Chapter 36
Jude
My blood is boiling. I’ve been stuck out on a building site, getting calls from Jonno, Evie, and Tommy all the while.
Emma is under siege, and it’s Lindy who’s kickstarted it.
But her fucking ex has ramped it up to life-changing proportions.
The internet is awash with pictures and commentary.
But I know from Tommy via Mark, that after a particularly nasty call from Nigel, Emma passed out. He’s going for the kids, full time.
“Are you there yet?” Jonno is on the phone as I pull onto Emma’s street. He’s been attempting damage limitation on the web.
“Fuck, her ex is here. I can see his car,” I hiss out. “And more paps on the pavement.” I spot the reporters, milling about with the neighbours, the cul-de-sac awash with people.
He growls into the phone. “Get her out to the house in London. We can control the flow of people there. We got this, Jude. Then come straight out to me in Ireland.” His voice has a command in it, but it is the voice of reason.
“I’ll see how the land lies, brother. This is a fucking circus. She’s trapped inside the house. Got to go, brother. I’ll call you.” My voice betrays my heightened state of emotions. I need to get a grip so I can help her. Them.
My heart sinks when I see the door ripped open and Nigel storms out. Nathan is crying in the passageway as his father shouts about the police coming to get the kids. What the fuck is the man doing?
Flashes start as he comes straight for me. I really don’t want to be rolling around Emma’s front lawn with him, so I sidestep him.
“Fucking coward,” he shouts at me as I ignore him and head for the door.
The biker gang of Noah’s friends are staking out the lawn, and they attempt to ram a few reporters who are crazily trying to get to me.
When they can’t get to me, a few of the reporters rush over to stop Nigel as he tries to get in his car.
Nothing good will come from that, I think as I rush into the door and slam it shut behind me.
“Why is it so dark in here?” Every room is pitch black, not a single light on. I make my way into the kitchen. Ollie, Nat, and Noah are all sat with pale faces. Emma is being hugged by her mum while her dad is sorting drinks for the boys.
“We had to shut the curtains. They tried to take photos through the windows,” Ollie explains.
I instantly go to Emma, plucking her out of her mum’s arms. “Hey, hey, you’re doing great. It’s a feeding frenzy at present, but it will die down.” She’s pale. Bloodshot eyes. “I love you. Let me help sort this.”
I don’t fucking care if the boys are here, or her parents. My heart is hurting for her, for them. I kiss and hold her. When I put my hand out towards the boys, they come one by one for a hug with us. Even Ollie.
“It’ll be fine, Mum. It’s a load of crap. Just pictures. And Dad can’t do what he wants. We have a say. I’m eighteen. Noah and Nat have a say.” He’s hanging onto his mum, and she looks absolutely comatosed.
“Nigel came to try to take the boys,” her dad states as he picks up Nat.
“I don’t want to go. Don’t make us leave.” He starts to cry again, and Emma sobs in my arms.
This is a disaster. How can he do this? Cause all this over a few pictures. It’s madness. It makes no sense.
I stand and hold Emma for what seems like ages. Eventually, she starts to breathe better and takes a step back.
“Okay, shall I cook?” They all shake their heads. We’re all sat looking at each other. “Do you want to stay here?” I ask gently.
The doorbell goes, and Ollie heads to the door to peer through the peephole.
“It’s Jim from across the road. Shall I open it?”
Emma’s dad heads to speak to him, returning moments later with information. “He’s phoned the cops. To report the reporters for harassment.” He pauses. “That might clear them,” Brian states.
“Or just cause more gossip,” Emma says quietly. She can’t see anything positive at present. And my stomach is in knots with worry about her.
“Why don’t we head out to Greystone house.
We can stop all the paps there. We have more security.
Then let's head out to Ireland. Reschedule everything. Get some peace and perspective.” I hold Emma's blotchy face in my hands, but her eyes are dead as doornails. “It’s only our work that’s stopping us.
I’ve cleared my schedule. Clear yours, Emma, and let's go. Lindy will die down once Kell and Xander start to pressure her. She’s with a subsidiary of theirs.
They’re onto her PR company now. A couple of days and this will all be over.
And we’ll be in Ireland, with all my family.
A ring of security around us all.” I’m pleading with her to listen to understand.
“Nigel has threatened that if I try to leave the country he’ll say I’m fleeing with the kids. When he takes me to court.”
I laugh at his ridiculous statement. Emma doesn’t. She can’t think straight.
“We’ll be on a private jet. In fucking Ireland at a wedding.
I’ll get Tarron onto Sir Philip, get him to call Nigel off.
That shit will not get far. He’s trying to intimidate you.
Don’t fucking let him.” I pause as I look at her mum and dad.
They don’t know what to think. And Emma’s gone silent.
I repeat my plan, hoping to get through to her.
“Move into Greystone house. We can sort the kids. We can sort everything from there. Emma, you have clothes there. So do the kids. Let’s head out.
I’ll call cars for us. Even you, Brian and Elaine. Please, let’s all go back to the city.”
“I want to go,” states Noah.
“So do I,” Nat says in a little voice. He hugs me so tight, like he’ll never let go. My heart is battering in my chest as I gather them up.
“I’ll protect you all. Come to me. Live there. We have the room and the means to protect all this.” I stand and look at Ollie. “Are you coming, Ollie? With us?” He nods.
“I’ll go with my mum. Wherever that is.”
My heart blooms, and I nod proudly at him. He’s protecting his mum.
But my jaw hits the floor when Emma turns to me.
“No. I’m not moving out of this house. In fact, Jude, you need to leave.
” Her face is set, and I can see she’s hanging on by her fingernails.
“I am not leaving. You keep asking, but I am not. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t gotten involved with you.
Nigel, and Lindy. My fucking business. Everything has gone wrong since I got involved. And all over that building.”
I can’t speak. I’m totally shocked. Where is all this coming from?
She points to the door. “Leave, Jude. Please, I'm begging you. This will all go away if you do. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t—” She stumbles, as if she’s trying to get away.
The boys all grab a hold of me. Even Ollie looks shocked. “Mum, he’s trying to help us,” Ollie pleads.
“No, he wants us out of this house. And in his. I’ll lose everything if I do. You three, this house, my security. My fucking business. No. Jude, please leave.”
Her voice has hit hysteria. Nathan starts to cry, saying he doesn’t want me to go. Noah just stands mute next to his grandad.
“Emma, please. Let’s go in the other room and talk. I only wanted you at Greystone house to protect you. Nigel can’t barge in there. We have it all set up there. Here, it’s a fucking free-for-all.”
“No. If you go, Lindy does. No more internet. If you go, Nigel will leave me alone.”
She thinks she’s being logical. But she isn’t. Because they are not logical. They don’t care. She's a means to an end in their world.
“Nigel will not leave you alone. He was messing with your business before I came along. He’s just upped the ante since I arrived on the scene.
So you will do exactly what you’re doing and cave in to him.
He’s manipulative, and a bully.” I’m trying to be reasonable and not go too far in slagging him off in front of the kids.
“And you’re not?”
My mouth drops open in shock. I’m stunned. That she would even think that, never mind say it.
“You and your family manoeuvre us all the time. Suits for a wedding, staying at your house. You wanted my building, and you’re still trying to get it.
By moving me out of this house and into your family home.
I’m running on fumes for income. I have no financial security at your house.
There, I’m reliant yet again on a man. And I vowed never to be in that position again.
If it goes pear-shaped, I would have to sell my building to your family, as I have no home. ”
She’s lost it. Put two and two together and come up with a gazillion crazy outcomes.
“I wanted to get married. I fucking asked. I’d fucking buy you ten homes, all in your name.
I’d marry you with no fucking prenup.” I’m shouting back at her in desperation.
I need her to listen to me. “How does that fit with giving you no security and buying your fucking building.” I don’t know what to do. She’s hysterical. I’m hysterical.
“If I married you,” she snarls at me, “what’s mine also becomes yours.”
I stare at her blankly, and then throw my head back and laugh.
“And this is what you really think of me? I’m a fucking billionaire.
I could buy your building ten times over and still never spend all my fucking money,” I huff out sarcastically.
“It always comes down to money, doesn’t it?
I’ve never cared that I had more. I would give it all to you.
I would give it all to them.” I point to the three pale-faced boys.
“I’m not a celebrity. I’m a normal person,” she states, totally shut down. Totally devoid of any thought or feeling. I can see it in her face. Ping-ponging from one crazy outcome to the next. A pinball machine of madness.
“Neither am I. I’m a fucking builder. If I wanted a celebrity life, I would have one.
It’s on a platter for me. But I wanted you.
I wanted them. I wanted to give you my name, give them my name.
Let them take everything I have. And not just my fucking money.
I wanted a family. But clearly you don’t want me to have it.
” My heart has jumped out onto the kitchen floor, bare and unprotected.
“They are mine. I won’t let anyone take them from me.” She’s trying to stand tall. Assert herself. But she’s aiming it at the wrong person.
“I am not Nigel. I don’t want to take them from you. I want to be with you all. All of us. And I thought you felt the same. You told me you loved me. Jude Greystone, fucking builder. Not the celebrity CEO. Me. Jude.” My heart is flailing about, lifeless and dying. She’s killing me.
A bang on the door and blue lights flash through the curtains. She makes a noise like a wounded animal. “Please, Jude. Please leave.”
She’s begging, and I can’t stand to see it. It’s ripping my soul in two. I turn to go and Nat starts to wail and cry, trying to grab me, telling me not to go. Ollie is pulling at him to let me go. I stagger to the door as the door bell goes, and as I open it, I see flashes and the police.
I nod and walk down the path. Reporters swamp me as chaos ensues, with the bikers getting in on the act on my behalf as well as the police. Noah runs out, shouting my name as Brian chases after him. It’s complete and utter pandemonium.
And she’s right, I have caused it. Brought all this chaos to her cosy home in St. Albans.
She had a lawn and a white picket fence before me. Now she has the police, the paparazzi. Nosy neighbours and a biker gang running all over her fences and grass.
I thought I was making things better, that she wanted the same things I did. But she didn’t. She didn’t trust me. No wonder she’s been giving me the gentle brush off when I’ve mentioned anything to do with her family blending with me.
I huff out a breath of pure frustration. How the fuck did a few pictures on the internet get me to this shit show?
I start the car and head back to Greystone house. Alone. Again.