fight for control ↠ harry styles [b1] ✓

CHAPTER 22

"After he assaulted me in public and spoke to Styles, he said he was just looking for a quick fuck. Now, not to put my nose where it doesn't belong, but if he's in a relationship with someone, why the hell is he looking for hook-ups?" I asked him as if he knew more than me. And in that moment, I thought he probably did. Zayn knew Tomlinson from before and he had connections to him.

"He assaulted you?" he asked with furrowed eyebrows. Now, I really did not make friends with clients because that easily caused the professional act to disappear and then stir up problems when it comes to treating employees and whatnot fairly, but in this case, I kind of wanted to cross that line. Only because I wanted to know the gossip.

And that was bad. I never did that.

"He put his hand on me, yes and he did want more."

"Fucking prick," he shook his head. "I'll ask him about it next time I have the misfortune of running into him."

"Don't," I sighed. "There's no point. Styles talked to him and so did I."

"Styles, eh?"

"What about him?"

"You seem to spend quite a lot of time with him."

"And you would know that, how?" I asked curiously. As far as I knew, everything that happened, went down between us two.

"For one, you just kind of confirmed it. I guessed," he shrugged. "Not that it's my business. Just amusing to see two of the biggest control freaks hang out but still want to get rid of the other."

"We hung out like... a few times in public. Those were all work events. Not that I owe you an explanation of when I hang out with business people."

"You know, I've known and worked with you for a while now, Renleigh, and you don't just hang out with business people. Of course, you attend big events and such but it's not like you stay with the same people at all of them."

"What are you trying to say, Mr Malik?"

"Well, for one, call me by my first name because we're done with work here. As for two, I heard you were in Italy the same time as he was. Rumours say you two hung out and went for a dinner or something," he explained. Suddenly, I felt like I needed to sit down because nothing made sense. How would he have known about Italy? How would have anyone known about Italy? Why did they know about Italy? Sure, it wasn't anything romantic nor did anything happen that shouldn't have but it still bugged me.

"Where did you hear this?"

"Just at the office. People talk, word travels fast. Especially in our industries. You can't really trust anyone these days," he shrugged. His office? He wasn't even fully in the area I was in. He was a model – and an artist so that was another massive industry that may have heard these rumours – and it kind of made me feel unsettled.

"Interesting," I hummed. "Well, not to burst anyone's bubbles but that's all false. I have not seen Styles when I was in Italy."

"Yeah, I mean, I don't exactly care what or who you do," my eyes rolled by themselves at his comment. "Just thought I'd mention how you're a fascinating topic for others."

"Nothing I haven't heard or experienced before," I sighed as I got my things ready to leave. People constantly talked about me even though I had given them nothing to chat about. There was really little to no information out there about who I was so for the most part, it was just rumours.

We parted ways pretty quickly after that and I was glad to be left on my own. I drove to the shoot myself so once I was back at my headquarters, I went right upstairs. I had a Skype meeting with the people from New York. My plans of moving out to the states was massive, put great stress on me but nothing I didn't enjoy. I just hoped to god it wouldn't fall through my hands. This was huge for me. Everything I have ever wanted. Other than being so known in my home country.