The Girl that Fled (Bliss Book 3)

by Veronica Soliman

  "It's... T... True!" Adam's harsh grip loosened. He fell on the ground, anger flickered in his eyes as a new thought filled his mind.

  "Why? She has the whole world believing she died. She had me believing she died. Where did she go? What did... why doesn't she want to be found. Why would she do something like that?!"

  "Look Mr. Carnegie, I don't know. She walked all the way here a few months ago and she and I drove to New Jersey a month ago. She left. She disappeared. I have no idea where she went. She took a couple hundred dollars..."

  Adam zoned out- he had no patience for Josiah's story telling. His mind kept wandering to how true Zac's theory had been. He could rehire the man and have him find Eleanor. Obviously, she wasn't Bree Walker anymore.

  She could be a billion people; she could be out of the country for all he knew. He was confused why she would do that when they had been so happy together. And if she wasn't, he could have divorced.

  "When I came back, she was gone." Josiah finished. Adam couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't feel.

  It physically hurt him that she disappeared from his life. It physically hurt him to think about her, but mostly- it hurt to think of the reasons behind her choices. The reasons why she did what she did.

  And Adam had a pretty darn good guess.

  Josiah sat uncomfortably inside his home. He didn't like the way that Adam Carnegie, notorious billionaire, had sunk to such a pained look by the story Josiah had been telling.

  He secretly hoped that Adam wouldn't believe him, but after a few hours, he heard Adam outside his house and a rock bounced outside.

  He quickly rushed out.

  "What the hell brother? You may want to go home right about now. Its plenty late and I'm sure the news channels are waiting for your arrival." Josiah stepped outside.

  Adam was a ghost. He didn't stand tall like he used to. He didn't speak, all he did was stare with pained eyes at the black sky above.

  "Do you want to come in? I have an extra room and that bed is more comfortable than the pavement. The sprinklers turn on in a few hours anyway." Josiah said and Adam nodded casually. He didn't exactly know what he wanted to do.

  Did he want to search for a girl that didn't want to be found? Then the bigger question took over, why didn't she want to be found?

  Could Adam be so morbid that to get out of their marriage she faked her death? No- it couldn't be otherwise she wouldn't have been upset when the annulment papers came along with Hank Carnegie.

  They had both died in the same month. His father and his wife, they had buried Hank's body and sorry to say, the entire Carnegie family couldn't hide their joy.

  Mrs. Carnegie would weep in front of the media and rejoice behind closed doors. Nobody could describe the unimaginable joy the world- even the Hays family felt once Hank Carnegie had passed.

  And nobody but a big-hearted Adam cared to find out. People passed it off as natural causes, Hank Carnegie died of a heart attack, they would say.

  But Adam couldn't just agree. He was already dead inside because of Eleanor and now his very own father. He hired two of the best investigators in the country and had them check for anything suspicious.

  And sure enough, they had found Eleanor's fingerprints splattered around Hank Carnegie's home. They found a small empty vile that wad filled with a colorless venom.

  Adam didn't dare smell it, but he knew Eleanor had a hand in it somehow. He needed to find her. He needed to connect the dots and get his redemption.

  Adam stood up, walking inside the sweet pea scented home and heading inside the empty room.

  Who would've ever thought Josiah would be offering help to someone who didn't need it. Who would've ever thought Josiah would get involved in Eleanor's bidding. Eleanor was like Catherine De Medici of France, plotting and plotting to save her own skin.

  As Adam lay down on the bed, his eyes actually shut, and he slept for the first time in months.

  Eleanor was alive. That's all that mattered.

  ¤¤¤

  "Work with me darling, don't be afraid to hide your body, it's beautiful. The camera loves you Eleanor." Stephanie said as she stood behind the photographer taking Eleanor's semi-naked photoshoot. She had a scarf around her breasts and a frisbee to cover her modesty. It irked her how Stephanie called her Eleanor and she wished she didn't.

  It would seem more believable though is she went as Ally.

  "Call me Ally." Eleanor smiled at the camera, uncovering herself as she posed.

  "Dang. Ally, these uh pictures are uh very uh beautiful. I uh can uh see them uh on ze cover of our next magazine uh cover" The French photographer said as he snapped one more picture of Eleanor and walked out of the wide room.

  "I agree." Stephanie said as she tossed her clothes to Eleanor. "I think it's safe to say you would make a great model, I want to hire you." Stephanie Cooper said. "I will have the contracts ready tomorrow. I want to test you out on the runway. Tonight, we have a late valentines pre-spring sort of thing. I would like you to show up just to get a feel for the runway modeling industry. I can send you the address- right you don't have a phone. How about you hang around here until about six p.m. then I can take you there myself."

  Stephanie cooper wants to hire me. She must've been super impressed.

  Eleanor nodded, having trouble processing that she, a hobo, had been chosen. Eleanor smiled and quickly dressed herself. There was nothing particularly different about her as opposed to other models. Perhaps her now brown eyes and brown hair had an extra glimmer.

  "I want your hair blonde before tonight Ally. Here, go to this hair salon and tell them Stephanie Cooper sent you." She gave Eleanor a business card for one of the most exclusive salons in town. Eleanor smiled delightfully. Only- her hair was blonde under the wig and she could easily just take it off. Nevertheless, she stepped into the streets with the card in her hands.

  She paid a cab to take her there and silently entered the store next door. Tossing her wig off and throwing the expensive hair way. She walked out and entered the hair salon.

  "Stephanie Cooper sent me," Eleanor promptly declared as a tall woman walked over to her.

  "Right, she called us, did you try to do your own hair darling?" The woman eyed Eleanor suspiciously. "Let's get to work then, my she was right, you bear a very close resemblance to Eleanor." Eleanor blushed, looking at her feet. Her strong-willed personality had seemed to soften as she reminisced her one-year anniversary to Adam Carnegie.

  She shook the thoughts away. She needed to get over him. Now. This was a brand-new life as a different person who technically didn't even exist.

  Eleanor shut her eyes as she woman grabbed her by the scrawny shirt over her arms and told her where she was supposed to sit.

  "If you had blue eyes, and gained a little more weight, you could pass as Eleanor," the lady said and immediately Eleanor felt offended.

  "Eleanor Carnegie wasn't fat!"

  "Of course not, anyone who called that girl fat would've rotted in a grave."

  "What is that supposed to mean?" Eleanor raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms as the woman began washing her hair.

  "You're awfully defensive. I agree that it was a good idea for Stephanie to choose you to be Eleanor Undead." Eleanor's eyes widened. She didn't think it was a good idea to play the part of herself but then again it would make Eleanor's death confirmed to anyone who still didn't believe it. Eh-hmm... Adam.

  Yet she couldn't comprehend the number of haters she would get by being an Eleanor poser. All she knew was she needed the money and that this might be worth it.

  She grunted as the lady pulled her hair and dried it, walking her over to another chair. After about an hour of her hair being prodded and pulled, she had her hair styled into a short bob and was curled into a cute updo. She looked completely different. She had never had her hair this short in her life! If she pulled the clip out, it would only reach slightly below her jaw and ways away from the center of her neck.

  She didn't w
ant to complain, but this made her look more like a plastic doll with hair like Marilyn Monroe.

  "All done!" The woman said, "I'll put the charges on Stephanie's tab. She told me you needed to be back soon so, if I heard correctly, you have a show tonight."

  Eleanor hesitantly stood up, disgust written all over her face as she got in a cab and headed back to Stephanie's studio.

  Chapter 20: Strut Like You Own the Stage

  "Stand up straight, walk to the white line, pose, then walk back here in an orderly fashion." A man stood behind the curtains directing each model as her turn approached. Eleanor was nervous, she'd never done anything like this before. And not only that but she was afraid people might recognize her.

  Who was she kidding? She wanted to be recognized as an Eleanor poser, that would definitely strike out any skeptics thinking that she actually was Eleanor.

  She wore heels comfortably and clutched the wings closer to her body as she strutted down the catwalk. The music matched her steps perfectly as her heels clanked against the metal stand.

  She wore a new collection of Stephanie Cooper bathing suits. Her's was red and looked a lot more like it was lingerie. Cameras flashed all around as her nerves grew. People clapped as she spun and walked back, keeping her face straight as she entered behind the curtain once again.

  Like a robot, Eleanor took a seat backstage as Stephanie approached her and began gushing about how good she did and so on.

  "I'm so proud of you!" She declared and Eleanor stared with her dark brown eyes straight ahead. It hadn't occurred to her that her picture would be on the cover of a magazine or that the catwalk may have been aired on live television. It also didn't help that people would begin talking about her again. She hadn't even thought of that before making her decision- she would be famous faster than she could blink.

  Her next walk would be on soon and she stood up to change quickly.

  ➿➿➿

  Oh, what are you doing Eleanor. Josiah thought as he watched her walk on the stage, wink at the camera and then walk back. The TV screen was fancifully bright tonight as commentators spoke about every detail. Josiah felt grateful that Adam had slept an hour ago and was still very much asleep. He hadn't told him that that was the bed Eleanor usually slept on, so her scent was obviously still there. Perhaps it made it easier for him to sleep considering the dark circles under his eyes didn't come from nowhere.

  "They're calling her Eleanor Undead and she's stunning. Her resemblance is uncannily."

  "Better watch out for Adam in case he tries to snatch this one up as well." The commentators laughed and Josiah's eyes fixed onto the screen. He wanted to wake Adam up to show him- but the man needed rest. Josiah shut off the television and went to bed.

  The next day, Josiah awoke bright and early. He went to work and when he came back around two p.m. for a lunch break, Adam was still asleep. He thought nothing of it. The man must be very tired. He headed to the kitchen to make himself a coffee when he noticed Adam walk out of the room.

  "Where am I?" He asked.

  "Mr. Carnegie,"

  "It's Adam."

  "Right, Adam, you fell asleep here. You can go back to New Jersey whenever you want. I'm on my lunch break so I have to leave in about fifteen minutes."

  "Thanks Josiah. I appreciate you helping me man." Adam walked over to him and patted his shoulder. He didn't have half a mind to think about Eleanor today, so he just went back to the room. He hadn't slept that well in ages.

  He walked back out of the room and into the kitchen.

  "By any chance, did that bed belong to Eleanor?" He asked, "after almost a year of marriage, I got so accustomed to sleeping with her nearby and her smell helped me sleep sometimes." Adam admitted as Josiah laughed and nodded. "So, you're a doctor?" He asked.

  "Yes, that was Bree- Eleanor's bed and yes I am a doctor." Josiah said, putting some bread into his toaster.

  "Nice." Adam said, walking back to the room. He buried his head into the pillows and went back to sleep.

  It was around nine p.m. when Josiah walked back in. He was exhausted after a long day of telling people they weren't sick, and that medicine wouldn't help. He quickly changed and when he had gone back, there was a note on his fridge.

  Thanks for the room. I hope we can call ourselves friends now that you aren't going to be taking my wife from me. That's a joke- btw. Someone will come by later with some food for your fridge: it seemed a little empty and I wanted to help a friend out. Also, there's a few hundred by the toaster. Thanks man, I appreciate it.

  -Adam Carnegie

  The handwriting was nowhere near elegant, but Josiah felt relieved, nonetheless. It's much better to befriend or be neutral with the Carnegie's than to have them as enemies. Except it was Hank Carnegie who had created that reputation and Adam was actually a good guy. Josiah headed to the toaster.

  ➿➿➿

  "Max, take me to Demeter Modeling Co." Adam said as soon as he landed in New Jersey. He had gotten bored around six p.m., so he turned the TV on and the rerun of the catwalk from yesterday was on. There he had seen her face and it being confirmed that Eleanor was alive and thriving, he wanted to see for himself.

  "You know Mr. Carnegie," Max began, "is there a use in searching for someone who doesn't want to be found?"

  "What?" Adam met eyes with Max through the rear-view mirror.

  "You know she was here right? The redhead named Elena. I'm almost a thousand percent sure that was her," Max began, "and I'm also sure that she doesn't want to be found."

  "Do you have any way to contact her Max?"

  "No and nor would I want to. She will come around when she's ready. If she truly loved you, she will come back and reveal herself. But I think that her redhead wig was a perfect excuse to see you again." Max announced.

  "I don't understand Max."

  "Sir, if I may,"

  "You already have but continue."

  Max chuckled, "Yes, I believe I have. You're neglecting your work and your fiancé in search of a girl that no longer wants to be a part of your life. I know about the blackmail that happened at the start of your marriage and I also know you two grew to love each other. But feelings can change I suppose," Max contemplated.

  "Are you trying to tell me not to pay her a visit at Demeter Modeling Co.?"

  "Yes, Mr. Carnegie, that's exactly what I'm saying." Adam nodded. Now that he knew Eleanor was alive, maybe it was best to part ways. Maybe it was best to let her go and move on and get his life back on track. She was worth the hurt but now that he knew she was actually alive; he could stop going to the street each night to search for her. He could focus on Magdalene.

  "Should I go back to the home Mr. Carnegie?" Max's voice interrupted his thoughts as Adam finally made up his mind.

  "No, Max, you work for me. I want to see her one last time. I want closure and that's about all the things I can stomach right now." Adam said.

  With a slight nod, Max drove to the company mansion. Clearly, he didn't want to- but Adam was right- Max worked for him and not the other way around.

  "Might I suggest a disguise? They're always infested with paparazzi and if you'd watch the runway show you'd know the commentary about this Eleanor Undead is true."

  Adam raised an eyebrow. "No, I'll be fine."

  ➿➿➿

  Magdalene gaped at her television screen. She was watching the weather channel when her mother barged into the luxurious living room screaming to turn to channel 38. Magdalene immediately listened as her chic mother sat on the sofa beside her. The seat sunk like a beanbag chair and they stared at the giant black screen while a commercial played.

  "What am I supposed to be looking at?" Magdalene asked, looking from her mother to the TV and back again. Her green-eyed mother raised an eyebrow and stared at her.

  "Just watch, it's the Demeter Runway show from last night. There's someone on there that I think you want to see. We can work with this girl, manipulate her and since Adam has been neglecting you latel
y- we can get her to work her magic and then break that boys’ heart. Just you wait- he will come running to you." Magdalene's mother had her heart in the right place, but her mind was cruel.

  "What?! I don't want to hurt Adam! And I don't want to have him with another girl! Mom if he loves me, he will come to me of his own accord."

  "Whoop de doo. And what? If he doesn't love you then the whole world will find out we're in debt. Listen I don't care about your love Maggie. I need you to marry that boy at any cost. Do you understand me?" Her mother hissed as she grabbed Magdalene's jaw and turned her face to the television.

  On the screen walked a tall thin blonde with what appeared to be either Shirley-Temple or Marilyn Monroe hair- at least a mix of the two. Her eyes were a stunning blue and her hair a beautiful blonde. And then it struck her.

  "Is that Eleanor Carnegie??? I thought she died!" Magdalene screeched, angry that Adam's wife was strutting on screen.

  "Funny isn't it, she looks a lot like her. Luckily for you, this girl is named Ally Lawson or something like that. She just started at Demeter and she bears a striking resemblance to Eleanor Carnegie, so much so that they're calling her Eleanor Undead. That's wild huh sweetie?"

  Magdalene was dumbfounded as she watched the woman on screen walk and wink at the camera. There was no denying that she was absolutely gorgeous and a major competition for her.

  "We need to meet this girl- I need her to do my bidding."

  "Ah- there's my good girl. But we need an incentive, we need to either bribe her or threaten her. We just need to find a bit more about this Ally Lawson before we approach her- and hopefully Adam approaches her as well."

  "Mom, I don't want him to cheat on me."

  "Magdalene! You're an idiot! Nobody marries for love these days- at least none with this much wealth. We need to find this Ally chic and get her to go after Adam. She will be a puppet on strings now that she's made her debut. Do you understand me? We need the money- let Adam be a man and when the time is right, snatch him when he is weak!" Magdalene's face hardened.