This nightmare seems too awful to be real, but the bright flashes of light and yelled questions leave little doubt that I’m in the midst of the scandal of a lifetime. Somehow, I manage to make it through the swarm of paparazzi stationed outside my office building and into the awaiting limo.
I instruct the driver to take me to my grandfather’s estate. He needs his family now, and I’m too upset and devastated to confront Joe just yet.
My heart shattered into a million pieces when I realized that Harlow wasn’t lying to me about Joe’s vendetta against my family. It was easy enough to fact-check that Joe’s dad used to work for Morrow Industries and was let go after he made a major A.I. discovery. All Morrow employees sign over the rights to any inventions and intellectual property created during their terms of employment.
Joe’s family has a valid reason to have a grudge against my grandfather, but I can’t believe Joe used me like that. I’d thought he was different. Even though it happened fast, I’d truly believed that we had something special and were falling in love with each other. I’m such a chump.
The group of paparazzi outside of my office is nothing compared to the vast sea of interviewers and videographers camped outside my grandfather’s palatial estate. As the wrought iron gate slides open to grant us entry to his driveway, the boldest members of the group pound on the limo’s windows and holler out questions––obviously hoping to get the inside scoop.
I turn back to watch as the gate automatically closes behind us. Luckily, the reporters aren’t allowed to follow us onto private property. The last thing my grandfather needs right now is to have cameras shoved in his face, while people demand answers to invasive questions.
Although I have no idea how to comfort him or what to say to make this better, I know that I need to be here for him. This is what family does… We stick together in times of crisis.
As the car pulls to a stop in the circular driveway, I glare at the shiny motorcycle parked just ahead of us. It doesn’t make sense for Joe to be here, unless he came to rub this betrayal of confidence in my grandfather’s face even further. But I can’t imagine who else would be here on a bike.
I’m not ready to face Joe, but I can’t leave my grandfather to deal with him alone. The older man must be devastated, and I hate it that I was so recently cavorting with the enemy.
As soon as the somber butler guides me into the formal parlor, I’m surprised to see my grandfather and Joe sitting near the blazing fireplace and sipping from glasses of cognac. Oddly enough, the two men are smiling at each other when I barge into the room.
Both of their faces light up with surprise and delight when they see me. I rush over to stand in front of my grandfather.
He stands to give me a hug, saying, “Alexandra, what a wonderful surprise.”
It hits me then. Somehow, he hasn’t yet heard. Joe is likely here to savor the look of devastation on the older man’s face when he finds out that his deepest, darkest secrets have been revealed to the world.
“We need to talk. Alone.” I speak to my grandfather, but glare in Joe’s direction when I emphasize the last word.
“There’s no need to leave your young man out of anything, darling,” my grandfather assures me.
“He’s not my anything,” I answer in a flat tone.
“Well, he should be,” Grandfather weighs in with a jovial smile.
I have to hand it to Joe. He’s skilled at fooling all of us. But I’m about to burst his bubble.
Before I can formulate the words to share the awful truth, my grandfather says, “Joe came to see if there is anything he could do to help control the story of the century out there.”
When Grandfather waves his hand in the direction of the front gate, I gape at him and ask, “You already know about the breaking news?”
“Of course, dear. I may be old, but I’m not loopy,” he lightly chastises me.
“Right. I just thought you’d be more upset about it.” Shaking my head, I say, “In any case, you shouldn’t be friendly with Joe.”
“Why ever not, sweetheart?” Grandfather asks, sounding truly perplexed.
“He’s the one that leaked this entire story,” I say, openly glaring at the man who stole my heart, then stomped on it.
Joe’s head whips back at my accusation at the same time as my grandfather begins laughing.
I stare at the older man, whom I’ve looked up to for my entire life. He has always seemed so with-it and on top of everything, but his laughter in this moment makes me wonder if he might be beginning to lose his mind.
Grandfather’s eyes still look sharp when he turns serious and says, “Joe started all of this, but I finished it.”
Unsure what he means, I give him a perplexed look.
Splaying his large, liver-spotted hands, my grandfather says, “Joe didn’t leak the news of my sterility or my brother’s affair with your grandmother. I did.”