Reid stared at the painting in front of him, finally letting his eyes study what he had been subconsciously painting. He didn't even think about what he was going to make but emerald eyes stared back at him.
A soft sigh escaped his lips before he settled his paintbrush down and looked towards his view of Italy. For the past couple of days, he locked himself in his penthouse, distancing himself from the outside world. Matteo and Ariana had called him crazy but he ignored them both.
His attention was only on a certain blonde. It sucked, knowing Diana's married name only fueled his obsession with her. Now, he could read the newest articles about her and see the paparazzi pictures that were posted on the internet. He was able to see every smile that she wore while accompanying her husband to award shows and parties.
It hurt him because Diana had just moved on with her life and forgot about him. It had only been a couple of weeks since Jasmine and Oliver's Wedding and there had been no communication between them. He wanted nothing than to pick up the phone and call her but he didn't have her number. And she never responded to his emails so there was no way to contact her.
Just then, there was a knock at his door and when he opened it, Matteo walked inside with a few workers behind him. Reid frowned, watching as people began to set up in his penthouse. "Cos'è questo?"
(What is this)
"Ti sei dimenticato del tuo shooting di moda?" Matteo responded, placing the famous painter into a seat. Makeup artists and stylists gathered around,
preparing to work on him. (Did you forget about your vogue shooting?)
Reid groaned, throwing his head back. He had forgotten about his Vogue shooting for April. He was labeled as one of the most influential men in Europe, and Vogue wanted to use this opportunity to get some professional pictures of him.
"Stop," He suddenly said, pushing the hands away from his face. "I can't do this,"
"What are you talking about? Sei ubriaco," Matteo asked as he opened the blinds, letting the sunlight deep through the penthouse. (You're drunk)
"Ci stavo pensando. Ho bisogno di una pausa,"
(I've been thinking. I need a break)
His Business advisor frowned, caressing his chin. He excused the workers before sitting down in front of Reid. "Break? You can't take a break. You're at the top of your game—,"
"I just want to go back to America,"
"America? Are you out of your bloody mind?" Matteo asked, standing up and pacing around the room. Sweat rolled down his forehead, and he cursed in Italian while running his hands through his short hair.
"I'll continue the American Expansion and I've had my eye on a few businessmen there. You can come with me, we'll rule America the same way we rule Europe now," Reid advised a small smirk resting on his lips.
The man in front of him sighed, placing his hands together signaling as if he was thinking. Finally, he nodded his head.
"I'll tell Charlotte to have the jet prepared. We leave in the morning,"
A few days later, Diana found herself at a court case. She was prosecuting Ashley Perez who was arrested for the murder of Olivia Walker, her roommate. When the case was brought to the District Attorney, she decided to press charges and bring them to trial. Ashley Perez plead not guilty and hundreds of people sat in the court, watching.
The role of the District Attorney was simple. For one year, they represent the state in criminal judicial proceedings in a particular judicial district or county. They have the power to decide which charges are filed against an individual who is accused of a crime. They lead the district's best prosecutors in the DA's office.
"Miss Perez, would you walk the court through your timeline on the night of March 15th, again?" Diana asked, placing her hands behind her back.
"I'm sure it's in the transcript," The suspect assured while looking at herself through a mirror. The District Attorney cleared her throat, and Ashley sighed. "As I already explained. I had my hair done at 3 and went to get a spray tan shortly after. When I got back home, I saw my front door opened and my roommate on the floor, dead,"
"In your testimony you said you went to get a spray tan at the time of the murder? Is that correct?" Diana said, taking a few steps closer to the witness stand, her eyes burning into Ashley. "What time did you get a spray tan, Miss Perez?"
"My appointment was around 5, but I came in a little late. So around 5:15,"
"Objection, relevance?" The Defense lawyer asked, standing up from his seat. "Overruled,"
Diana continued. "According to phone records, you called the police at exactly 7:01 pm and you had told them you had been home for about 10 minutes before you spotted the body. Am I wrong?"
"No,"
"But if I am not mistaken, you normally get your spray tans at Sally Body Tans and her spray tans take four hours because it contains HGH and it needs time to work. So there is no possible way that you could have gotten your spray tan at 5:15 and gotten back home at 7 because you would not be done until 9,"
Ashley straightened her back, pressing her lips together. "I... ordered the quick package,"
"Miss Perez, you do understand that Perjury is a crime of the court, right?" Diana said, gesturing to the full court behind them.
"Objection, your honor. My client has said she bought the quick spray tan package. No further prosecution is needed,"
"Overruled," The Judge said, while the blonde nodded and grabbed a paper from her briefcase. "Here is the official list of packages Sally Body Tans has to offer. There is no such thing as the quick package. Your Honor, may I approach the bench?"
The Judge nodded, and soon Diana handed the paper to her, letting her analyze it.
"If I were to put Sally on the stand under oath, would she say she saw you on March 15th?" She asked Ashley, raising her right eyebrow.
"Y-Yes, I'm sure she has it in her records,"
"Miss Perez, if you are found guilty of staying home and murdering Olivia Walker, you will face first-degree murder and first-degree perjury which can be 20 years in prison," Diana said while Ashley pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I understand,"
"Good," The District Attorney looked at the Judge and smiled. "Prosecution rests,"
"Defense, it is your turn to take the floor,"
When Diana arrived back at the manor, her chauffeur parked the car in front and opened her door. She thanked him and walked inside the house. Upon entering, she was met with smiles from the staff who cleaned the foyer.
"Good Afternoon, Mrs. Samuels. I assume your case went well based on the smile on your face?" Lincoln, the butler asked with his hands behind his back.
"It went perfect," She said, as a maid offered her a glass of water which she accepted. "Is my husband around?"
"Actually yes, he's in the study with a guest," The old man said, earning a slow nod from her. It was quite unusual that Kenneth was home. Normally, he was either at the Mayor's office or at events that demanded his presence. He was never home meeting someone unless this was important.
"Alright, I won't disturb them—,"
"Mr. Samuels requested your presence. The guest is someone you both know," Diana narrowed her eyes, pressing her lips together. Maybe it was someone they had met at a luncheon or another celebrity from the Met Gala, last month.
When the blonde made her way over to his study, she knocked on his door and walked inside. There she spotted her husband speaking to another man at his desk, she couldn't see his face just yet. "Ah, there she is. We were just talking about you,"
She walked to her husband's chair, her eyes moving to the man on the other side of the desk. In front of her was no other than Reid Maxwell sitting in her home, making himself comfortable. Questions began to flow through Diana's mind, what the fuck was going on and what did he want?
He sat back in the chair, his left hand playing with the glass of Brandy on the desk while his lips curved into a smirk. He wore a black trench coat with a black dress shirt under and on his hands were leather gloves. Since the last time she saw him, his hair had grown longer and his beard wasn't as trimmed as it used to be but nevertheless, he was still able to make her knees buckle.
Why was he back? Did he want to do more business with her husband?
"You remember Mr. Reid Maxwell? The Italian Painter?" Kenneth asked, standing up from his chair, while Reid did the same.
"Of course," Diana pulled her lips into a ponytail smile even though it wasn't genuine. She walked over and they politely kissed cheeks, while he placed his hand on her back, sending shivers down her spine. "It's always a pleasure, Diana,"
The woman nodded, struggling to breathe under his intense glare. Anger seeped through her veins but she had to keep herself under control, she couldn't let her husband think something was up between Reid and her.
"He's just moved into the Manor across the street, it's crazy to think that we just happened to meet again," Kenneth chuckled, shaking his head softly.
"Yeah, it's quite the coincidence," Reid mumbled, his eyes not moving from the blonde.
"When I saw him moving in this morning, I invited him over. He's been here for a couple of hours and it just feels like we've known each other our whole lives. Isn't Mr. Maxwell a great gentleman?" Her husband asked, waiting for a reaction from her.
Reid moved into the manor across the street? What was he hoping to accomplish?
"Yes," She croaked out, digging her manicured nails into the palm of her hand, trying to calm herself down. Just then, Lincoln walked inside and she looked away from him. "Mayor Samuels, Ondini Mae Cameron is on the phone,"
"Excuse me. She's one of my journalists," He said, kissing Diana's forehead before walking out, leaving her alone with the man she held hatred for.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" She asked, anger radiating off her body. "Is this some sort of sick game? First, you become best friends with my husband, then you fingered me inside the elevator the day before you kissed me at Jasmine's wedding and now you've humiliated me in my own home,"
Reid simply walked over to the alcohol stand in the corner of the room, before he poured himself more Brandy. Finally, he ran his finger across the Mayor's large desk and took a seat in his office chair, leaning back like he owned the place
"I told you, Diana. I'll do whatever it takes to get you back. The question is how long are you willing to test me?" He smirked before she clenched her jaw and paced around the office.
"This is my life you're playing with, my career, my image! I won't step outside my marriage for something that ended a decade ago. How many fucking times do I have to tell you that I am married to a man that is good? Why are you posing as his friend while trying to get with me?"
"You think I give a shit about that prick? You think I give a shit about all of this? Come on, Diana. You know me better than to think I would let the damn Mayor of New York City threaten me," He said, holding his hands out and looking around the well-decorated study.
"If you think for one second I will allow you to come back into my life after causing me so much pain, you're mistaken. When I look at you, I see nothing but a pathetic, lonely nobody. You're nothing to me anymore," Diana said, placing her hands down on the desk and glaring at him. "Get out of my manor, Reid, and stay the fuck away from me,"
There was a reason why she was the District Attorney she spoke with fury and meaning. Every word that escaped her mouth was a cut into his heart, but Reid knew it wasn't true. After what happened in Dubai, Diana was still in love with him. He just needed to help her realize it.
She began walking back to the office doors, her heels clicking against the floor. "I can't do that," Reid said, standing up from the chair. She stopped walking and closed her eyes, taking a breath.
Only with a small smirk on her lips, she turned to him. "Then I'll sue your ass for harassment and ruin your perfect image. I'm the District Attorney and I have ended people far greater than you,"
After a few seconds, she finally walked out of the office and slammed the door shut.