THE LAWSUIT
886 Words
The Bentley was silent.
Too silent.
Starling stared out the window. Manhattan lights blurred past.
His jaw was clenched so tight I thought it would break.
The headline was still on his phone.
*`BREAKING: STARLING HALE’S FIANCÉE IS DAUGHTER OF THE WOMAN WHO SUED HALE ENTERPRISES 5 YEARS AGO`*
Below it, Mom’s picture. Younger. Angry. Holding a sign outside the courthouse.
“Is this true?” he asked finally. Voice low. Dangerous.
I gripped the red Valentino dress in my hands.
“Yes.”
He turned to me. Gray eyes cold.
“You’re the daughter of the woman who tried to take down my company?”
“Tried is the key word,” I shot back. “She lost. And we lost the boutique’s foundation because of your construction. She had every right to sue.”
“So you signed the contract knowing this?”
“I signed the contract because my mom is going to lose her home in 46 hours!” My voice cracked. “I didn’t think your billionaire ego would care about some lawsuit from 5 years ago!”
He laughed. But there was no humor in it.
“You lied to me, Jessica.”
“You lied to me first!” I yelled. “`We’re done. Don’t contact me.` Remember that text?”
The driver’s eyes flicked to the rearview mirror.
Starling leaned back. Ran a hand through his hair.
“Get out,” he said to the driver.
“Sir?”
“Get. Out.”
The car pulled over on the side of the FDR. Driver got out.
Now it was just us. In a $300,000 car. With 29 days left on our contract.
“You want to terminate the contract?” I asked quietly. “Fine. Keep the money. I’ll figure something else out.”
I reached for the door handle.
His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what? Don’t leave? You’re mad at me!”
“I’m mad,” he said. “But I’m not stupid. If I call this off now, Damian wins. The board sees me as unstable. I lose everything.”
He let go of my wrist.
“So we keep pretending. For 29 more days.”
I stared at him. “Even though you hate me?”
“I don’t hate you,” he said. And it sounded like it hurt him to say it.
“I hate that you kept this from me.”
“I hate that you ghosted me 3 years ago,” I whispered.
We stared at each other.
The city moved around us.
“Fine,” I said. “29 days. Professional. No feelings.”
“Professional,” he agreed.
Then he opened the partition and told the driver to come back.
---
*The next morning. Hale Enterprises.*
I thought Day 2 would be easier.
It wasn’t.
I was in his office on the 80th floor.
Glass walls. View of all of NYC.
And me, sitting in a chair trying not to look like I didn’t belong.
“New rule,” Starling said, not looking up from his laptop.
“You come to work with me. We need to be seen together.”
“So I’m your office decoration now?”
“You’re my fiancée.” He finally looked at me. “Act like it.”
The door opened. Damian walked in.
Smirk firmly in place.
“Cousin,” he said. “And fiancée. How... cozy.”
His eyes swept over me. “The press is having a field day with your mom, by the way.”
Starling stood. “Get out, Damian.”
“Just came to deliver this.” Damian dropped a folder on the desk.
“Board meeting moved up. 2 weeks. Not 30 days.”
He left.
Starling opened the folder. His face went pale.
“What?” I asked.
“2 weeks,” he said. “We have 14 days to convince the board we’re stable. Engaged. In love.”
14 days.
Half the time.
Double the pressure.
My phone buzzed.
Mom: `Bank called. They got the payment. Thank you baby. I love you.`
I looked at Starling.
He looked at me.
“Guess we’re stuck with each other,” I said.
“Guess so,” he said.
He walked around the desk. Stopped in front of me.
Close. Too close.
I could smell his cologne again.
“Jessica,” he said.
“What?”
“If anyone asks about the lawsuit...”
“We met after it happened. We didn’t know,” I finished. “I know the script.”
He nodded. But he didn’t move away.
For a second, I thought he was going to kiss me again.
For real this time.
Then his assistant knocked.
“Mr. Hale, your 9 AM is here.”
The moment broke.
Starling stepped back. Mask back on.
“Come on,” he said. “We have a photoshoot for Vogue. Couples edition.”
“Vogue?” I squeaked.
“Smile, Jess,” he said, holding out his hand.
“And try to look like you love me.”
I took his hand.
Even though I didn’t know if I could.
Even though I didn’t know if I should.
14 days.
That’s all we had before the truth came out
- Writer
