Sunny

Chapter 22

Rhea looked at her, mouth agape, pale, and sweating. She couldn't tell that story, it was all a lie.

"Nothing to say in your defense?" Victoria's tears instantly disappeared and her voice returned to normal.

"What would be the point, you and I know that Eli and I never had an affair, and we also both know that you and Guy did, but no one will believe me with a performance like that."

Victoria grinned. "Yes, it was rather convincing wasn't it."

"So, you know Eli and I didn't have an affair?"

"Of course, I know, I know everything that went on in my house. You and Eli are both obnoxiously honorable, at least I know Eli is, for all of his hard rocker image he really is an unbelievably nice guy, an absolute bore. Oh, he was good at certain things, but it wasn't enough, there was no excitement."

"A nice guy that you're now going to hurt?"

"No, he won't be hurt, with his rocker image he'll be forgiven by his fans, but you won't, you'll be the one to take all of the blame." She shrugged as if it couldn't be helped.

"I suppose there's nothing that I can say to make you change your mind?" Rhea sat down heavily on one of the stools. She had been so close to having Eli but there was no chance of that happening now, she could see no way out of the current situation.

"No, I want my career back and this is the way to make that happen. I'll be the wronged one, everyone will be on my side."

With nothing more to say the women only stared at each other, when the door to the servant's room opened they both jumped. Rhea was glad that her back was to the door because it gave her a moment to gather her composure and act as if her world wasn't falling apart.

Victoria turned on the charm, her smile appearing sincere as she looked at Mason, Eli, and Elizabeth.

"There you are," she said softly. "I thought we would go somewhere, just the two of us, and talk about things." Rhea didn't turn around as Victoria walked behind her and put her arm through Eli's.

"Yes, you two go and do that. I'm going to help Rhea begin with tomorrow's dinner preparations," Elizabeth said to the room at large.

"No, I believe that I have said all that I need to say to you, Victoria. Why don't you go find your new best friend, Onyx?" Eli suggested, removing his arm from hers and stepping away from her.

Victoria frowned, it was not the response that she had expected from him.

"I think I've been clear enough in explaining the current situation," Eli added.

"But I don't think I have been, darling," Victoria insisted.

Cassie, Lizzy, and Dana all showed up in the doorway, stopping abruptly as they took in the scene before them.

"Where the hell were you guys!" Mason hissed. "You're too late now!"

Cassie looked at Rhea's down bent head and her pale face. "I can see that," she hissed back.

"Rhea, would you please go and find Laura. She'll want to help, Mason go and help Rainer with whatever he needs," she turned to Eli, "Eli, please go take care of your personal business." Elizabeth was commanding the situation.

"Now please!" she said in a commanding tone that allowed no room for argument.

Rhea was the first to jump up and start for the door but she only took two steps when Eli reached out and stopped her, turning her around.

When she wouldn't look up he did the only thing he could think of to keep her close, he pulled her to him and kissed her gently.

"Trust me, please trust me," he whispered before she pulled away and ran from the room.

"Cute Eli!" Victoria said, her friendly demeanor slipping. Realizing that she had slipped up she turned her friendly smile up a notch and looked around the room. She was able to meet everyone's gaze until she got to Elizabeth's frosty one. Her hard stare made her quickly look away.

The woman was Hollywood royalty after all, and she still had some major connections in the industry.

"Eli, take Ms. Whosit and do something with her, unless you would like to help us cook dear?" Elizabeth offered.

Victoria thought about it, weighing if it would be a good idea to earn a few brownie points, but as she looked around the room, at the unfriendly women who were watching her, she wisely decided against it.

They all waited until Eli and Victoria had left before breathing again.

"It's too late!" Cassie said as she slumped into a chair.

"Where were you, we told you to get someone and not leave Rhea alone for a single minute," Mason accused.

"Well I couldn't very well do both at the same time Mason!" she defended herself.

The backdoor opened and Otto walked into the heavy silence that had descended on the room.

"Is something going on?" he looked around at all of the serious faces. He still felt guilty and he was hoping that his plan to help Rhea had paid off.

"You could say that, Victoria and Rhea had a private conversation and, by the look of it, it didn't go well." Mason frowned.

Otto nodded as he reached behind the cookie jar next to the sink. "Maybe this will help." He picked it up pushed a few buttons. "I didn't like the way Rhea looked when Victoria Hewitt joined us, but when she asked be to leave and Rhea didn't ask me to stay, there wasn't a whole lot I could do, but I did mange this." He hit a button a they could hear running water then the door close before Victoria's voice could be heard.

They listened and when the conversation was over Mason stood up with a shout. "We have her!"

"It won't stand up in a courtroom," Otto said with a shrug.

"But it will with the tabloids, which is all that we care about." Mason grinned. "We go on with the plan?"

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. "But we can't leave Rhea alone for a minute, if Victoria gets to her again the poor girl will make a run for it."

They all nodded in agreement as Rhea entered the kitchen with Laura.

"Wonderful, now we can prepare for dinner. Mason, go save Eli," Elizabeth instructed as she put her arm around Rhea's shoulders and pulled her into the family circle. Not allowing her to dwell for long on what had happened with Victoria. She would have to rely on Eli to keep her mind off it later this evening when the cooking and entertaining was done.

Elizabeth was certain that he was up to the task.