Love Beyond Scandal

CHAPTER 5

Gerald regained his senses and sprang to his feet, "That's absurd, Natasha! I can't do that!"

"Again, you can. It's a very simple situation, Gerald. As of now, I already alerted the board that something fishy was going on and a meeting will be held tomorrow to fret out everything." She replied.

His eyes widened with disbelief and all the coolness and composure he had drained out of him. "How could you, Natasha?" He yelled at her. "What the f**k has she done to you?"

"A lot!" Natasha yelled back at him. She hated Genevieve but she didn't have a reason to justify her hatred. She just hated everything about her, the way she walked, talked, dressed, everything!

The day Natasha discovered their secret relationship, she was beyond herself with joy and a great feeling of euphoria. She already made up her mind to destroy everything Genevieve had accomplished in the firm.

"You can't do this, Natasha, common! You're asking too much of me!" He exclaimed. "Please, I can give you anything else."

"Be smart, Gerald. Look at the situation here, you have two choices. One, you save yourself and only your girlfriend gets humiliated and two, you both get humiliated and fired. That's an easy choice seeing that you have much more to lose." Natasha said, staring deeply into his eyes. "Don't be dumb."

Gerald could feel his blood rising, his heart was thumping heavily at his side and goosebumps had formed on his skin. He couldn't betray Genevieve in such a cruel way, he loved her dearly. But he also loved his job, he could get another girlfriend, but it would take him ages to acquire a position like this again and it would smear his record and reputation badly. He couldn't drag his family name to the mud over an affair, he gritted his mind and made his decision.

"Alright, you win, you cunning b***h!" He said through his teeth. "I'll fire her."

"Then what happens to the meeting?" She chuckled. "You do it my way, or all I have to do is throw the copies of these pictures on the huge circular desk in the conference room tomorrow morning. I have a way to save your ass, Gerald, you just have to say go ahead and I'll handle everything. You'll be safe from it all, trust me."

"I don't know why you're doing this, Natasha." He said weakly, in one last desperate and futile hope to get her to change her mind.

"It's none of your f*****g business, save your horny ass and all will be fine. You can get another w***e anywhere." Natasha said and walked out of the office, slamming the door behind her.

Gerald felt so guilty and was filled with self-loathing. He had to do what he had to do, he didn't know how to apologize to Genevieve, he didn't even want to face her, he avoided her all day and rushed home even before the closing hour.

Genevieve was so confused by his behavior, when she got home, she messaged him but he didn't reply to her texts. She called him but he didn't pick up the phone. She started to panic, wondering if something terrible had happened to him, she slept uneasily that night.

The next day, Gerald didn't arrive in the office building until it was 9AM, the scheduled time for the dreaded board meeting. He looked terrible and his eyes were bloodshot from staying awake all night. His conscience haunted him, but each time it did, the thoughts of losing his position haunted him more. Natasha caught up with him with a smile on her face before he walked into the conference room.

"The devil behind that smile." He thought with hatred.

"A brilliant morning it is, Gerald, you'll be the one to show the evidence to everyone at the meeting." She said and handed him a brown Manila envelope, similar to the one she had carried the previous day.

She was thrilled by the thoughts of the obloquy and disgrace Genevieve would be subjected to, more intriguing and satisfying was the fact that her trusted lover was going to be the one to carry everything out.

Gerald stared at the envelope in his hands, "You're sick, Natasha."

"And you're doing my bidding, that makes you sick too. You're securing your position and I'm securing mine, that makes us the same thing." She said with a cold look and walked into the conference room.

Seated around the large, round table in the center of the room were a dozen executives of the firm and Natasha. Seated at the head of the table was the cold, snake-like Mr. Gregory.

The meeting commenced, Gerald was already sweating despite the cool air blasting from the several air conditioners in the room.

"Something very disturbing concerning one of the staff at this firm has been brought to our notice." Mr. Gregory started in his voice as hard as steel. "Miss Natasha?"

Natasha rose, "A staff of this prestigious firm, by the name Genevieve Powers, has been caught involved in some sacrilegious acts against the standards and morals of this great firm."

"And you have evidence?" Mr. Gregory asked.

Natasha nodded, "Yes, Mr. Gregory."

At the mention of Genevieve's name, Gerald's heart started racing, he was a betrayer, a low-life who took the easy way out. He cursed himself, but he had already made up his mind. She was summoned and when Genevieve walked in, he couldn't meet her eyes.

She met the cold eyes of fourteen wealthy lawyers and Genevieve felt a cold, ominous shiver run up her spine.

"Miss Natasha?" Mr. Gregory said, indicating for her to show the evidence.

"Mr. Gerald did all the work himself, he will show you the evidence." She said and all eyes turned to look at the shocked Gerald.

He cleared his throat, avoiding the desperate questioning stare from Genevieve. "Yes…uhm…I have the evidence against.." He coughed. "Against Miss Genevieve Powers."

He opened the envelope and when he stared at the contents, he couldn't believe his eyes. It was Genevieve and where he was supposed to be, another man was photoshopped into his place perfectly, he recognized the man immediately. He was a young lawyer named Braithwaite that had made it to the firm only six months ago.

He glanced at Natasha in shock, his jaw dropping and all she did was smile.