Chapter 27

"Josh," Faith said as she answered the phone call. "Are you calling me to give me the heads up on some embarrassing new story you are about to release?"

"Sadly no, Fay. And not all my stories are bad. Your picture from the hotel opening was worthy of being in a gallery."

"I know," she sighed. "Thank you for that, Josh. I mean it. But why are you calling? Did my father forget the money for the school play?"

"No, it's not that. He gave it to me at the ball. Very generous check, I might add. I have something important to show you. Can we meet?"

"Everything okay?"

"Yes. Don't worry about a thing. But I would rather tell you in person."

"Sure, no problem. Want to meet at that coffee shop you like in thirty minutes? I'll order us some caramel lattes."

"Perfect. See you soon."

Whit two sweet caramel lattes and a plate of shortbread cookies in front of them, Josh got ready to make his big announcement by dramatically spreading the contents of a folder on the table. Photos of Ronnie, transactions, receipts, emails... Anything and everything about Ronnie was out in the open. In the photos, Ronnie was seen on dates with multiple women that, by the looks of it, seemed to be very well off. The transactions showed huge amounts spent on restaurants, trips, clothes, rental cars and jewellers.

"What is all of this?" Faith mumbled, as she tried to make sense of what she was looking at.

"It appears that Ronnie lost a lot of his father's money last year. I'm not sure I understand all the details around that. Business and legal jargon I'm not yet familiar with. I'm still doing some more research on that. But after that, his father cut him off from the family accounts and properties. Ronnie has been living exclusively off his income. And it turns out Ronnie as really expensive tastes and habits and his income alone doesn't cover it. His father gave him a deadline to get his act together or he'll cut him off completely from the family. I'm really sorry Fay, but I think Ronnie has been after you for your family's money all this time. And when he couldn't get your money, he tried to get someone else. Or multiple someone elses I should say."

"How did you find out all of this?" Faith was in shock. She didn't know how to feel or what to think. I didn't know him at all, did I? She felt nauseous and dizzy, like she had just been punched in the gut. It felt like someone else's life. Like a story you only hear about in movies or books. This can't be real...

"A reporter doesn't reveal his sources."

"I... I don't know what to say. Thank you, Josh."

"I hope this makes up for all the articles I wrote about you and for all the ones I'll write in the future."

Faith chuckled. "I'll never forgive you for all the unflattering photos."

"Come on... It's not fair. What about all the good ones?"

"Thank you for this Josh. Really. I don't even know how you got all of this, but it's probably best if I don't, right?"

Josh chuckled. "Not all of it was obtained legally so, yes. Plausible deniability may be your best ally if one day it all catches up to me."

"I'll bail you out and get you a nice lawyer." They chuckled.

"I'll hold you to that."

"You should really become a full-time private investigator."

"Being a journalist is my cover." They both chuckled. "Cheers to you, Fay." Josh raised his latte.

"For what?"

"For ditching Ronnie and getting yourself a handsome doctor."

Faith chuckled and raised her latte, too. "And cheers to you for being an amazing PI and a really good friend."

"You're going to make me blush, Fay." They clank their lattes before taking a sip. "So, is this a truce? Does this mean I'll be invited to your next wedding?"

"Shut up, Josh. Don't ruin the moment."

"I won't. This is a huge milestone in our friendship. You finally admitting, after more than a decade of knowing each other, that we are actually friends."

"Asshole."

"I am indeed, and you love me just like that."

Faith rolled her eyes. "You and Mira should hang out more. I think the two of you would be best friends."

"I'd love to."

"On second thought, I think you two would end ganging up on me with your wits and sarcasm."

"We definitely would. I'll ask her out for coffee."

"Do you even have her number?"

"I have everyone's number."

"Everyone's?"

"Everyone."

They smirked at each other, and Faith dunked a cookie in her latte.

"Are you okay, Fay?"

"No. Not at all. One whole year of my life was a lie. My entire friendship with him was a lie. I almost married the guy, for goodness' sake." She shoved another cookie down her mouth. At least we can always rely on baked goods...

"Well, the important thing is that you didn't marry that thing. And that he'll pay for what's done."

"Don't they say revenge is bad for you or something?"

"Maybe for kind souls like yours, mine has been corrupted all along," he smiled mischievously while snatching a cookie from Faith before she ate them all.

"Do you plan on writing an article about Ronnie?"

"I would gladly do it. But I won't unless you want me to." He said with his wicked grin.

"I think that would be a bit much. But do you think that this information could mysteriously appear in my dad's office? But only him. Make sure his assistant and everyone else don't see it. My dad will decide what to do with and with whom to share it with after's he's read it."

"Consider it done. But are you sure you don't want a big reveal? I have a few fun ideas."

"I don't want to make a scandal. But I want to make sure my dad has enough evidence to make him cancel any and all businesses he has with Ronnie. To make sure Ronnie won't ruin anyone else."

"You're too kind, Faith. If that thing was my ex, I would make sure the whole world knows the piece of trash he is."

"Are you ever going to stop calling him that thing?"

"No. No, I won't. To me, Ronnie Harrison is dead. He'll forever more been known as that thing, which he's more than he deserves."

Faith chuckled and gave Josh the rest of the cookies. She couldn't be more thankful for being one of Josh's cherished friends and she would do everything in her power to never get on his bad side.

"Do you want to stop by the bookstore after this?" Josh asked, dunking the last cookie on his latte.

"Of course."

"And maybe dinner afterwards. Let's call Mira."

"On second thought, I think I'll go home."

"To late, I'm calling her."

"So, you weren't joking? You really have everyone's number?"

"Everyone," he said menacingly while his phone rang. "Hi Mira, Josh here. Dinner, me, you and Fay at the steakhouse? Lovely, I'll text you the details."

"I'm doomed." Faith pulled her hair backwards.

"Not doomed, but you'll definitely be interrogated about your handsome doctor. You haven't given us much yet. How's living together going?" He smirked and winked, and Faith almost spat her latte as she blushed thinking about the last few nights at Callum's apartment.

"I'm not living there yet," she mumbled, hiding her face with her mug.

"Semantics. You stayed there the whole week."

"How do you know?" She squealed.

"I know everything."

"You're really scary. I'm starting to feel worried about Kyle's safety."

"He does too, and he also knows that it would be impossible for him to cheat on me."

"As if he would ever do it. Kyle is clearly as in love with you as in the day you got married."

"Well, he has to be blinded by love because no one in their right mind would put up with me otherwise." They laughed and took the last sips of their lattes.

As they walked out of the cafe, snow fell to the sound of Christmas songs and Faith found herself thinking that life wasn't all that bad after all. That despite the year she had, despite all the stumbles and falls and doubts, life was worth it at the end of the day. She still felt anxious and out of place and still wanted to crawl into her bed and hide while watching romantic comedies. More times than she wanted to admit, she still felt like that, but now, she could also look forward to other things that made her want to leave her shell and go out into the world.

Inside her pocket was the little plastic cube Callum had given her, she always carried it around even though she didn't feel the urge to pick and pull at her skin so much anymore, it was still comforting to hold it and squeeze in the palm of her hand; it made her think of him. I want to go back to him and snuggle in the couch, under a blanket and fall asleep in his arms... The thought made her blush. Thankfully the winter cold had already made her cheeks flushed.

Faith glanced at Josh and smiled as they walked into the bookstore and went straight into the romance section.