“And she got pregnant.” I could tell she assumed those parts of the story were accurate.
“No. She lied to him. She told him she was pregnant, but she never was. The minute Jack found out, he left her.”
“So he didn’t leave her for you?”
“He was with me first.” I suddenly wanted to defend what Jack and I had in the past, before Chrystle came along and fucked it all up. “We were together when he met her.”
“So he cheated on you?” she asked matter-of-factly.
“Yeah.”
“Did she know about you?” Nora eyed me, and I sensed that an idea was coursing through that brain of hers.
“She knew about me. She didn’t care. She said that she always wanted a baseball-playing husband, so that’s what she got.” Anger and embarrassment collided within me as I struggled to keep my emotions balanced.
“Do you want to address this article publicly? We could make a statement on your behalf, disputing all of this woman’s claims and accusations.” Nora folded her hands together and rested her chin on top. “Or we could run a counter article on you and Jack.”
I hadn’t even thought about defending myself. In the past months, I’d learned to keep quiet when it came to all the things people wrote about me. I was told standing up for myself would end up making me look worse, which I never understood, but I had to agree with because I didn’t know what else to do.
“If you fight back they’ll attack even harder,” Melissa’s mom had advised me at one point. “Don’t give them any more ammunition. People like that love getting a reaction out of you. So when they don’t get what they want, they eventually move on.” But they hadn’t moved on.
“Is that what you think I should do?” I asked Nora. “Make a statement? Won’t it make it worse?”
Her brow furrowed. “Possibly. Let me think on it for a couple days.”
“OK.”
“I worry about you. I don’t know how you put up with all of this crap. Being with this guy sure has its downfalls, doesn’t it? I hope he’s worth it.”
My lungs constricted as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. I wanted to choke, but couldn’t. I struggled to keep my composure as the tears spilled out. And just like that, I broke down. I couldn’t take it anymore. The bad press, the constant harassment, the online sites judging me every day. It had become too much weight to carry.
“Oh dear.” Nora pushed back from her desk and walked over to me. “I’m sorry. I just meant that it’s a lot to take.”
“I know. It’s not what you said; it’s how I feel,” I tried to explain through my sobs.
“Why don’t you take a few days off? Go clear your head. Hell, take a vacation or something. Get out of the city for a while.”
I wiped at my eyes and sniffled. “Maybe I’ll fly home. Are you sure that’s OK?”
“Absolutely. We’ll come up with a game plan when you get back.” She squeezed my shoulder before returning to her chair.
“Thank you, Nora.” I forced a smile before walking out of her office. I gathered my things, typed a quick out-of-office notification for my e-mail, and turned my computer off. I stopped at the lobby store, grabbing a copy of the tabloid as my legs wobbled. The wedding picture of Jack with Chrystle caused me sharp stabs of pain as I stared at it.
Mortified, I tucked the tabloid under my arm and walked outside. I couldn’t take the subway home, I’d never last surrounded by all those people, so I called the only person I could think of while I walked back into the lobby.
“Matteo, can you come get you from work and bring me home?” My voice was shaking as I practically begged.
“Of course. Are you OK, Cassie?”
“Yeah. I just need a ride home please.” He knew I was lying, but he didn’t press the issue.
“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
Matteo arrived right on time, and I headed out of the lobby doors toward the car. He rushed out of the driver’s seat, concern written all over his face. He took me by the hand, opening the door for me and closing it softly. Once inside, I buckled myself in and waited for the inquisition that never came. If he had a million questions, he wasn’t asking any.
Matteo pulled the car up in front of my building as hordes of cameramen surrounded it. “Oh my God,” I said, the shock clearly written all over my face.
“Cassie, what’s going on?” Matteo asked.
The press realized it was me in the car, and it took less than two seconds for them to swarm the side I sat on, cameras flashing nonstop, practically blinding me, even in the daylight. “I got this,” Matteo said before exiting the car. I heard him demand they move as he opened my door and helped me out. I lowered my head upon exiting, refusing to make eye contact with anyone.