Page 78 of Nathan
“She’s not suicidal! Serena suffered a concussion and some bruises on her face. Unfortunately, someone at the hospital took a picture and… well, it sounds like you’ve seen the headlines so…”
“Yes, it’s very troubling with the way they portray you as a dangerous person. Of course it doesn’t help that you got yourself in trouble with that fight a few years back.” Charles reached for the fruit bowl. “Honey, will you hand me one of those oranges?”
Liv picked the biggest one and gave it to Charles while asking me another question, “Where is she now? Serena, I mean.”
“We decided to take a few weeks apart until everything calms down. She went back to the US to spend time with her family. Her sister and mother were worried about all the dramatic headlines.”
Liv sighed. “I don’t blame them, it’s out of control.”
“Are you going to see her again?” Lumi asked.
“Of course. I just told you that we are in love.”
“Love? What are you talking about? You’re not seriously thinking about having a relationship with her, are you?” River’s accusatory tone provoked me.
“I know Serena isn’t your favorite person in the world, but don’t forget that we’ve all been judging her based upon a lie. We thought that she was having a relationship with Storm, but that was nothing but a media stunt. Serena never stole Storm from you. It was Storm who spun a web of lies to make more money without caring how it would destroy you.”
River picked a few grapes from the fruit bowl. “I honestly don’t know if I believe that. Some of the things Serena said in that interview she gave sounded like she knew Storm intimately.”
I frowned. “What interview?”
“The one she did when she had her meltdown and talked about his size and skills in bed. How would Serena know such intimate things about Storm if she hadn’t been with him?”
I narrowed my eyes. “What are you on about? Serena fabricated the whole thing. Are you saying Storm does have issues with performing sexually?”
River kept her face expressionless. “I wouldn’t say that; sex is just not a big priority for him.”
“As in he doesn’t like sex or he can’t perform? Lumi asked.
“I don’t want to discuss that right now, all I’m saying is that it feels a little too coincidental that Serena would know that about him.”
“She was cross with him because he gained sympathy from the publicity by making her look like the devil,” I defended Serena. “What did you see in that man, to begin with? He’s a big fat liar who uses people!”
“Oh, and Serena isn’t?” River pushed her jaw forward in a challenging stare.
“I’m not saying what she did is alright. Serena knows how repulsed I am about the scam.”
Charles diffused the tension between River and me by putting up his hand, signaling for us to calm down.
“What’s her excuse?” Charles asked in a calm voice.
I shrugged and still felt defensive. “Serena’s excuse is that it’s all part of the Hollywood game. She’s been in that world since she was a young girl, and there’s no question that it has affected her judgment. The good thing is that she’s been reflecting on it a lot these past days, and she’s admitting that it’s wrong.”
Liv sighed and spoke on her exhalation: “That’s good.”
“I don’t know, Nathan,” Charles muttered. “Who would want to be part of such a dramatic and unhealthy culture? Don’t you think it’s better if you stayed away from her?”
“No!” There was no hesitation in my answer. “I understand that it’s not convenient for any of you, or me for that matter, but Serena and I have a special connection. I’m not giving up on that!”
“Come on, Nathan, there are plenty of women out there. Don’t tell me that she’s more important to you than we are,” River argued. “She’s costing us money and sleep, and our reputation is at stake. No one wants all the cult stories to circulate again. Youhaveto shut it down.”
Pushing my chair back, I raised my voice at River. “You only say that because you don’t know what true love is. You date men for money, prestige, and fame. If you had ever felt remotely aboutanyonethe way I feel about Serena, then you wouldn’t ask me to break it off with her.”
Raising her chin up, River defended herself. “I loved Storm.”
“Maybe you only think you did because you have nothing real to compare it to. Love isn’t a one-way street, and it’s pretty clear that he never loved you, or he wouldn’t have treated you with such an utter lack of respect. And before you defend him, don’t! Storm never deserved the love you gave him.”
River looked at the others around the table as if waiting for them to protest, but none of them did.
