Benji has been silent ever since I had him drop Evelyn off at home. And whenever he's silent, it usually indicates he's cross with me. He's grown very fond of her these past months and has often told me she reminds him of his sister. Someone he cares deeply for. So, before Evelyn takes this relationship away from me too, I call Benji into my office to hash it out.
He enters my office, but he still doesn't speak to me the way he normally would.
Or at all.
His judgmental gaze meets mine and he clasps his hands behind his back. Waiting for me to issue a command. All soldier and less my closest friend and ally for the past twenty years.
"Clearly, you have something to get off your chest. Now would be the time to do so." I tell him.
Shaking his head, he tells me, "I have nothing to say."
"Bullocks."
"It won't change anything. So, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather just get on with the days' activities."
Nodding, I sink deep into thought. Benji is normally a great judge of character. It bothers me that he's not as upset as I am. And I'm wondering how much of this is because of his budding friendship with Evelyn.
"How is she?" I ask.
"When I left her, she was very upset, sir. Though she tried not to show it."
Sounds like her.
I shouldn't care in the slightest about her being upset after what she's done, except... I hate seeing her upset. My first instinct is always to protect her, even from me.
That hasn't changed.
If I could get past her betrayal, I would. But that ship has sailed, and with it, my sympathy for both Evelyn Graham and her feelings.
"Do not forget she had a hand in the shit show that is the state of my family's company."
"I am aware of what she's done." Benji nods. But his demeanor remains the same.
"Also, don't forget who signs your very generous paychecks." I level him with a look.
Sighing heavily, he nods again. But I can tell there's still something he wishes to get off his chest. And just when I think he's going to clam up and not voice his concerns, he surprises me by doing just that.
"It's just... I've been around you and Mrs. King enough to know how the two of you are. That you're good for each other and she brings out the best in you. That you haven't been this happy or smiled this much since Stephanie." He pleads her case. "You're angry with her, because prior to her betrayal, you were falling for her. And I do not believe your feelings for her are in vain, sir. I believe she has fallen for you too. So, whatever betrayal she may have committed against you... there has to be a reasonable explanation for it. I do not believe she would intentionally cause you harm. In fact, based on what I've seen, I believe there has to be another explanation for what's happened."
Several key things he says cause doubt to creep into my mind. Add the fact that Evelyn's texts to me do not lineup with someone who is guilty, that she believes me to be the one in the wrong, plus everything I've come to know about her, and even I am starting to believe in her innocence.
But if not Evelyn, who?
Benji has given me more to consider. Specifically, that there might be an innocent explanation for what's happened, and why I was forced to push away the one person I've grown to care about since Stephanie.
Sighing, I tell him, "Text her and let her know a car will be picking her up at five tomorrow evening."
Now smiling, Benji does as asked. But his smile quickly fades when she replies.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Um... Mrs. King refuses to meet with you. Her exact words are, 'if he wishes to meet with me, he can text me himself.Not by way of a messenger'."
Damn her.
She's forcing me to reach out to her because I've been avoiding her.
And now she's angry.
I'll do her one better.
Swallowing my pride, I reach for my phone and dial her number. Either she's stunned or determined to make me sweat–which is partially why I fell for her in the first place–because it takes her several rings before she finally picks up.
"Oh, so you do remember you have a wife." She quips as soon as she picks up.
Thickening the girth beneath the crotch of my knickers.
My todger is a fucking traitor.
"A car will be there to pick you up tomorrow at five in the evening." I tell her. Getting straight to the point and avoiding the small talk. But if she thinks my intentions are anything but business, she'll be sorely mistaken.
Tomorrow will be an interrogation, not a date.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you over the lack of a 'Ello Evelyn', or any form of proper greeting for that matter, that usually supersedes what sounds less like a request and more like a demand."
Her willful defiance has always been a part of her allure for me. But I'm in no mood to play nice. And if I weren't trying to get to the bottom of that leaked information, I'd hang up on her. I need her to agree to meet me.
"Hello Evelyn." I humor her. Adding, "Did you enjoy the party?"
I'm met with silence on the other end of the line. Her breathing becoming heavier with anger, which makes me smile on the inside.
"I think a better question would be did you enjoy the party."
"The after party, most definitely." I hit her below the belt. Even though nothing happened. "The view was amazing."
Picking up on the innuendo, she goes silent on the other end of the line. Several moments later, she responds by promptly hanging up in my face. Without having ever answered my question. I text her to find out if she will meet me, and she reads my message, but she never replies.
"What would you like me to do?" Benji asks. His disappointment with my actions practically wafting from him.
"Proceed as planned. She will be there."
"What if she isn't?"
"Then find her and drag her arse back here kicking and screaming if you have to. Just get her here." I command.
Benji does nothing to hide his irritation with me as he leaves, and my office falls silent. Now I can drop all pretenses and give attention to the growing erection that formed the moment I heard her voice on the other end of the line.
Yet another effect Evelyn has on me that no other woman can elicit.
And many have tried.
I don't know how much longer I can keep this up... pretending to be angry with her when the image of her bent over my desk is indelibly engrained in my brain.
Etched into my mind.
Tomorrow can't come fast enough.
Time slows to a crawl now that I'm looking forward to my meeting with my estranged wife. Making minutes feel like hours and hours feel like days. Until, finally, tomorrow arrives with me standing in the mirror. Pleased with what I see.
What I know Evelyn will appreciate even if she won't give me the satisfaction of saying it.
Then I head to work, to busy myself with clients and meetings, to forget about the impending meeting with Evelyn, where I hope to get answers. Answers I'm hoping will lead us back to one another.
When that time finally arrives, she walks into my office with furious eyes and a dress that has another erection budding in my pants. After mouthing to me to behave, Benji closes the door behind her. Giving us some privacy.
I have to give it to her... Evelyn looks better than I thought she would.
Less smeared makeup from a night spent crying her eyes out and more I'd rather die than shed a single tear over you.
Very well then.
"You came." I smile.
"I almost didn't." She replies. All traces of a smile nonexistent. "Why am I here?"
Since she asked the question, I get straight to the point. "Someone leaked the information of my father's illness to the media and now my company is in turmoil."
"Yes. I know. What I don't get is why you shut me out of your life, and why you invited me to a party where you clearly didn't need me or even acknowledge me, just to ignore me and go home with someone else." She aims those fiery beautiful brown eyes at me. Like she truly has no idea how that information was leaked.
Getting to the point, I toss the evidence I've been holding on the desk in front of her.
"Open it."
"What is it?"
"Open it and see." I shrug.
Humoring me, she opens the folder and I watch her closely as she reads the contents of the folder.
Her expression unreadable.
It takes several moments before she gets to the page where it shows the information was leaked from her phone, and she's visibly shaken by what she sees. Worry clouding the heavenly features of her divine face.
Either she's one hell of an actress, or she really didn't do this.
Pointing to the exact place where my private investigator names her as the source of the leak, I tell her, "The information that was leaked came from your phone, Evelyn."
Shocked, she shakes her head. Denying the fact that it was her.
"I... I know what this says, but... I didn't do this." She tells me. Her confused gaze meeting mine. "I wouldn't do this to you."
And part of me believes her, but I can't afford to be wrong. Nor can I ignore the fact that the proof lies between us in black and white.
"So, an alien beamed down from outer space, stole your phone, and leaked this information then?" I press harder.
Her gaze meets mine and she swallows hard.
"Or perhaps it was a ghost." I cock my head to the side. Wondering why she chooses now to be at a loss for words.
"I don't know." She hugs herself. Sinking deep into thought.
"Oh, come on, Evelyn. Give me something I can wrap my head around as to how that information was sent from your phone to one of your media contacts. Especially after you signed a legally binding NDA. Give me a reason to trust you and not sue you for everything you've got."
Her mouth opens to speak but no words come out. She looks back down at what my private investigator handed to me, pulls out her phone to go through her emails, and is rendered silent when she finds the email in question. An email I've already seen.
And the puzzled look on her face isn't lost on me.
Evelyn looks up at me, confused. Her mind racing to try to put all the pieces together of how this could be possible.
"I know this looks bad, and you have every reason not to trust me... but... I didn't do this." She stands her ground.
"The information was sent from your phone." I point out.
"I know. I..."
Evelyn shuts down. And there's a large part of me that does believe her, but she's not offering me any alternatives.
"I wish I could afford to trust you, but I can't." I tell her. Which is the reason I point her towards the door.
"Alex..."
"Evie, please... just go."
Blinking as if she's in disbelief, she nods and leaves my office. Taking any excuses, she may have had with her.
I can't be with someone I don't trust.