Chapter 58 Next moves
Simon is yapping sitting across from me about a new guy he's dating, but I'm not really listening. I still have the ick from my breakfast with Caroline. I had to fucking nod and pretend to be interested in color swatches. Bitch didn't even have the decency to invite my mother this time. Not that it matters anyway, I don't intend to go through with the wedding.
"How did you meet this guy?" I ask curiously.
Simon rolls his eyes dramatically. "It was like a movie, I tell you. I was running in Central Park, listening to the music for The Nutcracker, and this guy ran straight into me! He apologized profusely and asked me out for coffee. Of course I said yes!"
It does sound like a movie.
"I'm happy for you." At least one of our love lives are working out for the better. "Listen, I wanted to ask you, did you ever talk to Ben by any chance?"
"Yeah." He shrugs like it's no big deal. "He was waiting for you outside, but you were already gone and then he asked me if you were okay because you were acting weird."
"And then what did you say?"
"I said you were perfectly fine to me, great at work actually." He pulls my big toe playfully. "I did tell him there was some weird girl on the sidewalk that night we got Chinese, though."
So that's where he got the information from. I can't blame the guy, though. As far as he's concerned, my life is pretty fucking perfect with my six carat diamond ring that feels like it's suffocating my finger.
"Is everything good?" Scott asks, the concern evident and genuine in his eyes. "Shouldn't I have said something? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean...."
"No, no!" I interrupt him with a laugh, hoping he doesn't realise it's fake. "He just mentioned you guys spoke, that's all."
"Okay. In other news, I would love you to meet my new boo! I told him all about you, and he's eager to meet you!"
"Really? Isn't it a bit too soon?" I feel like I want to warn off everybody from men until they have them really all figured out.
"Of course not! You're the only one here I really trust, so why not?"
Yet, I can't even trust him back, making me feel like shit again. But what would happen to him if I told him the truth about Ben? Would Ben also find dirt on him and make his life a living hell?
I do what I should have since I found out that Ben has been lying to me this whole time.
After rehearsals, I go straight to my uncle's office. Katherine believes my family can stop him, I should start too, and hope that it doesn't destroy us in the end.
The receptionist sends me up immediately, and the secretary smiles brightly at me, telling me I only have a few minutes since he has an important meeting to end off his day.
"Baby girl." Uncle Alessandro walks over to me while putting on his jacket, and kisses me gently on the cheek. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"
My mouth is dry, my tongue stuck to the roof. I didn't exactly think this through thoroughly. I didn't think of what I was going to say.
"If one of us was in danger, but scared to bring the problem home, what would you say about that?" I ask softly, hoping that he heard every word.
Uncle Alessandro stills, a frown appearing on his forehead. He's a very intimidating guy. Though handsome, he has a certain look about him that I wouldn't want to mess with.
"Are you in some kind of trouble?" He asks slowly, before checking the time on his watch. "I have a very important meeting in five minutes, but I can delay it if you need my help."
"Please don't do that!" I stop him, feeling a tad bit stupid for imposing on his time. "I can come back some other time when you're not busy."
"I'm never too busy for my family, you know that." He replies quickly.
I can feel the tears building behind my eyes, the burn that I don't want to spill. God, I want to be strong for this family, but I've always just been the delicate flower petal everyone protects. I wanted to stand on my own two feet, yet here I am.
"There's someone that needs my help." I'm so ashamed to speak the truth. "And it has something to do with Ben."
I see how my uncle's eyes harden when I mention Ben's name. Does he know something? Does this have something to do with Miguel and the meeting he had with my uncle?
"Did Ben hurt you?" He asks in a deadly voice and violence in his eyes. "Because if he did, he will wish he never met me."
"He hasn't hurt me physically, no." I gulp, but he did hurt me when he slept with me while I was clearly inebriated. After what I've seen he does to Katherine, it somehow feels mild in comparison.
"But you are implying that he has hurt you one way or the other."
I don't deny the allegation, because I can't. My uncle clearly takes my silence as a yes.
"And where is this friend of yours?"
"She was at my apartment when I left this morning."
"I'm getting T.J. to fix you security, he'll meet you at your place." Uncle Alessandro sighs as if he knew all along that Ben was an asshole. "And I will talk to the girl and you later, okay?"
My heart thumps in nerves that I have to tell him what's really going on, but I know that I have to, even if it embarrasses me.