Chapter 5 – Wicked Lady
"Hottest Love Affair between Ashford and Vanderbilt!"
I knew him giving in last night was too good to be true. I forgot that while being one of Upper East Side elites meant they look at what you're wearing, they're also keeping an eye out for who you're with. When one of Ashford's eligible bachelors, who had never been seen with any women before, was seen with New York's notorious party girl, people talk and when they do, they only spoke in paragraphs.
That title is only one in numerous others. The rest aren't even worth mentioning.
When I saw Alicia's name popped up as the caller I.D. early this morning, I thought she'd dialed wrongly. After all, why would she call me so early in the day? That just isn't how our friendship works. But after I let the first one rang off, another call came right after that and followed by another when that was ignored. It was then that I knew there was no mistake.
After I finally answered the third call, she bombarded me with a rapid fire of questions before I even got a word in, "You didn't tell me that you're going out with anyone! Much less Chase Ashford! How did you two meet? How long have you been dating? Why didn't you bring him to my party?" The questions went on and on without a single peep from me. So I let her drown me in questions – she isn't the gossip queen for nothing.
Keeping the phone between my head and shoulder, I tune off what she's saying to stretch and drink the glass of water that's already on my bed side table. When it seems that she's still on a roll with her questioning, I went to my sit at my work desk that's against a large glass window overlooking the city – petting Zeus on my way there and putting on my silk robe that's draped on the back of my desk chair.
"Des, were you even listening to me?!" I finally hear her exasperated voice yelled.
"No." No reason lying about it.
I hear her sigh at the other end. "Are you going to answer any of my questions?"
"Will you let me?" I asked sarcastically, "I couldn't even get a word in. A little advice: don't be a reporter or anything related to it, you'd be terrible." Not that she would, she's far too beautiful to be a lowly reporter, even an anchorwoman.
"Point, now tell me the details." The excitement is back in her voice.
While she's not someone I would fully trust, if there's gossip, then Alicia Rivera is the one who you should talk to. She's not only renowned for her juicy gossips, but that whatever she said are the truths so no one would challenge her on the certainty of it.
Which is why before the fire spread, I need my version of the story out there. "We're not dating," I clarified, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I'm so not a morning person. "Our family had known each other since a long time ago, so we're childhood friends. Chase is in the city for business and he's staying with my family for awhile. I was just accompanying him around," I said the last part with finality.
"Ooh, interesting," she mused; I can imagined her scribbling what I just said to a note pad like a reporter. "You've never mentioned that before, nor did I know that both of your families are close." That held an accusatory tone to it. Then she lowered her voice considerably, and whispered conspiratorially, "Under the table dealings?"
I rolled my eyes. "And you know everything don't you?"
"Naturally," Alicia said smugly, "and you're avoiding the question."
I sighed, so much for not being a reporter. "No, sorry to disappoint you," not sounding sorry at all. "We've lost touch, I haven't seen him since I was five, I think. His family lives outside the city but our moms are still in touch, so I've heard. Is that all?"
"Unfortunately," she sounded dejected, "since I can't dig up romances when there are none. I'll spread the word, but it's too bad though, people would worship us when they find out you're going out with the unattainable and gorgeous Ashford."
I didn't miss the 'us' where should be 'you'. But I just chuckled, "Don't they already?"
"Of course, but they'd be more loyal." She's smiling mischievously right about now; roses are beautiful but they aren't without their own thorns. "I'll see you at school."
"Bye."
As soon as she hung up, my iPhone rang again and when I see the caller ID, this time it's Alison Hamilton. I groaned, cursing Chase for being the reason I'm so popular this morning. I can already hear her chattering as I pushed the answer button for the call.
"Friends. We're just friend," I murmured for the umpteenth time. Maybe not even that.
Unlike Alicia who was after the facts, Alison is trying to get me to admit there's something between Chase and I. "But you didn't see the way he looks at you when you weren't looking! Go look it up," she prompted me excitedly. I knew there would come days when I'd detest the fact that my best friend is a hopeless romantic; when she swore that in this life fairytale endings could happen, when she'd act like a fool in love, when she's trying to set me up to feel 'this indescribable feeling'. Today is one of those days.
"He lives right across from my own bedroom, Al," I sighed, already tired from this conversation about our supposed 'love affair', "and I couldn't even handle looking at him for more than five minutes, so tell me: why should I bother to look up his face?"
It was a rhetorical question but she answered anyway.
"So you can see how he looked at you with hearts in his eyes! Chase Ashford carries a torch for you, I know it." Before I can groan out she continued, "Like you still carry a torch for him."
"I'm hanging up," I warned her, "You're being too much."
"Just think about it!" she got in before I finally did.
This is all his fault, I thought as I glare at nothing. I'm going to have to confront him about this. It was barely a day and he's already starting up gossips about me that aren't true; it might seem harmless but words get twisted and people would make up their own part of the story that it wouldn't even be recognizable anymore. That's why I don't really like people in general.
After finishing my morning shower routine, I dressed myself in black loose cropped top with fringed hemline that shows some of my flat stomach and black shorts with black gladiator sandals in case I need to make a run for it.
It's time to confront the demon.
"Be calm, Destiny, don't let him get to you," I said to myself. "Don't show him how much it and he bothered you; it'll only add fuel to the fire." However, the minute I walked into the kitchen to see him casually sitting at the dining table reading a tabloid with 'Ashford and Vanderbilt's Midnight Rendezvous', I lost it. "You!"
"Me?" he echoed, without looking up at me.
"What do you think you're playing at?!"
He still didn't look up from the tabloid and I keep facing that annoying title! So I snatched it up from his grasp to pin him with my deadly glare. "I don't know what you mean," he finally said innocently but the mischievous glint in his greens gave him away.
"You bastard, you know what you did!"
Before I can continue, another voice stopped me, "You're already swearing this morning, I see. I thought I told you to be civil," my father just came from his office and walked towards us. I was still holding the damn tabloid and he did a double take at the title and then he smile, looking smug. "Ahhh, a lover spat? I didn't know you two were dating, it must not have been that long since you both are not very good at hiding it."
I'm mortified. That's his conclusion?! "That's not it!"
"Now, now, you don't have to act like that darling," Chase suddenly said lovingly, standing by my side and draping his arm across my shoulder, "I'm sure it's fine for your father to know about us, we're caught after all."
"What are you talking about?!" I yelled, trying to escape his hold to no avail.
"About you and me, of course," he said calmly, way too calm, "We didn't have to hide it any longer, it's all over the news." He then faced my father who's watching us with amusement, "The truth is Uncle Trace, the reason I'm here is to see her. You see, she'd been sulking because we didn't see each other enough and that's why she was mad at me yesterday. But now we've been ousted and she's not entirely happy how our relationship will be watched from now on."
The more he talked, the more confused I become. But it seems to make perfect sense in my father's eyes as I see him process what Chase said.
I pushed his arm off of me angrily, "What bullshit are you spouting, Ashford?"
"Watch your mouth, Destiny," my father ordered as he hated it when I cursed. But I was barely listening.
"You don't actually believe him, do you, dad?!"
"Well," he shrugged, "it made sense to me."
"Which part?!" I gave him an incredulous look. "Your both unbelievable," I groaned and rubbed my forehead, my slightly damp hair forming a curtain to hide my face. His hand pushed them away and tucked them behind my ear casually.
Chase chuckled, "No need to work yourself up too much about this angel."
"You're the one who caused this!" I glare at him.
He smirk, "Cause what?"
I stare at him disbelievingly, "You- the tabloid- ugh! Forget it!" I have a feeling we'd only be arguing in circles if we start that gain. Choose your battles, I comforted myself. If you continue this, he'd only keep making fun of you. Especially with my father there.
Chase 1, Destiny 0.
"No problem," he said cheerfully, I just want to strangle him. "Since our night out was cut short, why don't we go out and have breakfast together?" He didn't mean it as a suggestion either.
Forget about choosing battles, I'm not letting him treat me like his puppet, after that thought I said, "Like hell I would!" and stomp away before he could threatened me. I heard my father admonishing me before the door of the penthouse slammed shut.
"Finally," I sighed as soon as I'm out of that door and pressed the down button with a little too much force than necessary. However, just when I thought I'm free, Chase came out of that door a couple of minutes later, just in time the elevator arrived. "What are you doing?" I asked when he went inside it as I do.
"I need to go out," he simply said. I only stare at him in disbelief and then pointedly ignored him while the elevator descends slowly to the lobby. While we're on the 45th floor, even on a private elevator, it took way too long. After a while he started tapping his foot and I think he did it on purpose just to annoy me. When we finally arrived at the lobby, he finally said something: "So, where are we having breakfast?"
Unbelievable, I sighed.
I just ignored him and hastily walked away from the elevator through the grand lobby to the front door where the door man promptly opened for me. "Good morning, Miss Vanderbilt," said the 53 year-old man who have known me practically my entire life. "Glad to see you walking out this morning, you're usually only now coming home," he said disapprovingly. My behavior is no secret to the building staff but while the majority frowned upon me, Marshall took it upon himself to ensure that I'm safely home every day.
"It's Destiny, Marshall, I've told you that," I smiled fondly when a wicked idea popped into my head as I hear footsteps several feet away from me, no doubt Chase walking sanguinely - self-assured that he had won so easily. We'll see about that, Ashford. I ran the last few steps to Marshall, eyes flicking anxiously behind me, "That guy kept bothering me, asking me out and won't take no for answer," I told him, a little breathless so he won't detect my little lie. He wasn't on shift last night when I walked in last night with Chase, so I'm hoping he hasn't heard about our little guest.
As I had hoped, Marshall's fatherly instinct took over as his eyes pointed at an unsuspecting Chase. He may not look like it but Marshall was a former military officer so i almost feel sorry for Chase when he became his target. Almost.
"I've got you, girl," he said to me, signaling his companion to follow him, his friendly tone earlier replaced gruff defensiveness. "You should go now, I'll take care of him."
"Thank you!" I said then I make my way out the door, as Marshall made his way to Chase, only looking back once they reached him and started to blocking his way to questioned him with unfriendly expression. Chase looked confused but when his greens flashed to me, I winked and I could immediately see him starting to understand that I caused the situation.
I grinned at him and walked away, but not before I see the promise in his eyes. This isn't over, it seemed to say.
Chase 1, Destiny 1.
A/N: Picture of Alicia Rivera