Page 54 of Trust Fall
“I know you’re hurting, Ivy. I don’t know about your past, and I’m not asking, that’s your story to tell. But,” Lana paused, “Cleo doesn’t have it in her to do what you think she has.”
“She worked for my brother when my family disowned me and threw me out with nothing, Lana.” Ivy said, anger bubbling in her chest as the memories flooded her mind again.
“Maybe,” Lana started, “but she didn’t know he was your brother at the time.” Lana raised an eyebrow, causing Ivy to pause and let her continue. “Cleo is the single most caring and thoughtful person I have ever met in my entire life. When I met her, I wasn’t in a good place at all.” Her eyes flickered down to her hands, and Ivy could hear the gentle ting of metal scraping as she noticed Lana spinning a ring on her finger.
“When I first met Cleo, I had just managed to escape from a seven-year abusive relationship.” Ivy stared at her. She didn’t know what to say. Lana continued, “Ryan had spent years systematically chipping away at my self-esteem, slowly severing ties with my friends, and then eventually, my family. I didn’t see it happening, and then one day, I was entirely alone. Except for him. He didn’t want me working because it meant he didn’t know where I was or what I was doing while he worked from home. He arranged for home deliveries of the groceries at times when he’d be available. I never spoke with anyone else without him there by my side.” Lana took a breath.
Ivy was stunned to silence. She’d had no idea of any of this. She waited until Lana was ready to speak again.
“On the third trip to the hospital that year, a nurse, Lily, finally managed to separate him from me. She convinced him that there was a form that he’d need to fill out because of a system upgrade the hospital was in the middle of implementing on their computers. She told him that he’d need to fill out all my details by hand in order to link that visit to my medical chart once the upgrade had completed the following week. Luckily for me, he believed her. The police were waiting for him in the room she took him to.” Lana let out a breath, and Ivy watched her shoulder sink in relief that memory brought.
“He was arrested on sight. I agreed to let the nurse release a copy of my medical file to the police as evidence against him. Then I started the very long process of piecing my life back together. That’s when I met Cleo.”
Ivy inhaled sharply at the mention of Cleo’s name. Tears already turning her eyes glassy from hearing Lana’s shocking story of her past.
“She had just moved her business to the river-side office,” Lana started, smiling “I had gone with my mom, as my parents were looking to build an extension onto their home, but my dad couldn’t make the appointment, so I went in his place. During the appointment, Cleo seemed frazzled. The phone never stopped, and she had papers all over her desk. Mom had asked if her assistant was out that day, and she laughed as she explained that she didn’t have one but thought it might be a good idea to start looking for one. Mom had nudged my elbow with hers and encouraged me to offer my help. Mom’s appointment ended and I stayed for the rest of the day answering all the phone calls, just taking names and numbers for Cleo to call them back when she could. At the end of that first day, I had explained that I didn’t have any professional experience, and I briefly gave her an ideaabout Ryan being the cause of the large gap in my resume.” Lana dropped her eyes to her hands, still turning the ring on her finger.
“She told me that as long as I kept showing up for her, then she’d show up for me in whatever way I needed.” Lana held up her hand with the ring on. “She gave me this after the first week. She recognized that my anxiety was a challenge for me, but she spent her weekend researching all the ways she could make changes in the office to help reduce as many obstacles for me as she could, however small.”
Ivy breathed out, defeated. “That sounds more like the woman I fell for.” She spoke so softly that Lana stood up and walked around the desk to give her a hug.
“I want to believe that she didn’t know. I really do. But, Lana, I just can’t,” Ivy said.
“Ok,” Lana said, pulling back from Ivy but looking her in the eye as she continued, “I know you’re hurt by all of this, and I know that she’s made you question your trust in her, but,” Ivy watched as Lana’s eyebrows furrowed as if deciding whether to say what she wanted to next, “she’sthe one who’s jeopardizing everything to...” Lana stopped herself.
“What do you mean?” Ivy asked, confused and concerned by what Lana had just told her.
“It’s not my place to say. If you want to know, you know where to find her.” Lana made her way toward the door and stopped as she reached for the handle and looked over her shoulder. “She’s off-site today and tomorrow but should be back by Thursday afternoon." With that, Lana left.
Ivy’s head was spinning, desperately trying to process all that she’d just learned. What did Lana mean about Cleo jeopardizing everything?
The following day, she received a message from Lana shortly after lunchtime.
Lana:Hey, I just got a tip of a great new site that might work for you! Can you swing by the office just after5:30 today so I can show you? The office will be closed so there won’t be any phones interrupting.
Ivy remembered Lana saying Cleo wouldn’t be back in the office until tomorrow, so she replied, agreeing to go.
Chapter 46
Cleo
Cleo paced her office.
She’d been useless on site this afternoon and came back early. Everything was in place, but her mind couldn’t concentrate on a single thing other than doing everything in her power to win Ivy’s trust back.
She’d spent the entire day before and all morning today putting everything in place. Her credit card had taken quite thehit, but if it meant getting the love of her life back, then Evan was right, she had to do whatever it took to fight for Ivy.
She looked at the clock: 5:29 p.m.
“You're going to wear a hole in the carpet if you don’t stop your incessant pacing, Cleo!” Lana shouted from her desk.
Cleo walked to the doorway. “You’resureit’s not too much?!” Cleo turned back to see her office, almost unrecognizable from how it had looked first thing this morning.
“It’s perfect. She’s going to love it, trust me, Toni helped come up with this, so we’re definitely on the right track.” Lana told her as she stood up from her desk and walked to stand beside Cleo. “Everything went well with Lucas?”
“Yeah, I hope she’s not upset about that part,” Cleo said, almost to herself. “I’m trying to win back her trust, not go behind her back for anything.”
Lana’s phone vibrated on her desk, and she glanced briefly at the screen. “She’s on her way,” she said to Cleo, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Go into your office, breathe, and remember, you’re doing whatever you need to do to fight for her. Though, when she sees this and hears what you have to say, I doubt it’ll take much more than a kiss.” Lana gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and went back to sit at her desk.
