by Calista King
"Oh my God girl! Thank goodness I caught you," she said.
"Hey Corinne. What's up? Why do you sound so stressed?" Laila asked.
"Me? I'm not stressed, but I needed to talk to you," she said. She switched her voice to a whisper and spoke, "There's someone here who's looking for you."
"Who is it?" Laila asked warily.
Ever since news of her and Andreas broke, she'd gotten calls and unsolicited offers from tabloids and news stations willing to pay her to get an exclusive interview with her. She had turned down all offers. There was no way in hell she would run to the press detailing intimate aspects of her relationship with Andreas, no matter how desperate she was. Even though she was still hurt and upset, there was no way she would pull a Caroline on him.
"Some woman named Caroline Hess. Says it's very important that she meet with you," Corinne said. "She's staying at the hotel."
Laila choked on her coffee at the mention of Caroline. She snatched some napkins from the table and quickly dabbed at her shirt where the coffee had spilled. Why on earth would Caroline be looking for me? she wondered.
"Did she say why she wanted to meet with me?" Laila asked.
"No, but she said it's very important," Corinne answered.
"Did she say anything else?" Laila asked.
"No, but I don't think she could. Jenna was hovering around us like the goddamn pest she is. She was making it very obvious she was eavesdropping and I think she scared that woman off."
Laila remained silent wondering why Caroline was looking for her. From everything she had heard about her, Caroline was bad news. She had betrayed Andreas and sold him out, and even though Laila was no longer with him, she felt guilty about meeting with Caroline behind his back.
"What did you want me to tell her?" Corinne asked, drawing Laila's attention again. "Should I tell her you're too busy?"
In the end, curiosity got the best of her and Laila decided to find out what Caroline wanted. "No, I'll meet with her. What room is she in?"
"She's in room 2321," Corinne answered.
"All right, let her know I'll be there in half an hour," Laila said.
She hung up the phone and sat at the booth, finishing her coffee. Laila didn't know what she was getting herself into. If Caroline expected Laila to join her in her little schemes against Andreas or his family, then she'd have another thing coming. Laila wouldn't hesitate to give her a piece of her mind.
She got up from the booth and threw away her empty coffee cup before heading out. The hotel was only a couple blocks away, so she decided to walk there. Luckily for her, there were no paparazzi around to hassle her and she made it to the hotel with extra time to spare. Laila walked into the familiar revolving doors and saw Corinne behind the counter. She gave her a slight wave, not wanting to attract Jenna's attention, and headed over to the elevators.
Laila punched the button for the twenty third floor and stood fidgeting with the straps of her purse. She didn't expect to stay long, just long enough to hear what Caroline had to say and then she would leave. A part of her didn't even know why she even bothered.
Caroline was Andreas' problem and since they were no longer together, Laila didn't have any obligation to get involved. But in the end, she knew it would drive her crazy if she refused to meet with Caroline and find out what she was planning. And Laila was sure she was planning something.
The elevator stopped on the 23rd floor and Laila stepped out and made a right. She found the room quickly and knocked on the door. She gave it three firm raps and stood back. Laila's heart pounded in her chest, but outwardly she tried to exude an air of calm disinterest. She knew instinctively that she had to keep her guard up around Caroline.
CHAPTER 30
The door was opened by a young woman in her late twenties. She was beautiful with golden blond hair and deep cornflower blue eyes. There were laugh lines at the corners of her eyes and sides of her mouth. Her full lips were curved up in a smile as she greeted Laila.
"Hello, Miss Greer. It's so good of you to come. I'm Caroline. Please come in," she said, standing aside for Laila to enter.
Laila tried to keep the surprise off her face as she finally met the infamous Caroline Hess. Whatever she was expecting, it certainly wasn't the friendly and gracious host that had opened the door for her. She shook her head slightly to try to get her mind to focus. She had to be on her toes around this woman. Perhaps the friendly persona was all an act. After all, she had tricked Andreas into believing she was an angel. Caroline was probably just a very good actress.
"Please have a seat," Caroline suggested, walking into the room behind Laila.
Caroline had been put in one of the executive suites of the hotel that came with an adjoining sitting room. There was already a tea tray laid out for two and some pastries on a small platter. Laila took the offered seat and crossed her hands over her knees. Caroline sat on the seat opposite her and began pouring out the tea.
"Do you take sugar and cream in your tea?" she asked.
"Just two sugars," Laila said.
Caroline busied herself preparing the tea and Laila wondered what the hell was going on. She didn't come here to have a little tea party and was just about to speak when Caroline handed her a tea cup and saucer.
"I can see you're wondering why I've asked to meet with you," Caroline began. "Believe me, it's as awkward for me as it is for you, but there is a matter of some importance that I need your help with."
"What makes you think I will help you?" Laila asked.
Caroline smiled a sad smile and shrugged her shoulders. "I can't say I blame you for not trusting me. After all, you've probably heard about my reputation, but I'm hoping you'll look past that for Andreas' sake."
"What does this have to do with Andreas?" she asked.
"Everything."
Laila closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was growing more and more impatient with this whole business. Caroline was making her feel on edge, and bringing up Andreas didn't help calm her nerves.
"I don't know if you've heard, but Andreas and I aren't together any more. If there's something going on that concerns him, you should bring it up to him personally. I have nothing to do with him or his life any longer."
"Oh, but this concerns you too," Caroline began. "I heard about your break up and I'm sorry about it, but I know that you still care for him, otherwise you wouldn't have agreed to meet with me. I also know that he still cares for you."
"Why does this matter to you? Last I heard, you were nothing more than a lying two-faced bitch, pardon my language. Why are you acting so concerned about me, a woman you've never met before, and Andreas, the guy you stabbed in the back?"
"I deserve that I guess," Caroline said. "It's because of what I did that I need your help. Andreas will have nothing to do with me and I have information that can help him...and you for that matter."
"What kind of information?" Laila asked.
"I should start at the very beginning. I think that would help you understand my position a little bit more," Caroline began.
She placed her own tea cup on the coffee table between them and sat back in her chair giving Laila an appraising glance before beginning. "When I was eighteen, I made a stupid decision that I would come to regret. You see, I made a video of me having sex with a man--a stranger really. I guess you could call it a porno. At the time, I was young, reckless and broke. It was easy money and I took it, not thinking of the consequences."
Laila stared at Caroline in shock. Never in her wildest imagination could she picture the elegant and proper woman sitting across from her starring in a porno. It was so absurd, she almost laughed out loud.
"I can see you're shocked by my confession, but I'm sad to say it's the God's honest truth. The company that filmed the video is owned by a man named Bradley Henriks. He also happens to be a board member at Carstens Ecklund Group."
Laila's jaw dropped open but she remained silent for Caroline to continue. The story was getting stranger
and stranger.
"About the time Andreas and I began dating, Henriks came to me and threatened that he would release the video if I did not comply with his wishes. He wanted to destroy Andreas and the De Berg family and I happened to be a convenient tool for him to use. He wanted me to make Andreas fall in love with me and confess all his deepest darkest secrets so I could sell it to the tabloids.
I'm sure you've heard about how that went, so I won't bore you with the details. After I had done what Henriks asked of me, he promised to destroy the video so that it would never see the light of day. But Henriks is not a man of his word and he held onto the video, dangling it over me like a threat unless I did as he bid. I hated the man and I promised myself that I'd get my revenge, and now that day has come," she finished.
Laila sat with her mouth hanging open, staring at Caroline in shock and awe. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. It was such a different take on what she'd been told. Laila never imagined what possible motivation Caroline would have had to do what she did, and now that she heard it, she couldn't help but feel some sympathy and understanding. After all, Laila knew first hand what it was like to make a mistake that could ruin a life.
"I still don't understand how I fit into this, or Andreas," Laila said.
"A few months ago, Henriks got his hands on a video of you in a compromising situation, not unlike my experience," Caroline began.
"How did you know about that?" Laila asked, the shock evident in her voice and on her face. She wondered how many people knew about her video and feared the answer.
"Oh, Henriks told me himself. After you and Andreas made your relationship public, he had wanted me to seduce Andreas and break you two up. I know it sounds crazy, but you cannot reason with a mad man," Caroline said. "Before I was to fly to New York to work on his plan, Henriks called it off. He came into possession of a video of you stripping in front of the camera and no longer needed my help. Like a stupid movie villain, he came gloating to me about his plans."
Laila looked on in horror as Caroline continued her tale. She had always wondered how Andreas came to posses the video and now she had a good idea.
"He was going to threaten Andreas with the release of the video if he didn't meet his demands. Sounds familiar?" she said. The joke was half hearted and Laila didn't even bother to smile.
"What did he want?" Laila asked.
"Mostly he wanted control of Carstens Ecklund. He wanted Andreas to quit. The bastard probably thought it was a bonus that he could break the two of you up and hurt Andreas even more."
"Oh my God," Laila looked at Caroline in horror.
Everything was orchestrated by this Bradley Henriks. She had met the man once at the Winter Gala. At first he seemed harmless, but Laila was still not comfortable around him. Now she knew she had very good reason for it.
She felt sick to her stomach thinking about the damage he had done to her life, all because of some obsession he had with Andreas and his family. She felt guilty that Henriks was using her video to blackmail Andreas. He shouldn't have to give up his family's company and quit his job because of her, she thought angrily.
"I know," Caroline said sympathetically. "It's amazing how many lives he has ruined."
"So you said you had a way to get revenge?"
"Yes I do," Caroline smiled. "Ever since he went back on his word about destroying my video, I have been looking for a way to destroy him, and now I have the means to do it. I've recently come into possession of a video of Henriks engaged in uh...sexual acts with a young woman."
Laila stared at her confused. "How young are we talking here?"
"Young enough for it to be illegal. The sick bastard will go to jail for a long time for this."
"OK, if you've got the video, then why do you need my help?"
"The thing is, Henriks is a very slippery character. If he ever got wind of the fact that it was me who turned him in, he would ruin my life. He still has the video of me after all. And well, I figured, since Andreas has been the most hurt and affected by Henriks' actions, he would want to be the one to turn him in."
"So you're basically saying you're too scared to do it yourself?"
Caroline gave her an embarrassed smile before nodding her head. "Yes, I suppose I am."
"And what exactly is it you want me to do?"
"I want you to give this video to Andreas and tell him I'm truly sorry for everything I've done to him."
"Why can't you just do it yourself?"
"Because he will have nothing to do with me. I cannot blame him after what I put him through, but I need for him to know that I didn't have a choice. He loves you, and he will listen to you."
"You're wrong. He made it very clear that he wants nothing more to do with me. And honestly, I don't know why I should get involved in this."
"Because you still love him," Caroline said simply. "You cannot deny it, and this video will help Andreas. He will not have to give into Henriks' demands and he can have the satisfaction of serving that smug bastard a piece of his own medicine. Besides, Henriks still has that video of you and he could release it at any time. I wouldn't put it past him. Do you really want that hanging over your head?"
"Couldn't you have just sent in the video as an anonymous tip? Why do you need Andreas' help with this?"
"Because I need to make certain that Bradley Henriks gets what he deserves. If it were an anonymous tip, I have no doubt he would find a way to evade the charges. I will not underestimate him. With Andreas behind the charges, it will be more difficult. He has clout and if I'm not mistaken, a thirst for revenge. He will see to it that Henriks goes to jail."
Laila couldn't think of any more excuses. It was obvious that Caroline had thought it all through. She probably spent the past few years thinking of this moment and how she would finally get her revenge. And it seemed that Henriks deserved every bad thing that was going to happen to him.
Laila was angry that he was the one behind her break up with Andreas, although she knew she deserved a portion of the blame. If only she had confessed to him about the video before he heard it from someone else, things might have been different. But then Henriks would have come up with something else to hurt Andreas. It seemed he was obsessed and would not stop until he destroyed him and his family.
"OK, I'll do it," Laila finally agreed.
Caroline closed her eyes in relief and smiled. Laila could tell how great of a burden everything had been for her, and it was almost as if she could see the weight being lifted off her shoulders. Caroline bounced up off the couch and went to the bedroom. A moment later, she emerged with a disc in her hand.
"Here it is," she said. "Please tell Andreas I'm sorry and I never meant to hurt him."
Laila nodded her head and took the video and stuffed it in her purse.
"I'll see what I can do," she said.
***
Laila left Caroline's room and headed straight for the elevators. She didn't want to stop and think about all that she had heard. If she did, she felt like her head would explode. Caroline had told her that Andreas still loved her, and a part of Laila hoped it was true, because try as she might, she couldn't rid Andreas from her heart. He had hurt her, but Laila couldn't turn her back on him now.
Another part of her refused to believe it. A man in love does not call the woman he supposedly loves a whore and a gold digger. A man in love would have tried to see her and work things out. But for the past few months, she hadn't heard a peep from Andreas.
He had been seen at other galas and events throughout the city, so she knew he was still here, and it seemed like he had moved on without her. The pain stung and she angrily rubbed the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. Just deliver the video to him and be done with it, she had to remind herself.
By the time she got off the elevator at the main lobby, she had composed herself and dried the rest of the tears from her face. She walked towards the revolving doors in long steady strides and exited the building. Laila could feel C
orinne's eyes on her back as she left without a word or any type of acknowledgment, but she would deal with her later. Right now, she was on a mission. She had to see Andreas, deliver the video and leave.
She hopped into a cab and headed over to his apartment. When they arrived, she got out of the cab and strode towards the entrance of the building. Marshall, the doorman smiled to her as she approached.
"Hello Miss Greer. Haven't seen you around in a while," he said.
"Yes, I'm just here to see Andreas. Mr. De Berg."
"Oh he's not here right now. He just left a couple hours ago."
Laila's face fell at the news. She hadn't anticipated that he wouldn't be home and she wondered where he was. She chewed on her bottom lip in thought wondering what to do next when Marshall spoke.
"I believe he's at work," he said.
Laila smiled at him and looked a little sheepish. Of course he'd be at work on a Thursday morning. That's where normal people usually spent their weekdays. She thanked Marshall for his help and hailed another cab. This time she directed the driver to head to Andreas' offices. They arrived 15 minutes later and Laila got out of the cab and stood in front of the building.
In all the time they'd been dating, she had never once visited Andreas at work. She knew his offices were located on the penthouse level and sucked in a breath before striding in. The receptionist in the main lobby was busy talking with another person, so Laila headed on over to the elevators unnoticed.
She could feel her body tense up as the elevator went higher and higher. Laila didn't even know if Andreas would agree to see her. He could still be angry and have her removed from the building. There was nothing she could do about it now, though. She was already here. The elevator stopped with a loud ping and Laila got out. Another receptionist sat behind a long desk on the opposite wall facing the elevators.
"Hi, I'm here to see Mr. De Berg," Laila said as she strode up to the desk.
"Is he expecting you?" she asked.
"No, but can you tell him Laila Greer is here," she said.
