Page 35 of Downfall

My eyes dart about us to make sure we’re not witnessed but no one is here. It’s just me and him. Me and Darius. Alone. “How can I?” I reply.

“Your father would never permit it.” He says.

“No.”

“If I saw to it, if I told him I knew…”

“It would make no difference.” I retort. Though in truth I think it would. It would make things worse. Much worse. Paris would see it as me running to Darius for help, me snitching on him, and by god would he make me pay for that.

“Rose…”

“Please just leave it.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes you can.” I snap pulling free. “You have to.”

I walk away before he can say more. No matter what he says now, Paris is his nephew, his family, and we all know family comes first.

I go to the bathroom, certain he won’t follow me in here and for a few moments I hide while I regain my composure. While I regain my perfect sunshine mask.

When I step back out into the corridor I see Sofia. Only she’s not with Otto. She’s alone, and she’s sneaking out of Darius’s office, fiddling with her bag like she’s trying to shut it.

When she sees me she freezes. A micro-expression of fear crosses her face but before I can say anything Otto appears.

“There you are.” He says and then he looks at me. “Were you two having some girl talk?” He’s so much older than her that even the way he speaks makes it odd.

She shoots me a look. One that’s pleading. One that feels like she’s begging me to go along with this.

I smile nodding back at Otto. “Yes.” I have no reason to lie. No reason to cover for her and yet in this moment I do.

“Well I’m going to steal her away now.” He says sliding his arm back around her the same way Paris does with me. Perhaps it’s a Blumenfeld thing but I hate it all the same.

“By all means. It was nice to see you Sofia.” I reply before watching as they disappear back into the main crowd and as I do I catch Calvin’s eye. He’s smirking. Smiling. Like he couldn’t be happier at today’s turn of events.

I swallow the bile, turn away, and put on the same perfect mask I always have in public.

Roman

We’re sat up. Waiting. It’s past eight and she was due back hours ago. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that she’s late, it’s one of Darius’s parties after all. We all know his reputation just like we know her date’s.

Otto is a philanderer. A player. His first wife left him when he got the nanny pregnant and then the nanny left him after he’d married her and pulled pretty much the same stunt again.

After that it seems like he gave up on marriage, preferring to keep things simple and to no doubt save his bank account from any more alimony payments.

“She’s back.” Ben says as the car lights flash across the drive. He looks half relieved half furious and I know some of it is aimed at me. That I allowed this. That I permitted this.

Five minutes later Sofia is walking into the room, barefoot, though still wearing the dress she left in. Ben runs his eyes over her and I see it, more anger, more resentment.

“Well?” I ask before it turns into a blazing row.

“You could say I was successful.” She says.

“What did you get?” I reply.

She smirks opening her bag, pulling out a napkin and lays it in front of me. “I couldn’t take the original because that would have been noticeable but I snuck away from Otto and in Darius’ office is a shit load of paperwork with this address on it.”

Ben pulls up his phone, immediately looking it up and we all stare at the screen as we see google maps images of what looks like a load of industrial units in the middle of nowhere.

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