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Tania and Joshua have tried everything to cheer me up. But as extreme as Aaron and I have been, we’ve bruised each other until we cannot forget. By being each other’s escape, by using each other, we’ve trapped ourselves into an endless nightmare. I’ve looked over my phone so many times. I should have fought more for us. But I can’t. We need time to heal, and maybe one day, destiny will bring us back together.
Flashes spark. The crowd of reporters push me in front of the barrier, and I suddenly emerge back to reality. My heart starts to shake, my gut haunting me. Goose bumps run coldly down my spine at the approach of the French multibillionaire, owner of several luxury resorts. He steps onto the stage to take place in front of the microphone followed by his security guards. The businessman waves at the crowd, exposing his charismatic figure with a dry smile. He makes my stomach turn, as I swallow hard. I can’t believe Celebrity Magazine chose him for the upcoming article about men married to their careers. Men of power. And of course, I was the one assigned the mission for one reason.
He is André LeBeau. Aaron’s father.
Everything about him is imposing. From his six-foot height to the square, sharp edges of his face showing his authoritative personality. His deep black eyes are contrasting with his silver-gray hair pulled back perfectly from his forehead with gel. André LeBeau is approximately fifty years old, and yet judging by the cut of his tuxedo, he is in shape for a man of his age. He has the typical Mediterranean tan; his white teeth are the only thing illuminating his face. He seems like the type of boss who doesn’t take no for an answer, that he has the power to break you if you make one false move.
Aaron’s father adjusts his tie, and when his gaze meets mine, a wicked, dry smile stretches on his face. I instantly gasp for air, Aaron’s nightmare resurfacing in my mind. I remember him staring at me wide-eyed, petrified, his face flushed, his pupils dilated. If he had the power to break Aaron, the man who is known to be indomitable—it could only mean one thing. I take a step back from the front row feeling a dominant and enigmatic vibe from his father that scares me. The Lebeaus exude power in a different way. With Aaron, I felt safe. With his father, I feel trapped.
The national TV journalists, all the media fall silent the moment André LeBeau starts to speak. He announces his prestigious hotels’ chain expansion to Abu Dhabi, a business choice that places him at the top of the list of Forbes richest men. “I’ll take your questions now.” He projects his voice, rogue and authoritative.
In a matter of seconds, journalists transform themselves into sharks, pushing to get closer, speaking louder to be heard. André LeBeau answers only the questions of men, ignoring the few of us women standing here. It’s clear that for a man like him, women are good at only two things: the kitchen and the bedroom.
Suddenly, the questions take another direction. “What about your son, Aaron LeBeau? Will he join the family business after his racing career is over?”
“Hopefully. However, he has more of a reckless temperament, it’s hard to predict.” The crowd laughs at Aaron’s father’s comment.
Another reporter follows up. “Do you support your son’s racing career?”
The questions continue to aim toward Aaron, and I realize something is off. This is a setup. All the reporters were meant to ask the questions in advance. It was in André LeBeau’s plans to talk about his son at the launch of his overseas business from the beginning. But, why? What motive could he possibly have?
He remains silent, shaking his head, as he inhales for a few seconds. “The truth is, I’ve hidden something from you.” The crowd falls silent, and I’m fearing the worst. “As you know, two years ago, my son and I had suffered a great loss.” He swallows, knitting his eyebrows together almost like he is giving afakeperformance. “My older son, Henry, died in a car crash, the seventh of June.”
I almost fall down as the crowd passes in front of me, yelling their questions at the businessman. The reason of the accident has been hidden for two years, and now he reveals it? It doesn’t make sense. My thoughts go instantly toward Aaron and how this announcement will hurt him.
“That’s the time your son’s career started to change drastically,” a reporter comments as another question follows.
“Is his reckless driving related to his brother’s death? Can you tell us why he never went to his brother’s funeral?”
“My son, Aaron, is emotionally unstable,” André says in a condolent tone, with fake display of emotion.Jerk. “I’m hoping one day, he’ll heal completely.”
This is career suicide to put Aaron in the spotlight like that. He is waiting to sign his contract; revealing this now is the worse timing. It shows how dangerous Aaron could be.
“I don’t want to lie to you anymore. I’m not perfect, I’ve made mistakes, but today it’s about moving forward. So, I want to say to my son…” He pauses for a long moment, the crowd gasping for air, waiting for the juicy news to come out, cameras braking on him, my stomach turning into a knot.
“Son. I forgive you.” His gaze is stuck on the camera.
No.
André waves at the crowd with rigidity, before looking at me for the second time, his eyes defying me. I swallow, struggling to keep eye contact with him, his cold look making my skin shiver. He leaves, escorted by his bodyguards as the questions of the reporters rise.
“Does that mean Aaron LeBeau had any implication in his brother’s accident?”
“Sir! What did you mean by that?”
The questions don’t stop, even after André LeBeau leaves. The journalists want more of this scandal, and they won’t stop. I advance in the opposite direction, trying to exit this media manifestation. André implied the worst for Aaron with his comment. He already feels responsible for his brother’s death, doing this now is like stabbing him in the back right when he’s finishing his season. I can’t imagine how Aaron or even Monica will feel after this announcement. The media will harass him in to giving answers. Henry’s memory will be tarnished by a media-worthy story. My heart is bleeding, I need to know how he feels. But first, I need to leave.
“Aaron LeBeau’s past is finally revealed, right before signing his next season contract,” the reporter announces, the cameras of national television braking on her.
I hide my face, fearing they’d recognized me, and run toward my car to have some privacy. I open my phone and notice a few missed calls from Nina telling me to come back ASAP. Tania is informing me the calls at the office are blowing up. Great. I need to stay calm. I take a deep breath and dial Aaron’s phone number. It goes straight to voicemail.
I leave the message, struggling to speak. “Aaron, it’s Elle… I heard your father’s speech. I’m… I’m sorry I—I’m here if you need me. I hope you are okay. Please call me back.”
When I’m back at the office, Joshua fills me in quickly. Nina Braham has been on the phone with the director of the business magazine OC and the national sports channel a few moments ago. They want some information relating to Aaron’s brother’s death. Wolf, usually so secretive, whose past and secrets have never been uncovered, are now the source of worldwide attraction. This is too juicy for the media, it’s the best thing that has happened to them since a royal wedding. They’ll go to any length to have info and to be the first ones.
Which means I would be their number one candidate as a columnist, and one of the closest people to Wolf. I hope I’m wrong. I hope I won’t have to deliver the article that could ruin Aaron.
I enter Nina’s office as she stands up from her desk, looking shaken. “I need to have an inside scoop of the whole Aaron situation.” She walks toward me, putting her hands on my shoulders and giving me a fake smile, while she guides me to take a seat.
