“None. And he met Mystique several times. Oliver never once realised Mystique was me.”
Devon leaned back in the chair, stunned astonishment on his face. “Not once?”
“No. Which says a hell of a lot, because Oliver’s former secretary recognised me as Mystique during our interview, and now you. Apparently, Oliver paid the little Stepford Wife no attention whatsoever,” I said, bitterness leeching into my voice. The truth always hurt.
“Alicia, are you spying for Oliver?” Devon asked.
“No! I want to sign with Zade. Oliver forgets that Mystique got Eliganz the top spot. My designs catapulted the company into the spotlight. Devon, I can’t work with him anymore. Oliver isn’t the man I thought he was. And deep down I realised that because I never considered disclosing I was Mystique.”
“What do you want, Alicia?”
“A contract with Zade. My new season designs are damn good. The best I’ve done. They’ll put Zade back in the top spot.”
“And destroy Oliver at the same time. No wonder you were confident Eve wasn’t Mystique.”
“That bitch stole my marriage, even though it was a farce. Eve accused me of things I’d not done. She’s lied, cheated, and portrayed herself as the victim. Oliver has no idea or doesn’t care. He was getting his dick sucked, and that’s all that mattered. I’m beginning to realise just how much he controlled my life and changed me. Mystique is who Oliver tried to smother.”
“I understand, Alicia. Do you intend to come out?”
“Not yet. The plan is to announce I’ve signed with Zade exclusively at that event you mentioned. Then, when I’m ready, I’ll drop the mask. Devon, I want to witness Oliver’s reaction when he learns the reason he lost Eliganz was because of his ex-wife. The woman he treated like trash.”
“A woman scorned…” Devon muttered.
“Hell hath no fury.”
“Let’s talk business.”
Chapter Nineteen.
Alicia
Ihurried into the club. Being extraordinarily busy, I’d not attended meetings for around six weeks, and the girls had graciously understood. It had been exactly a month since my divorce, and I’d signed the contract with Zade this morning. My lawyer had thoroughly reviewed the terms and agreed that they were fair. In fact, Zade was being more generous than Eliganz. Ecstatic with how my life was shaping up, I flashed my membership pin, and the door guard waved me through.
A voice I recognised stopped me dead in my tracks.
“I demand to speak to someone in charge,” Eve nearly shrieked. Quickly, I moved to a shadowed spot to watch and pulled my phone from my purse. After texting Rebel, I began filming. The bitch had set me up multiple times; now it was payback time.
“Ma’am, Iamthe manager, and you can’t come in. Don’t you understand English?” Marnie demanded, crossing her arms. Marnie’s attitude made me snigger.
“I work for Oliver Kensington!” Eve exclaimed.
“Giving Mr Kensington blow jobs doesn’t qualify anyone for membership here,” Marnie retorted, and I nearly choked, swallowing my laughter.
Eve let out a wordless shriek as more members stopped and stared. “How dare you?”
“Quite easily,” Marnie responded calmly.
“What’s your name? I’ll have your job,” Eve threatened.
“No problem. It’s Marnie. Let me tell Aunt Winona you’d like to make a complaint. I’m sure she’ll treat it with the disdain it deserves. Now, for the last time, get lost. This is a member-only club, and cheap sluts are most certainly not members.”
Eve’s hand rose to slap Marnie, and I gasped.
Marnie leaned forward. “I. Dare. You,” she ground out.
Eve lowered her hand as she realised how many people were watching. “You’ll pay for this,” Eve snarled. “I’m Oliver’s girlfriend. Winona won’t want to upset him.”
“Sure, go ahead. Aunt Winona won’t do anything. It’s not like you’re important. In the meantime, I hope you choke on a bag of dicks, and one of them is your father’s, you syphilitic whore. Women like you make me sick,” Marnie hissed.
