Chapter Seven.
Alicia – two years later.
“What do you have planned today?” I asked, placing Oliver’s coffee and breakfast in front of him.
“Meetings. Why? Think you can help me?” Oliver sneered. I reacted with hurt and shied away.
Obviously, I was aware I couldn’t. “How about lunch?” I suggested.
“Alicia, I know you’ve no clue what real work looks like, but please don’t be so stupid.
I keep long hours to keep this roof over your head and you in designer shit.
That stuff isn’t cheap. No, I don’t have time to take lunch with you because I eat at my desk in between meetings and calls,” Oliver hissed. His phone rang, and he snatched it up.
“What is it?” he growled, waving a hand in my face.
Wow! Talk about being dismissed. As I waited, Oliver’s voice changed and became softer, and I knew he was speaking to Eve. She’d been his assistant for four months now and seemed indispensable. Oliver rose to his feet, sent me a dirty look, and without eating or drinking, walked out.
Upset, I blinked back tears and drew in a deep, shuddering breath.
What was going on? Over the past couple of years, I’d sensed Oliver withdrawing and had done everything I could to make life easier.
But nothing worked. The distance grew greater.
From the moment he’d taken the number one spot, Oliver criticised more and worse; he didn’t even appear to like me anymore.
Oliver had bumped Zade off their top position and had held it ever since Mystique had signed with him.
If only Oliver had known Mystique was me, that I’d helped him achieve his goal. Oliver wouldn’t think me useless anymore.
Things had deteriorated so badly that Oliver no longer showed any interest in my life. However, in the rare conversations we had, Eve’s name came up with disturbing frequency.
I wiped any trace of misery from my face and headed to dress. The Uber would be here soon, to take me to my deep, dark secret.
“Mystique!” Winona exclaimed, walking into my design studio. I looked up and smiled warmly. We’d been friends for four years now, and Winona was one of my most avid supporters.
“Your dress will be ready shortly,” I replied, leaning over and kissing her cheek.
“I can’t wait. It’s going to be stunning. How’s the winter collection going?”
“Nearly done and already working on spring.”
“Wow,” Winona gasped. “Exciting!”
Winona, Saska, Zinnia, Oceane, and Rebel had become my clothes horses and close friends.
Only they knew who Mystique was. They literally bought most of their clothing from me, and I’d started designing items for them alone.
Unique one-offs that had others clamouring for the same.
They wouldn’t get them as I wasn’t going to be everyone’s personal designer.
“The dress is ready, Miss Mystique,” an assistant, Irena, announced, approaching.
“Come on, Winona, let’s see how you like this,” I said, linking arms with Winona and leading her into the private part of the studio. This was the dressing area. Where I could assess clothing and make adjustments as I needed.
“Oh, this is beautiful!” Winona exclaimed as she examined the garment hanging up. “Darling, I’ll be the talk of the red carpet in that!”
“You’re gorgeous, Winona; my design merely showcases that. Go, try it on,” I urged.
Winona grinned as Irena carried the dress away, and Winona followed.
Happily, I sat relaxed in the oversized armchair and bit my lip.
In six years, I’d come so far. Now a recognised designer, Mystique was making a huge profit.
Three years ago, I’d wrangled a contract with Eliganz for three seasons.
It had been lucrative, and I signed each new season with them.
Obviously, we worked five seasons in advance.
Oliver had pushed for more, a longer agreement, but something made me hold back.
He might rule my home life, but he didn’t control Mystique.
My alter-ego marched to the beat of her own drum.
It no doubt confused my friends, as it did me.
As Mystique, I was strong, wild, and creative.
Alicia was shy, demure, and downtrodden.
Apparently, I owned a split personality and was two different people.
I blamed the mask. It hid my features and gave me confidence.
Wearing it, I do anything because there were no repercussions against me—Alicia.
Winona appeared and strutted her stuff, interfering with my thoughts. Bemused, I grinned as Winona thrust a hip out before stretching out a slender, toned leg through the slit in the front.
“Aaron will love this,” Winona stated with a saucy wink.
“Easy access!” I teased Winona and laughed.
Winona came over and hugged me tightly. “I’m so proud of you, Mystique. You’ve become nearly everything we dreamed of. You need to take the final step.”
“I’m glad you like the outfit,” I replied with a warm smile.
As usual, I sidestepped anything to do with Oliver.
In the past, it was because I was driven to show them I ran my life.
Now it was because I knew I was failing him and our marriage.
Winona nodded and walked away. The dress didn’t need any adjusting.
Since Eve had arrived on the scene, things had changed.
While she’d only been his assistant for four months, she’d been around for two years.
Oliver had started working late again and had begun going in on Saturdays.
His temper was short with me, just like in the early days when he’d been stressed building the company.
There were phone calls that made Oliver leave and answer away from me.
He had even taken to closing his laptop screen when I entered the room.
All signs pointed to the business being in trouble, but Oliver assured me it wasn’t.
I was starting to believe that something was seriously wrong in our marriage.
The harder I tried, the more Oliver pulled away.
The entire situation was rapidly growing out of control, and I didn’t know how to stop it.
If my friends hadn’t hated Oliver so much, I might have sought advice from them.
“Are you okay?” Winona asked gently.
“Yes, just distracted by the collection. There’s a design that isn’t quite there yet, and I can’t work out what’s bothering me,” I replied with a smile.
“Well, figure it out over lunch. Aaron is meeting us downstairs,” Winona said.
“Oh, I need…” “To eat. Come on, I won’t take no for an answer,” Winona ordered.
Resigned, I followed her out of the studio.
We took the elevator down as Winona informed me about the latest Hollywood scandal, and I shook my head.
It was unbelievable what some idiots got up to.
A limo waited by the curb, and Aaron leaned against it as we exited the building.
“There’s my two beautiful ladies!” he called, and Winona grinned and threw herself at Aaron for a kiss.
I smiled shyly, kissed Aaron’s cheek, and climbed inside. Once the door was shut, I removed the mask and smiled at Aaron as he grasped Winona’s hand. They were so in love that it was adorable.
“Are we going anywhere in particular?” Winona asked.
“Actually, darling, our cosy lunch is being hijacked,” Aaron said, and I felt guilty.
“Oh, drop me off here. I can walk back. Naturally, I wouldn’t want to interrupt!” I exclaimed.
“What are you talking about?” Aaron demanded. “Alicia, I didn’t mean you. Cain Russell is in town and requested a meet.”
Winona gasped. “Cain Russell?”
“Yes,” Aaron replied with a smile.
“The tenth richest man in the world?” I asked.
“Yes,” Aaron nodded.
I whistled, and Aaron laughed. Cain Russell was a legendary recluse.
At twenty-two years old, he’d taken a failing, almost bankrupt food supermarket brand and turned it into the country’s leading chain.
Since then, Cain had branched out into other industries, including electric cars, satellites, and cryptocurrency, which was a huge one.
Cain was thirty-four now and unstoppable.
“Drop me off, I can’t dine with Cain Russell,” I gasped.
Aaron laughed.
“Sweetheart, you have dinner and lunch regularly with five of the top fifty richest people in the world. Cain Russell isn’t a threat. And I’ll defend your honour,” Aaron teased.
I smiled weakly and nodded.
Ten minutes later, we pulled into a private parking lot, and Aaron escorted us down the alley to the front. Samuel’s was the top restaurant in town and close to the Eliganz offices, and I wondered if Oliver had eaten yet.
Aaron opened the door and held it for Winona and me. Oliver had brought me here a few times, and I knew it was a very expensive, five-star restaurant with amazing food.
“Table for Sinclair, and I’m expecting another party,” Aaron informed the hostess.
“Mr Russell has arrived and has been seated,” she said, leading us into the dining area.
Unlike most restaurants, the tables weren’t crammed in here. There was plenty of room. As she led us to a table where a handsome guy sat, people stared. I huddled back against Winona, who squeezed my arm in reassurance. She knew I didn’t handle public scrutiny well.
Cain Russell rose to his feet, and I faced the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen. Damn. Cain should be outlawed; he was so handsome. Ice-green eyes studied me before they took in Winona and then Aaron.
“Cain,” Aaron reached out a hand, and Cain shook it. Aaron presented Winona’s chair, and I moved to pull mine out. Cain intercepted me and held mine. That placed me firmly between him and Aaron. I smiled politely and sat down.
“Cain, this is my wife, Winona, and her friend, Alicia Kensington. I’d promised the girls lunch, so I hope you don’t mind them joining us,” Aaron said.
“Not at all. Winona and I have spoken several times on the phone. There is nothing better than having beautiful women for company. Today, I’m doubly spoiled,” Cain replied smoothly.
Winona laughed, and I smiled. I wanted to run screaming from the table. I was so out of my league.