Me Against Her (Cate Blanchett x OC)

Celebration

The party took place at Cate and Andrew's house. The place has been re-organized after Cate left, but tiny traces of her still remained. A small photo, an earring, a page out of a script lying around somewhere. The scent of her perfume still hung in the air like a ghost, but when I smelled closely, it came from the petunias in the garden. 

As people started filing in, any swirl of blonde hair made my heart skip a beat. The prospect of her coming back for my party made my heart swell, and then it was faced with the inevitable disappointment that I had mistaken someone else for her. Seeing people drinking beer and shooting the breeze on the couch where we spent our first night together was surreal and maddening. 

Then he arrived. Right on time as it was printed on the invitation. Fortunately, a dozen people had already so I was spared the anguish of having to make small talk with him right away. 

But eventually, he made his rounds across the room and was feet away from me. Upon closer inspection, I was nauseated to discover that Harge was probably one of the most amicable and ravishingly handsome men I'd ever met. 

He was tall and dapper, sporting dorky glasses and a square jawline that screamed Gregory Peck. Straight pearly whites, mega-watt smile, slightly tousled dark hair that evoked private boarding schoolboy charm. He was the life of the party, and everybody loved him, men and women. He said everybody's name as if the sound was music to his ears, and he brought out the best in everyone he crossed paths with. If I'd known him under different circumstances, I would've wanted to be his friend. 

But his charismatic facade stood in sharp contrast with what he'd done to me, and it made my blood boil in a way that was difficult not to make a scene. Then he came to shake my hand, and I had to remind myself of what Andrew told me. 

"Edith!" he said chirpily, his arms spread out, "The woman of the hour. Congratulations!"

"Thank you for coming." I forced the words through my teeth. 

"It's such a charming house, isn't it?" he said. 

"Yes, and something tells me it's not your first time here." I said darkly. But the implications of the comment completely went over his head. 

"Oh yes!" he gestured to the group that was starting to huddle around us, "I've been quite a fan of Cate's for a while. I've passed by this house a few times, and each time I couldn't help but just sneak a tiny peek to see if I can catch her in the flesh." 

I was flabbergasted that he'd admit to his creepy stalker-ish behaviors so openly, and the group was not put off by him at all. On the contrary, they all found it incredibly and unbelievably charming, just as they found this house, and him. 

"Wouldn't it be great if she were with us today?" I said darkly, "But sadly, she's gone." 

"I know," he let out a big sigh, "but we're here to celebrate you! How are you settling into the new gig?" 

"Uh," I said, "the whole thing happened...quite unexpectedly, to be perfectly honest. I'm still getting adjusted." 

"Yeah, I can't imagine," he said effusively, "it must be overwhelming. Well, we're all here to support you." then he started chanting my name, and the crowd followed. My smile was so strained, but nobody noticed as they patted me on the back and handed me beers, crowning me as their new leader. 

-----

When people started trickling out for the night, and Andrew was engrossed in deep conversation with a group of beautiful young actresses, I pulled Harge aside into the study and shut the door a bit too loudly that his whole happy-go-lucky angelic self jumped a little. 

"What the actual fuck was that?" I finally exploded all over him. 

"Sorry, what was...what?"

"Why do you insist on ruining my life one week, and putting me on top of the world the next? What do you want from me?" I bellowed at the top of my lungs. 

"I'm sorry," he looked like a deer caught in the headlights, "there must be some kind of misunderstanding." 

"One that cost me EVERYTHING! You may have had some silly crush on Cate, but she is the love of my life...how could you!?" I broke down crying like the floodgates had finally opened. 

"You...and Cate? Cate is...into women?" 

I stopped for a moment, because he looked genuinely baffled and distressed. Either this guy was the best actor in the whole world, or something was not adding up here. 

"Let me jog your memory here: the letters, the flowers, the threats about the two million dollars?" I laid it all out on the table. 

"Again, I'm afraid there's been a...misunderstanding, Edith. I'm just the client manager, I don't make the financial decisions, I just carry them out." He explained like a frightened mouse, "The two million dollars came from the investment team, and so did the letters that they asked me to deliver. The flowers, I admit, were indeed a special touch from myself, but purely out of admiration for Ms. Blanchett's talents. You see, she and I went to university together, and I'd been a long-time fan..."

"Wait," I interrupted him, "you're saying you have no idea what was in the letters?" 

"I was told by the investment team that they were...a birthday card and get well card for you. By the way, are you feeling better now?" 

"What the fuck are you talking about? I'm not sick, I've been blackmailed by your company! They threatened to pull the money if I didn't resign from STC and stay away from Cate. That's why she left!" 

"Whatever this is, I'm sure we can sort it out. But please don't shoot the messenger!" Growing ashen, he looked like he was about to ugly cry, his whole teddy bear face crumpled and sad. At this point, I was actually starting to believe him. 

"Harge," I tried to control my frantic breath, "where do you work?"

He muttered the name of one of Australia's most renowned investment banks. My heart sank. The name was so familiar because someone very close to me also worked there.

"Who's your colleague from the investment team behind all of this?" I felt the ground swirling underneath my feet, and my dinner threatening to catapult itself out of my stomach. I truly didn't think I could take any more heartbreak. 

I knew the name that he was going to say before he even said it. 

"Abby Gerard."