Chapter 24: Deceivers

There was a tone of compassion in her voice and she sat still. "Or not_"

He gripped her arm "It was five years ago,"

***

"I had many big plans with Carla Wells, I was obsessed with her, I loved her like she was my own, I'd have never thought that she..."

Odetta brushed a hand on his face when he looked pained.

"I was drugged...," His eyes grew intense and he paled as if he was reliving it.

Odetta heaved her arms around him. "I'm so sorry, Ed, you don't need to say it,"

"She got what she wanted," His voice was raw with emotion and tears rolled down his face. His arms tightened around Odetta and she looked to be under duress.

"I'm so sorry, it's hard to forget isn't it?"

"Not as hard as finding out she had a son for someone else and she claimed it to be mine,

I'd have believed it was mine. Some part of me wanted to. But it wasn't. The doctor had the samples all mixed up,"

"My God," She sounded surprised.

"The in vitro-fertilization never worked on her,"

"Oh my gosh, Ed, your child could be out there,"

"That's what scares me," He clenched his jaw groaning inwardly.

"I almost feel bad for Carla," She scoffed.

"We all know what she was after," His jaw clenched again and she pecked his cheek.

"Thank you for telling me,"

"Why are you thanking me? You're not the only one who knows," He shook his head.

Her cheeks turned pink "It's still very humbling... Anyway, I'll make sure your food gets here,"

"Stay here," He ordered. "I'll have my workers do that,"

Her mouth was about to open in protest and then she sat back. "Alright,"

Edward's eyes flashed smirking.

***

Brooke paced back and forth brushing her eyes and sighed. "I'm fine, I'm fine," She mumbled settling down at her work desk on the third floor. There was more to life than just weeping over her ex. "What do you mean you want what I and Eddie have?"

She gave that a second thought and swivelled on her chair at the staff member, he nodded and passed her a file. "What's this?" She pulled up a tablet and then saw the list of ghost workers.

"Thank you for your time," She put it back and continued flipping through her catalogues. Her eyes skimmed the notes and she smiled at the old autograph David did on her page. She said she was his biggest fan.

She sighed in nostalgia and shook her head, her mind drifted to the names and Edward wasn't here yet.

"What's this?" She would ensure that their accounts were cut off from the payroll and then make some changes. "That'll take time,"

"Brooke,"

She looked up at her "Oh, Tasha, I wasn't expecting you,"

She sat across from her "Yeah well, I work for Mode so...,"

Brooke brushed her hair back "I'm surprised you didn't take that offer,"

"Honey, please, I'm happy where I am, now, what's this about a mass retrenchment?"

"Oh, I was getting to that, there's a few of them really,"

Tasha's expression softened "Really. Well? I'm happy to see that Luxe Textiles is changing with the times, without Edward, I wouldn't bother about the measures,"

"And what do mean without Edward? He made this decision,"

"The board aren't too happy," Tasha scoffed.

"Probably because they registered their families to this company, on nobody's authorisation_and we will not go down that road," She drawled scrolling through.

Tasha fidgeted "Do you know when Miss Stareyes is arriving?"

"Not likely. I heard a lot of scandals about Miss Olivia, including harassment, and jeepers! Then again, I hear a lot of things," She said with a wistful look and started to type on her laptop.

"Currently, she's Number 6 on Hot Topic and she's scaling like the dickens.

I mean for someone who rarely shows up to the party. She's a star, Ed would be lucky to have her as a partner, they look so stunning_,"

Tasha waved her hands "Okay, fine,"

"Hmm, I guess, so what's your deal?"

"I just wanted to check on my fave fashion consultant," She fluttered her eyelashes.

"Yeah? It's you,"

"You caught me. How's the investigation going?"

Brooke laughed "Worry about your brand Limelight, you have better things to do,"

"My gosh, you don't have to take it so hard," She rolled her eyes.

"I know you mean well, Tasha. Now, can we talk about that commissioning? I'd like to hear all the details," She seemed interested.

Tasha's eyes followed the tablet while she put it inside her purse.

"Why, of course," She smiled sweetly.

***

David grimaced at his songs and turned it off. He was sitting in his home studio in nothing but a blue shirt, white khakis and sandals. His rough hair stood out and he groaned pushing back his chair to swivel.

"Don't you like it? Mister Cosby? You're the only one who hates your music," Travis Cosby, his twenty-one-year-old son from the first marriage in West Virginia told him.

"Listen, Travis, will you do me a favour, don't," He said miserably swivelling on his chair.

Even the personal studio he built in his mansion was not doing it for him.

"I need to see Brooke," He said picking up his keys.

"Brooke will not be available, you need to take your prescriptions and take a break,"

"But I have to_"

"Mister Cosby," He pulled his chair to a table where his medicine and tea cup were.

***

Edward tossed in his sleep and scratched his beard. He pulled up from his hospital bed and brushed his eyes. Surprised at his stubble. "I need a shave,"

He winced at Odetta snoozing at a table, her brown hair hung over her face and he snuffed at her glasses dropping from her eyes.

He stared at her in curiosity and under that pelt, her thick eyelash brushed her cheek and her lips parted.

Odetta pushed up and looked around.

"What time is it?"

She raised her head and fidgeted on the table for her glasses and put them on.

"Two fifteen, am,"

"Shit, I'm overdue," She said and sighed sitting back when she heard AM.

"I need a shave,"

"Oh, it looks fine, I'm sure you can get through till 6 am,"

He sounded groggy.

"How's the leg?"

"Numb,"

"Okay," She bit her upper lip. "It'll be fine, nothing a good massage can't fix,"

He quirked an eyebrow and "The cloth feels itchy,"

She looked perplexed and Edward unknotted the splint keeping it aside.

Odetta gulped and then he laid back with his hand over his eyes. "Warn me when it's over,"

"Oh ok," She muttered. "You may want to relax,"

She rubbed his knee and he suppressed a groan at the tenderness. He bit down when she stretched his leg fully and his bone popped. "Sorry,"

She let go, his leg was a whole pound of muscle and he had a dent along his powerful thigh.

Edward looked at her and shuddered when she laid it on the pillow. His leg pulsed. "Thanks,"

"Oh, you're welcome,"

She muffled at his grip on her and he swabbed her lips.

Odetta pushed him upright. "I've met someone," She shuddered and Edward was obscene. His shirt was ruffled

He couldn't pass over Olivia's charms, he supposed he needed to get her off his system instead he found himself wanting Odetta more. He raked his hair in frustration.