The Brunette Luxe

Chapter Four: Media Attention and Hidden Secrets

The Morning after I met Cole I was dying for a cold shower. My body ached for some unknown reason and the only thing I was convinced would wake me up was the icy water washing over me. I threw the covers over and dragged my sorry self out of bed.

The conversation the night before played over and over in my head and somehow I felt a little deflated. I don't know what it was about being in his presence that made me feel like less that what I felt I was but at the same time I was wildly attracted to him.

I sauntered into the bathroom and turned on the shower as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Looked at the face staring back at me I couldn't figure out what it was that was so special about me that caused such a media frenzy. I didn't feel like a celebrity and yet that is what I was painted as every day. My life had become about designer labels, the men I was seeing, the next scandal to break and the parties I was attending amongst other things. Surely everyone watching knew that there was more to me than just a pretty face? I dropped my night gown to the floor and stepped away from the mirror before walking straight into the cold water that shocked my body into reality with each icy droplet hitting my warm skin.

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As I stepped out of the shower twenty minutes later I finally had a grip. Cole Walker wasn't going to make me question anything more about myself. I'd probably never see his smug face again so in reality he meant nothing to me. No matter how gorgeous he looked.

Once I was dressed and camera ready I returned to the bedroom and prepared for the day ahead by picking up my iphone. I was shocked to see over a hundred messages and too many missed calls and social media notifications than I could cound. What the hell was going on?

I unlocked my phone and looked at the first message from my assistant.

"Antonia, Call me ASAP. I've been fielding calls from the press all morning. Why didn't you tell me that you were dating Cole Walker?!"

I felt my stomach drop in that instant. Surely it was a stupid misunderstanding?

I immediately pushed call, threw the covers back over on the bed and sat down. I grabbed the remote and turned on the television to see my face plastered all over the entertainment channel next to Cole. It wasn't a shock to see the photos of us talking at the club but what did shock me to the core was the private footage of me leaving his hotel room and hugging him goodbye in the early hours of the morning!

How the hell did they get photos of that?! Before I had the chance to panic my assistant picked up her phone.

"Antonia, What the fuck happened last night?" she screamed with excitement down the phone.

"Louisa! How the fuck did this happen?" I screamed back without excitement.

"I have no idea. It's all over the press that you went back to his room after the event and they are painting it as though you two are dating. There are photos of the two of you at the event and then more photos of parties you two have attended in the past. There is so much speculation over how you got together. You're the IT couple right now!. Move over George and Amal Clooney there's a new favourite couple in town." She said excitedly.

"Louisa, We are not dating. He took me back to the hotel and I went up for a drink. Nothing happened. He was a bit of a dick actually!. This is NOT good Lou" I screamed back in frusturation.

"Oh wow. I was really hoping it was true. I know it's not good for business. What do you want me to do?" She responded more professionally this time.

"Lou, I NEED you to get onto Cole's people and put this to bed once and for all. Get them to say we aren't together and do it NOW. I have to fly out in a few hours to Sydney to meet a client and this cannot get in the way." I tried to say calmly.

"OK...Boss can I speak freely?" she responded carefully.

"What?"

"You've been telling me that you wanted to quit for a while. Isn't this the best time?. You're at the top of your game and everythings going really well. Why don't you just take this as your saving grace. You're better than this and with your name plastered all over the world right now don't you think its the best idea to give it up and focus on the fashion line you've wanted to do?" I had a feeling this was coming.

"Lou, this has been booked for months. I can't back out now. I promise, coming into the new year things will be different but I just can't right now. I am swamped. Please just call Cole's people!" I was exhausted. We'd had this conversation so many times over the years and as much as I knew she was right....I just couldn't quit what I was doing right then and there, It was all I had ever known. I was lucky to have gotten away with it for so long without even a hint of anything suspicious hitting the media with such high profile clients, but how does anyone walk away from the only life they had ever known when the real world is so alien too them?

I always knew there was a possibility of being found out and drenched in negative press when you're own name and the name of your clients precede themselves but then so does anyone who works in a ring of high class call girls...especially those known as #TheLuxeLadies!