Victim

Chapter 5: Wicked Lady

Chapter 5 – Wicked Lady

"Hottest Love Affair between Ashford and Vanderbilt!"

I knew him giving in last night was too good to be true. I forgot that while being one of Upper East Side elites meant they look at what you're wearing, they're also keeping an eye out for who you're with. When one of Ashford's eligible bachelors, who had never been seen with any women before, was seen with New York's notorious party girl, people talk and when they do, they only spoke in paragraphs.

That title is only one in numerous others. The rest aren't even worth mentioning.

When I saw Alicia's name popped up as the caller I.D. early this morning, I thought she'd dialed wrongly. After all, why would she call me so early in the day? That just isn't how our friendship works. But after I let the first one rang off, another call came right after that and followed by another when that was ignored. It was then that I knew there was no mistake.

After I finally answered the third call, she bombarded me with a rapid fire of questions before I even got a word in, "You didn't tell me that you're going out with anyone! Much less Chase Ashford! How did you two meet? How long have you been dating? Why didn't you bring him to my party?" The questions went on and on without a single peep from me. So I let her drown me in questions – she isn't the gossip queen for nothing.

Keeping the phone between my head and shoulder, I tune off what she's saying to stretch and drink the glass of water that's already on my bed side table. When it seems that she's still on a roll with her questioning, I went to my sit at my work desk that's against a large glass window overlooking the city – petting Zeus on my way there and putting on my silk robe that's draped on the back of my desk chair.

"Des, were you even listening to me?!" I finally hear her exasperated voice yelled.

"No." No reason lying about it.

I hear her sigh at the other end. "Are you going to answer any of my questions?"

"Will you let me?" I asked sarcastically, "I couldn't even get a word in. A little advice: don't be a reporter or anything related to it, you'd be terrible." Not that she would, she's far too beautiful to be a lowly reporter, even an anchorwoman.

"Point, now tell me the details." The excitement is back in her voice.

While she's not someone I would fully trust, if there's gossip, then Alicia Rivera is the one who you should talk to. She's not only renowned for her juicy gossips, but that whatever she said are the truths so no one would challenge her on the certainty of it.

Which is why before the fire spread, I need my version of the story out there. "We're not dating," I clarified, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I'm so not a morning person. "Our family had known each other since a long time ago, so we're childhood friends. Chase is in the city for business and he's staying with my family for awhile. I was just accompanying him around," I said the last part with finality.

"Ooh, interesting," she mused; I can imagined her scribbling what I just said to a note pad like a reporter. "You've never mentioned that before, nor did I know that both of your families are close." That held an accusatory tone to it. Then she lowered her voice considerably, and whispered conspiratorially, "Under the table dealings?"

I rolled my eyes. "And you know everything don't you?"

"Naturally," Alicia said smugly, "and you're avoiding the question."

I sighed, so much for not being a reporter. "No, sorry to disappoint you," not sounding sorry at all. "We've lost touch, I haven't seen him since I was five, I think. His family lives outside the city but our moms are still in touch, so I've heard. Is that all?"