I stood at the mirror adjusting my olive sundress.
It hugged me snugly, hinting at my soft curves.
I let my ebony black hair down in waves. Usually I tied it up because it was somehow always getting in the way, one of the downsides of having waist length hair, but it didn't hurt to switch stuff up at times.
I tried to ignore the lingering gaze of the man in the elevator on the ride down. His face lit up with a predatory smile when I glanced at him, hoping he would look away since I'd caught him shamelessly ogling my body.
How wrong I was.
I was out and strutting purposefully down the hallway before he could get a complete statement out his mouth.
I already knew what he was going to say anyways.
"Maddie"
I'd recognize that voice anywhere.
"Hey Cam"
Camille enveloped me in a warm hug, squeezing me lovingly before stepping back to inspect me.
Something she did every single time we met.
"Hmmm…" her face scrunched a bit as she peered closely at me.
"Don't start Camille" I chuckled and fought the urge to roll my eyes but lost.
"You look surprisingly good for someone I thought was going through a lot"
"Oh really?"
We picked a table near the floor to ceiling window of the GT hotel restaurant. The outdoor view it offered was absolutely gorgeous, a perfect distraction in case the conversation got sad and sour.
"Okay spill. What the hell is happening?"
Camille fixed me with her 'don't hide anything from me' look.
I took a deep breath.
"I asked Ethan for a divorce"
Silence enveloped us like a cold sheet.
"I know it's a bit sudden but-"
"Oh my God…that's good news"
"What?"
"I mean…you put up with that asshole for years Maddie. I'm so proud of you for making this decision" Camille's eyes watered a bit. She reached over and gently clasped my hands.
She never really liked Ethan. She made it clear from the start.
"Oh…well thank you" I chuckled dryly. This definitely wasn't the response I was expecting. But trust Camille to always pop a surprise.
I went on to tell her all that had occured in the past months.
How the rumours had started.
Small and seemingly meaningless at first. I'd paid no heed, brushed it off as the usual gossip. But then it spread like wildfire and refused to die down even after several months.
Everyone was talking about my husband and Annie Hills. They'd been seen together on multiple occasions.
First in a Chinese restaurant, then together in his sports car at a golf estate.
On a cruise ship
In a bar
In his office
The list went on, and all these instances had picture evidence to back them up.
"God, that scumbag Ethan" Camille's wine glass slamming down on the table startled me a bit, and judging from the side glances we got, the old couple on the next table too.
"I didn't want to believe any of it at first but-"
A black Rolls-Royce Cullinan pulled into the wide driveway of the hotel, momentarily stealing my attention.
From our seating position we had the perfect view.
"Sorry, I got distracted a bit, what was I saying?"
"Oh look, it's Nathan Tate. Looking hot as ever" Camille nodded towards the window, her gaze fixed outside.
I turned towards the direction of her gaze and my stomach dropped.
Thick espresso brown hair
Light hazel eyes
Tall imposing frame
He walked like he owned the place, his aura intimidating yet magnetic.
He walked in, a bodyguard flanking his right side.
The event from last night suddenly flooded my memory.
Every second more embarrassing than the last.
I felt my face heat up with embarrassment.
As if he'd felt me staring he turned my direction and locked eyes with me.
I looked away so fast I could swear my neck cracked…and everyone heard it.
"Whoa" Camille eyed me suspiciously. "Girl are you okay?"
"Yeah…yeah" I tried to sound chill but failed miserably.
If she was already suspicious, my swift reply probably fanned the flames of her suspicion.
My wine that I'd been sipping gently was downed in seconds.
Unfortunately it didn't give me the surge of courage I'd hoped it would.
"No…" a small evil smirk broke out on my best friend's face. "Something is going on. And it involves the hot man that's heading our direction"
"What?! Is he-"
"Having a good time ladies?" Somehow, this voice had managed to get etched into my mind despite only hearing it a few times the previous night. I didn't need to look to know who it was, but I still sneaked a peek, hoping it wasn't him.
Shit
"Sure. Good morning Mr Tate" Camille sounded chipper.
He took a seat.
He fixed his gaze on me, the same look he'd had the last night.
A predator's gaze.
An uncomfortable feeling settled in my being.
Something wasn't right.
"I'm really sorry about-"
He slid a down turned photo to me.
"What's this?" I eyed it suspiciously.
"Why don't you see for yourself?" Mr Tate tapped his finger on the table. The rhythm fueled my nervousness.
If my stomach had dropped before, it probably fell to my feet at this point…along with all my other organs.
It was a picture of us, me and Nathan Tate, in the most sabotaging position. Taken last night, at the worst possible point of our unfortunate interaction.
I had my hands plastered shamelessly on his bare chest, our bodies pressed impossibly close. The angle in which it was taken was so damn perfect, both our faces were visible to whoever wished to see. The fact he was wearing nothing but a towel worsened everything.
"Oh…my God" I didn't recognize my own voice.
The pounding of my heart in my chest was so loud, I'm sure the waiter could hear it from across the room.
"Exactly fifteen minutes ago this picture was uploaded to the internet. Last time I checked, it had seven hundred views. That would've probably tripled by now" Mr Tate spoke with an unnerving calmness that did not match the intensity of his aura.
"This can't be happening…"
"Check your phone"
I didn't want to. All of a sudden my phone felt like the worst thing I owned.
My screen lit up with a call.
Ethan
"No no no this can't be happening" Had Ethan seen it?
Nathan Tate let out an irritated sigh.
"And who's fault do you think this is Madeline?"
"It's not-"
Wait…did he just say my name?
"How do you know my name?"
"Does that matter right now? There is a picture of us circulating the internet as we speak. Any moment from now, bloggers are going to come up with the most impossible rumour and attach it to the picture"
It was the truth but I didn't need to hear it.
"Well isn't there something we can do? Anything? We have to stop this!"
"I think we have company" Camille finally spoke up after silently watching the whole drama unfold.
Men and women holding cameras, phones and even microphones slowly started gathering a distance from the window we were seated next to.
I was stunned.
"Are those..?"
"Paparazzi-yes. And guess who they're here for?" Nathan Tate replied hurriedly.
"...you?"
"No Madeline. Us"
Shit
"We need to get out of here" Nathan was up in a flash.
"Wait…we?"
"Unless you want a few more photos to be added to the ones already going viral"
"You should probably go with him Maddie" Camille patted my hand when I turned to her in shock.
"He's a CEO, he could be able to take it down"
"Okay…if Ethan calls, please don't say anything to him"
I hurried after Nathan who was already way ahead of me.
If I survived this dire situation, I'd never drink again.