Running Away to London

by Geiza Stefany de Oliveira

  “I love you too, Elliott.”

  We have got coffee at the height of our hunger, then Mia and Kim join us, even Audrey. It is the best breakfast ever. Something tells me that Paris is not over for us yet.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  Elliott asks me as we walk side by side in the hallway back to the bedroom.

  “I’m thinking about everything you have done for me in the last days... I do not even know how to thank you, babe.”

  “You do not need.”

  He makes me stop in front of a window that gives us incredible views of Paris. I love it when he wraps me in his arms now.

  “I do need...”

  I whisper, closing my eyes. I hear his low laugh near my ear.

  “The next few days will be the best, and I promise you, that I love you so much.”

  I smile, finally, my heart on fire for what I hear.

  “Oh, Elliott...”

  I kiss him right away.

  “You are my duchess, there is nothing that will destroy our love now.”

  I smile at him ready to give my whole heart out, but Francesca comes out of his room with the card right away... I did not even know she was here. With a flushed face, she looks at us, then Elliott turns and sees her.

  “It's all set, Elliott. The event is an hour from now...”

  “You can go, Francesca.”

  Elliott says firmly, causing her to disperse. I look at him with disdain.

  “If I knew you needed an assistant...”

  “It's just for the company event, Hisashi can't come, so I had to bring Francesca.”

  I shrug, Elliott kisses my forehead then.

  “Get ready, we'll meet here in 40 minutes.”

  He holds my face and kisses my lips. I go back to my room a little jealousy, but scatter it from my head. I see the next dress for today: tulle and embroidered red flowers. From that minute and I feel like a duchess. It can only mean that Elliott will propose to me... it can only be!

  Oh, I wait for him in the hotel corridor and walk around without hiding my excitement! Kim is gone, so is Mia and Mary... God, the minutes are ticking by and Elliott does not show up. That is why I go to his room and no one answers.

  What do mean, all suddenly disappeared? I call Elliott's cell phone, but he does not answer me. It is been an hour! He would not leave me behind, for God's sake! I run out of the hotel and call an Uber. The event is a ten-minute drive away, so I arrive fast enough to see that the guests of honor are not here!

  As I am directed to the table where Elliott should be, I think about going around after him. Something wrong is happening and I can not understand. I wait for a few seconds with my cell phone in hands, but there's nothing about Elliott. God, what is going on? The instant I get up, I see them enter except for Kim.

  My gaze meets Elliott's and I feel a chill in my stomach. He is strange, worried and tense... suddenly he walks past me and goes to the stage. Elliott will open the event and talk to all partners, friends, and employees involved, as well as the press.

  Mia sits next to me and Mary too, she shudders and suddenly I see Benedict just sitting at our table. Finally, Francesca also sits with an engagement ring on her finger. She stares at me with a lost look, so strange and I ignore her. My look is just Elliott's now, he is already talking with the speech ready on his cell phone instead of the paper...

  “Anthony Pollentier was not alone the great mind behind this business of a generation. While in college in Milan, he met the young couple Petit and together they began to generate what would be the first issue of Pollentier Magazine. For 2 full years, the Petit family has been responsible for monthly production and editing. Just before my father passed away, he asked me to do the right thing...” Elliott wobbles. “I must give honor to those who have honor.”

  Elliott looks at me strangely sadly and then puts away his cell phone.

  “I want to welcome Pollentier Magazine's new editor-in-chief, Benedict Petit.” It's unbelievable! “I also want to welcome the new chief financial officer, Bella Petit and that I am happy to announce my engagement to her niece, Francesca Petit.”

  Absolutely no one understands, Francesca stands in front of me as I try to reason. It is hard to reason now and it makes me even worse. Elliott walks toward her right away and then kisses her forehead. It breaks my heart, makes my body feel weird and my head confused. They both look at each other strangely in front of me!

  I do not cry because I am in shock. They sit and then I levant me the attracting all the s looks. I leave the hall and walk aimlessly, trying to reason ... has he never loved me? Did he use me? Did he get tired of me? God, please help me ...

  My head is heavy and I still try to reason. French was a Petit. Benedict is now editor-in-chief of Pollentier... his mother will take care of the finance with Elliott's full endorsement. Oh no! Where was my head? Oh, the tears come! God, what a shame!

  I leave all of Elliott's gifts in the room and pack my bag and then buy my ticket back on my cell phone... I cry nonstop. My heart was broken by Elliott without explanation or mercy! In front of everyone! Why did he have to make a fool of me and humiliate me like that?

  That was no joke, no act. Elliott spoke with all the words he asked his assistant in marriage because he is a Petit and I am nobody. This will not be like this! I get up at the same moment, about to leave when I open the door and see Elliott with the look of a ghost.

  I pass not wanting to hear him. I do not even listen, even though he takes me by the arm in the hallway and leans me against the wall. I stare at him with all my contempt!

  “You will not run away from me!”

  “We have got nothing more to talk about. You are engaged...”

  I whisper stopping crying at last.

  “I'll explain and you'll understand, but go to Dublin and wait for me there.”

  “Screw you, Elliott, I hate you!”

  Say that hurts me more than him. My chin trembles because it looks like I am doing most of all cruelty... and he looks at me firmly, his face red and then walks away.

  Elliott lets me go because he did what he wanted about me and never loved me. He will marry another! God, how could I be so dumb? I will never let anyone like him or my mother deceive me again. I will not bear it once again.

  Back in London... I pick up my stuff from Pollentier, and on the way back I find Kim crying. She brings me the new issue of a magazine, where there's a picture of Elliott and Francesca of some paparazzi at an engagement reception. He holds her waist...

  “Why did you bring me this?”

  I walk the streets very angry.

  “I bring because all this makes no sense.”

  “Damn it, Kim! I do not care! Elliott might have got told me the truth, but he has used me all this time and is now marrying the gorgeous from Paris.”

  “I know, but it hurts even in his look. Elliott is still there, Mia also and... she fired me, Liz.”

  I stop, abruptly and stare at her.

  “Excuse me Kim, but pay attention to what I'll say...”

  “Honey, I already know so you don't have to.”

  I turn to the direction of my flat and then walk again. Running away from London is a bad idea now, I am not going to set foot in Dublin ...

  “Oh, don't be like that. Come with me, I have got a place to stay in New York for a few days. It’s about a guy who's been crazy about me for a long time and we can enjoy it. Honestly, the resignation came at a good time.”

  I keep walking wondering if this is worth it. My mind only reasons Elliott, thinking that I'm leaving London makes me despair why this is where he'll be when he comes back from Paris.

  "Fine, but only for a few days so I can put my head in place."

  Kim says nothing more. That is all. I am destroyed inside and I won't admit it. I was fooled by the man in my life and I do not believe it. I am leaving and it will never happen again.

  Chapter 35

  I try to reason, but I can not. God, th
is can not destroy me! I pack my bags because of this. This time will not be an escape, but slack. Then I will have got to try a new job in another magazine...

  My heart even tries to make me stop what I am doing, but what can I do? Elliott chose his assistant. It is so clear what should have got been going on for a while... uh! I was so dumb! Enough of thinking about that person, because now I am going to New York.

  Rebekah arrives just as I am leaving, accompanied by Lewis... they stare at me fearfully and I just smile. Kim awaits me at the airport with her suitcase, I know she will start her own love story, so I will have got the whole New York to do what I want for myself.

  I leave my building recording a message for my dad's mailbox. I am going to the airport in a lighter pink coat, hating every couple I see in front of me or in a pub. At Uber Comfort, I try to relax, but it is very hard because I want to cry all the time.

  I do not hate that beautiful man... I love him. Why could not he act decently with me? We should not have got started any of this! Oh, Elliott, what a bastard! I roam the airport trying to hold back my crying, but it is the hardest task in the world. The day is beautiful today, the temperature is higher than I remember, and tickets are available to New York.

  There is Kim, waiting for me. I am glad things are going well for her, with sincerity. As I walk toward her, though, I have got a sudden momentary. I almost lose my balance by stopping abruptly and realizing that Elliott is being blackmailed! Oh no...

  “Honey, what is it?”

  Kim comes over and I flinch all over.

  “Elliott is being blackmailed!”

  I practically scream attracting many glances at the moment.

  “But that is clear.”

  Kim responds and drinks her tea, she looks at me nonchalantly.

  “Oh, Kim, do you understand that I just realized that now?”

  She widens her eyes and I start to cry.

  “I am sorry, but are you serious?”

  I put my hand on my forehead if measuring my temperature. God, it looks like I am going to explode.

  “Yes, Kim ... I don't know what's wrong with me.”

  “There is nothing wrong! We better get back to your flat, because...”

  I shake my head.

  “I’m so sorry Kim, but you go to New York. Your Italian is waiting for you.”

  She closes her gaze at me, and then we have got a little 5-minute discussion between her wants getting stay and I say she goes.

  “Enough! I will, but what are you going to do now?”

  “Call him...”

  Kim gives me a look that kills me. She will not... how stubborn! We sit in some corner of the airport and then I call.

  “Liz, I'm sorry, but I can't talk now.”

  That's all he says. It seems that someone squeezes my heart very hard.

  “Why not?”

  “I need to keep you out of what's going on.”

  His voice is so sad.

  “What happened, Elliott?”

  “Bella has intimate files of my mother and my sister. She wants Pollentier Magazine for nothing, so I have got to make it look like I am not being extorted. The marriage with Francesca is just a facade. She has nothing to do with the Petit.”

  “Enough! I'll get it over with!”

  I speak loudly, standing already heading for the exit.

  “I'm already fixing all this, Luiza. You will be out of all this mess!”

  “No, Elliott. I will not because I care about you.”

  I hear his laugh that confuses me so much.

  “I thought you hated me.”

  “That was pure anger...”

  “Luiza, I love you! Stay out of it...”

  “Why would I stay, damn it? I love you and now... they extorted me too, I lost you.”

  “No, you stubborn one. You don't understand, but you will in a few seconds.”

  “What?”

  He hangs up. Elliott hangs up causing me to stare at my cell phone screen, but all of a sudden, I feel a Giorgio Armani perfume run right by my side...

  “It's him, Liz. We have got to follow him.”

  Kim pulls me by the arm making Elliott sight. He is so handsome in front of me. We follow him and I walk quickly thinking. Elliott gets a cab and we steal the next one.

  “Excuse me, but follow that car!”

  Kim shouts startling me suddenly. When I find myself we are stopping right behind Elliott in front of a police station. We both descend as Elliott enters.

  “Let's go to that pub!”

  Kim orders, scaring me again. I follow her wondering if I will ever have got my love back. That is all I can think because I love him and living without him would be horrible! Here we both wait a long time until I spot the first paparazzi... I do not want to go, but Kim pulls me in a way that makes me angry with her for a moment.

  What Elliott will face from now on I have got no idea, but I want to be by his side to support him. God, my heart has never been in such a situation!

  Chapter 36

  Kim and I take refuge in my apartment and within the next two hours, the gossip sites start to go downhill. I try to talk to Elliott, but he does not answer. Now everyone is finding out what is going on, and that includes me.

  “Then in the past, Mr. Anthony copied the main ideas of the Petit couple, which aimed to have got their magazine but were persuaded to join Pollentier.”

  Lewis explains while Kim sees Twitter and I inclined for my cell phone screen waiting Elliott call me. Rebekah, in turn, pays attention to everything she hears.

  “They realized they were being persuaded of something stupid so they decided to go out and try to start their magazine, but they couldn't support themselves because of Mr. Anthony and his influence.”

  Rebekah looks at Lewis carelessly. I can not stand waiting anymore, so I get up and go to my room. They stare at me right now, but I am very worried about Elliott. I desire to get up and go to him, but Kim makes me promise I will stay until the mess is over.

  I still fall asleep listening to Lewis tell the story of the Pollentier and the Petit. In the end, it is all for revenge, but I only care about the fact that I want to be with the man of my life. I try to reflect on all this and wish that this confusion is really behind us. I hope Elliott can get out of this situation.

  He is not to blame for his father's mistakes, and knowing what he is like at this moment is just trying to solve it in the best way possible for everyone. Bella Petit and the rest of her family are lucky not to see me right now because things would get out of hand! I wake up very early with my cell phone vibrating under my head.

  “Hello, this is Sophie Huet and I speak for Pollentier. I'd like to interview you about the current Pollentier episode. Until a few days ago, at Fashion Week, you were a companion to the editor-in-chief, right?”

  “Oh, Sophie, I'll tell you everything you need to know!”

  I have got a good time with the nice French lady being interviewed. For the first time, I put confidence in a reporter because my name is already being discussed on gossip sites. I know Kim will be very mad at me, though no more than Elliott.

  Now it is my turn to reinforce that the Petit has got lost their reason and wits... my dad arrives in my flat so soon and I have got to reassure him that everything is fine with me except for my heart. Elliott has not got call me back, and honestly, it seems he will not do it.

  So it looks like we are done. What should I do? My father already says that I should not get into this situation anymore. That is why I do not go anywhere anymore, but I stay in my flat. It is one of the worst days of my life because I feel extremely helpless.

  “Excuse me Kim, but please go to New York!”

  I say 8 pm to her.

  “It's fine, honey. You don't have to insist, because I get a plane today. Any news from Elliott?”

  I take a deep breath.

  “No, but I'm calming my heart. I just want him and his family to be fine.”

  “Excuse me, but n
ow I want you to be all right, so relax, put on some cool music or a movie. Please, let Elliott sort out the rest of it.”

  “Thanks, Kim, you're a wonderful person.”

  I hear her laugh and then I smile too. Kim is right and so I start to relax. Elliott's family is far away and he has not been anywhere since the police station. Right now I follow Kim's advice, so I put in an adventure movie, but it can not hold my attention.

  Rebekah arrives at the flat and wakes me up with her steps, she turns off the television and goes straight to her room. I remain on the couch unwilling to go to the room. I only open my eyes again when I hear Rebekah at the door speaking in a familiar voice.

  Bewildered I open my eyes realizing that we are in the middle of the night and Elliott kneels in front of me waking me. I stare at him speechlessly, quickly placing my hands over his cold bearded face. Elliott smiles at me, and his gaze remains the same: he looks at me as if I am the woman in his life.

  “I thought I told you to go to Dublin, duchess.”

  “Oh, Elliott...”

  I could grit my teeth at him now, but he makes me laugh. He kisses me as if this is the last time.

  “I have got put an end to all this, but the press will be on me and my family. I want to protect you, Liz, and respect your choices from now on...”

  “I want you, that's all!”

  I see him smile and raise his eyebrows. He kisses all over my face, making me feel like a teenage girl in love.

  “There is only one answer and this is Dublin.”

  “Why?”

  “To keep you out of this mess and keep you closer from your father.”

  “Oh, thanks for that babe.”

  “It’s my pleasure. I'll take you, I'll take care of you and we'll start over together."

  God, it is happening! I nod my head confirming, my heart beats so fast that I do not even know what I do now...

  “We'll leave tonight, but after you talk to your dad and whatever else you want to do.”

  “Alright, I'll get my things ready...”

  I start to laugh as if I won the lottery! Elliott smiles at me.

  “I love you so much, duchess. I promise that I will always do my best for you.”