The following week, Dom and I were the perfect couple. Too perfect. The drama had sizzled out and the news was centered on an arranged marriage between a sixteen year old girl and a thirty year old man. Quite frankly, I was sad about the poor girl's predicament but I couldn't help but be glad the spotlight had shifted off me and Dom. There were more important things going on in the world.
When your relationship is too perfect, you just know something is wrong. Dom and I had not had a single argument since the alleged scandal. We did not even complain about the little things that we did to each other that usually irritated the other.
Like our last date, I was running late and Dom was punctual as usual. Not a word from him about my tardiness and I had not apologized properly either. Lucas was in town for another week or so, and Dom chose to spend more time with him. What bothered me even more was they were always spotted at some club or party surrounded by women, usually models. I did not say a word. What we had dealt with last week had exhausted us and we were not ready to fight with each other after we took on Aoki. Our intimacy suffered too but hey what's nine days to a woman who waited twenty-five years to lose her virginity?
Like today, Dom had offered to pick me up so we go to work together. I took it as his way of making up for spending a lot of time out with Lucas. Only problem was he showed up with another coworker in the car so our ride to work felt like a day in the office. Little or no physical contact and formal interaction only.
Yet I did not storm off in annoyance and walked in step with him. We rode the elevator together, he went into his office and I sat behind my desk.
My sister had noticed something was off and when I finally confided in her she explained that though it was too early, probably my relationship was in one of those plateau phases. Like a middle-aged couple with kids? She said we both needed to get rid of the tension building up and talk about it.
I busied myself with work and at lunch, Sumaya called to say she was coming over. I let the front desk know so they will send her right up. Lucas showed up and I inwardly groaned. Another night without Dom. I plastered a smile on my face and said hello.
Sumaya came right on time for lunch and she was still in her scrubs. She looked distraught so we stood aside, away from my desk for some privacy. Just at the edge of the corridor leading to the ladies' washroom.
"I'm sorry to come to your workplace like this but I can't focus at the hospital" she handed me a brown envelope.
"What's this?" I asked without opening it.
"My divorce papers. He finally signed it. He brought to me at work today. He decided court was not the way out. It's over. For real now. My marriage is over" she said, rubbing her face with her palms.
"Okay, I'll take this to dad. You need some air. Have you eaten?" I shoved the envelope under my arm. She shook her head.
"Okay, I'm buying you lunch. You eat then go back to the hospital and focus on your patients today. Distract yourself as much as you can"
I went to put the brown envelope on my desk when Lucas and Dom came walking out the door. I picked up my purse and personal phone.
"I'm off to lunch. Want anything?" I said to Paba. She wagged her finger to say no. She was engrossed in whatever work she had doing.
I walked over back to the elevators and Sumaya joined me, I could hear Lucas and Dom's footsteps approaching. We would have to share the elevator then.
Sumaya unconsciously turned around and groaned, "Today is just not my day"
I flipped around and saw both Dom and Lucas staring at us. Lucas looked from me to Sumaya and back again and frowned slightly.
"I knew you looked familiar. I never forget a face like that. You're sisters"
Dom looked uncomfortable. What the hell was going on? "Hello Sumaya. I guess we'll get the next one" Dom simply said, avoiding eye contact with me. Sumaya just gave Lucas an icy stare and turned around.
We got into the elevator and as the door closed, I heard Lucas say, "You knew this whole time?"
I took Sumaya to the Chinese restaurant close by. She had not said a single word to me the walk over. We sat at a table for two and browsed the menu. After we ordered, I knew I had to confront her.
"So you and Lucas know each other?" I broached the topic the best way I could.
"Yes" the response was curt.
"What happened, Sumaya? You know I'm going to ask. I didn't imagine that tense situation back there"
The waiter brought over our drinks. She got a water, I had juice. The waiter left before she spoke up.
"I was twenty-one. Kobby and I had just had a huge fight. Almara had seen him kiss this girl from our gym. I confronted him, he said she kissed him and he said it was a moment of weakness" She started and took a sip of her water.
"So Almara says come with Chris and I to Dubai for summer. I think why not so I went. Dom and Lucas rented a house so we all lived in that space. Lucas noticed I was heartbroken so he listened. He was always there to listen and offer me comfort. One night, I got drunk and I slept with Lucas"
My eyes widened in horror. I knew why I hadn't known all this. She had hated me back then and I was so thrilled then to have her out of the house.
"The next morning, I woke up and he was gone. I was so devastated, I cried. Dom heard the crying, and came into the room. Lucas hadn't even bothered to shut the door fully. Dom flew with me home on the next flight out"
The food arrived and I could tell we had both lost our appetite.
"Why didn't you tell me this? Why didn't Dom tell me?" I picked at my noodles.
"It's not his story to tell. I was ashamed. I still am about it. Contrary to popular belief, I've slept with just two men. My ex-husband and Lucas Wole."
"How could you then ask me to forgive Damien?"
"Damien tried to apologize. Lucas? I haven't spoken to him since"
I put my fork down. Lunch was not coming on today. I signaled the waiter and told him to put my food in a to-go pack. Sumaya asked he do the same for her. We got our take-away bags and I escorted her to the curb to take a taxi.
No wonder Sumaya was a fan of Dom from the start. She never once raised doubts about Dom's feelings for me. She was very supportive of my relationship with him.
Why was Dom still friends with a guy like Lucas? If Alexa could openly express her disappointment in her own brother for what he did to me, why would Dom still keep Lucas close and even let me be friends with him too?
I got to the front of the Chase Men building to find Dom waiting by his car. He walked up to me with a serious look on his face.
"Come with me"
"It's business hours. I have to be back at my desk. Let's talk after work unless you have plans with Lucas again tonight?"
"We need to talk. Get in car" he commanded. I saw how set his jawline was and obeyed. HR would summon us tomorrow if not by close of day today to explain why we were both noticeably absent during work hours today.
Dom started to drive and I sat back. After a while I could not take it anymore.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Home"
"And how would we explain that to the HR manager when she sends for us? And she will"
"She won't send for us" he seemed pretty confident about that but my boss was currently in the office and I, his assistant, was out here driving home with my boyfriend, his nephew. Wait, which home?
My question got answered when he turned at the road leading to my apartment. We hit slight afternoon traffic.
"Dominic, I have to warn Alexa about Lucas. I can't have him do to her what he did to my sister" I told him straight forward and picked up my phone to call her.
"You don't know the full story"
"She is my sister. The full story is whatever she tells me" I almost snapped at him. "Know what, we can talk at some other time. Please take me back to work. I don't want to lose my job"
"I can't do that" he said and kept driving.
"Dom, I could get suspended without pay for breaching the contract. If I'm lucky, they would just transfer me"
"The contract is the least of our worries. I can't take you back to work because you're being investigated"
I thought I heard wrong. Did he just say I was being investigated? "Excuse me?"
"Today, Lucas came by to pick up the pieces we used for the ad campaign. The diamond earrings in the vault were a fake. Someone swapped them and we know they were used in the shoots because they are listed in the inventory. You were in charge of transferring those items to the vault. Your name and signature are in the log book"
Even as he explained, I felt sick to my stomach. This was not happening. After all I had to endure last week being labelled a slut now I'm being accused of stealing?
"You think I stole from Chase Men?" I asked incredulously, "you think I stole from you? I didn't take those diamond earrings. I would never steal from you"
"All they have is the log book connecting you to the disappearance of the earrings. A private investigation had to start immediately. We are being discrete. Your desk is being searched at the moment that's why I could not let you into the building"
My bag was still in there. Was that being searched too? Wasn't there a law against that? Oh my goodness. Law. Lawyer. My dad is a lawyer!
My dad however was out of the town to give a lecture at the law school he attended. I didn't have my lawyer in town! Then I also realized that Dominic had not said he believed I wasn't a thief.
"Stop the car!" I ordered, all the anger building up to this moment surged through me.
" Let me out of this car" I glared at him hard and he pulled over to park at the side of the road. I grabbed my phone and purse before getting out of the car.
I stood at the side of the road and finger hovering over the call button of the contact number of the one lawyer I knew besides my dad.
"Who are you calling?" Dom demanded and he came around the car to where I stood.
"My lawyer!" I hit 'call' and listened to the phone ring. Pick up. Pick up.
"They won't find anything. There's no reason to call your dad"
"You think I stole those earrings. You haven't even said, 'Kerry I believe you. You wouldn't do this.' You think I did this"
"Of course I don't believe you would steal those earrings. Even Lucas doesn't believe it"
"Damien?" I said when he eventually picked up, and Dom's facial muscles hardened.
"I'm in trouble. My dad is out of town. I need your help. I need a lawyer. I'm close to that florist shop five minutes from my place. Come get me please" I said quickly, on the verge of tears.
The pain in Dom's eyes was unmistakable but I had no choice.
"Kerry, let me take you home" he said slowly.
"No. Go back to work and tell them my lawyer would be coming by to pick up my bag and other personal items"
He stared long and hard at me but didn't move. He stood by defiantly and waited with me till Damien came to pick me up.
Damien pulled behind Dom's car fifteen minutes later. He got out and rushed to my side.
"I'm sorry there was traffic. What's wrong?" He completely ignored Dom and said to me.
"Please take me home. I will tell you on the way there" I said to him. He nodded then finally turned towards Dom to acknowledge his presence. He looked back at me but did not ask the question on his mind.
"I called your dad. He's on his way. Let's get you home" he put an arm around my shoulders and led me to his car. I got into the front seat and stared out at Dom as we drove away. I twisted the promise ring on my finger in anguish.
"Take me to my dad's place. I need you to pick up my bag and a brown envelope containing Sumaya's divorce papers from my desk at Chase Men this afternoon. While you're there, personally hand this to Dominic Chase. It's evidence of my innocence"
"Then we're not turning it in to them. What trouble are in, Kerry?" He looked at me as his blue eyes were filled with worry.
"I'm being investigated at work as we speak. They think I stole diamond earrings from a Lucas Wole collection left in Chase Men's care. I didn't do it but there's a log book that I wrote my name and signature in that casts suspicion my way"
Damien slammed his foot on the brake and brought the car to a terrifying halt.
"Of course you didn't do it! Doesn't matter what that log book says! I'm going to get your things now. You sit and wait in the car. We need to get your personal items first before doing anything. If you're being set up, we don't want to give the person a chance to plant anything on you. We've wasted enough time already"
He turned took the next exit and drove us straight to Chase Men.