Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“I’m so sorry,” he says, and my heart beats so fast I don’t know what is going on. He must see the worry set into my face because he pulls me from the kitchen, telling Jack to eat and that we’ll be right back.
My phone buzzes again in my hand, and this time I see it’s Max. “What is going on?” I look at him and ask him, and he just nods his head.
“Tell me.”
“ZMT is running a story that I left Chantal for my son’s doctor so he could get treatment. She’s saying I abandoned the family for you.” He puts his head down and then looks up. “They have reports that this isn’t the first time you’ve done this.”
“What?” I whisper, and I don’t know what is going on; the room feels like it’s spinning.
“It’s all over the media,” he says, and I don’t think I hear him right. This can’t be. During my whole career, I never put myself first; I never ever did this.
“I don’t feel well,” I tell him and sit down. “I think I’m going to be sick,” I tell him and turn to run down the hall to the bathroom.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Zack
“Denise,” I say to the closed door, listening to her getting sick on the other side. I’ve never felt rage like this. Not even when I caught my wife in bed with my best friend did I feel this type of rage. “Baby, please,” I say to the door, trying to keep my voice down so Jack doesn’t hear the fucking explosion.
The door unlocks, and she comes out. Her face is white, and I take her in my arms as she cries in my chest. “I’m so sorry,” I tell her as she hugs me.
“Is Dr. Denise not feeling well?” Jack asks from behind us, his face creased with worry. She walks away from me and hugs him.
“I’m okay, buddy. Did you eat?” she asks him, and the doorbell rings. I walk past them and look outside, seeing that it’s Olivier. I open the door, and Olivier walks in followed by Steve.
“Today was my day off,” he says to me, and I take in his outfit. It may not be a suit, but he still looks like he walked off the runway.
“I just called Liliane, and she is on her way,” Olivier says and then spots Denise and Jack in the back of me. “Are you okay?” he asks, and Steve walks to her and hugs her from the side. Jack is in her arms with his head on her shoulder.
“It’s going to be okay,” he tells her quietly, and I see her lower lip quiver.
The doorbell rings again followed by pounding. “What in the name?” I say, going to the door and opening it to see a pissed-off Max.
“Where is she?” He pushes me aside, walking in with Michael following him and Allison in the back of them with a screaming Alex. “Dada, dada dada.”
“I couldn’t keep him away.” Allison looks at me. “Sorry.”
I close the door and then walk into the living room where Max is now holding Denise as she sobs in his arms. My chest gets tight, and I look around to see that Jack hasn’t stepped away from her as he stands next to her, holding her hand in his. “Before we say things we are going to regret,” Allison starts and then looks at Max. “We need to hear what happened.”
“We all know what happened,” Max starts talking, but his voice gets loud. “It’s all over the f-” he says, stopping himself then continuing, “internet.”
“I’m sorry, Max,” I start to say, and he glares at me.
“I had a feeling that things were not okay,” he says, looking at me while he rubs his sister’s back.
“Oh, please,” Allison says while Alex still cries for her father. “I had to pick your mouth up off the floor in American Girl.” She rolls her eyes at him.
“The press is going to eat her alive, and everything she has worked for is going to be put under a microscope and examined. She’ll be the laughing stock …” He puts his head back. “She’s worked too hard for this.”
I look at him, and I’m about to agree with him. My heart is shattered just looking at her, and then he looks down at her. “We need to go,” he whispers to her, and then I’ve about had enough.
“She isn’t leaving,” I say, speaking up, and Max’s head flies up, and he looks at me.
“You’re the reason she’s like this.”
“He isn’t the reason,” Denise tries to tell him, but Max shakes his head.
“You don’t think I don’t know how the press works? You don’t think I don’t know how bad this could be for you and your career?”
“We are going to put a statement out,” Olivier says, and Max rolls his eyes.