“I understand. I’ll get to work on it and see you when you get here.”
I hang up and let out a long breath.
Four days ago, my ex-boyfriend, Kyle, threatened me at gunpoint to extort money from Asher. The incident has become a major news story that has hit every network around the nation and several around the globe. The media is going crazy with rumors, and nothing has been straightened out—which is just making the situation worse.
I had resisted looking at the stories until last night when I couldn’t help myself any longer and got online. I almost lost what little dinner I ate when I saw an article written by RTZ, a trashy gossip website that had planned to release a story about me a few days ago. I got them to agree to shelve the story after some negotiations, but they went back on their word and released a new version of it after what happened with Kyle. Their new article paints the incident as not just extortion, but as a crime of passion, asserting that I cheated on Kyle with Asher, and it almost seems to justify Kyle’s actions as the vengeance of a spurned lover.
It’s all bullshit.
The only parts of the story that are somewhat controlled are the statements made by the commissioner of the NYPD. He kept the details of the situation as vague as he could since it’s an ongoing case, but he divulged enough to send themedia into a firestorm of speculation. Needless to say, it’s a PR bloodbath, and the world isn’t sure if they should paint me as a victim of violence or as a cheater who got what she deserved.
Today, I need to rectify the situation as much as I can.
After a long, hot shower, I step up to the bathroom counter and sigh when I take in my reflection. I’m definitely going to need to wear some full-coverage makeup today. The bruising along my jaw from the punches I took at Kyle’s hands are a dark bluish purple, and my under eyes are not much better. I’ve hardly slept for the past three nights. I’ve also hardly eaten. And it shows. I look like shit.
In truth, I’ve been drowning. Surprisingly, not really because of what Kyle did, but because of what I did. After the incident, I pushed Asher away, and it’s killing me. It’s wrecked me in a way Kyle never could. Kyle’s actions hurt me, both emotionally and physically, but at the same time, they didn’t really surprise me. The extreme lengths he went to may have surprised me, but the malice behind them didn’t.
Now, I just want to move forward. I want to push out my statement, wade through the PR nightmare, and move on until I have to face him in court. Kyle means less than nothing to me, and at this point, I don’t care about him or our past. He’s just a problem to be resolved.
But losing Asher is a gaping wound that feels like it’s shredding me from the inside out.
I miss him.
I ache for him.
And I’m a fucking mess without him.
I wipe away a stray tear and blink like my life depends on it to keep the rest of my tears at bay. No more. No one knows about the distance between Asher and me, and I need to keep it that way. We’re still obligated to put on a show for the world as part of restoring his PR image, so I can’t let anyone, even mycoworkers, see the cracks in my façade. I have to pull myself together and get shit done.
I force myself to think of anything but Asher as I get ready, and with every stroke of makeup, I feel slightly better. I watch the bruises on my face fade. I see my ashen complexion awaken with some color. My eyes finally look less haunted.
I can do this.
I can go into the office and do my job—I just need to avoid Asher while I do so. That way no one will realize I’m broken and half-dead inside, and eventually the pain of pushing Asher away won’t feel like a red-hot poker to the chest.
I finish getting ready and head downstairs. The penthouse is empty, and as I make my way to the kitchen, the vastness of the penthouse hits me like a brick, freezing me in place. A shiver of unease slithers down my spine as the silence of the massive, empty space, consumes me. It feels both expansive and oppressive, but mostly, it feels all wrong. Just like the situation with Asher, but the problem is, I don’t know how to make it right.
Instead of heading to the empty kitchen, I turn in the opposite direction, toward the security apartment near the gym. I knock on the door.
“Ms. Hale?” Waters asks, opening the door.
“I’m ready to head into the office.”
His brows lift in surprise. “I didn’t think you were going into the office.”
“That’s what Asher probably assumed, but I need to go in.”
Waters nods. “Give me a minute.”
I clench my jaw as he radios to Asher’s security to inform them of the change of plans. Of course they’ll inform him of this. I won’t be surprised if they inform Asher of every move I make for the foreseeable future. I was already heavily monitored by security before the incident, and now it’s going to be worse. The only reason Kyle was able to corner me was becauseI went out without security, and Asher is still furious over that. I can’t blame him exactly, I’m furious with myself too, but now I worry that I won’t even be able to take a breath without it being reported back to Asher. He has issues with security from something that happened to him when he was a kid, and I’ve unintentionally brought up every one of those fears.
“Give us thirty minutes, Jenkins is on his way,” Waters says to me as he cuts his call.
I nod and head into the kitchen, deciding to ignore the unease of the quiet and try to eat while I wait, even though my appetite is still practically non-existent. Pierre left some things in the fridge for me. He’s diligently cooked all the meals; I just haven’t eaten much of them. I settle for some sliced fruit and heat up a small square of quiche in the microwave. I just won’t tell Pierre I used the microwave—he’d scold me for sure. But microwaved or not, the quiche is delicious, even though I’m only partially aware of the taste.
Finally, the whole of my security entourage arrives, and we make our way down to the car to head into the office.
As we drive, I start drafting my statement while simultaneously trying to mentally prepare myself to see Asher in the office.I can do this.I can work a few doors down from Asher. I just need to focus on my work and find ways to avoid him as much as possible.
