by Suzanne Hart
Tessa looked away, trying to hold back the tears. I wanted to reach over and hold her. I didn’t want her to cry. The fact that Gordon had made her feel this way…this perfect delicate beauty…it enraged me. It made me hate him even more.
“He came back to London. He never went to Brazil. He returned to London and told me about you,” I said.
Tessa’s eyes sparkled. I’d given her some hope.
“What did he tell you? What did he say about me?” She asked. Her lips were quivering still.
“He told me he’d fallen for you. That he’d come very close to committing to you. I knew, just from the way he was talking about you, that for the first time, my brother had actual feelings for a woman,” I said.
Tessa’s mouth fell slightly open. She was staring at me, willing me to continue.
“Which is why I need you. You’re the only one who will be able to help me,” I confessed.
Her brows crossed. She shook her head in confusion again.
“You need my help? I don’t understand. What can I do for you?” She asked.
I drew in a deep breath. She was going to be the first person I would say this to. And truthfully, I had no idea what she was going to say, if she was going to agree. But I had to take my chances. Gordon needed to know what it felt like to be treated this way.
“Gordon is sleeping with my ex-wife, and I need you to rip his heart out of his chest,” I said.
Tessa’s face looked suddenly dry. The color had drained from her cheeks. I could see she thought she’d heard me wrong.
7
Tessa
“Y…your ex-wife?” I stammered.
Clark had forced me to talk about Gordon, and as if my heart wasn’t aching enough, now he was telling me something else I hadn’t expected from him.
“Yes, Celine. She’s also the mother of my son, Alfie. He’s five years old now.”
I knew I was staring at Clark in shock. None of his words had truly registered in me. I felt like I was in a daze, in some kind of nightmare. I sat in front of him, with my hands tightly clasped on my lap. Was he serious?
“You have a son?” I managed to ask and Clark nodded.
“Celine and I separated soon after Alfie’s birth. It wasn’t working out. We got married because she fell pregnant, not because we actually felt anything for each other,” he continued.
“And Gordon…he’s umm…he’s sleeping with her?” I clarified. Just the thought of Gordon with someone else, even though I hadn’t seen him in over a year, made me shake with envy and anger.
“I walked in on them, at his flat. And now they claim to be in love, in some sort of a relationship,” Clark continued.
“Gordon is in love with your ex-wife?” I asked and he rolled his eyes.
“It’s nothing. I’m giving it a few months, max. I know Gordon and I know Celine. They are incapable of it,” he said.
I gulped, trying to keep myself from screaming or crying or doing something to make this torture stop.
“What does this have to do with me? Why do you need my help? If you’re so sure their relationship isn’t going to last, why don’t you just wait for it to end?” I asked.
Clark shook his head. He was staring past me, he wasn’t even looking at me anymore.
“I have done more for Gordon than any brother can be expected to. We grew up fairly middle class. Gordon didn’t expect to have the life he leads right now, but I gave it to him. I shared my success with him. I was there for him, I never judged him and I wanted him to have the life I never did. I was patient with every fuck up, every time he messed up, I forgave him,” he said.
Now as Clark spoke, I could see a new kind of rage in his eyes. The kind that could burn anything. I hoped I never made him this angry, because he looked like he was capable of anything.
“And how does he repay me? By sleeping with my ex-wife. How do you think that’s going to affect my son? I cannot let Gordon get away with it this time. I want him to know how it feels when his brother betrays him,” Clark said.
“So, you want to use me to get to him?” I asked with a quivering voice. I could barely speak. I couldn’t believe all this was actually happening.
Clark looked at me, and once again I was reminded of how hot he was. Now that I knew he was Gordon’s brother, it made me nauseous to know that I was attracted to him. That when I first walked into his office, I wanted him to strip off my clothes.
“I want us to work together so he can feel what both of us have felt. It won’t just be for me, but it’ll be for you too. I can see he had an effect on you,” he continued.
I held my head up high.
“I’d forgotten about him till today. Yes, he broke my heart and yes, I wanted him to suffer like me…but that was a long time ago. I’m not out looking for revenge,” I snapped.
Clark drew in a deep breath and nodded.
“Well, how about I promise you a position in this company that will propel your career exactly the way you want,” he said.
Now as I stared at him, I knew everything had been a farce. He’d looked for me, discovered to his luck that I worked in the advertisement industry as well. He’d come to Chicago to arrange this interview so that he could lure me into his office and execute this plan.
What more was Clark Webber capable of, if he was capable of all this—just to seek vengeance on his brother?
“You have no interest in my work, do you?” I asked him.
“I didn’t lie when I said your portfolio is impressive,” he replied.
“But if I wasn’t connected to Gordon, you wouldn’t have thought of hiring me. The thought wouldn’t cross your mind,” I snapped.
Clark shrugged.
“It all worked out pretty neatly. For the past six months, we’ve been working on opening up offices here in Chicago. And then I realized you were still here, in the advertisement industry. Coincidence? Yeah, probably a big fat lucky coincidence. Or this was just always supposed to happen,” he answered.
I didn’t want to ask him this next question, without sounding interested. I didn’t want Clark to think I was actually considering working with him on this.
“What do you want me to do, in return for a position at your company?” I asked.
A smile was spreading on Clark’s face. He knew he was slowly weakening me, slowly chipping away at my resolve.
“According to the custody agreement, Celine is supposed to spend a few days every month with Alfie. Now that we are living in Chicago, I’ve made arrangements for her to visit us here. She’s going to bring Gordon with her, because that is how little they are ashamed of themselves,” he said.
I waited with baited breath for this next part, for what my role was supposed to be in all this.
“I want us to be in a relationship, just a temporary one for their eyes. I want Gordon to think I’m sleeping with you.”
8
Clark
I expected Tessa to just stand up and leave. I definitely didn’t expect her to remain sitting there in front of me. I knew I had made an outrageous demand. I thought she might even go so far as to slap me, but Tessa just continued to stare at me.
“You want us to pretend to be in a relationship?” She asked. There was a glint in her eyes. I couldn’t tell if she was about to burst into tears or laughter.
“Just for a few weeks, till they leave,” I clarified.
“And after that?” She asked, narrowing her eyes at me.
“We’re opening another branch of the agency in New York. After Gordon and Celine leave, you can move to New York, work with the core team there,” I explained.
Tessa looked away from me, her nostrils were flared. I could sense she was angry with me.
“I don’t mean to get rid of you, that is not what I’m saying. I just think it would be easier for you, if you left Chicago after this is over,” I continued. “But if…” I was going to add, but Tessa stopped me.
“No, I like that idea,” she said.
She
didn’t exactly look thrilled as she spoke, but she was enthusiastic.
“I need to leave this place. Staying in Chicago, in my apartment, has made it even more difficult for me to get over Gordon. New York will be exactly the fresh start I need,” she added.
I couldn’t believe she was actually considering my idea. I tilted my head to one side as I stared at her.
“So, you’re saying you want to do this?” I asked. Tessa looked at me, with a firmness in her eyes. I could see then that I had underestimated her. She might have had the appearance of being gentle and delicate, but she was a lot stronger than I thought.
“I need a break in my career. Your agency has been my dream job. I need to leave Chicago. By doing this—I will achieve all that. And I’ll also get to stick it to Gordon at the same time,” she said.
Finally, Tessa was smiling again. That same smile which made my gut tingle.
“So, you’re game?” I asked, still in disbelief.
“I’m game!”
I jumped off my chair. For one moment, I considered reaching out to hug her, but I decided against it. The situation we were in was inappropriate enough already.
I stretched my hand out instead and she shook it, standing up as well.
“So, what now?” She asked.
“For starters, quit your job. You’re working here starting tomorrow. This will be our meeting story,” I told her.
Tessa gulped nervously, but she was nodding her head.
I couldn’t get over how small and tender her hand had felt in mine. I wished I could touch her again.
“When are they arriving in Chicago?” She asked.
“One week. That’ll give us plenty of time to prepare,” I told her.
Tessa arched an eyebrow.
“Prepare?”
“Well, this is not going to work unless Alfie believes the story too. I want you to get to know him, so that we can make it even more authentic. Ideally, you should move in with us,” I explained.
“You want me to move into your home?” She snapped, and there was a light laugh in her voice.
“Yeah, well, they won’t know when we met exactly. I’ve been flying in and out of Chicago frequently these past six months, so we could have met any time. If you’re living at our place, it will make the story even more believable. It’ll also give Alfie a chance to get to know you,” I said.
Tessa was chewing on her plump bottom lip. I wanted to taste her mouth. I imagined what it would feel like to slide my tongue down that mouth of hers. How could Gordon give up a woman like her once he had her?
“Okay, I will think about that. I guess what you’re saying makes sense,” she said.
“I’ll let Michelle know that you’re hired, and tomorrow we can take it from there,” I said.
Tessa smiled at me again, and then she started walking towards my office door. Before she left, she stopped in her tracks and turned to me again.
“And here I was, thinking I was hand-picked because of my sheer talent!” She remarked.
“I wouldn’t have offered you the job if I didn’t think you had talent, Tessa. I would have just offered you money to do this,” I said.
She stared at me for a few moments, then nodded her head and she was gone.
I knew it was a lot to digest and she would need time before she was completely sold on this idea. However, if we did manage to pull this off—I couldn’t wait to see the look on Gordon’s face when he saw Tessa there in my penthouse. The Tessa Munro he was so madly in love with just a year ago.
Seeing us together, imagining her in my bed, her naked body astride mine—would hopefully make Gordon feel what I felt when I saw him with Celine.
It wasn’t Celine I expected support or loyalty from. I’d always known she was more interested in my money than anything I had to say. But at least with Gordon, I expected better. At least with him, my brother, I expected a better life-decision.
There were a million other women to choose from—why did he have to pick Alfie’s mother? He didn’t give a shit about me, and he didn’t care about Alfie either.
Whatever ounce of guilt and regret I was supposed to be feeling for my actions, I didn’t. I was convinced that Gordon deserved every bit of what was coming for him. And now that I had Tessa on my side, suddenly I felt a whole lot better.
9
Tessa
Back in my apartment, I felt like nothing was real anymore. I put away my portfolio, made myself a mug of coffee and changed out of my clothes. Was this actually happening? Had I just agreed to this act of vengeance against the man I thought I was in love with?
I paced around my apartment, trying to think.
Did I know Gordon at all? Now it felt like I’d known nothing about him. Those eight months with him were a complete lie.
I had no idea who he was, what his last name was. He told me he didn’t have a family. He said he was a wildlife photographer!
And I’d believed everything.
I was so caught up in his charm that I didn’t consider really looking into who he was. I’d met a handsome stranger at a bar and got sucked into this whirlwind romance of a lifetime.
In those eight months when Gordon and I were in a relationship, or whatever it was, the truth was that he’d told me nothing about himself.
When I asked him any personal questions, he’d told me his past was complicated and that he wanted to forget about it. That he wanted to start a new life with me. I was happy with him, I wanted a future with him. I didn’t care about ambition, I didn’t care about a career. All I wanted was Gordon and me to work out, and for eight months; I thought we were headed in the right direction.
Then I woke up that morning and found his note and felt like I’d just been hit by a hurricane. I didn’t want to believe that Gordon, the man I’d been living with for seven months, would do something like that to me.
I hoped it was a joke. I tried his number, it was disconnected. When I called the organization he’d claimed he was working with in Chicago, they told me they’d never heard of a Gordon John.
I realized he’d made up facts, but I hadn’t expected this extent of it. So, when Clark told me everything, as much as I didn’t want to believe him, I knew it was the truth.
I’d spent weeks crying. Hoping he would return. That no matter what had happened to force him away from me, he’d realize how real I was and he’d return to me. But he never did.
I couldn’t find any information on him. No photographs he’d taken, no exhibitions or projects. By then, I was pretty sure he wasn’t a wildlife photographer, but I still didn’t want to admit it. I couldn’t admit the fact that he’d taken me for such a laughable ride and I’d fallen for it.
I still missed him. He’d broken my heart.
He’d given me hope for eight months, and then he’d snatched it away. I couldn’t understand it. And since then, all the one night stands and the drunken encounters I had with other guys were an attempt to get over Gordon.
For a long time, I thought I would never be able to forget him.
Till recently.
It was only a few weeks ago that I’d woken up one morning and realized I didn’t actually miss him anymore. I was relieved. Like someone would be when they got news they weren’t sick anymore.
And now somehow, Gordon had wormed his way back into my life.
I knew I should have just walked out of Clark Webber’s office. He couldn’t force me into this. I could have simply refused him!
But I didn’t.
Was I doing this just for the job at the agency? Maybe I was.
Was I doing it because I wanted to hurt Gordon the way he’d hurt me? That could be true too.
Or was I doing it because Clark had me under his spell? Because for some reason, I wanted to be close to him.
That sounded like the most ridiculous reasoning and I pushed the thought out of my head.
Yes, Clark Webber was painfully handsome, but he was also arrogant and I knew he had a stormy vein in
his body. Maybe Gordon deserved it, but still, I had seen the look of rage in Clark’s eyes. He was an angry man.
In my apartment, my mug of coffee had gone cold because I wasn’t interested in drinking it.
I’d already typed up my resignation letter. I was going to feel nothing when I handed it to Jack tomorrow. He probably wanted me gone anyway, because I was always challenging his ideas and trying to think out of the box.
What I was feeling now was a mix of emotions—I was excited about the prospect of working at Soar Agency. At the same time, I wasn’t sure if I was going to come out of this revengeful exercise feeling more alive or less sane.
Clark said he wanted me to move in with him. What would that entail?
And we hadn’t even discussed what the exact arrangement was going to be. What exactly were the things we were going to do to make Gordon jealous?
I was daydreaming about Clark again. His wide shoulders in that tailored suit, his big strong hands and the rich cologne he was wearing. I was picturing his hands on me, sliding off my shirt, unhooking my bra…what would he look like if he thrust himself inside me?
I gasped, flushing red at the thought of that. The last thing I should be doing was developing sexual feelings for Clark.
Why wasn’t I daydreaming and fantasizing about Gordon this way anymore? What would happen when I did actually see him?
I was beginning to feel overwhelmed, and I wished I just had some answers. But right now, I couldn’t do anything but wait and hope that Clark had a plan. I would have to trust him. And if Gordon had taught me anything it was that I couldn’t trust anybody.
10
Clark
Alfie didn’t ask about his mother much, which was great because I wouldn’t have known what to say to him.
Celine had never exactly been the motherly kind. Even when Alfie was just a baby and she was still living with us; she didn’t enjoy spending time with him. And since the divorce, she only visited him on some of the assigned days of the month. Most of the times, she made up an excuse and avoided seeing him.
