Silence Reveals Hidden Answers’ by Michael Anderson novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Jennifer Marie.

“Bridal shower.” Alexa says.

“Bachelor’s party.” Max adds.

We all sigh at the same time.

.

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We’re in the space Mrs. Prescott approved for wedding planning. I’m still in the messy bun I woke up with, oversized sweater, shorts….barely functioning, honestly.

“Before we plan another party, don’t you think it’s smart to ask our creative director where she was yesterday?” Brooke is staring right at me. She’s been looking for a reason to come at me all morning.

“Oh. Oh.” Max adds a dramatic flare.

Alexa looks at me. “Um… where were you?”

“I–I-” My mouth opens and absolutely nothing useful comes out. There is no way I’m saying I was in Harvey’s office. No way. “I’m sorry I left early, guys.”

“That’s not the answer.” Brooke says. “The question is where were you?”

Before I can invent a believable lie, the door opens.

Nisha walks in. At like, seven in the morning. One look at her and you can tell she’s been up for hours.

We all stand up straighter. Alexa, as the main director, steps forward, trying to look professional.

“Miss Nisha, Is there something you need?”

“I wanted to know if there’s a way to get an apology from your styling team. Are you aware that she-” Nisha points straight at me.“–left my shoot early? As your team’s creative director. It’s unacceptable.”

“We were actually just talking about that,” Alexa says quickly. “I was supposed to be there myself. Jennifer is mainly in charge of yours and Harvey’s final dresses since she created the designs. Um, I’m sorry…I told her to fill in for me yesterday.”

Nisha tilts her head at Alexa.

“Oh, so it’s your fault now?”

“Uh-”

“Should I let my future mother–in–law know that all of you are slacking on your fucking jobs!? Do you realize this is the wedding of the century? A Prescott wedding. We are basically royalty.”

I almost roll my eyes but force myself to keep a straight face. “It will never happen again… Miss Nisha.”

“Let’s talk.” She spins on her heel and walks right out of the room without looking back. The moment the door clicks shut, the whole team looks at me with pale faces and wide eyes.

“I’ll take care of it,” I mumble to Alexa and follow Nisha out to the private lawn.

She’s already facing me when I step outside, arms crossed. She doesn’t even let me take a breath.

“Did you fuck Baxter last night?”

15:09 Tue, Feb 3

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Jennifer Marie.

“Bridal shower.” Alexa says.

“Bachelor’s party.” Max adds.

We all sigh at the same time.

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We’re in the space Mrs. Prescott approved for wedding planning. I’m still in the messy bun I woke up with, oversized sweater, shorts….barely functioning, honestly.

“Before we plan another party, don’t you think it’s smart to ask our creative director where she was yesterday?” Brooke is staring right at me. She’s been looking for a reason to come at me all morning.

“Oh. Oh.” Max adds a dramatic flare.

Alexa looks at me. “Um… where were you?”

“1-1- My mouth opens and absolutely nothing useful comes out. There is no way I’m saying I was in Harvey’s office. No way. “I’m sorry I left early, guys.”

“That’s not the answer.” Brooke says. “The question is where were you?”

Before I can invent a believable lie, the door opens.

Nisha walks in. At like, seven in the morning. One look at her and you can tell she’s been up for hours.

We all stand up straighter. Alexa, as the main director, steps forward, trying to look professional.

“Miss Nisha. Is there something you need?”

“I wanted to know if there’s a way to get an apology from your styling team. Are you aware that she-” Nisha points straight at me.“–left my shoot early? As your team’s creative director. It’s unacceptable.”

“We were actually just talking about that,” Alexa says quickly. “I was supposed to be there myself. Jennifer is mainly in charge of yours and Harvey’s final dresses since she created the designs. Um, I’m sorry…I told her to fill in for me yesterday.”

Nisha tilts her head at Alexa.

“Oh, so it’s your fault now?”

“Uh-”

“Should I let my future mother–in–law know that all of you are slacking on your fucking jobs!? Do you realize this is the wedding of the century? A Prescott wedding. We are basically royalty.”

I almost roll my eyes but force myself to keep a straight face. “It will never happen again… Miss Nisha.”

“Let’s talk.” She spins on her heel and walks right out of the room without looking back. The moment the door clicks shut, the whole team looks at me with pale faces and wide eyes.

“I’ll take care of it,” I mumble to Alexa and follow Nisha out to the private lawn.

She’s already facing me when I step outside, arms crossed. She doesn’t even let me take a breath.

“Did you fuck Baxter last night?”

Chapter 25

El 55 vouchers

“What? Excuse me?”

“I said, did you fuck my fiancé last night. You came home late. He came home late. My friends saw him when he ran after you after the shoot. So where were you?!”

“Not with him!” I say with disbelief.

“Then where? Give me an answer right now or I swear, I will pull the biggest drama. My future mother–in–law will see it, and she will sue your entire De Claire styling team into oblivion. No one will book you guys for ten years when someone like Winny Prescott says the word-”

“I was with Harvey, for god’s sake-”

“Where.”

“At his club!”

“Doing what, and for how long?”

“The whole night. And what do you mean, ‘doing what‘? My personal life is-”

“You were busy doing your personal life on hours that I pay for.”

I almost roll my eyes again. She doesn’t pay us for our work, but I bite back.

“I would never, on a normal note, say this but Harvey and I… Harvey and I slept together. That’s what happened.”

Nisha twists her mouth like she thinks less of me now, sure, but at least she’s starting to believe I wasn’t with Baxter.

“You slept with Harvey? In his office?” She nose wrinkles in disgust. “The same office he’s probably slept with strippers, whores… I mean, Baxter may be a playboy, but at least he’s got some taste. He does models.” She says it like it’s a point of pride.

“Harvey is not like that!”

“Ugh. Innocent Jennifer getting fucked in a club office-”

“Okay, can you drop it now?” I cut her off. “I told you that so you’d believe nothing happened between your fiancé and me. Don’t drag the business my team and I worked so hard for into the mud just because you’re paranoid.”

Nisha inspects her nails. “Hmm. I’ll think about it. Plus, I’ll have to ask Harvey if this is true, so I can see if your story matches. Tell the rest of the team to get ready. We’re having the bridal shower and bachelor party at The Saints Club again. Be ready by six to fit me into my dress. My influencer friends will be there, so make sure my outfit is to die for. Ciao.”

The moment she struts away, I think I’m finally able to breathe.

When I get back into the planning room, everyone’s faces snap toward me.

“I think I handled it.” I say and Alexa sets a dramatic hand on her chest.

“Shit. I love Italy, but I swear, with clients like Nisha, I can’t enjoy it. The lake looks so good from my villa, and there’s no time to even go see it,” Flora whines, coming over to hug me at the side.

“So, where were you?” Alexa asks.

“Alexa, we know you’re like thirty–eight, but isn’t it obvious where she was?” Flora teases.

“With your boyfriend?”

5:09 Tue, Feb 3

hapter 25

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give a guilty smile. “I’m sorry, guys. I’ll do better. We have work to do. Nisha said to be ready for her by six, and… I have to et a new phone.”

es, everyone chop chop!” Alexa claps, and Brooke is the only one still rolling her eyes at me. I leave the team to head back

my villa to get ready. It’s only around 7 a.m., so we have time.

s I reach the front of my villa, I stop. Harvey is resting on doorframe.

is hoodie is up, damp strands of hair stuck to his forehead. A cigarette is between his lips, and he doesn’t even part them as noke curls out from his nose. When he sees me, he pushes his back off the door and takes two slow steps toward me.

e tilts his head, looking at me like I’m something curious. Oh. He’s staring because I’ve got heatless curlers all through my air. I wasn’t expecting to see him this morning. And I’m still in my little sleep shorts and a baggy sweater.

Where were you?” His voice is a morning–rough growl.

Jm, we had a quick meeting.”

Here.” He holds out a plain paper bag.

take it and peek inside.

brand new-

look up at him.

You got me a new iPhone?”

Was out for a jog and I thought you might need one. You still like pink?” He takes the cigarette from his mouth, crushes it nder his sneakers and looks back at me.

melt. My heart doesn’t just flutter in some giddy way… it melts. It’s the kind of melt that makes me want to hug him, to kiss im for just thinking of me. He’s always been like this. A protector. I guess I forgot how that felt, because it’s been so long.

Of course. Thanks. How much was it—”

Don’t.” He cuts me off, already starting to walk past.

Wait. How did it go last night? With your dad? Did Baxter clear everything up?”

Yeah. I’m staying until the wedding is over, if that’s what you wanted to know.” He pauses, eyes holding mine. “Also, we hould have a date later.”

Once he says that, my brows shoot up. No, my heart shoots up. I don’t understand where these butterflies are coming from, but they just keep coming.

‘A date? Harvey, we’re not dating. You don’t have to-”

‘We are not dating… yet.” He corrects me with a quiet confidence that completely baffles me. He closes the space between us until I have to lift my head all the way back just to look at him. My eyes go right to his arms…the ones that shoved me onto that desk, that held me down while he pushed his cock into me.

I remember the grunts he made… and now this, this innocent, fluttering feeling he’s stirring up all over again.

It hasn’t been long, but I think… I think I’m having a crush on him at the same time as having real, deep feelings for him. Does he want to kiss me? Kiss me, Harvey….

I look at his lips and when they start to come closer, I hear footsteps crunch on the path. We both freeze and pull apart. It’s Baxter, staring at us like I’ve just committed a capital crime by almost kissing Harvey.

15:09 Tue, Feb 3

Chapter 25

“What? Excuse me?”

M

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“I said, did you fuck my fiancé last night. You came home late. He came home late. My friends saw him when he ran after you after the shoot. So where were you?!”

“Not with him!” I say with disbelief.

“Then where? Give me an answer right now or I swear, I will pull the biggest drama. My future mother–in–law will see it, and she will sue your entire De Claire styling team into oblivion. No one will book you guys for ten years when someone like Winny Prescott says the word-”

“I was with Harvey, for god’s sake-”

“Where.”

“At his club!”

“Doing what, and for how long?”

“The whole night. And what do you mean, ‘doing what‘? My personal life is-

“You were busy doing your personal life on hours that I pay for.”

I almost roll my eyes again. She doesn’t pay us for our work, but I bite back.

“I would never, on a normal note, say this but Harvey and I… Harvey and I slept together. That’s what happened.”

Nisha twists her mouth like she thinks less of me now, sure, but at least she’s starting to believe I wasn’t with Baxter.

“You slept with Harvey? In his office?” She nose wrinkles in disgust. “The same office he’s probably slept with strippers, whores… I mean, Baxter may be a playboy, but at least he’s got some taste. He does models.” She says it like it’s a point of pride.