”Did you plant a camera in her room to monitor her?”

”Don’t be ridiculous!” Ryan snapped, even though they both knew he was capable of such.

”Does that mean you were in her room while she was sleeping?” She asked in disbelief. ”What for? Why would you go into her room in the middle of the night?”

”Why can’t I go into my daughter’s room at night to check on her?” Ryan countered.

”Because she’s not your daughter!” Genevieve hissed, ”If you were such a caring father, you’d have come to my room to check on me. I bet you didn’t just go in there to check on her. You keep doing disgusting things as usual. You make me sick!”

”Watch your tongue!” Ryan snapped at her.

”Why should I? If you didn’t force yourself on my mother and claim she seduced you, would I be here right now?” She snapped back angrily.

”You should be grateful you’re here right now and not out there,” he growled.

Genevieve drew a deep breath. There was no need to get upset. It wasn’t like she expected anything she said to get to the cold-hearted man.

”You’ve made her get surgery and you’ve held her son hostage, yet you still do not feel safe. I doubt you’d ever be at peace. Just leave me out of it. I’m not keeping an eye on her. I have better things to do with my time than to be Abigail’s watchdog. I’m tired of doing this with you. I’m out of here,” she said, and walked away angrily.

As she made her way down the hall and upstairs she thought about all that Jamal had told her the day before about making good choices and how he had asked her to be friends with Abigail.

She knew there was no way she could be friends with Abigail. Not after all she had done to her. And there was no way she could confess the truth to Abigail either.

But maybe she could do what little she could by subtly making Abigail’s life easier. Abigail didn’t need to know it.

As she approached Abigail’s room, her footsteps faltered as she wondered if her father had forced himself on Abigail or hurt her. She shuddered at the thought, and then decided to just check on her just to be sure she was okay. She hesitantly knocked on the door.

Genevieve looked Abigail over, wanting to see if her father had touched her, and was relieved to see that she looked okay.