Frankie's point of view:
"LOW CLASS LOVE?"
The thick, glossy magazine taunts my horrified self. The bold font was sprawled in black writing across half the page, and just above the photo of Jason and I looking far more cosier than I can remember. We were side by side, almost touching hips in Flo's back garden. My head was threw back in laughter, Jason had a wide smile and Paul along with his brother's Tony and James were the people we were speaking too.
"Want to explain?" Jenny smirks at me, resting her hand under her chin. I was suddenly put off my lunch, my stomach churned like I was on a roller coasters at Universal Studios. With trembling hands I flick through to find the double page that we were strewn across. Multiple photos scattered across the two page spread of Jason and I, all couldn't have been taken more than a few seconds of each other except for one. He was holding the door open to his car, letting me into the passenger seat before he gets in too.
"Where did you get this?" I find myself whispering, eyes scanning across every word.
"-Hayes' previously dated Miss Dallas winner and daughter of Mr Kenneth Bennett, Natasha Bennett, but his latest blonde bombshell doesn't seem to be matching his previous millionaire relationships."
"Are you kidding? It's practically on every newsstand across the city. How could you miss it?"
I can feel the lump form in my throat and I do everything I can do swallow it as I read on, completely blanking Jenny's demands to tell her everything. My rapid heart beat seemed to speed up, quicker and quicker with every new paragraph.
"-A inside source says that Hayes' has been getting very cosy to his latest snatch, and already taking it to the next step by visiting family in New Jersey. When we spoke to Miss Bennett on her ex's new movement, she didn't seem the happiest about Hayes' new beau. 'I don't know who she is, or where she came from, but it definitely wasn't the social or successful ladder' Bennett told us. 'It won't last if there is anything between them. She's came out of nowhere and she's already being photographed. All she sees is money and fame, that's all'. Ouch!"
My stomach was bubbling with bile as I slam the magazine shut. Jenny still sat across the lunch table with her glossy lips curled into a knowing smirk, but it quickly fell into a frown as she saw my shaking body. Suddenly, her amused and giddy expression sprung to vast concern.
"Are you okay?"
"How can she say all I'll see is his money when it was her that used him!" I shriek, my shaking hands clenching my hair by the roots in stress. I flip the magazine over so I couldn't see the photos of us both haunting me. I felt sick enough.
She rests a hand comfortingly on my arm. "Everyone who knows you, knows you are nothing like that. But - does that mean there is something going on with you two? I mean, why was he with you over the holidays, at your sister's house when he was suppose to be in a meeting in Soho?"
I sigh, chugging at the bottled water to help soothe the burn in the pit of my throat. Now my stomach flipped in nerves and anxiety. I was never a good liar, ever since I tried to lie to my parents about Flo sneaking out at sixteen to go to Paul's house and I ended up physically sick all over our living room carpet a hour after she left.
"Jason and I," The words made my tongue tingle. "We've been friends for a while now, over a month maybe? Since him and Natasha split up, really. I offered him to come to Flo's for her annual Halloween party because he's been crammed with meetings lately. I don't even know who took these photos, or how!"
"The press stop at no lengths." She tells him sadly tilting her lips into a sympathetic smile. "Point is though, you and Mr Hayes - sorry, Jason, have been getting cosy and I'm only now finding out about this!"
"It's not like that."
It really wasn't. I was trying to help him see how much Natasha took more enjoyment out of spending his money rather than spending time with him. I was trying to help him find someone who loves him, and not his status.
She scoffs loudly, folding her arms across her chest and the smirk returns. "Yeah because Mr Hayes, who literally lives for his work would miss a business meeting in Soho for a deal for a quarter of a million to go to a Halloween party for just anyone."
I hated her.
"He likes you."
"He's my boss."
"Doesn't mean he can't like you."
I roll my eyes, pushing my chair away from the table and Jenny's amused revelations. She follows me as I discard my lunch into the trash, washing my hands in the sink as she stands beside me with a giggle.
"You so have the hots for Mr Moody." She sings, shrieking wildly as the blood rushes to the apples of my cheeks and heats up my face. "Oh my god, Frankie! You really do have the hots for Mr Hayes!"
I hush her loudly. "Will you be quiet, someone will hear you!"
She covers her mouth and stifles her wild, uncontrollable giggles. I can't help but smile, but hush her even more. My smile slowly dies as the images of Jason and I plastered on front of the tabloids return in my head.
"So." She starts. "Just how cosy have you two became?"
"I'm leaving." I state, wide eyes and flushed face. I leave her giggling in the lunch room as I scamper away like a stray dog. I could hear the employee's whisper, I could feel their eyes burn on me as I pass them in the hallways and I cross my arms across my body self-consciously, keeping my head low and my gaze diverted.
A bit like my apartment, my desk was somewhat a safe haven. I could hide behind it, avoiding the stares and the buzz of gossip, I was safe. I sink into the chair, reaching down into my bag to fetch my weekly planner and feel something smooth and glossy crossing my fingers. With furrowed brows, I peak under and widen my eyes.
Another copy of the magazine with mine and Jason's photo.
I shove it quickly into the bin, heart hammering wildly against my ribs so much so it caused me pain and breathlessness. Where did it come from? Who put it there? My phone startles me, and I so desperately try to calm my shaking vocal cords to answer.
"Good afternoon, JD Headquarters - Frankie speaking, how may I help you?"
"You've seen it." He greets me.
Jason.
I clear my throat. "Everyone has seen it."
I can hear him sigh and something rustle in the background. He and David had been in conference calls all morning and early afternoon, and this was the first time I had spoke to him since returning home from Flo's yesterday evening. He was sweet enough to drive me back to the city, dropping me and my bags off to my apartment but not before complaining about the luggage I had packed for just a overnight stay.
"I'll sort it." He tells me confidently. I stare at the rolled up magazine buried in the bin, a tight swell suffocating my heart. "I promise. Don't panic, please. I'll find out how they got those photos, it was a breach of privacy and trespassing. Please, tell Flo and Paul that I'm sorry and I'll figure it out."
For the last four and a half weeks, Jason to me was just a regular person. In my eyes, he wasn't this mega CEO. He wasn't this super rich millionaire. He wasn't this insanely talented businessman who owned more hotels and buildings than I owned clothes. He was just Jason, the twenty-seven year old man who had a childish side but incredibly sensitive even though he never showed it. He had a breathless laugh, he was scared of his mother and he was so amazingly wonderful with children.
For the last four and a half weeks - I kept forgetting he was my boss. And this was a game.
"Frankie?"
I hum, ears perking up at his interruption. "Yes? Sorry, I blanked out for a second."
"Don't you always?" He jokes softly. I smile slightly, pushing the compressing feeling further down in my chest. "I'm real sorry, Frankie. I had no idea they would follow me never mind taking photos."
"It's fine." I reassure him though my voice shook. "How do you feel about it?"
I had to remember it wasn't just me photographed, and although he might be used to it, it was still his name being splashed across papers - and not in the way he wanted it.
"Unfortunately- I'm used to it." He tells me and the ache returns, this time not because my picture was plastered across magazines and my name was being dragged through the mud. "You're my biggest concern right now, not the fact they photographed me being dressed up in a Dracula outfit."
Tingles rushed through every vein and artery, the dull ache in my heart being revived by a rapid rush. I clamp my lips shut afraid that I would let out a gasp and completely embarrass myself - at least not any more than I already have. After all, he did see me half naked in a shredded cheer leading outfit, dancing around Flo's living room with Vivian followed by apple bobbing that left my makeup worse than what it already was.
"I'm fine."
"You might be - for now." He trails nervously. "If half the building has seen this, I can only imagine my mom seeing it and, well, I won't take any offence if you hand in your resignation now and run."
I giggle at his exaggeration. "Her reaction couldn't be that bad, could it?"
He hums. "Possibly not, but I'll get scolded like a naughty child for not telling her who this new girl is and why I was with her. Then she'll demand to meet you, and I will be completely terrified to say no to her. The last time I said no was when I was a teenager and got my allowance cut off for a week."
"Oh wow." I laugh, twirling the cord of the phone around my finger. "I should really ask Pamela if she is as bad as what you make her out to be. I can't imagine a sister of Pamela's being anything other than what she is."
"Aunt Pamela and my mom are polar opposites." He tells me, again another rustle in the background. "She will agree, wait and see."
I laugh. While Pamela came to the office on a regular basis, I had never seen Jason's parents or even knew their names. Pamela checked in on both David and Jason, brought them lunches on long days and snuck in a tea for me. While I wasn't entirely sure what she came for most times, I was glad to see her smiling face carrying trays of buns out of the elevator every Tuesday.
"Frankie?" He interrupts, his soft voice sending a chill across the back of my neck. "You didn't read any of it, did you?"
Yes.
"No."
He chuckles deeply. "You're a bad liar." That was true. "You know they twist everything in those things, don't you? They take a normal story and twist it until they like the sound of it, whether it's the truth or not."
"And what Natasha said, could that have been twisted?" I say. "I know I'm not a millionaire, Jason, but the last thing I ever want you to think is that I would use you for your status. I just want to help you find the love you deserve."
He was silent and I sigh. Natasha didn't know me, we had never spoke nor has she ever batted an eyelid towards me so for her being so judgemental when she never knew anything about me, annoyed me to the core.
"I'll fix this, Frankie." He says but with slightly more authority in his tone. Was he angry? "I've got to go, I'll speak to you soon."
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A little bit of trouble in paradise?
Hope you guys liked this chapter, I still can't get over the fact I've hit over 150 reads! Amazingggggggggg.
Massive shoutout to the lovely @smriti_menon for making another book cover in the above photo! If everyone could check out her story, that would be fab!!
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