Chapter 38 Harper
HARPER
Days of strategizing passed, and the initial outburst from our scandal had calmed down. Not enough to bring profits up, but the decline slowed. We had to do something or Elevate would go under within a year.
Enter today’s adventure. I straightened my shoulders and stared at my reflection in Dante’s mirror.
I looked like the kind of woman who had her shit together.
Tailored black blazer with sharp lines, along with a cream silk blouse and black pants that hugged my curves.
I smoothed my hands over my hips and smiled.
Four days since the scandal broke and Elevate’s stock began to crash. Four days of near terror held at bay by the four men who never left my side.
They’d made statements and appeared on business networks. They’d done everything the PR strategist suggested.
Nothing worked.
I would not let them lose their business because of some ridiculous narrative that painted them in the harsh brushstrokes of old men seducing young women. We were more than that, and I planned on proving it to the world.
Today, I fought back and told the world the truth. If they would not hear it from Dante, maybe they would listen to me.
My phone buzzed, and Lila’s name appeared on screen with a text.
Lila: You’ve got this. Show them what happens when they mess with Harper fucking Bloom.
I smiled despite the nerves threatening to choke me. She’d been my rock through all of this, fielding calls from reporters, managing my chaotic social media, and making sure I stayed focused on the truth.
The door opened behind me and Dante’s reflection joined mine in the mirror. “You look incredible. Are you ready?”
“No, but I’m doing it anyway.”
His lips curved against my neck. “That’s my girl.”
Julian walked in, bare arms crossed and a wide smile dimpling his cheeks. “Car’s waiting downstairs. Alexander’s wrapping up a call with the board. He’ll meet us at the office later.”
After I sat down with one of New York’s most respected journalists and laid my soul bare for the public.
No pressure.
“You don’t have to do this.” Dante brushed hair away from my face.
Of course he’d picked up on my hesitation. “Yes, I do.”
“We can find another way.” He tried to insist but stopped when I pressed a finger to his lips.
“I’m doing this. It’s what needs to be done. I’m ready. I’ll see you at the office.” I kissed him, then Julian, and made my way downstairs to the car and driver waiting for me.
The driver offered me a polite nod and held the door open, closing it behind me and rounding the car to the driver’s seat.
I sat back and stared out the window as I ran through my story one last time. The drive passed in a blur, and by the time we pulled to a stop, nervous butterflies had given way to a cold certainty that lifted my chin.
No matter what happened, I would tell the world our truth.
Someone had to change the narrative. Who better than the woman who’d been coerced by the public’s standards? Only I could tell them the truth.
The driver pulled up outside a sleek, modern skyscraper and parked.
I took a deep breath and composed myself while he opened the door for me and helped me from the back.
“I’ll be here waiting when you’re done.”
“Thank you.” I smoothed my jacket and walked into the building. Chrome and glass stretched as far as I could see, a dizzying display of glass on the elevators making my eyes water.
Maggie Lately stood in the center of the foyer, her hands clasped at her waist and a bright smile wrinkling her cheeks.
She wore her hair in a severe bun—her signature style.
Her reputation as a relentless pursuer of the truth as she took down corporations and politicians with equal enthusiasm that she matched when championing the underdog when the story warranted it had been the sole reason I sought her out.
I needed her to see me as the latter, but I would not bend our story to match any narrative except the truth.
“Ms. Bloom.” Maggie extended her hand and I shook it, grateful when my grip stayed firm despite my trembling legs. “Thank you for agreeing to speak with me.”
“Thank you for giving me the chance to tell my side.”
Her gaze flicked over my shoulder. “Will they be joining us?”
They, as in Julian, Dante, and Alexander.
I rested my hands at my sides, keeping my expression carefully neutral.
“No.” I’d been clear about that from the beginning, but I didn’t blame her for asking.
“This is my story to tell, and I don’t want the public seeing them here and twisting every word because they’re under some false impression that they control me. ”
“Excellent.” Maggie rubbed her hands together and turned. “This way.”
I followed her into a glass-walled conference room with recording equipment on the table. My stomach clenched at the sight. This was what I wanted. Everything I said would be captured, analyzed, and possibly used against me.
Tell the truth anyway. I’d been telling myself that so long it came to me in an instant.
Maggie settled in her chair across from me, pen poised over a legal pad despite the recorder. “Before we begin, I want you to know I appreciate you trusting me with this. I’ve covered a lot of corporate scandals in my career, but this one feels different.”
“Good. Because it is, and I’m hoping to show people we’re just human.”
She clicked on the recorder. “Tell me how this started.”
I took a breath and held it, using it to steady my voice. “It all started with a text message that I accidentally sent to them.”
The story poured out of me. I told her everything from the text to how mortified I’d been to how they’d responded with humor instead of firing me on the spot.
I didn’t hold back on my attraction to them or shy away from admitting I’d been the one to make the final decision. I flat out told her the power dynamics were not complicated because they had never used them against me.
“Here’s the thing people need to understand.” I leaned forward with my hands on the table. “I was never afraid of them. Never felt pressured. If anything, they bent over backward to make sure I had all the power. They gave me the choice, again and again, and I chose them. Every single time.”
We talked for over an hour. She asked hard questions and I gave honest answers.
Yes, the age gap was significant. Yes, a relationship with three men was unconventional.
Yes, I understood why people were concerned.
But I also made it clear that our love did not have to follow rules or fit into a neat little box.
Dante, Alexander, and Julian treated me with more respect and care than any man my own age ever had.
Our relationship was built on mutual trust, honest communication, and genuine affection.
When Maggie finally clicked off her recorder, she sat back in her chair and studied me. Her expression gave nothing away. This was the moment where she decided if she believed me.
I had nothing left to say. I held her gaze and waited.
“I’ve been doing this for twenty-three years.
I’ve interviewed hundreds of people. Politicians.
CEOs. Celebrities. I’ve learned to tell when someone is lying.
And I believe you’re telling the truth.” A smile transformed her severe features.
“I believe you, and more importantly, I think my readers will too.”
The breath I’d been holding rushed out. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I’m going to write what I heard, which means I’ll also include the legitimate concerns about workplace relationships, but I’ll make sure your voice, your truth, is heard.”
It was all I’d hoped for. I stood and shook her hand before making my way back through the lobby and to the waiting car.
My nerves sparked and thrummed a delicious beat as we drove toward Elevate.
This time when we parked, I had no trouble leaving the car and powerwalking my way into the building I hadn’t entered in months.
The lobby buzzed with its usual activity.
People in suits rushed around. Phones rang, and even more people crowded into the coffee corner.
Conversations died mid-sentence when I walked in. Heads turned, and dozens of pairs of eyes tracked my movement. I lifted my chin and kept walking, right up to the elevator and into the enclosed space. I grinned as I pressed the button, then gave a little wiggle of my fingers as the doors closed.
My smile grew with every floor I ascended, so that by the time the doors opened, I could barely contain my laughter.
Bethany stood behind the reception desk, her blonde hair perfect and her makeup flawless as always. Her eyes went wide when I stepped out, then narrowed in something that looked remarkably like hatred.
I hoped she choked on it.
She hurtled out from behind the desk. “You can’t go in there. You don’t work here anymore. Your access has been revoked.”
I kept going, making my way to Dante’s office, where they waited for me, along with a few guests. I walked into his office and straight to Dante’s side with every ounce of confidence I possessed.
This was it, the moment we’d all been waiting for.
Bethany burst in behind me, breathless and red-faced. “What the hell is she doing here?”
“Whatever the fuck she wants.” Julian smirked.
Two police officers stepped forward, the one closest to me taking the lead. “Bethany Whitacre?”
She paled and took a step back. “Yes?”
“You’re under arrest for harassment, stalking, and extortion.” That last one was a stretch, but we’d let the lawyers and judge sort it out. He reached for the handcuffs on his belt. “You have the right to remain silent.”
“What?” Bethany’s screech cut through the officer’s words. “This is insane. You can’t arrest me, I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“You sent Ms. Bloom threatening text messages.” The second officer stepped forward to back up his partner. “You paid multiple staff members to plant hidden cameras on private property and illegally in the hotel. You then sold footage obtained from those cameras to the press.”
Bethany took a step back, then another, like she thought if she could make it to the door she’d be okay. “That’s…I didn’t.” Her gaze darted around the room. “You can’t prove that.”
“You just did.” I flicked a hand in her direction.
Her head thrashed side to side. “No.”
Julian pulled out his phone and held up the screen. “We have proof. My PI is very thorough.” He didn’t list out everything we’d found. Let her stew in it, not knowing what we could or could not pin on her.
I’d never heard anything more satisfying than the clink of handcuffs locking around her wrists.
She lost it. Screaming. Crying. Cajoling. She fought the officers pulling her from the room. “This isn’t fair. I’ve loved Dante for years. I did everything for you. I worked late. I covered for you. I made your life easier, and you never looked at me. Not once.”
Dante looped his arm over my shoulders. “Because I was never interested. You need to accept that and move on.”
“Move on?” She spat the words at him. “To what? To watching you throw your life away for her? She’s nothing. How could you pick someone like her over me? She’s nothing special.”
Dante’s lips curved in that predatory smile I loved. He lowered his head, lips brushing mine. “There is no comparison.”
Alexander moved in and stole a kiss. “Never was.”
Julian claimed me next. “Never will be.”
“This is bullshit!” Bethany’s shout echoed through the office as the officers manhandled her from the room. “You’ll regret this, all of you. When Elevate crashes and burns, don’t come crying to me.”
“Be hard to do when you’re sitting behind bars.” I took way too much pleasure from hearing her curse and screech. We’d done it. The media feeding frenzy wasn’t over, but the worst part had been taken care of and I no longer had to worry about Bethany’s threats.
I sagged against Dante. “Holy shit.”
Julian laughed. “Holy shit is right. That was way more satisfying than I imagined.”
Alexander wrapped his arms around me from behind, sandwiching me between him and Dante. “You were incredible.”
“I felt incredible.” I turned my face into Dante’s chest, breathing in his familiar scent and letting his heart beat against my ear. I still felt incredible.
My men. My loves. The fathers of my child. We’d been through hell and come out stronger for it. I hated that we were not done yet, but we would stand together no matter what.