CHAPTER 35
The day felt like any other—full of routines, decisions, and responsibilities that I had grown accustomed to. But despite the normalcy of it all, my mind was far from settled. As I sifted through the documents on my desk, the nagging feeling that something wasn't right kept growing.
Chase and I had always been a team, partners in business and, for the most part, life. But after our recent argument, the silence between us had been deafening. He hadn't reached out, and I couldn't shake the suspicion that something had shifted between us, something that I couldn't control.
His absence, particularly his lack of response to my calls or messages, only added to the anxiety brewing inside me. Did he really care about Shay that much? Was he seriously going to let that relationship jeopardize everything we had worked for?
I was snapped out of my thoughts by Sylvia's knock on the door.
She handed me the file I'd asked for, and just like that, she was gone.
The door clicked shut behind her, leaving me alone with my thoughts again.
But I couldn't focus on the work in front of me—my mind kept drifting back to the growing tension with Chase and the lingering doubts I had about how far he might go.
The shrill ring of my phone interrupted the spiraling thoughts in my head. Without checking the caller ID, I picked up the phone, holding it between my shoulder and ear.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Cartwright? It's Sam from Echoview Magazine."
I paused, momentarily confused. Sam was the journalist who had helped me with the tabloids, exposing Shay's identity, but this call wasn't expected. Hadn't that whole issue been resolved?
"Yes, Sam?"
"Sorry to bother you, sir, but something urgent came up. I was wondering if you've seen the news yet?"
News? What news?
"What news?"
"Well... I figured you probably haven't seen it yet. I'll email you the link so you can check it out yourself. Just so you know, it wasn't us who released the article. Another gossip magazine picked it up, and they've been following your relationship."
His words didn't register at first, but by the time he hung up, I was already lost in a cloud of confusion. What the hell was going on?
I quickly checked my email and clicked the link Sam had sent.
My heart sank when I saw the headline. It was an article from a gossip magazine, detailing Shay and I, with pictures from our date at the exhibit.
They even had an intimate shot of us, caught in a moment that was supposed to remain private.
I wasn't mad. In fact, I was almost pleased.
This was exactly what I needed—what I wanted. I knew that Shaden Falcon would see this. I could already picture his face, the fury in his eyes when he realized that his precious daughter was dating his biggest business competitor. It would drive him insane.
A small part of me wondered how Shay would feel about this public exposure. Would she be hurt? Embarrassed? But I quickly pushed those thoughts aside. I didn't need to care about her feelings. She was just a pawn in this game.
This was all part of the plan. A payback to her father, the man who had made my life miserable for too long. And as much as I hated to admit it, I had to remind myself that my feelings for Shay—whatever they were—didn't matter. They weren't real. They couldn't be real.
Nothing about this was permanent, and that included my feelings for her. She was just another step in the process. And once the plan was complete, it would all be over.
The problem was, a part of me wasn't so sure anymore.
The tension in the gym was palpable as I continued to fume over the magazine cover in my hands.
I'd always tried to keep my life private, especially my relationships.
But now, this exposure felt like an invasion.
Shanelle's presence only made it worse. Her sarcastic tone and taunts only added salt to the wound, as though she took some twisted pleasure in my discomfort.
"You're still here? I thought you already left for New York." She'd walked in, all nonchalant, like she wasn't about to wreck my entire mood. When she waved that magazine in front of my face, it felt like the ground shifted beneath me.
I grabbed the magazine out of her hand before even realizing what I was doing.
Then my eyes locked on the front cover—our picture from last night's date.
It was impossible to miss the big bold headline about Jason and I, along with the subheading promising "shocking details" inside.
My stomach twisted. I couldn't believe it.
The way they treated our privacy like it was their commodity was infuriating.
"Shocking, isn't it?" Shanelle's voice broke through my thoughts. "I'm surprised people are actually interested in your boring life. And seriously, how the hell did you even manage to get a hot guy like that?" She smirked as if my discomfort amused her.
I couldn't even respond to her. The only thing I could think about was how my personal life had just been sold to the public. This wasn't just a rumor—it was a full-blown article detailing everything. And now, I had no idea how to handle this.
"Jason Cartwright, wasn't he your boss?" she teased, as though I didn't know exactly who he was.
"Ex-boss," I replied flatly, trying to keep my emotions in check.
She laughed, clearly enjoying this.
"Did you really have a thing for your own boss while you were working at C&E Holdings? Most girls are into one-night stands nowadays. Office romance is so not trending anymore."
I rolled my eyes. This conversation was only going downhill.
"Yeah, and you're probably one of those girls who are more interested in one-night stands, am I right, Shanelle?" I shot back, hoping to turn the tables for once.
Her face darkened in anger, and she threw the magazine to the side.
"What did you just say?"
I met her gaze with a steady, unflinching stare.
"What are you doing here, anyway? Don't you have a fashion show to get to?"
She huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"What I do with my life and what I decide is none of your goddamn business!"
I nodded, not backing down.
"Exactly. Same thing applies to my relationship, which is none of your concern."
I couldn't be bothered to argue with her any longer. I brushed past her, my thoughts still racing. The magazine and the exposure just made everything worse. Now, I had to deal with the fallout, and honestly, I didn't know where to start. I hated this.
Every second of it.