Chapter 6 - Paper

Chapter 6 – Paper

Allister Cross

POV

Finally having a moment to myself away from my mother’s prying eyes and my daughter’s questions about her mother. I go through the media reports. My assistant should have taken care of this.

Why the hell is it everywhere? Why hasn’t Larce’s side taken care of this damn reports?

Dear God! I’m surprised my father wasn’t the one going down my throat this morning.

One headline catches my attention.

Breaking news Allister Cross leaves Gala with ex-girlfriend while his wife is away.

It takes everything in me not to roll my eyes.

Trouble in paradise in the Cross residence???

How unoriginal, if there was trouble in paradise me going home with Larce would be the last of our problems.

I’m seen with one woman and suddenly I’m getting a divorce and I’m a terrible husband, yet Antonella is seen with multiple men, but no one ever says anything.

Allister cross seen spending most of the evening with ex Larce Bowen

Has the perfect family started to show cracks?

I go into the article, its an unknown reporter writing a few hateful comments isn’t new to me. but this woman really hates Antonella and me.

The couple never shows up together in public and when they’re in public they always seem awkward and distant. Antonella Cross works hard on her brand yet she never eats more than two bites of her food. While her husband shows no concern.

If that is a caring husband, then I don’t want it. The couple has been married for seven years and have nothing to show for it. their wedding was one big show, their entire marriage is on show for everyone to see. You never see the couple together out in public unless its for business, if that doesn’t scream business arrangement, I don’t know what does.

A mop and broom have more chemistry than Allister Cross and Antonella Cross.

I roll my eyes at the last comment. I get off my phone. Even a blind person could see Antonella barely eats in public, I don’t hold her to a standard, she does whatever she wants. And I think we’ve done an excellent job at pretending to be in love with one another over the years.

Though the mop and broom comment does hurt. And true you’ll never see us getting coffee together because one my assistant gets my coffees and two, I hate being out in public, I would much rather spend my time in the office.

I’m brought out of my thoughts by my phone ringing.

"Cross."

"Hi Ally, it’s Larce. I just wanted to apologize; I didn’t realize spending time with you would cause this much of a mess..."

I cut her off "Larce this isn’t your fault, and I was just about to call my assistant to get rid of the news. It will be old news in a few hours. I hope your fiancé isn’t bothered by the news." I do feel a little apologetic, I do hope her fiancé doesn’t get the wrong idea.

Larce and I were over when I married Antonella. I was never going to string her along. I was honest with her, I told her I was going to marry Antonella. I did lie and tell her I didn’t love her anymore and that I had fallen for Antonella.

It’s not that I didn’t trust her it’s that I didn’t want her to think we could ever be together or that I’d still date her while I was married to Antonella.

But I soon found out what I felt for Larce wasn’t love. Or not the way my parents feel for one another. I don’t miss what Larce, and I had, I honestly just see her as I friend now.

"Oh, uhm. No, I explained what happened. Mathew didn’t mind…" she says softly bringing me out of thoughts.

"That’s good. I have to go and take care of this mess. My mother has been breathing down my neck all morning…" I say before hanging up.

I call my assistant next.

"Mr. Cross." She answers.

"Why haven’t you taken care of the media yet? This could affect our next launch." I don’t bring up the stocks. I didn’t dare check that.

“I’m sorry sir, I just saw the news, I’ll speak to the PR team and the company lawyers.” She promises.

I sigh. “I want it gone before my daughter gets to school.” I order before hanging up.

I stand and walk over to the window. I watch as Dean drives up my driveway. He parks and my daughter races out.

Antonella and my mother not far behind.

I watch them speak before my daughters in the car and he gets in too.

As they pull out of the driveway, I watch Antonella Walk back into the house while my mother stands in the driveway before looking up at me as if she knew I was watching. She shakes her head before heading to her car. Her driver opens the door for her, and she gets in.

“God what a morning…” I sigh out.

I need to get to work.

I don’t run into my wife on my way downstairs. My driver waits for me as I exit the house.

He opens the back door for me, I get in and he closes the door before getting on the driver side.

When I get to the office, I’m surprised by Larce waiting for me. I have no idea what she’s doing here.

She’s dressed in a red dress that looks like it’s a size too small for her and her lips are red. The Larce I know would never leave the house looking like this.

She smiles brightly when she sees me. she walks over to me; she shocks me by hugging me.

She whispers into my ear "I've been waiting for you."

I pull away, confused. What was she doing here. We just spoke there was no need for her to come all the way to my office speak to me. "What are you doing here?" I ask.

“Let’s talk upstairs…” she nods toward the elevator.

I nod and we walk toward my private elevator. We head up to the 60^th floor where my office is.

Her eyes scan my office. I take a seat behind the desk and gesture for her to take a seat as well.

She does. “I can’t remember the last time I was in your office.” She’s still taking in the space.

My office wasn’t anything special. The walls are grey, the floor to ceiling window on the front gives me a view of the Hollywood sign. My desk is huge, it was a gift from Antonella, I have no idea where she got it or why she even got it for me. But one day I came in and it was here. She even got me a picture of our daughter on my desk. I added the picture from Aliyah’s birthday last year of the three of us. I only have in case people might find it odd that I don’t have any pictures of my wife in my office.

"I think Antonella decorated the place two years back…" I wasn’t exactly lying, yet I have no idea why I felt the need to say that either.

Larce eyes darken before clears her throat and she smiles. “I didn’t think Antonella would have the time to decorate your office.”

I shrug my shoulders. “I think it was the anniversary of some sort.” I don’t say it was because I’ve been the CEO for this company for over seven years and every year since I started Antonella would give me small gifts for my office.

I have no idea what’s going on with me. Why don’t I feel the usual hatred toward my wife. Here I am complimenting her and praising her. Something I’ve never done before.

Our conversation this morning must have rocked me more than I thought it did.

Larce tilts her head and looks at me for a second. “I never understood your marriage to Antonella." She says softly.

I stiffen and share a look with her. I didn’t understand my marriage to Antonella either. "You wanted to speak to me about something?" I ask.

"Right sorry... I got distracted by your office. Why are you so worried about what the media thinks? You’ve never cared before." She asks.

I frown. “I don’t care what they think, what I care about is my daughter thinks when she hears or sees this. Antonella knows nothing is going between us and I honestly just would hate for someone to say something to Aliyah about me cheating on her mother when I’ve never did that…” I tell her honestly.

The thought a teacher or student speaking in front of Aliyah and her hearing anything bad about me has me in a panic. I never want her to think bad of me. The reason I’ve never even looked at a woman since her mother and I got married was because I didn’t want rumors going around that I was stepping out on her mother.

Larce frowns. “She knows nothing happened between us. The two of you must have really trust one another.” Her snide comment is surprising.

It sounds like Larce doesn’t like Antonella, though I guess she thinks Antonella stole me from her.

I nod. “Antonella knows I wouldn’t do something like that.” I have no idea why I’m defending Antonella; she pissed me off this morning when she told me she didn’t care if I was with Larce. It rubbed me the wrong way. Why the hell would she care anyway.

"Well of course" she says dramatically while rolling her eyes.

I eye her, something about Larce is different.

"Why did you come here Larce?" I ask her.

She looks at me for a second before her façade fades, she looks vulnerable. “Do you ever wonder what would have been if you didn’t marry her?” she asks.