Chapter 9

Alex

I was so goddamn nervous. For the last few days my time had been spent between settling in, working and making sweet, glorious love with Eli. Thank God the house was huge and Brianna’s room was the furthest away from ours. Still, I’d felt I couldn’t let go like I had before, keeping my moans at a minimum. There was no doubt about it that her staying with us affected our relationship, even if she kept to herself.

I’d been watching her relationship with Eli. She almost demanded his attention and the more she pushed, the more Eli pulled away. He didn’t seem to realize how dismissive of her he was. I felt it was too early in our relationship to interfere. I had no idea what they’d been like together over the years and Brianna’s behavior left a lot to be desired. Maybe their relationship was just too strained, too fragmented for them to gain anything from my interference. I was sure Eli would have tried everything to have a relationship with his daughter over the years.

Guests started to arrive, and no one blinked an eye at my being here. I was Eli’s assistant. He’d obviously extended an invitation to me. The fact I wore a white lace dress didn’t raise anyone’s suspicions. It was a party after all.

Only Aidan gave me a wink when he’d arrived, whispering that our secret was safe with him. My parents had got here the day before and we’d agreed that they’d stay in a hotel in Manhattan instead, near to the sights and not far from Eli’s house—our house. It was still all so new; I kept having to remind myself.

“Are you going to tell me about what’s going on with you and Eli tonight, because if you don’t tell me ahead of everyone else after the help I gave you two getting together, I’m not letting you be my baby’s godmother.” Said Haley, pulling me to one side.

“Oh for heaven’s sake.” I said. “Okay, now don’t squeal. Eli and I…”

“You did the dirty. I want deets, all of them, right now.”

“Let me feel that baby is it kicking yet?” I told her placing my left hand across her stomach.

“What are you talking about? I’m nowhere near any of that yet.” She said.

“Look at my hand.” I whispered.

Haley shrieked and everyone looked around.

“Sorry, she stood on my toes in those enormous heels,” she lied before turning back to me and saying quietly, “we need to have coffee, soon. I get this isn’t the time but I need to know everything.”

“Yes, definitely. Now go back to your men and stop staring at my hand.”

“I can’t help it. I can’t believe it.” She said, but she walked back to Chase and Todd.

Everyone was milling around and it was almost time for us to announce our news. We’d had to wait a little longer than we planned as Henry had been delayed due to childcare issues. We’d been going to tell people at eleven, but Eli had whispered to me that we may as well do it just before midnight as it seemed everyone was staying through the New Year. Mom and Dad had been great at keeping quiet, but I noticed my dad had kept an eye on Eli throughout the evening!

What I’d not prepared for, and really, I should have fully expected it, was for Brianna to crash through the doors at a quarter to twelve.

“Is it New Year yet?” She asked loudly. “Only I don’t have a watch.” She raised a bottle in the air. “Though I do have my dad’s best scotch.”

People laughed politely but looked over to Eli, who was making his way over to his daughter. He whispered in her ear.

“Oh yes, yes, yes. Go to your room, Brianna. Fuck off out of my life, Brianna. You’re an embarrassment, Brianna. Here have some money and leave me the fuck alone. Fine, Father. Fine.” She hollered. “You win. You carry on here with your new wife,” she pointed at me, “and your new perfect life, and while you’re at it, why don’t you plant your seed in her, if you haven’t already and have a replacement Brianna. One that’s not a fucking embarrassment. Or, maybe you’ll realize that you are the most fucking pathetic father ever as you screw up the life of baby number two.” She raised up the bottle and then took a huge gulp. I expected the burn to be visible on her face but she just took a moment and then carried on, “To the bride and groom, everyone.” Then she turned on her heel and walked off. I noticed Toby try to grab her arm on the way out but she threw his grip off telling him to go fuck himself too.

Eli walked over to the microphone we’d set up and asked for everyone’s attention.

“Right, well, that wasn’t quite the way we’d planned to announce things. But if you’d like to raise your glasses.” He beckoned for me to appear at his side. “Alex and I eloped on December 18th. So we please ask that you celebrate our marriage as we bring in the New Year.

I shook my head at him as he nodded for me to join him on stage. His daughter had just run out of the room and he was acting as if nothing had happened. It was no doubt one of Brianna’s usual dramatic episodes but she was under my roof now and I needed to make sure she was okay. I raised a hand and mouthed that I’d be back in a moment. Then I left my husband standing on stage by himself as I went in search of his daughter.

I found her in her room packing her belongings.

“Get away from me.” She screeched as I walked into the room.

“No.” I said, standing in the doorway.

“Just go and join my father.”

“I’m not going to do that, Brianna. We need to talk. I don’t understand your relationship with your father as I’ve not known him long enough in that way. Maybe you can talk to me? Help me see what’s going on.”

“Huh. What’s going on is I’m an embarrassment and a nuisance to him, and it's better off if I leave.”

I sighed. “Please don’t rush off. Where are you going to go on New Year’s Eve?”

“I’ve called Roger. He’s sending his private helicopter to bring me home. He says my mom will be delighted to have me home. That’s ironic. Delighted to have me home for the New Year but I need to have left and got my own place as soon after the wedding as possible so they can spend their married life enjoying themselves without me. Do you know what, Alex?” She stood and stared at me. “I’d have been better off aborted. They wouldn’t need to get rid of me now if they’d gotten rid of me then.”

“Why did you pretend to be drunk?” I asked her. “Because I know you aren’t really as there’s no way you could have drunk that much scotch without flinching.” I picked up the bottle, opened it and smelled the top. Water.

“It just gets tiring when your father likes celebrating everything else but you.” She sneered. “New condo development, let’s party; new marriage, let’s celebrate. Daughter? Let’s pretend she doesn’t exist because she’s a materialistic embarrassment.” Tears started to stream down her face. I rushed over to her and tried to put my arm around her, but she shrugged me off, accidentally elbowing me in the cheek. The pain was excruciating, and I clutched my face, letting out a yelp.

“What the hell did you do?” Eli stood in the doorway. His face like thunder. “That’s enough, Brianna. I’ll arrange for a hotel for you for the evening. Then tomorrow we need to talk. Your behavior has gotten out of hand, maybe you need to see a therapist or something.”

“You’re a fucking piece of work, do you know that, Elias?” Brianna looked him square in the eyes, even though I knew the woman was broken. “I’m out of here. You’re no longer my father. Well done on achieving what you always wanted.” She turned to me. “I’m so sorry. Thank you for bothering to come and see how I was. Thank you for in a few short days being more of a parent than my own have ever been.” She shocked me by placing her arms around me in a brief hug and then she stormed out of the room knocking Eli out of the way as she went.

“Are you alright?” He asked me, concern in his gaze.

“No, I’m not, but now’s not the time to address it. We need to go and mingle with our guests and reassure everyone, especially my parents that everything is okay.”

Luckily the bang to my cheek had left no mark. We went back to the party, and I joined my husband on stage as he re-announced our wedding news and everyone celebrated, having had a little time to embrace the shock.

Afterward, I spent the party mingling with guests who wanted to take the time to congratulate me. It didn’t escape my notice that the staff serving the drinks eyed me and chatted about me. People I’d talked to as colleagues, now saw me as a token of gossip. No doubt wondering how long I’d been sleeping with the boss. Aidan came over with his girlfriend, Lori, just as I’d decided an extra glass of champagne was in order.

“The wager was for him to ask you on a date, not marry you.” Aidan clinked his glass against my own. “But hell, why not? I guess when you know, you know, right? I’ll have to marry this one.” He said, nudging Lori in the arm.

“Romantic as ever, Aidan. If you decide to propose you’ll do it properly, the full hearts and flowers. Plus, I want to wait. I’ve my training to finish.” Lori explained she was training to be a photographer.

“You see. If you’d have waited, you could have had my bride-to-be take the photos at your wedding.” Aidan said. “You missed out.”

“I am not your goddamn bride-to-be, Aidan Hall.” She rolled her eyes. “Please excuse him. He’s like an overenthusiastic puppy.”

“I know.” I told her laughing.

“Oh God, of course you do.” She replied, putting her hand on mine. “Through work. Gosh that’s going to be strange for you. Are you keeping your job?”

“Yes, I should imagine so.” I told her. “For the time being, anyway.” I dropped my voice lower. “I’m hoping to start a family sooner rather than later.”

“Oh my God, that’s so exciting. Aidan was desperate for Eli to ask you out. Said he needed the love of a good woman and knew you were his one. He’s an idiot, but he’s a romantic at heart.” She smiled a big beaming smile. “He’s my idiot.”

Henry and his wife Amelia joined us, along with Eli.

“Many congratulations, my friend.” Henry said. “I have to say it’s come as a bit of a shock, but we wish you nothing but happiness.”

“So, I have to ask.” Henry said. “Did you rush the wedding because there’s a baby on board?”

“We’re not that fast.” I said at the same time as Eli shouted,

“Christ, no. You’ve seen the first product of my loins. Who’d want to rush into that?”

I could feel Lori’s stare burn through me but I refused to meet her gaze.

We carried on until the party’s last guests had finally left. My parents were flying back early the next day and so I wished them a safe journey. I went up to our bedroom to get changed when my business cell rang. I looked at the screen. It looked like I was ringing myself, but I’d placed my personal cell from my purse to Brianna’s as I’d hugged her, before going to my bedroom and grabbing my business phone.

“Yes?” I asked.

“There are problems with the helicopter. I can’t get out of here. I’m sitting in the bar at Elite and I’m being constantly hit on by drunk men. There are no vacancies. My dad forgot to book me a room anywhere it would appear, which is just as expected. Please help me, Alex.” Her breath hitched. She’d been crying. “I am wondering what the point to my existence is. I don’t think I’d do anything stupid, but if I stay here, I’m going to get drunk and leave with one of these guys, I know I will. Because I’ve done it before.” She whimpered. “I’ll look at which one has the most expensive watch and shoes and I’ll let him take me home.” A cry of anguish escaped her. “I don’t want to end up like my mother.”

“Stay in the bar. I’m coming to pick you up. Don’t worry, I have the perfect place for you to stay.” I told her.

Eli sauntered up into the room and stalked towards me, “Hey, wife. Looks like I have you all to myself.”

“Are you for fucking real?” I shouted.

He recoiled at the sound of my voice. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head and laughed. “Your daughter is sitting in a hotel bar because you forgot to book her a room. She’s hurting because she thinks her parents don’t love her,” I raised a hand when I saw he was about to deliver his usual spiel about her being dramatic. It was written in his eyes.

“I don’t know your whole relationship but it seems to me like Brianna is a woman trying to get her parents attention the way she’s always had to. By creating a scene. But tonight-tonight you have truly broken her. I’m taking a driver, I’m going to pick her up and then I’m going to take her to my apartment. And then I shall spend the next however many hours or days she needs me, with her. And when you and Brianna are ready—and no doubt your ex-wife too—maybe you could arrange some kind of therapist for you all to work through this mess.” I took a deep breath.

“Eli, I realized tonight that I don’t really know you at all. I’ve spent four years with you but we never got past the surface. To be frank, I don’t like what I’ve seen so far. I want children, Eli, but I’m not sure you’re the father I want for them. Plus, I’m not convinced you want any more, anyway. You kind of made that clear earlier.”

“I was angry. It was a throwaway comment.” He protested. “We can get through this.”

“Maybe we can.” I told him. “Once the drama with Brianna is over and her mother’s wedding has gone ahead, maybe we can talk. But for now we’re on pause, Eli.”

Eli’s face was creased with anguish. “Don’t do this to me, Alex. Don’t do this to us. I love you.”

“You don’t know me.” I screamed at him. “This marriage was a mistake. I’m arranging an annulment. Do not contact me and instead put all your efforts into mending your relationship with your daughter.”

“Please.” He grabbed my arm. “I beg you, don’t leave me.”

“And there’s the problem.” I looked him square in the eye. “I’ve told you your daughter is at a bar alone, and all you’re asking is that I don’t leave. A decent father would have bolted for his driver the minute those words left my mouth, and he’d have left his wife standing there.”

He looked down, and I saw reality hit.

“I’ve fucked everything up.”

“Yes, you have.” I said. And I left him standing there while I hurried to collect Brianna.