Chapter Twenty-Three Ella
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ella
A few more days passed, and Katy didn’t receive any new messages.
Yet she remained in constant panic, suspecting anyone who smiled her way in the Flirtify office spaces or asked her anything work- or life-related.
In the group chat, she speculated about who might be the secret texter with the terrible photo editing skills.
Zola, meanwhile, had stayed relatively quiet about her own suspect list, her mind preoccupied with Curtis.
She hadn’t mentioned him much, except for the odd ‘wanker’ remark, but I’d heard her bawling down the phone a couple of nights ago.
I didn’t know how to make her feel better, because I was going through the same shit with Philip.
Every night, I watched his new girlfriend’s stories on her socials and read the thousands of comments saying how happy they looked, what an adorable couple they made.
And they weren’t wrong. Philip seemed relaxed, carefree.
I wondered if he even gave me a second thought.
The app was progressing well, despite our drama-packed days.
The disastrous interview went live on Apple News, and a few American TikTokers shared highlights, seemingly excited and onboard for the launch.
Over a lunch of the most generously filled smoked salmon bagels I’ve ever seen, Zola had informed us that the male data was almost all downloaded; now we just needed to add the right tabs and info for each.
In Glasgow, we reviewed men ourselves; in New York, Fee and Jimmy had hired two thousand students, paying them each fifty dollars to review as many men as they liked.
With over a month until Thanksgiving, everything was on track for launch.
I headed to the office with my coffee and sat at my desk.
My friends were already at their stations.
Britney preferred working with the PR girls and coming to me with a brisk update at the end of the day.
That arrangement worked better. She didn’t have to see me, and I didn’t have to look at her miserable mug.
Since the nasty text on Katy’s phone, I’d been careful around her, keeping a low profile to avoid sharing any information she could use against us.
It was just after three when Fee knocked on my door, smiling with a small box in her hands. ‘I brought you this, they’re homemade,’ she said, blushing. ‘Blueberry muffins.’
‘Oh, thank you!’ I grinned, pushing my chair out from the desk. ‘I didn’t know you baked.’
‘Oh, it’s just a hobby. Helps me de-stress.
I boxed one up for Zola and Katy, too.’ I felt instant guilt at the thought of Fee baking her husband’s one-night-stand muffins and lowered my head.
She wandered into the room and glanced about.
‘You really need to make this office more welcoming!’ She laughed at the bare walls and pristine furniture.
‘Do you have anything cheerful you could bring? Some photos, maybe?’
I shrugged. ‘We’re not staying long enough, so I guess it didn’t occur to me,’ I said before delving into the cake box.
‘You may find that you like it here, you know. The land of the free and all.’ She smiled warmly. ‘What’s in Glasgow for you?’
I paused. ‘Well, I have my flat,’ I said, then laughed.
‘No hot Scottish man to come home to in that flat?’ She tilted her head curiously.
‘Not anymore.’ I wondered whether her brother had talked to her about me; after all, they were asking very similar questions.
Fee sat on the corner of my desk. ‘Girl, they ain’t all that.’
I agreed, finally picking up one of the muffins, which was still slightly warm. ‘Have you and Travis been together a long time?’ I asked, nibbling the sides.
‘YES!’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Since college. It’s been an age! Jimmy was his best friend, you see, even back then, and he was thrilled when we started dating, of course.’ She giggled. ‘There was always something special about Travis. He calmed me; he really saw me. And I’d never had that before.’
I looked at her, wondering why Travis would cheat on such a beautiful, genuine woman. Even if her muffins were a wee bit dry, she seemed perfect.
‘What? Too corny?’ she asked, noticing my silence.
I shook my head. ‘No – just the right amount of genuine emotion. Is it weird I’m jealous, though? I don’t think I’ve ever felt entirely myself with any man. Probably not even with my parents. Yeah, I guess I’ve only felt my true self with Zola and Katy actually,’ I admitted.
‘Well, now I’m jealous!’ She smiled, small dimples appearing on her cheeks. ‘I don’t have many girlfriends. Not enough time. I’m either with Travis, at work, or baking.’
‘Wooo! Do I smell blueberry muffins?’ Jimmy’s warm voice echoed down the corridor.
‘I swear that man has an FBI-level nose!’ Fee laughed, standing up from my desk to go and greet her brother.
I heard their voices grow fainter, leaving me to wash my muffin down with a slug of coffee just as my phone pinged.
Katy: SOS!
Katy: They have sent another message!!
Katy: Forwarded message from
Unknown: Oh hey, miss me? Or just the drama? I’m SO close to telling his wife everything. Pack your bags, SKANK – that monster Nessie’s wanting her sister back!
Zola: WTAF!
Katy: This is it. We need to go to the police!
My heart pounded. I spat out the last crumbs of the over-dry muffin.
Ella: So, they deffo know about you and Travis. Can we eliminate him?
Zola: Unless it’s a double bluff?
Katy: What??
Zola: Tell me one of you bitches watch Traitors??
Ella: I have watched nothing but the Champions League for the past four months, Zo!
Katy: I don’t think Travis would do this.
Zola: You didn’t think he had a wife either? Bet she doesn’t think he would do what he did to you?
I became aware of a weird rattling sensation and realised my leg was shaking from nerves against my desk. Gazing out over the office floor, I caught myself thinking, it must be one of the people in this building. But why? And who?
Ella: I don’t think Travis is that calculated. He’s a dick – yes. But he’s not vindictive. He nearly passed out when he saw you in the boardroom x
Zola: No one is off limits x
Katy: I think I want to go home now x
I put my phone down and began pacing the office floor, restless and angry. And more than a little freaked out. I couldn’t stop questioning who might gain from us leaving or from Travis and Katy’s secret being exposed.
Around six, Britney’s usual workload update arrived in my inbox. I scanned her launch party ideas.
Pre-launch party: Investors, journalists and influencers event the week before the launch date.
Theme: Mean Girls.
Description: We will create a ‘Burn Book’ and insert short summaries of what an ex did to us.
Jimmy will welcome guests, with Fee and Travis on stage.
Canapés with feminist slogan designs will be handed out.
Zola, Katy and Ella will do a snappy fifteen-minute presentation on the app and how to use it.
Dress code: ‘On Wednesdays, we wear pink.’
I cringed at the basic plan and scrolled to the next attachment.
Launch Party: Ticketed event.
Theme: Feminist Thanksgiving.
Description: Fun goodie bags full of an Urban Dicktionary of Dating (Ella to design), lipstick and sanitary products.
A three-course meal, viral walls with bar codes for maximum social media impact, live music, plus an app demonstration from Zola, Katy and Ella. Jimmy, Fee and Travis will join them.
Dress code: Female-inspired.
I felt my head flop back, as I stared at the ceiling, my chest tightening.
What had we done? Guilt simmered in my gut.
This was The Dicktionary Club, amplified by a million.
I shut my eyes, rethinking all Britney’s plans in a desperate attempt to tame them.
There was no mention of women’s safety or offering the hope of finding true love.
The app was literally being marketed as a burn book – and we were willingly feeding that narrative to the press.
Part of me thought it would do well initially, but it would eventually create such a hostile, bitchy culture.
Deep inside, another part ached to be proud of what I’d created.
I knew an app solely focused on slating men, no matter their past treatment of me, couldn’t be the answer.
It was after six by now, and the office was dark except for my screen.
I remained there, focused on researching similar apps and their PR strategies.
Zola and Katy had gone home earlier; Zola said she would sleep with Katy tonight to help ease her stalker worries – as long as she promised to change the sheets.
A knock startled me from my work.
‘Hey.’ Jimmy’s voice sounded tired. ‘What’s up?’
‘Hey.’ I looked up from my screen, my eyes blurry.
‘Don’t you ever sleep?’ he asked with a slight smile. ‘Or explore?’
I pulled a face. ‘Explore? That’s not my idea of fun.’
Jimmy stepped forward. ‘You’re in a new city, the best city in the world, I might add, but you never seem to leave this place.’
Raw panic suddenly seized me. ‘How do you know I never go out?’ I blurted, the words tumbling out before I could catch my breath.
Was he watching me? Could he be the weird texting stalker?
Paranoia prickled across my skin, growing more intense with every possibility that crossed my mind – had he seen too much? Did he regret hiring us?
Jimmy chuckled. ‘I get reports on my desk every morning, who signs in and out, and you’ve been the last one to leave this building since you started.’
My shoulders relaxed. ‘Aww, right. Well, I like to work,’ I said, realising I sounded defensive.
‘Come on, Ella. Didn’t you have one thing on your New York bucket-list?’ he pressed.
‘OK,’ I hummed. ‘I have, and I will do it before I leave. Happy?’
‘What is it?’ Jimmy leaned closer. ‘The Knicks? I can get you courtside seats.’
I laughed, shaking my head. ‘I’ve seen enough sport to last a lifetime.’
‘Come on, no judgement,’ he said, now standing over me, brown eyes tired but mischievous.
‘Fine. The Empire State Building,’ I admitted. ‘Cliché, I know!’
‘Oh, so you’re into skyscrapers?’ He bit his lip. ‘OK, got it.’
I laughed. ‘Not like that! I just watch a lot of movies. And I find heights peaceful, quiet even. Plus, come on, it’s the most iconic building in the world.’
Jimmy agreed, then rubbed the stubble on his chin. ‘Have you heard of Summit One?’
I shook my head. I remembered it vaguely from one of Katy’s TikTok reposts, but I hadn’t paid much attention.
‘It’s cool. If you’re up for it, I’d show you around.’ He said it so casually I almost asked him to repeat himself.
‘Emm . . . Sure. Maybe.’ I felt my arsehole clench and was suddenly conscious of the plush leather seat sticking to my thighs. ‘When I finish all this and . . .’
‘Great.’ He grinned. ‘I’ll pick you up at Hudson Yards tomorrow night at seven.’
‘What?’ Shit. I should’ve been clearer. Jimmy was hot, but also my boss, and I was fresh out of a breakup. Was this a date, or just friendly? ‘Jimmy, I didn’t know you meant tomorrow. I have . . .’
‘I’m not listening now.’ He laughed, covered his ears, then left.
When he was out of sight, I paused. A strange, giddy, excitable feeling tickled my stomach.
I immediately brushed it off, knowing I should make up an excuse to bail.
Then I thought of Philip and how carefree he was back home in Scotland with his new six-foot twig of a model to entertain.
Still, I couldn’t go, could I? How the fuck was I going to get out of this?