Chapter 44 Ella
ELLA
Isnap my laptop shut and drop my head in my hands as I fight back tears. How dare Kyle do this. Was it not enough for him to steal from me? Was it not enough for him to assault me? Was it not enough for him to burn my things?
What the hell did I ever see in him? And why did I stay with him for so long?
I let out a shaky breath and do my best to collect myself.
My coworkers were all pretending to not be watching me read the email, and they all failed.
I knew the second I got off my call with Lennox Rose that something was wrong by the way they were all looking at me.
It didn’t help that Daphne looked smug. I don’t even know why she’s still on the team since lately she seems to revel in my misfortune; not the best quality in a PR team member.
I want to snap at them all to mind their own goddamn business, but this is in fact their business since we now have to handle this.
We knew these types of articles would come out about whoever Asher dated, but it’s getting harder to face them when those articles are about me, and we’re all struggling to separate them between work and personal.
This situation is getting more complicated by the day, and I wish they were better at hiding their reactions to it.
Emily texts me, asking me to come into Asher’s office to discuss the article, and I grab my laptop and head there, doing my best to ignore the looks my coworkers still shoot my way.
The tension in Asher’s office isn’t much better.
Asher, Matthew, and Emily are all quiet as I pull up a chair next to Matthew.
I’m trying to put on a brave face, but I’m sure I’m not hiding the hurt on my face well.
Just when I thought my ex-boyfriend couldn’t go any lower, he did.
I honestly don’t care that the article focuses on me being a gold-digger.
There have already been a dozen similar articles written.
What has me so upset is that Kyle is just outright lying about everything.
I never even mentioned Asher’s name to Kyle because I’d never even met him before I broke up with Kyle—I worked as a marketing rep for God’s sake—so I never in a million years thought I’d meet the CEO of the company.
But because Kyle is a small, insecure little man, he’s manufactured some ridiculous story and the world just might believe that story because he was my boyfriend.
Emily walks me through her thoughts on disputing Kyle’s claims by showing the truth and publishing the texts and videos between us, and the thought of it makes me shrink in my seat.
Do I really want to throw all that out into the world?
Do I really want to publish my text messages and videos of my burning clothes for the world to see? The thought makes me sick.
“What do you think?” Emily asks.
“I . . . don’t know,” I say, my voice quiet. “It’s already humiliating to go through that. I still can’t believe that it happened to me, and I don’t know if I can share it with the world.”
“Okay, we can set that aside for now,” Emily says in a comforting voice. “Let’s discuss the timeline and how to fi—”
“I don’t know if we’re going to have another choice,” Asher interrupts. “We can’t let the media run away with this story. We have a definite way to clear it up, so we should take it.”
My stomach twists. “I understand that, but this is personal.”
“You’re going to have a hard time keeping your personal life quiet. This will at least exonerate you.”
“I’m aware my personal life is no longer wholly personal, but sharing something like this comes at a big cost.”
Asher furrows his brows. “The cost seems low to me. Kyle is in the wrong and you have proof of that.”
“It may seem low to you, but you’re not the one he assaulted.
You’re not the one who watched your things burn.
You’re not the one who feels like a complete fool for staying with someone who clearly thought so low of you as to hurt you.
The entire situation is degrading and humiliating, and I don’t think I can just throw that out to the public.
Do you know how many men will probably spout off that I deserved it somehow? ”
“No one is going to say that.”
“Have you met men?”
“Ella, we can’t afford this bad press, we need to shut this down.”
“We had loads of good press in London, and while I’m not a fan of this particular bit of bad press, we’re still definitely on the positive side of things as far as image goes, this won’t destroy us.”
“The board is breathing down my neck, I don’t want this to give them any more ammunition. Henry is furious that the article brings up Charlotte.”
“I can’t help that.”
“No, but you can shut it down quickly by disputing every one of Kyle’s claims. Why wouldn’t you want to? Why would you let that piece of shit slander you?”
“I just told you, it’s humiliating. And it’s a very vulnerable position to be in.”
“He should be the one humiliated, he’s the one that hurt you.”
“And yet, he clearly isn’t, is he? He’s so deluded he’s willing to go public and lie about me when he knows he did some very wrong things.
I know I have the right side of things in my corner, but if I push out my narrative I may be linked to Kyle for the rest of my life and that’s the last thing I want. ”
“I need this story buried.”
“Then let’s contact RTZ and try to bury it. It doesn’t go live until tomorrow. There must be some way we can negotiate with them.”
Asher lets out an annoyed breath. “If you think my family hasn’t tried a thousand times to bury a story before it hits, you’re wrong.
It never works. The press is full of assholes who are too greedy, too soulless to kill a story that will make them money.
We have the proof on our side, we need to use it. ”
“Yes, I have his texts, his videos, I even have pictures of myself with bruises on my arm and the side of my face where he threw me against a wall. But I don’t know if I am comfortable sharing that with the entire world.”
“You don’t have much of a choice.”
I see red. “I always have a choice,” I hiss, my voice barely above a whisper. Tears prick my eyes. I can’t believe how callous he’s being about this. “I’m sorry the board is pressuring you, but you’re being no better than them right now, pressuring me into something I’m completely against.”
“Ella—” Asher tries to cut in.
“Let me finish! I would never ask you to make public one of the most degrading moments of your life. I would take whatever hits the press spewed at me, and I would take them happily if it kept you safe and happy—if it protected something vulnerable for you. I would never ask you to do something you weren’t comfortable with, and you not only keep pushing me, you won’t even try to understand why this is such a big deal to me. ”
“Sometimes in business we have to put our emotions aside and do what’s best for our goals. And in this case, our goal is to kill this story.”
Is he fucking kidding me right now? He’s going to patronize me about business and emotions?
Fuck him. And it hits me clearly, so clearly, what a fool I am.
While I’ve been stupidly falling in love with Asher, he’s continued to see me for exactly what I am to him—a PR stunt.
Yes, he might feel the connection we have, and he likes me warming his bed, but he was clear—I’m a fake girlfriend and a good fuck—and nothing more.
At the end of the day, I’m his employee.
Why should he care about my feelings when they don’t benefit him and his objectives?
Feelings are personal and this is business, and it’s clear where Asher stands on that.
I stand and gather my things.
“Sit down, Ella, we’re not finished.”
“I cannot have this discussion right now, Mr. Langford,” I say, my voice raw. “As you said, this is business and I’m far too emotional right now. If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. I will make this story disappear, but I will do it my way.”
I hurry out of his office, ignoring Asher as he calls out my name. I can’t deal with him right now. If he doesn’t like it, he can fire me.
I march into the conference room, gather the rest of my things, ignoring my coworkers, and head out.
Jenkins is a quiet figure next to me the entire time, but I do my best to block him out and forget he’s there.
I have a story to kill, and I have an idea of how to do it, but it’s not fully formed yet.
But if I focus on that task, and block out everything else, I can forget the pain clawing at my chest.
Jenkins heads into the security room once we walk into Asher’s penthouse.
Good. Now I just have to get out of here without him noticing.
After Asher called me several times in a row, I texted him and told him I was working to kill the story and would talk later, then I shut off my phone.
I can’t speak to him right now; I have to focus.
The little bit of a plan that formed at the office is now a full-fledged plan, and I need to make it work.
I head into the bedroom and grab my old suitcase, grateful Matthew didn’t notice it and throw it out.
It’s the suitcase I fled Zahra’s penthouse with.
It’s not designer like all of Asher’s luggage.
It’s just an ordinary black suitcase that’s fraying at the corners because I’ve had it since I was a teenager, but that only makes me appreciate it more.
It’s simple and steady and as far from the insane glitz and glamor of Asher’s life as possible.
I pack several days worth of clothes as well as toiletries, then I change out of my work clothes.
I pause as I take in my reflection in the full length mirror in the closet.
The gold earrings and necklace I wear are Langford jewelry.
The ring on my finger is Asher’s. The memory of him draping me in his jewelry and making me promise him I wouldn’t wear any jewelry besides his threatens to bring tears to my eyes.
It was such a perfect moment, the best of my life.
But it clearly meant something very different to Asher.
I take out the earrings and unclasp the necklace and set them in the jewelry case in Asher’s closet.
After that day, he and I picked out the most practical jewelry and set it aside in the jewelry case for everyday wear, and he put the more ornate, antique pieces back in the safe.
My chin wobbles and one traitorous tear falls as I slip Asher’s ring off my finger.
I set it in the case like I do every night.
But now I don’t know when or if I’ll put it back on.
Of all the arguments I’ve had with Asher, this one hurts the most. Not because it was particularly bad, but because of what it represents.
We’re not in the same place emotionally, and if I don’t get a handle on things on my end, it’s going to break me.
My heart clenches again as I close the jewelry case and lock it.
I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. I don’t know when I’ll be ready to return, or if I even will.
I have money now and can find an apartment of my own in a secure building.
But I can’t think about that now. My mind is a jumbled mess and not in any state to make big decisions.
What I do know is I have a plan, but I won’t be able to follow through with that plan with Asher hovering over me, and with all the hurt I feel wedged between us.
I give the ring one last look and I grab my suitcase, bag, and purse and hurry through the penthouse.
“Ms. Hale!” I hear my name called through the intercom system just as I open the front door.
I ignore Jenkins’ protests and hurry across the foyer to the elevator.
I rush inside and the doors close just as Jenkins and Waters get to the foyer.
Jenkins has a phone to his ear and I know he’s probably calling Asher, but I don’t care.
The elevator opens to the building’s lobby, which I realize I’ve never seen before. We always exit through the underground garage, but I’m not taking one of Asher’s cars today.
“Ms. Hale,” the doorman says as I pass the front desk. “May I help you?”
I want to roll my eyes. Security probably already called down here to have him delay me.
“No thank you.”
I breeze by him and hurry out the doors. Luck is very much on my side for once, and an older couple is just exiting a cab right in front of me. I practically hurl my suitcase, laptop bag, and purse into the cab as soon as they’re out, then jump inside and slam the door.
I give the driver the name of my bank and a hotel and tell him to go quickly.
We pull away from the curb just as Jenkins and Waters burst onto the sidewalk.
I let out a breath of relief. It worked.
I don’t care if I’m breaking my contract right now by ghosting Asher and the security team.
I need space from him and that includes his security detail.
After withdrawing an amount of cash that would have made me vomit just six weeks ago, I check into the hotel and insist that my name be kept private from all calls and inquiries.
Luckily for me, this hotel caters to celebrities and other high-profile people all the time, so they’re used to these sort of privacy needs, and the concierge doesn’t question it.
Once I’m settled in my room I get to work. Asher insisted this was business, not personal. And so I will take all my emotion out of the equation, and I will get this shit taken care of. Because if there’s one thing I refuse to be anymore, it’s a pawn in the games of men.
Asher’s made it clear where he stands, and I can’t forget that.