Aria slipped out the side exit and the applause in the ballroom was still roaring.
Nobody stopped her.
No one saw her leave.
Everyone’s eyes remained on the stage, where Damien Laurent stood next to Vivienne Ashford, in a flurry of camera flashes.
As soon as she came out of the hotel, the chill of the night struck her face.
She drew a breath.
One time.
Twice.
It was useless.
Her chest was still tight.
The text on her phone would not go away.
SEPARATION AGREEMENT.
She unlocked the display once more.
Perhaps she had dreamt it.
Or maybe her eyes were just blurred with fatigue.
The document opened.
Same as before.
Each page bore the logo of one of the city’s most respected law firms.
All the clauses had been gone over already.
The signature lines were all there.
But there was one thing missing.
Her name was.
A bitter smile pulled at the corner of her lips.
7 years of marriage…
A blank line waiting for ink shrank.
A black luxury sedan pulled up at the entrance of the hotel.
The chauffeur came rushing out, opening the rear door.
Mrs.
Laurent?
She recognized him at once.
Marcus had worked for the Laurent family for nearly a decade.
His face softened when he saw her.
“”Mr.
Laurent told me to take you home.
Home.
The word sounded oddly foreign.
She turned back to the glittering hotel.
Still, photographers milled about the ballroom, and she could see them through the glass entrance.
“Has Mr.
Laurent finished?” Not yet ma’am.”
She nodded.
““I will wait.”
Marcus paused.
“It’s getting late.
“I understand.
But I will wait.”
He said nothing.
He merely shut the car door and stepped aside.
Aria stepped into the little garden next to the hotel.
The noise from the gala died down behind the rustling trees.
She sat down on a stone bench beneath a row of lanterns.
…for the first time all night
She let herself cry.
Not very loudly.
Not a lot.
Just silent tears that fell down her cheeks one after another.
She dabbed them away quickly.
Crying never did.
Her phone vibrated again.
This time it wasn’t an unknown number.
By Sophia Bennett.
Her closest friend.
Aria watched the screen until the call was almost over.
Then she replied.
“Hello?”
At once Sophia noticed something.
“You’re crying.
Aria chuckled softly.
“I ain’t say nothing.” “I’ve known you for 12 years”
Pause.
““What happened?”
Aria glanced over at the ballroom again.
“I believe…
Her voice cracked….my marriage just broke up.”
Silence.
Sophia didn’t cut in.
She knew Aria well enough to let her run with it.
There was a speech tonight.
Damien’s anniversary party?
“Yes.” “Thanks Vivienne,” he said.
Sophia frowned.
“As an executive?” “No.” Aria shut her eyes.
Like the woman who had stood at his side.
Another long pause.
Then Sophia spoke gently.
Where are you?” Outside the Grand Meridian Hotel “Stay there.” Sophia— “I am coming.” You don’t have to.” “I do.
Before Aria could protest, the call was over.
She smiled sadly.
Sophia had always been that way.
If Aria had an apartment Sophia would bring over coffee.
If Aria worked through the night, Sophia would bring breakfast.
If Aria’s heart broke.
She came in without asking for leave.
Few minutes later the doors leading to the ballroom opened again.
The guests began to leave in groups.
Laughter carried across the entrance to the hotel.
Business was done on the steps.
Reporters pestered executives for interviews .
Instinctively, Aria stood.
She wasn’t waiting on Damien.
She needed some answers.
She had earned that.
Suddenly the photographers came alive again.
“They are coming!
Cameras ready!
Damien stepped out of the hotel.
Vivienne accompanied him.
They were not hand holding
They weren’t in contact.
But they moved with an ease that made them seem quite at home with each other.
One reporter pushed forward.
“Mr.
Laurent!” Is Miss Ashford the cause of Laurent Holdings’ recent success?”
Damien stopped dead.
Aria inhaled deeply.
That was all.
But the story of the 1939-40 season is a story of failure.
Correction.
One admission, that he had a wife waiting just a few meters away.
Instead.
..
Damien answered calmly.
“Vivienne has made a huge contribution to the company.
The reporter grinned.So the rumors were not all false?”
Before Damien could answer, another reporter interjected.
“”A wedding in the future for you, Mr.
Laurent?
The crowd was roaring with laughter.
Vivienne was actually embarrassed.
I don’t think you’ve got me.
She took a half step away.
But she did not say what it was they had failed to understand.
Everyone was looking at Damien.
Even from where she stood, Aria could see him thinking it through.
One word.
That would be all it took.
I am married.
3 syllables.
Rather…
He gave a polite smile.
I do not talk about my private life.
Flash.
*Blitz*
Flash.
The reporters took the answer and continued shouting more questions.
Somewhere inside Aria, something finally fell silent.
Not because the pain had gone away.
Because hope had.
Nothing more to misconstrue.
Nothing to elucidate.
She turned away before Damien could look her in the eye.
This time around…
She was not going to leave the gala.
She was walking away from the life she’d guarded for seven years.
Behind her feet were hurrying along the pavement.
“Aria!
She halted.
No one ever called her name with such urgency but one.
By Sophia Bennett.
Sophia swept across the hotel driveway, wrapped in a beige trench coat over an evening dress she’d clearly thrown on in a hurry, oblivious to the two security guards trying to direct traffic around her.
As soon as she reached Aria she pulled her into a hug.
No questions, no nothing.
No awkward silences.
Just give a hug.
Aria had been keeping it together all evening.
That simple gesture nearly broke her.
Sophia leaned back just enough to look at her face.
“You’ve been crying.”
Aria tried a smile.
“I must look terrible.” “You look like hell.”
Aria pushed a stray lock of hair behind Sophia’s ear.
Broken-hearted.”
Neither woman spoke for a few seconds.
Then Sophia noticed the phone still in Aria’s hand.
Show me.
Aria hesitated.
I don’t think-“Aria.”
Sophia’s voice was free of pressure.
Just fret.
Aria unlocked the screen slowly and passed the phone to her.
Sophia looked at the first page.
Then the second one.
By the time she got to the lawyer’s message her jaw was clenched.
“He prepared this before tonight.”
Aria nodded once.
“I think so.” “And he still wanted you to re-do his speech.”
He nodded again.
Sophia blew out a slow breath.
“I knew he was capable of emotional blindness.
She peered toward the hotel entrance.
“I didn’t think he had the heart to be so cruel.”
Aria shook her head.
“No, I don’t think he meant to humiliate me.”
Sophia looked at her incredulously.
““And you still defend him?” I’m just… trying to be fair.”
Sophia laughed bitterly.
“Fair?
She put the phone back.” “Aria, fairness ended when your husband put another woman in the place his wife should have been.”
The words came out more harsh than Sophia intended.
Because they were real.
Aria looked at the diamond ring on her hand.
Seven years ago Damien had put it on her finger with a promise.
“I’ll take care of you.”
And the promise he had made.
Comfort she had never wanted.
Never short of security.
Never was without luxury.
There was just one thing missing.
Love.
Behind them a car door opened.
Marcus stepped cautiously forward.
“”Madam Laurent.
She turned.
““Mr.
Laurent is waiting to see you.”
Sophia crossed her arms.
“Good.”
Marcus looked uneasy.
“He asked you to go home with him.
“Snorted Sophia.
“How nice of you.
Aria gently tapped her friend’s arm.
“It’s all right.” “No, it is not.
It will be.”
Sophia looked at her face.
You don’t have to confront him this evening.
”I do.” “Why?
Because if I don’t…
Aria swallowed.
“”…I’ll lie awake all night wondering if there was something that was unsaid.”
Sophia knew that expression.
Aria was a woman who, once she’d made up her mind, didn’t change it.
Then I’ll be right behind you.”
Aria smiled faintly.
You don’t trust me?
“I don’t trust him.
Polite, Marcus opened the back door of the black sedan.
“Thanks,” Aria said, and climbed in.
The leather seats still carried the familiar scent of cedarwood, Damien’s scent.
She loved the scent of it.
It added to the silence tonight.
On the other side the door opened.
Damien climbed into the car.
He loosened his tie a little and leaned back.
Only then did he see her.
“I thought you’d left.
“I waited.
Marcus cut away from the hotel and there was a short silence between them.
Outside, the city lights streamed in the windows.
Neither of them moved inside.
Damien spoke again.
“I didn’t realize the lawyer had talked to you.
It doesn’t matter.
“It does,”
She looked up at him.
Does it?
His face was blank.
I wanted us to talk about it in private.”
Aria chuckled to herself.
“Tomorrow, you mean.” Yeah.
After your lawyer does the difficult part.”
Damien said nothing.
She had expected rage.
Or guiltiness.
Instead, he seemed tired.
Not like a man breaking up marriage.
Like a man concluding a meeting.
That stung in a different way.
“I’ve been asking myself something,”
Then he turned to her.
“What?” “If I hadn’t gotten that message tonight…”
She hesitated.
“…when were you going to tell me.
.
.
?
He gazed out of the window.
“Tomorrow morning.
“Before work?” “Yea.
“So after seven years of being together…”
She smiled sadly….our marriage was worth a 1/2 hour meeting.
His hands tightened a little.
“”It’s not that simple.
”Then make it simple.
Her voice had some real emotion in it, for the first time in the car.
“Help me figure this out.” “I’ve tried it.
“No.” She shook her head.
You’ve dodged.”
He did not speak.
She went on quietly.
You stopped eating in your home.
You and Vivienne were on the road.
“You missed anniversaries.
You forget birthdays.
You didn’t ask me how my day was anymore.
Every sentence was quiet.
No-nonsense.
Somehow that made them hurt still more.
“I told myself you were busy,”
She looked him in the eyes.
““Were you?”
Damien turned to her.
Then answered truthfully, Sometimes.
““Sometimes only?”…Yes.
The confession lay between them like broken glass.
Aria turned away.
For years she’d invented reasons for his absence.
Tonight he took away all excuses with one word.
When they reached a red light, Marcus slowed the car.
Nobody said anything.
The silence was no longer in doubt.
It felt like the end.
Then Damien said softly, “I never meant to hurt you.
Aria closed her eyes for a moment.
She opened them again.
They were quiet.
“He said, “I believe you.”
He looked surprised.
But if you wanted to…
”
She gazed at the city passing by.
“…and if you did…
Her voice was gentle.“…are two very different things.”
The light was green.
The sedan continued into the night.
Neither had noticed the motorcycle following their car since they had left the hotel.
The rider raised a camera.
click click click click click click
One of the photos showed Damien and Aria sitting in the back seat together.
Another saw the diamond ring still on Aria’s finger.
The rider, smiling under his helmet.
Morning came…
Those photographs would be in everyplace.