Confessions of a Workaholic

XVIII.

"Ava," Ryan ran into the room with his phone in his hand and his heart in this throat.

"Ryan?" Ava called out as she finished her morning stretch. Now that her schedule was non-existent and more relaxed, she was unaccustomed to seeing her assistant anytime before noon. They really weren't working on anything, so the visits were more social than business. She was up to date with all the romantic woes of Ryan's life, and currently planning a surprise vacation for both her assistants.

Out of breath and clearly panicked, Ryan held his chest as he spoke. "I already called Claire. I have the lawyers and the PR team on call, and – "

"Breath," Ava interrupted. Ryan nodded as he inhaled and exhaled. She rolled up her yoga mat before walking towards the kitchen. "Smoothie?" she asked as he followed her.

"We have a problem," Ryan blurted out, shoving his phone in Ava's eyeline. She looked at him curiously before picking the phone and reading.

"The Red Letters?"

He sighed. "Keep reading."

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THE RED LETTERS

First, I must apologize for my absence. In my promise to keep you updated on the latest gossip happening in New York, I've needed these past few weeks to check my p's and q's before coming to you with this story. Every once in a while, I stumble into a bit of gossip or a story so surreal that even I am in disbelief. This is one of those stories. In my years covering the comings and goings of New York's elite, I have never encountered a story in the midst of its beginning and its end. Thus, I ask for your patience. While, I cannot tell you the whole story right away, I do promise to share every piece of it in my letters. I have a soft spot for letters. As a lost art form, letters convey some of the nuances missing in today's fast-paced communication. In addition, I believe letters were one of our earliest forms of gossiping, and Lord knows, I love to gossip. A deadly sin, but one worth indulging...which brings me to red. A varied shade with a multitude of meanings, red invokes the themes that will play out as this story unfolds. Thus, I bring you The Red Letters.

Red Letter #1

Our story starts out very simply. In fact, it starts out with a joke. Two billionaires, a model, and a photographer walk into a bar. None of them can drink, but each for a different reason. So when the bartender comes to their table, the first billionaire recognizes the waitress, but doesn't order because he's slept with half the staff. The second billionaire currently on a string of anti-depressants also doesn't order. The model and photographer both recovering addicts also don't order. So the bartender asks, "Why did you come to the bar, if you won't order anything?" The four patrons look at each other before turning to the paparazzi waiting outside.

So much of what we see, hear, and read about the elite and famous is an illusion. It is all a game, but who is the game geared for? Who are the winners and losers? Is it us who demand their performance, or are they equally needing an audience to perform for? This is the question that haunted me when I first uncovered this story. So much of it, I couldn't believe myself, thus, I wondered if this was an illusion or the truth. Believing it was an illusion or a lie was honestly easier because it fit into my biases and understanding of the world. Yet, the more time I spent with this story, the more I realized the truth. To be completely transparent, I didn't like the truth. I scoured for sources trying to find the trick in the game, the performance. Yet, time and time again the truth sat before me, daring me to believe. Thus, I must ask the same of you: dare to believe. As the characters unfold and as the story emerges, I implore you to understand that none of this is an illusion. There is no performance, just simply the truth. Part love story, part scandal, part everything else in between, this is the story I bring you.

XOXO

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SURPRISE! If you don't already know...this story is a "sister" story to Loving Harper, my other book. Thank you so much for reading! This was a short chapter, but I still wanted to update. Thank you so much to everyone who continues to vote, read and comment on this story! The comments truly motivate me to write. Thus, please continue reading, voting, and commenting!