Chapter Thirty-Eight

**Genevieve**

Yesterday flew by, I was dragged and pulled around, fitted into dresses all while watching my husband arrange to take someone else to a party that could be his undoing.

I had received several texts from Max confirming I’m still going to be there tonight, even offering to pick me up so I can stand by his side and watch the downfall of Greyson.

He really does think I’m stupid, I know his motives and it sure isn’t to be by my side. He wants to get in my pants after I play the hurt wife.

The thought of him ever putting his hands on me makes me feel sick. I politely declined his offer instead of accepting one from my would-be best friend.

He jumped at the chance when word got out that Greyson would be taking Brittany and not his wife, seconds after the news got out my phone was buzzing with text messages from him.

It was like he had written the text weeks ago and it came through so fast. If I didn’t know what to do then I would have thought, he was just being a kind supportive friend.

All of this seems silly when I think back to Nona and Lucas, they have only each other and they don’t care, it is how I wish it could be for Greyson and me.

Greyson arranged for all these beautiful women to come to the apartment and do my hair and makeup, truthfully, I’m a little tired of it.

Going to this party is making me feel sick to my stomach, even more so now I have been told Mitch will be there, apparently, he was a last-minute addition to the guest list.

“Can you excuse us please ladies?”

The sound of Greyson’s voice resonates in the room and all of the women leave, each one of them looking him up and down with wistful eyes. Every one of them clearly hears the news that Greyson no longer wishes to be with his wife.

“Are you doing okay Gen?”

He softly closes the door behind him and strides over to my table. He is half in his suit and his shirt tucked into his light grey trousers, but still unbuttoned, his slightly longer beard now trimmed down to a stubble.

He looks incredible and I can see why those women stared.

“I am okay”.

“That was pretty unconvincing, are you nervous?”

“Honestly?”

“Yes honestly”


“I’m absolutely shitting it Greyson. All of it. Seeing Max, seeing Alex. Watching Max try to make a mockery of you.”

“It’s only going to be for a few moments Gen, we are just going to let him do his speech. When he hits the play button, he will get the shock of his life and we will reunite.”


“I know Greyson, we have gone over this but the thought of being away from you for most of this party, while people pity me as you walk around with Brittany doesn’t bring me heaps of joy, in fact, it scared the absolute crap out of me in every sense of that word”.

“I promise you Gen. When this is all over, we will take a break from all of this, we’ll go away somewhere and let the aftermath play out”.

“Okay, that sounds great”.

He kisses me softly, but I can feel the rigidness in his stance there is more to this than he is letting on. I’m not sure how we are going to just fly away after this and let it all pass, the world is going to want answers, His father is going to want answers and he won’t get them if we are swanning off to a distant island.

He strokes my hair softly and stares deep into my eyes.

“I like your hair this way Gen”.

“Thank you, the ladies did it I let them do what they thought would be best”


“Well, you look amazing”.

With a simple kiss on the forehead, he again heads for the door, allowing the ladies to come back in and start working on my hair and makeup once more.

The women talk amongst themselves occasionally asking me questions, but they do not try to get to know me, I suppose they think I’m this pathetic miserable woman whose own husband doesn’t even want her.

A short while later I’m ready and the women begin packing up their things. I thank them and head into the bathroom waiting for them to leave when I hear the door click, I head back out.

The Lady who did my hair is still sitting on the bed.

“Are you okay did you leave something”.
“No no, I just wanted to talk to you for a moment”.

“Me? May I ask why?”

“Well, I heard the news the same as everyone else. I suppose I just wanted to ask if you were okay”.

“I’m fine. There was no need for you to stay”


“I just… “

She stares down at her hands and her bag.

“Never mind, I’m sorry to have troubled you”


She grabs her things and heads for the door.

“No please wait. What is it, you don’t look as if you are okay? Perhaps I might ask you the same question”.

“It’s just, I have been where you are “


I can only assume she is referring to Greyson, Brittany and me.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean with Greyson. I too was with him for a short while and well he humiliated me just like you”


It dawns on me that she is one of Greyson’s many former conquests, someone who he used up and then left behind.

“You were with him?”

“Yes. Before Victoria, I did the makeup at a show he was at, he came backstage and met everyone to say thank you. Then we got to talking and I suppose one thing led to another”


“So, you dated him?”

“Not publicly at first, things with Greyson are not simple. He preferred to keep me hidden, he said it was to protect me from the public eye until both of us were sure”.

“And I guess a time came when you were sure?”

“Yes, but the second we went public I was thrown to the side. A few days after he was seen having dinner with another woman. I came to the apartment to talk with him, but he told the people on the door not to let me in. I text him over a few days, I thought I was in love with him I thought what we had was real”.

“Did he contact you again?”
“He sent me a text message Two weeks later apologising saying after we went public the spark was gone and he had moved on. I received someone flowers and non-disclosure agreement in the post, a few days after that”.

“A non-disclosure agreement?”

“Yes. To stop me from talking. Anyway, this is not about me, this is about you. Things are far worse for you I mean you are his wife”.

I don’t know what to say to her, she has shocked me. I wonder how he could do that to her, I know it is in his past, but it makes me wonder. Has he ever really changed; will it be different for me this time?

“Thank you for speaking to me. I can only apologise for what has been done to you. I cannot make it right, but I will not bring you into my fight with Greyson”.

She unexpectedly walks over to me, wrapping her arms around me.

“This was all I ever wanted when it was me. My friends shunned me as an embarrassment, just know that You will have a friend in me, Genevieve”.

I hug her back, for a second it feels as though she needed this more than I. She takes her to leave and I sit back on the bed.

What she has been through was what Brittany also went through, Only Brittany decided to do something about it.

All she wants is for Greyson to love her, I know what that’s like. I’m not excusing anything that she has done, but what we are planning to do to her, does it make us any better?

I’m pulled from my thoughts but the sound of my phone Buzzing, A text message coming through from Alex.

*Gen, I hope you are okay.
I’ll pick you up after Greyson has gone, I’m here for you no matter what. I’m hoping when you have your head sorted, you’ll move back in.
See you soon.
A*

Seeing the time on the phone I head over to the wardrobe and take my dress off the hanger, the soft silk running through my fingers.

I step inside the dress pulling it up and pushing my arms into the long sleeves. Once snuggly inside I zip up the side of the dress and stare at myself in the mirror.

The middle of the dress hangs low in my front, a high slit in the leg, it is not my normal style. It’s a little too revealing but I have to admit I do look good.
Greyson helped me to pick it, I can see why he likes it. All of my assets are highlighted and yet somehow not on display it’s classy.

“You look amazing Gen”.

Greyson walks into the room standing behind me in the mirror staring at the two of us.

“I can’t wait to have you by my side tonight. When all of this is over the world will know who it is that is truly mine”

He kissed my neck softly wrapping his arms around my waist.

“I have to go now, but I will see you there. Don’t stay too far away from me tonight”


“I won’t”

The two of us head out of the bedroom and into the front room, Beverly hands Greyson and I a glass of champagne.

“I just wanted to toast before we left.”


I raise my glass to his.

“To our Future success as Mr and Mrs Maddox”

“To our Success”

We take a sip before he puts on his jacket and heads towards the door.

“Not much longer Gen and this will all be over”.

He leaves and I’m left stood alone waiting for my so-called best friend to pick me up, wondering if any of this is really a good idea.

Ten Minutes later the buzzer goes, signalling Alex arrival. I asked the doormen not to let him up, I don’t want him having any part of my life. I don’t want him to be in my space.

The man who would see me humiliated for a chance at making me fall in love with him. I head out of the door and into the lift, Clutching onto my coat. It is cold outside, but I am burning up, the nerves setting my body alight.

“WOW. You look amazing”.

He walks over to me grabbing me in a hug, taking an intake of breath as he nuzzles into my hair. It is something that he has always done, I never noticed it before. But knowing what I know of him now the gesture makes me feel sick to my stomach.

Pulling away from him as quickly as possible, I make out as if it is to put on my jacket.

“Nice to see you Alex. Should we maybe get going. I'd like to get this over with quickly if possible”.

He looks nervously at me and then motions to a chauffeur-driven car behind him.

“Yes, we should, I hear it’s going to be quite a night”


Alex holds the door for me and slides into the seat, I wait with bated breath as he walks around the car and climbs in sitting dangerously close.

No matter how I feel about any of this, it is happening. I am going to this party and I am going to follow through with this plan.

But when all is said and done, and everyone has been held accountable. I will hold Greyson accountable for the things he has done to people.

He is different now but the pain they feel is still very much Valid. He has to know what his actions have done to people.

As we get closer to the party, I can already see the lights, hear the sounds of paparazzi calling out names.

“Are you okay Gen, it’s going to be okay”.

“I am fine. It's nothing that I have not faced before”


He nods and then slides out of the car extending his hand to my own as soon as I’m out of the car a thousand questions come at me.

**Mrs Maddox why aren’t you with your husband**

**Mrs Maddox, how do you feel about him coming here with another woman**

**Genevieve. Is it true she is carrying his baby**


The same question over and over, I’m grateful for the sound of the doors shutting behind us, and all eyes of those inside turn to face me.