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Madison

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Zeus left two days ago for New Orleans, as he warned me he would, and I'm missing him terribly.

He didn't invite me to go along, and I think it's because Ares went with him on the trip.

I'm curious about his family, but he never talks about anything other than the guys. He never mentions his parents' names, but one day he let slip that his father committed suicide, which tells me he didn't have a perfect home either.

I get up from the shared dining area in the office where I've been having my meals since he left, knowing that everyone is looking at me.

Besides the fact that he made our relationship public at work, on the same day the paparazzi chased us at the baby store, our pictures appeared in all the evening newspapers, as well as celebrity websites.

I thought Zeus would go crazy, but he said to let it be and that over time, people would see that there's no baby on the way.

I start walking back to my office and remember that it's my last day at the club. I won't miss it, because, for starters, I never wanted to work there, but it was worth the experience.

I arrive on the floor where I work, and as I pass by Zeus's reception area, since my desk is in the room next to his, I notice, in addition to the secretaries, a blonde teenager sitting there.

To my surprise, as soon as she sees me, she stands up. "Finally! I was eager to come face-to-face with the prostitute who's dating my fiancé. Not content with flaunting yourself at the club, you also come to work here in the office? Doesn't he pay you enough for what you do in the bedroom?"

At first, I freeze, certain that I didn't hear correctly.

The laughter of some employees who heard her loud voice, as well as the words she used, however, jolts me.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, so Zeus didn't tell you he's engaged? I'm Celine Gordon, and I'd like to say it's a pleasure to meet you, but I can't. I don't talk to call girls."

I've never taken insults lying down, but right now, I can't speak, completely shocked.

"Have fun with him. In less than a year, I'll be eighteen, and we'll be getting married." With that, the girl, who looks like a princess but spits venom, turns her back on me and leaves me alone.

I know I need to leave, but I can't. The room spins, and suddenly, I feel like I'm inside a kaleidoscope.

Amid the laughter, I hear someone call my name, but I don't want to respond. I prefer the darkness.

"Madison."

I hear my mother's voice calling me, and I start waking up for real.

I vaguely remember, after fainting, Clark, Zeus's assistant, walking me outside the building, and then Larry bringing us to my home.

I close my eyes again until everything that happened in the reception area of the office comes back. Tears flow without me being able to contain them, and I never allow myself to cry.

"Honey."

"He was playing with me, Mom! He's engaged to a teenager!"

"My goodness!"

"She humiliated me in front of everyone. She knew who I was, that I dance at the club."

"How is that possible? You said everything was confidential."

I tell her the exact words the girl said to me, and I can see the pity on her face, but also the disbelief.

"I don’t usually misjudge people, daughter. There's something wrong with this story. Zeus is a man, not a boy."

Before I can answer, we hear a cough, and when I open my eyes, I see that Clark has entered my room.

"Thank you for bringing me, but I want to be alone with my mother."

"I was just leaving, Madison. I just wanted you to know that Mr. Kostanidis never saw Miss Celine Gordon. I can assure you of that."

"Thank you, but it doesn't change anything."

My mother gets up to escort him to the door almost at the same time the doorbell rings. When she returns, there's a man in white with her.

"I'm Dr. Reeves. You must be Madison. I came at Mr. Kostanidis' request."

"I'm fine."

He raises his hands as if surrendering. "I'm not the enemy, Miss. I'm just doing my job."

"I'm sorry," I say, wiping away the tears, "but there's really no need for you to examine me."

"You fainted, Madison. Let me check that everything is alright, dear."

"Madison," my mother says from behind him.

"Okay."

Half an hour later, he leaves. He took a blood sample. He said it was necessary to confirm that I'm okay.

"Zeus sent him? Why, Mom? The charade is over. Why send someone to take care of a prosti?—"

"Madison Foster, I forbid you to speak about yourself like that. And if you want my opinion, listen to what he has to say. Since he was informed of what happened by Mr. Clark, he's been calling non-stop. Your phone has over a dozen missed calls."

"I'm not going to answer. We have nothing more to talk about."

"Madison, you've never been a coward, and you're not going to start now. Even if things are as that girl said, you still need to talk. You had a beginning, and whatever happens, you'll need an end."

I wake up and doze off several times.

I usually don't sleep during the day, but I think my body is trying to escape reality. If I'm awake, I start crying again, and I hate Zeus for making me feel like this.

I take a shower and put on a nightgown. It's the first time I've allowed myself to lie down during the day in years. Not even the prospect of seeing the kids makes me want to get up.

I'm used to feeling physically exhausted. When I was doing cleaning jobs, I felt like this every single day, but at the moment, it's my mind that can't deal with everything that's happened.