5
“If Madden wins it will be a malicious attempt to prove that he can buy out any woman with his money and yes it does tramp on women’s rights.”
Nate watched the clip again and again watching the pink glossed lips enunciate every word. A corner of his mouth lifted. He knew her by name only and by the reputation she built over the years as the epitome of virtue spewing words about family, morals, and all the nonsense he didn’t believe in. Morals were relative and susceptible to personal bias. Yet he was intrigued by her. Not because she had a beautiful face to look at. She was a nobody now – no worse than a nobody. She was a has-been. A pariah. An object for mockery. But even he could see that the public who were now strongly behind her husband, the man named Jacob Henderson who was rumored to be seeing another woman, was on the wrong side. Ten to one, he knew Rachel Rivers was innocent of the allegations. Which was why he had called for the meeting today.
Today should be fun.
Rachel was surprised at how easy it was for a man like Nate to clear up the hungry reporters still waiting for her to make an appearance. After she had finally cleaned herself, washed her hair, done a little run from her sitting room to the bedroom, and worn the outfit she found in the closet which she figured she must have left there from the last time she and Jacob had vacationed at the cottage, Rachel decided she was ready to meet Mr. Nate Madden.
From the corner of her eye, as she walked toward the taxi Larry had graciously called for her, she could see the cameramen and the beasty eyes of greedy reporters watching her, just waiting to take the perfect photo but the problem was that they weren’t taking any photos. They weren’t even coming toward her, trying to get her to trip herself up in their microphones and cameras, they simply watched as she walked steadily – even though her heart was beating a million miles per hour – toward the waiting taxi and boarded it. It was all strange and it begged the question, what exactly did Mr. Madden want with her? And just how much power did he have that he could keep a whole country of vultures off her?
Honestly, she didn’t dwell on the question for too long. Whatever it was, as long as it got her back on her feet, she was fine. The past week had been the most hellish of her life. Maybe she would finally call her sister. Mabel had been blowing up her phone since the whole incident. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to her sister just yet, even though she knew Mabel would solidly be by her side.
Contrary to what everyone thought, Mabel actually had called the shots 5 years ago when Rachel announced that she was going to marry Jacob. Mabel had seen him for the bullshit person he was and had tried to warn Rachel but at the time she was too blind to see what a sham he was. Well now she could see clearly, she just hoped it wasn’t too late.
The taxi took the G2 exit onto the familiar streets. It was the home of billionaires, a place where politicians came to invest stolen wealth, a place where the trade in gold and high volumes of cold cash flowed. It was a cornucopia of high-rises brandishing various enterprises. She spotted her destination even before the taxi stopped. The roads were bustling with activities. It was past rush hour but the train was just pulling into the station and different famous brand cars pulled into private parking spaces. 5-star hotels, 5-star restaurants, 5-star everything was everywhere. It was the heart of Gem Hills.
Rachel pressed her hat on her head and put on the glasses that would shield her eyes. She was among enemies. Many of the people here were people she had once critically criticized when she was still the star of Celebrity, Lifestyle, and Everything In-between. They knew who she was. No point throwing herself into the lion’s den now.
After paying the driver who looked like he longed to get an autograph, she stood for a few seconds admiring the sun glinting off the black glass windows of the 48-floor building. It was beautiful and imposing. It was rich and oppressive. It was her last hope.
Sucking in a deep breath, Rachel walked into the building. She was going to ask questions about how to see Mr. Madden but before she could ask anybody, a young man was already walking towards her.
“Rachel Rivers?”
She nodded, furtively looking around and hoping no one had heard him even though his voice was loud enough to wake the dead. But even though workers who were milling around, filing away documents and making phone calls heard, they didn’t react. She released another deep breath. So far so good.
She followed Mr. Loud Voice. He led her to a bank of elevators and they rode up in silence which was more awkward than the taxi driver trying not to ask for her autograph. But if Rachel had to choose, Mr. Loud Voice’s aloofness was a better welcome than anything she had been expecting.
Without a word, Loud Voice delivered her to the 40th floor where a nice-looking early twenties-looking woman with silky black hair stood to greet her. She smiled and looked friendly enough for Rachel to extend her hand for a handshake.
“Rachel Rivers, I watch you all the time on ABN. I always thought you were perfect, whoever is in charge of your wardrobe deserves a raise! Oh but then again I just remembered you were replaced with that Dana something woman.”
Even though the girl looked and sounded really apologetic about it Rachel couldn’t help but think, Go ahead and rub it in, will you?
“That Dana is such a bore. Her jokes are tired and dry. Did you watch that interview she had with the Finance Minister yesterday?”
Yes, yes, Rachel thought, I watch my rivals glow in the spotlight while I drain wine faster than a sailor.
“It was kinda embarrassing really…” the girl continued to talk not realizing Rachel was still standing waiting to be asked to sit. Loud Voice had quietly retreated into the elevator. Lucky him. Rachel’s ears were beginning to get hot.
Luckily, she was saved by the loud shrill of the intercom. Talkative Brunette stopped talking, apologized profusely, and went to the intercom. She blushed furiously as she listened to what was going on on the other side. A few seconds later she dropped the phone and released the button.
“Mr. Madden will see you now,” she said finally serious for once.
Rachel nodded, ankles aching because Talkative Brunette for all her stories couldn’t remember how to be courteous to visitors. But if there was one thing Rachel learned from the one-sided conversation with her, it was that there were still people who preferred her over Dana.
Rachel nodded her thanks and went past her to the huge black oak door which seemed too formal even for a formal setting. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest and why not? The man behind the door was promising to help rebuild her life. But she wasn’t new in this world, she was no novice to how these things worked, Nate Madden wanted something in return. Now the problem was, was it something she could afford?
What could a billionaire possibly want from her?
She pushed the door open and thought, damn. In the line of her career as a professional gossip under the guise of the professional name; journalism, she had been guests to high profile events, visiting the most exquisitely built houses, offices, hotels, you name it. This was no different. Yet it was because the man in the room exuded such power, charisma, and enigma than anything she had ever felt.
And then she heard it.
