Chapter Twenty-Six

Lena

"Lena, is it true that you wouldn't give Riley a divorce after Wed For A Week?"

"Are you really pregnant?"

"Did you know that he was a McAllister even then?"

"Why did you cry at the end of the show? Was that just an act?"

"How's your relationship with your in-laws?"

I ignore the barrage of questions and run towards the car. As soon as I'm inside, I tell my driver, Neil, to drive back to the mansion.

I only wanted to go to a spa to relax after being stressed for days. How did these reporters find me? Did the employees at the spa rat me out?

I sigh as I sit back.

Why can't they just leave me alone? Aren't they tired of spreading rumors about me?

Frankly, I'm getting tired. Tired of crying over all the vicious lies that tear me up from the inside. Tired of telling Ollie not to mind them even though I can't help but mind them myself. Tired of reminding myself that I'm not who they think I am even though I'm beginning to question who I really am. Tired of convincing myself that this will pass and everything will be alright.

I'm tired. Can't they cut some slack for a woman who's in the first trimester of her first pregnancy?

What makes things worse is that I feel like I'm facing them all alone. Like I'm all alone. Again. Lately, Riley has been so busy with work that hasn't spent much time with me, and I don't want to play the clingy, needy wife.

But damn, I need him right now.

I need someone to get me through this hell.

When I see Judy waiting for me in the great room at the mansion, a smile immediately forms on my lips.

Well, there's someone.

"Judy." I give her a hug. "I've missed you."

"You have?" She throws me a look of surprise.

"Well, I haven't seen you since we went drinking," I tell her.

"Yeah. I got busy. But it seems I wasn't the only one. I've heard about the baby and all."

I glance at my tummy. "Yeah. I am having a baby."

"Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"I did want to congratulate you sooner, but like I said, I got busy. And then I got sick."

My eyebrows arch. "Is that why you weren't able to come to the party?"

Judy nods. "I wish I had been there, though, especially now that I know what happened."

I frown as I remember it. "Yeah. It was pretty much a disaster, but it's not as bad as the lies they're telling about me. I mean, I know I messed up at the party, but those stories that are spreading right now, that's a whole different mess, a bigger mess that they're all just making up."

"I know." She takes my hand and we sit on the couch. "I couldn't bear to listen to them. Sure, I don't know you all that well, but those stories are obviously lies. What's more, they're mean. How can they do that to you?"

I shrug. "I wish someone would ask them."

Judy looks at me with wide eyes. "You mean Riley hasn't spoken to them? He hasn't tried asking them where all these lies are coming from? He hasn't asked the media to stop spreading them?"

"I don't think so." I shake my head. "He's been so busy that we haven't really had a chance to talk about this whole fiasco."

Judy touches her chin. "I see."

I place my hand on her lap. "Wait. Can he do that?"

Judy chuckles. "He's a McAllister. Of course he can. Why, even back when he was a swimmer, whenever someone would spread rumors about him, he'd shut them down. He's not exactly the kind of man who just rolls over and takes a beating."

I nod. Judy's right. He's not.

"I wonder why he hasn't done anything this time, then."

Judy shrugs. "Maybe it's a test."

"A test?"

"Maybe he's trying to see how you can handle this--or if you can handle this--on your own."

My gaze narrows. "How can I take on the whole media, the whole world on my own? I'm just one person."

Judy scratches her chin. "Or maybe he's just busy like you said. He does have a lot of stuff to take care of."

I shrug. "Maybe."

But as his wife, shouldn't I come first? Shouldn't he be taking care of me, too, especially at a time like this? He promised he would.

"Or maybe..." Judy stops.

"Maybe what?" I ask her.

She waves her hand in front of her face. "Never mind."

"Maybe what?" I insist.

"I don't know. Maybe it's because this doesn't concern Riley. It just concerns you."

"What do you mean? Are you saying he doesn't care about me?"

I won't believe it. I know he does.

"Calm down, Lena." Judy places her hand over mine. "That's not what I'm saying at all. I'm just saying that maybe he doesn't consider this as much of a threat, so he thinks that dealing with it isn't too important."

I still don't understand what she's saying. How can this not be important when his wife who's carrying his child is suffering because of it?

"Or maybe Uncle Harold won't let him talk to the media," Judy adds. "You know he always does what his father asks."

I nod. That makes more sense.

"Then maybe I should ask him to do it for me so that I can have some peace of--"

"No," Judy tells me quickly.

I look at her. "No?"

"Do you really want to give Riley more stuff to worry about, more things to do? If this is what his father wants, do you really want him to defy his father? Do you want to come between them?"

My gaze drops to my feet.

No. I realize I don't.

"There are some things you can't ask of your husband, Lena, no matter how much you want to," Judy tells me. "You can't rely on him for everything."

She's right. Riley has enough on his plate.

I sigh. "I guess I'll just have to try harder not to mind the rumors."

After all, this is my problem.