Chapter 7- Rumours Fly

I wake up to a swollen tear stained face and the room ice cold. I hadn’t had enough spare money to fix the heater yet. Another thing for my mother to bicker about. 

Sitting up on my makeshift bed in the lounge I listen trying to see if any sounds were coming from my mothers bedroom. I had managed to avoid her last night, I caught Leo at a time where he wasn’t surrounding himself with supermodels or work and decided to take full advantage of it. We sat in his kitchen laughing and drinking wine till 1am. 

I knew for a fact Emma was upset.

She wanted to ditch her family dinner and come but Leo has promised her that he would make time for her another day. I remember that she had called just after 6. I had arrived only minutes before and had already made myself a home on the couch where I was nursing a glass of Leo’s most expensive wine. He was telling me some funny story about one of his co workers that I wasn’t really listening to. 

I was still caught up with the meeting with the big boss this afternoon that Leo had described as ‘hot’ and ‘steamy’. I rolled my eyes at that telling him that it was more like ‘embarrassing’ and ‘problematic’. I knew the nature of the business world, those who worship the rich and famous... those who are the rich and famous.

I wasn’t looking for that kind of drama especially with those kinds of people. Leo’s phone suddenly rang from the coffee table in front of me. I felt like rolling my eyes guessing it was one of his wannabe girlfriends. But I look over at his phone to see Emma’s name with a pink heart, a arrow going through it at the end. I just laughed, my two best friends were so blind. Leo rushed over to pick up the phone his cheeks a bright pink. That just makes me laugh harder. A few minutes later Leo got off the phone mumbling something about needing more booze. Clear sign Emma wasn’t going to come. 

She had texted me later that she had a family event she couldn’t get out of. Complaining to me all night about how boring it is and that she wished she was with us right now. I didn’t bring it up with Leo because I knew that then he would only consume more booze and I would have to take care of his sorry ass. 

Leo and Emma’s relationship has always been like a code nobody could ever crack. They both lash out at the worst of times leaving the other in a worse place. Some may say them skipping around each is toxic... I suppose at times it is. But they're both strong people and smart. I know eventually whatever this is between them that causes Leo to get drunk and sleep with girls and Emma to get drunk and hit on Leo’s friends, colleagues- all in a spiral of jealousy. All I know is somebody always ends up with tears. 

I think it’s fucked up that I’m fine with that. I’m fine to let them just work it out. But maybe that’s saying more about me and how broken I am inside willing for somebody to fix me. Like Leo and Emma will fix each other.

---

No sounds were coming from the house, my mother must still be asleep. I breath a huge sigh of relief, I really did not need her prying questions of how yesterday went or her lectures on how I should act today. She would have preached the rules of 'the game'. Something I didn't want nor need to hear about. Every time its brought up I feel like puking. 

My father had taught me a long time ago about the game. I played it when I was really little right from the moment I could talk and smile. I would be forced to flutter my eyelashes at our guests when I was only four. I may be rusty but I could never ever forget that game and how disgusted it made me feel. I promised myself I wouldn’t play it again. Maybe that’s why i'm nervous to come face to face with my mother. Or maybe I just cannot handle the flick of disappointment in her eyes every fucking time she looks at me. 

I woke before my alarm which was a nice surprise in itself. I take my time getting ready. Being careful to brush my hair till it was smooth and shiny. I used what little makeup I had to curl and colour my eyelashes, to brighten my chapped lips. I found the most expensive looking outfit in my closet. It was a jet black dress with a golden belt. The V neck swooped low allowing some cleavage to be showing. The dress was tight and shows off my slender figure. Much better than yesterdays outfit. I rub my hands together nervously before taking a deep breath. I then slipped into my only pair of heels and prepared for one hell of a day. 

---

I was stopped in the foyer several times on my way up to the office. Voices were floating around, whispers about the event between me and the big boss were travelling. It seemed like people were curious why he didn’t push me out of the way, why he bothered to save me at all, Ouch. People who were brave enough to snap at the devil, physically came up to me and gave me a piece of their mind.

They were just sad desperate people who were stuck in a fantasy. There were all these rumours that were conducted. My favourite was that the boss got me pregnant and the only way to save the heir to his empire was to save me. 

Some people are just so fucking dramatic. 

By the time I finally managed to get to the office Mr Williams was sitting in my chair at my desk with a huge smirk on his face. “ I heard that somebody had a run in with the big boss yesterday.” He said, highly amused. 

I just shook my shoulders. " I never thought you would be one to engage in such gossip." I tell him, a smile gracing my lips. Turns out that as much of a hard ass as he is, Mr Williams isn't half bad and we actually get on alright, but I guess we will see how it goes. 

" Then you must be reading me all wrong Miss Rose, I live for drama. Especially since I saw this particular news with my own eyes." 

I just roll my eyes at him. " It was nothing really. I just tripped and he caught me... don't you have work to do?" 

" Ordering me around now are we? Little early for that love. But with the way Harding was looking at you from across the foyer I wouldn't be surprised if you were MY boss in a few months." 

" I'm sorry how was he looking at me?" I ask my boss, I was curious what people saw. Also deep down I wanted to know desperately wanted to know what Mr Harding thought of me. 

" Well its hard to sum it up in just one word. Curiosity, fascination, admiration, a shit ton of lust...shall I continue?" 

I just laugh. Playing off the sparks that were ignited at hearing those words. It was silly but I felt giddy hearing about him. 

" I'm just saying, but half the entire company saw your little fiasco, including the way he looked at you. I mean you must get that often." Mr Williams comments as he gets out of my chair, heading towards his own office. 

" I can't say I do." 

" well I would watch out if I was you. people aren't going to like America's biggest bachelor taking an interest in the new girl." He gave me a look that seemed to say 'good luck.' paired with his famous smirk before retreating to his office. 

I was so screwed. 

---

Lunchtime was embarrassing. 

Considering I hadn't had much time to talk to Emma after yesterday's fiasco. She seemed absolutely fascinated with how completely clueless I was about Mr Hardings identity and lucky I was for having such a sexy run in with him. Kind of strange considering she was there when it happened, she seemed so shocked and... scared when it happened. If Emma of all people bows her head at a man like Mr fucking Harding, then I want to know why.

I would love to know Emma's confusing feelings around this man. 

“Wait! So let me get this straight...” Emma shouts, waving her hands around in crazy and exaggerated gestures. She had been fiddling with one of the company pens, now it seemed to be part of her crazy conducting- Anymore of those gestures and I swear she was going to poke somebody’s eye out with that thing. “ You had a sexy run in with Mr Harding of all people and didnt even realise!” 

She throws me her famous look, a cocktail of disappointment, amusement and shock. 

“Mia that is practically a crime.” She exclaims. Hand over heart and head she dramatically falls backward into her chair.

She had mentioned earlier that Mr Harding made headlines at least three times a week, once a month for business the rest was very much personal. Mostly it was the same stories on different outlets, but it was all about his personal life. The girls he dates, the girls he dumps, they girls they wish he dated. Some tiny things about his family but they mostly claimed that Luke Harding was Americas number one Batchalor. 

I hadn’t been able to buy a magazine in years, Not like I would have the guts to read it anyway. When your face and news about your personal life is splayed on every media outlet out there you start to loose taste for such things. I wondered if Mr Harding cares about keeping up with the hundreds of tails spun about his life, or if he just couldn’t bother anymore. " You saw it all happen. You were the one who told me-"

" Yeah I'm suprised I had to explain who he was, I thought that you would know from the endless stories I tell you about him. Plus your little run in was kinda hot." She comments

Emma had told me many stories about Mr harding and all the scandals he gets caught up in. According to her, he's actually a pretty decent person, who runs his business well and above all he is fair. But apparently he is equally hell to work with. He's cold and distant, always harsh and never really friendly.He hated PA's, never keeps one for himself for long. She suspects that he sleeps with them and then gets bored, or they just piss him off. Strange, it doesn't seem like the man who met in the elevator that first day, who held so much emotion, I guess it was a little hard to belive. I just had to shake my head at her comment about our run in, laughing a little. “ it was nothing Emma.”

She shot up, gripping my shoulders. “ NOTHING! This was not nothing Mia! Anybody who that man touches for more than five seconds is BLESSED I’ll tell you.” 

“ so are all of his ex’s are blessed?” I push back, laughing. There is no way she is serious about this....right? Its not like the man's untouchable. 

“ There’s a rumour that he wouldn’t even let them touch him. He just used them for the media.”

I scoff, honestly I wouldn't be surprised. There were men whose used me as a porn. I mean my own father had no problem flaunting me to the media. They're all the same in my eyes. 

" You were frighten of him at the bar Emmie. I saw it." I whisper clutching her hand. What could that man of possibly done to make Emma so scared to be around him? 

I watch as she opened her mouth but she never got a chance to reply. Sierra and her crew came marching up to us matching Prada purses clutched in hand. 

" What the fuck do you have to say for yourself?" Sierra sasses me. Waggling her fingers in my face. She smelt so overwhelming, I honestly felt like gagging. 

" What have I done?" I push back. I don't really care about what Sierra is here to lecture me about. She is honestly a waste of time and breath. But she looks PISSED and her little sheep don't look too happy either. I'm honestly curious as to what I could do to make them more pissed off than yesterday.

" You have been fucking my man." She snapped. 

" I'm sorry but I have no idea what you're talking about." 

" You stay away from Luke, I can-" 

"making your life a living hell we got it." I finish " Look Sierra I didn't sleep with your man. I didn't know you were dating anybody and I've never even met him." 

She wrinkles her nose in distaste. " Bullshit, I've heard the rumours about your little encounter yesterday. Don't you fucking dare play dumb with me." 

Luke...... Harding. Luke? 

" Look your new and you don't know the rules. I'll cut you some slack just this once. But watch your back bitch. " She hisses. " And stay away from MY Luke." 

I was too caught up in my own thoughts to challenge her, or even watch her walk away.