He rewrote his paragraph and finished the website copy before lunch. His team of three writers had already departed for the Thai restaurant down the road. Even with an invitation, Elias didn’t feel like socialising, spending half the day constructing and deconstructing texts to Ava. What would he say to her? Three weeks had passed without a flicker of communication from both parties. She didn’t have any social media, so he couldn’t stalk her. The only way to contact Ava was the old-fashioned way—by phone or email.
He opened the drawer for his mobile and called her. His heart beat in time with the dial tone, begging for her to answer. When it rang out, Elias tossed his phone into the drawer and cursed under his breath. He was overreacting. Ava was probably in meetings or at lunch. He knew from experience that she rarely left her phone unattended.
Elias was prepared to ring again when an email pinged at the bottom of his computer screen. It was from Mike Cordon at The Coastal Times. Intrigued and a little perturbed that the journo knew his direct email, Elias opened the link in the email body. It took him to the digital version of the newspaper, opened to the societal section.
Featured on a two-page spread was a collection of grainy images of Elias and a faceless woman emerging from the garden shed in Long River Valley. He bit down the urge to vomit as he studied the photographs, wondering how he didn’t see the photographer. Luckily, the rain was too heavy and thick for a clear photo of Ava’s face.
A surge of anger replaced the feeling of sickness inside him. Elias pounced off his chair to search for Mike’s business card in his briefcase. When he found it, his fingers couldn’t keep up as he dialled the journalist’s number. He picked up after two rings.
“Hello.”
“Where the fuck did you get those photographs?”
“Ah, Mr. Dorne. I wondered when I’ll hear from you again.”
“Where did you get those photographs?” Elias repeated, his hand curling into a fist.
“I can’t tell you that, Mr. Dorne. They were sent to me from an anonymous source. They were left on my desk in an envelope yesterday.”
“You printed them without permission!”
“I don’t respond well to shouting,” Mike said coolly. “I’m a journalist, not a priest. I don’t need your permission before I print images. Who’s the woman, anyway? She’s definitely not Daisy. She’s blonde.”
“No comment.”
“Come on, don’t play the innocent now. Someone caught you in the middle of forbidden tryst. What exactly were you doing in that shed?”
“You must contact me if you receive any more photographs.” Elias’s heart was beating so fast that he thought it would burst from of his chest. He couldn’t remember any press or paparazzi being at the hotel. The images were taken on a mobile phone, so someone had betrayed him.
“Who’s the woman, Mr. Dorne?” Mike questioned. “If you tell me who she is, I won’t publish any more photos as they come to me.”
“There’s more?”
“My source told me so. Look, there’s only a small pool of possible suspects and I’m very good at my job. I know you were there for business with Ava Wolfe. Is she the mysterious woman?” His laugh echoed down the line. “But I gotta tell you I was shocked to hear you two went your separate ways after such a public coupling. Why is that?”
“None of your business. Look, I’m at work—”
“Mr. Dorne, you can cooperate, or you can let me do my job. I will find out either way who your mistress is. I deserve a thank you, in fact. I heard you’re getting married. Wouldn’t it be such a shame if these images got into Daisy’s inbox?”
“If they do, I will fucking sue you.”
“Calm down. Our readership is too small for the paper to get into Daisy’s hands, unless she has friends up here. What’s that infamous saying? Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.”
Elias saw his writers come off the lift. He had to end this conversation before too much was overheard. “You told me you had photographic evidence of Ava and me at the fundraiser. Did you really?”
“Are you confirming my suspicions?”
“Tell me, Cordon.”
“I never reveal my sources. What I have now is much more damaging than a photo of you and Ava looking cosy.”
“What do you want from me?” Elias asked. “Money? Recognition? Or are you just another blood-sucking journalist?”
Silence hung heavy on Mike’s end before he finally spoke. “Have a good day, Elias. I will be in touch.”
Chapter 16
Ava had better things to do with her time than sit in a three-hour-long board meeting. She still hadn’t found a replacement for Elias, which probably explained the unexpected arrival of the board of directors at the office. Chairman Frank Boulder sat at the head of the table, dressed in a freshly pressed black suit and tie. His bald head shone under the yellow ceiling lights. He attended the monthly meetings rarely so she must have fucked up big time for him to be here today.
“Miss Wolfe, I need you to explain your recent staff movements to the board. We agreed with your decision to hire Elias Dorne to assist in rebuilding the company brand. I thought everything was going smoothly until I was informed of his resignation. Can you explain why he quit?”
Ava cleared her throat, avoiding the heated glares from the other board members. If they ever found out the truth, they’ll have another scandal on their hands. “He was headhunted,” she lied. “I wasn’t aware that other agencies were after him. I couldn’t persuade him to stay.”
“Did you offer him more money?”
“I tried too, but the board rejected my plea. Look, he’s not returning my calls so I doubt he’ll accept an offer to return.”
Silence hung heavy in the air as Frank read from a thick file in front of him. “Have you rehired the position? It’s gravely important we get someone in Elias’s role immediately. His efforts in rebuilding our damaged name has greatly influenced our stocks and public image. I don’t want to waste time and money finding second best.” His gaze locked with Ava’s. “We’ve lost an invaluable employee. What are you going to do to rectify this?”
“I’ve been interviewing potential candidates last week but none had the same standards as Elias. I’ve been delegating his tasks to other staff at the moment.”
“It will have to do for now.” Frank sighed heavily. “We’ll just have to get a temp in until we can rehire.” He turned to his secretary sitting offside and barked orders at her.
Ava reached for her glass of water—wishing it was vodka—and saw her phone light up with a text from Elias. She restrained her excitement while she read his message.
Elias: We need to talk right away
Ava: Not now
Elias: It’s not up for discussion, Ava. It’s urgent
Ava: I’m in a board meeting. I can’t walk out.
Elias: When can I see you?
Ava: Meet me for lunch at Mac’s. I’ll be there at 2pm
Elias: OK. See you then
“Miss Wolfe, am I interrupting your social life?”
Ava jumped at the sound of his voice and dropped the mobile into her handbag by her feet. “No, Frank. Just news from the office.”
“Speaking of that, I heard you fired three copywriters last week. I can understand one, but not three.”
“They weren’t performing, Frank. I introduced key performance indicators into everyone’s job description a few months ago and their work wasn’t up to Blue Tail’s standards. They were more preoccupied with office gossip instead. I made the decision that was best for the company.”
“All three workers, Miss Wolfe? As the CEO, your job is to act on behalf of the board’s best interests,” Frank said. “You can’t go around hiring and firing staff as you please because of some idle office gossip. Three
staff in one week is not acceptable.”
“I own this company,” Ava exclaimed. “Are you forgetting that? I’ve run four Top 100 businesses, so I know what I’m doing. Cutting staff costs will reduce expenditures and overheads in this slow market. We may be selling more magazines than ever before but sales are down compared to last year. I did what I thought was best for the company. I don’t run around like the Mad Hatter, Frank. I care about the longevity of Blue Tail Media.”
Frank’s lips twitched. “Remember, Ava, the CEO is accountable to the board for the company’s performance. Whether you like to admit it or not, your coupling with Elias Dorne saved us from ruin. But if Blue Tail goes down, you’re going down with it.”
~ ~ ~
Elias was waiting for Ava when she entered the restaurant at two o’clock. He sat in a corner booth underneath a beam of light, nursing a perspiring bottle of beer. He smiled when he saw her, scooting out of the booth to embrace her. He looked good and smelled even better. A faint five o’clock shadow dusted his jawline. His dark hair was clipped shorter.
“You’re looking well,” Ava said, slipping into the black leather booth. “Your new life agrees with you.”
“Ava.” Her name escaped his lips as a whisper. His shoulder brushed hers as he took a seat next to her. “We need to talk.”
“Elias, I haven’t seen you in a month. Can we have a moment to say hello?”
“We don’t have time for pleasantries, Ava. I have some news.”
A chill rushed through her body as a million possibilities circled in her mind. Was Daisy pregnant? Were they moving out of the state after the wedding? “What’s wrong?”
“I was emailed these today.” He dug in his pocket and tossed a handful of grainy photographs onto the table.
Ava inspected the photos with trembling hands, unsure of what to expect. The grainy images captured the moment they emerged from the shed after the storm, disheveled, partially undressed. Elias’s face was clear as day, whereas her face was hidden from the photographer.
“Elias, if the public ever found out about this affair, Blue Tail Media will have another scandal on its hands. I will lose my job and reputation.”
“You can’t even see your face! Look at the photo. You can clearly tell that the man is me.”
“I’ve been on enough TV screens and magazine covers for people to recognise who I am. I won’t be able to keep my identity secret for long.”
Elias shuffled the photos into his palm and pocketed them. “It’s too late, Ava.”
“What do you mean? Have they already been leaked?”
He nodded. “Do you remember Mike Cordon from The Coastal Times? He emailed me the images yesterday. They’ve already been published.”
“WHAT!” Ava’s cry attracted the stares of nearby diners. She sunk deeper into the booth, covering her face in her hands. “Oh my God. What are we going to do?”
Elias reached over and pulled her hands away. “There’s a silver lining, Ava.”
“What will that be?”
“The photographs have only been published in The Coastal Times. Their readership is limited to the coast only.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Ava cried. “It doesn’t take much for things to go viral these days. Did Mike say who sent them to him?”
“An anonymous source. It could be anyone, Ava. A guest or a staff member from the hotel could’ve seen us coming out of the shed.”
“Or Daisy and Liam.”
His lips formed into a bitter line. “Daisy doesn’t know about the affair or what happened at Long River Valley. Are you sure it wasn’t Liam?”
“I don’t know. He’s suspicious about us but I doubt he knows the truth.”
“Can you check his phone?”
“How? I’m not involved with him, Elias. I don’t see him every day.”
He reached for her hands and squeezed them. “It’s important we rule out our partners. A stranger is easier to condemn. I’ll check Daisy’s phone when I see her tonight if you can do the same with Liam.”
“I don’t feel comfortable about this. Anyway, it’s too late. The images are out. I think we should just come clean to Daisy and Liam. We’ll feel better for it.”
“Are you forgetting that I’m getting married in six months? If I told Daisy I cheated on her, she’d leave me for sure.”
“What do you want to do instead? Buy every single copy of Coastal Times and burn them? What’s the point of checking emails and phones? The damage has been done.”
“I need closure,” Elias said. “If Daisy leaked the images to Mike, I have collateral to leave her. There’s no point starting a life together built on lies.”
“If she leaked them, then she knows about us already,” Ava replied. “Why hasn’t she confronted you yet? The seminar was a month ago.”
“That’s what scares me. Daisy’s been a follower all her life. She’s never been assertive or confrontational. These photos give her great leverage over me.”
“Do you trust her?”
“I’m marrying her, aren’t I?”
“Elias, I’m not going down this road again.” Ava sighed in defeat. “Fine, I’ll check Liam’s phone over the weekend but I don’t think snooping into my ex-husband’s mobile will solve—” A wave of nausea overcame her and Ava pressed a hand to her stomach. “Oh, not again.”
“Are you all right?” Elias asked.
“I’ve been feeling sick in the stomach lately. It’s just stress.”
“Have you been to the doctor?”
“I’ll go this week.” She laughed when Elias cocked his eyebrow at her. “I promise.” She let out a calming breath until the unease in her gut had passed. “So what’s your new job? I heard you were hired by an agency.”
“I’m a senior copywriter for First Words Creative.” He smirked. “Honestly, it doesn’t pay as well as Blue Tail, but I have my own team of writers. The work-life balance is more user friendly too.”
“You could’ve had all that with me.”
His gaze shifted to the table unable to meet her eyes. “No, I couldn’t have, Ava. You already knew that. You expect the world from your staff and it takes more than working like a beast to succeed under your management. You’re a ruthless business woman and that’s what I love—” He cleared his throat. “I’m happy where I am, but nothing can ever replace our time together, Ava.”
To deflect the tears pushing behind her eyes, Ava ordered a drink from a passing waiter. What was she expecting meeting up with Elias? Reconciliation? A confession of his undying love? She was foolish to think this meeting was nothing more than a warning. A warning to stay away from him.
“How’s the wedding planning going?” she asked. “I remember having so much fun trying on dresses, picking flowers, and eating cake samples.”
Elias took a swig of his beer. “I’m leaving it all to Daisy. My only job is looking for a suit.”
“Are you serious? It’s your wedding too.”
He shrugged. “All I know is that she’s having fun shopping for the wedding with her bridesmaids and mother. I don’t want to interfere with that. I just need to show up on the day.”
Elias’s detachment towards the wedding made Ava hopeful. His nonchalant attitude instilled the notion that what they shared was more than a fling. Maybe she had a chance. “I wish you all the best, Elias.” She forced a smile. “I really do. Please send me photos of the big day. I would love to see them.”
“Would you, really?” He leaned over and kissed her cheek, his lips lingering for a moment. “Move on, Ava. You deserve so much more than the shit I’m dragging you through.” He thumbed away a tear from her cheek and she flinched at his touch. “Keep me updated on Liam. I want to douse this fire before it becomes too big to handle.” He toss
ed some cash onto the table and walked out of the restaurant, leaving a gaping hole in his wake.
Chapter 17
When Ava appeared on Liam’s doorstep dressed in a titillating low-cut dress and killer high heels, her desperation knocked back feminism one hundred years. She felt stupid and senseless bending to the needs of a man. Back in the day, she loved playing the seductress, using her body to tease and titillate Liam. But there was a reason why their marriage had ended and she felt being here only opened old wounds.
She knocked on the door and waited, shifting her weight from one foot to another. Her feet were already aching in the three-hundred-dollar heels. A light switched on in the foyer and Liam opened the door, holding a bottle of red wine.
“Ava, you made it. Come in.” He pecked a kiss on her cheek as he stepped aside to let her in, spending a good few seconds admiring her figure in the dress. “You’re looking good.”
“I bought it for this very occasion.” She did a twirl on the spot, allowing one moment of submission. She needed Liam to be soft like putty, easy to manipulate and mould. She closed the front door with her hip and followed him into the kitchen.
Two wineglasses sat next to an extravagant cheese platter, dips and vegetable sticks. “In the six years we were married, the only thing you cooked was burnt toast. Did you do this?”
He came up behind her, his hot breath tickling the back of her neck. “I was optimistic when you called wanting to have dinner. You and I have something special, Ava. We’re unlike other people and that’s why we’ve bonded mentally and sexually. A day doesn’t go by where I’ve regretted signing the divorce papers.”
She spun around to face him, planting her palms against his chest, almost in a consolatory gesture. “Let’s take things slow. We’re dining as friends, so no funny business, got it?’
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