Day 77: Tales Of Big Money Plans And BFF Guilt

Day 77 Of How To Move On From A Man — 1LD

Apr 22, 2023

Of course, James didn’t leave 1 Lovelock Drive for the entire Saturday.

The one day I don’t want him in my life I couldn’t get rid of him. If I were any more suspicious than I already was, I would assume he knew what I had seen yesterday.

He doesn’t of course.

But based on what I found, he should feel some guilt. A lot of guilt. A mountain of guilt.

Because if I had this collection of papers in my briefcase and James didn’t know about it, the guilt would cripple me. How would I feel about my best friend being kept in the dark about the buildings I’m inspecting, for the business I co-own with him?

No, that’s something I couldn’t hide without immense guilt.

James wasn’t home this morning, though. And as I woke up, I was grateful that Sundays like his never changed.

Before my feet left my bed, I opened up my laptop, propped a pillow against my back and began my investigation.

Connecting my phone, I pulled all my stealthy taken photos onto the screen, the photos filling every space available. Seeing them all together like this felt confronting.

There was more there than I had first realised.

The photo which immediately caught my attention was of the plans for a city office; an entire floor, that is. I knew the building; 120 Collins St.

This spectacular piece of real estate is nestled in the middle of the Paris end of the city. Surrounded by designer stores. I shuddered to think how much this office space would cost per month.

The plans also detailed how an office and corporate showroom for our fashion label would take up the entire space.

Considering the business currently occupied my dining room, and not even the whole space, an entire floor seemed excessive.

I told myself not to become alarmed by brochures and generic floor plans for a business venue. No need to be dramatic. But when I saw my name next to James on full mockups of the office layout, colours, and architectural designs, I couldn’t suppress the panic any longer.

As I keep studying everything, more and more I could see James was making major moves behind my back.

He was planning something bigger than we had ever discussed.

What these plans needed, too, was money. Money we didn’t have.

This was ten years in the future plans, not now.

I felt the lump in my throat seize my entire neck. Opening a browser on my computer, I wanted to start Googling the names of the architects. That’s when I heard the front door open. It was James.

I slammed my laptop closed. He couldn’t know anything yet.

Not until I had figured all this out, first.

Day 77: Tales Of Big Money Plans And BFF Guilt

Day 77 Of How To Move On From A Man — 1LD

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