Chapter 5

**Artemis**


I normally hate social media. The idea that people want to share everything they think and do at all times doesn't make sense to me.

However in this case I was convinced that it could be useful. When Abigail suggested it I wasn't sure if it would work, but she said the post had gone viral within an hour. In that time some people had even snapped a photo of the girl.

I was happy to let Abigail handle things after that and I decided to get back to my real work. Several urgent emails were waiting in my inbox to read. Alan has been out of town trying to close a contract with a security firm. Apparently, they were hacked a few times which I find funny since they work in the field of security. In their defense, they specialize in securing people.

The first email is from my mother inviting me to brunch on Sunday. She adds that there will be a few friends joining us. That's code for potential wives and their wealthy families. It's the third of this month, and I'm ready to be done with them for good. This time I'll be bringing my fiance with me, and all that nonsense will be over. I send a quick reply saying I'll be there but I leave the part out that I'm bringing someone. That news would best be delivered in person. It also says my little sister will be joining us as well. It's been a while since one of my sisters has been able to make it to brunch. Well except for Iris my youngest sister, but that's because she's twelve and has no choice.

I move on to an email from Alan and curse when I read that there was another breach on the security firm's system before we could finish installing the software we designed for them. He also says they want to push the blame on us and have threatened to get lawyers involved. Just another fire needing to be put out.

"God dammit!" I yell and slam my laptop shut.

A knock sounds at my door and my irritation only grows. Employees should be filing in by now and if it's one of those annoying interns I swear I'll kick their asses. I'm in no mood to deal with their questions.

"Who is it?" I yell.

The door cracks open and Abigail peeks in. "Oh. What is it, Abigail."

"Sorry to bother you, sir." She looks pleased so that must mean good news. "We found her."

I'm up out of my seat so fast that my chair slams against the wall behind me.

"Where?" I ask rounding the desk and coming up beside Abigail to look at her phone.

"She was taken to the hospital after collapsing at a bus stop. It looked like she was going somewhere. She had several bags with her." She tilts the phone in my direction and I see the girl.

The first photo is of her standing on the other side of the bus stop AD sign, and the next is her lying on the floor. The following photos are of people trying to help her and then paramedics showing up.

"Shit. They took pictures of all that?" I don't hide the disgust in my voice.

"Unfortunately yes sir, but it allowed us to find her. We may want to get to her before she is hounded by anyone else. A team of bodyguards might be needed at this point. Everyone is talking about her on Twitter." She explains and I feel a twinge of guilt.

I didn't stop to consider what might happen when someone found her.

"Call us a car," I tell Abigail and she quickly leaves the room.

My phone goes off a second later and my jaw clenches when I see Alna's name on the screen. He should be in a meeting about now, so why is he calling?

"Dude what the fuck? I leave you for a few days and now you're cyberstalking some poor woman? You know they don't like that sort of thing. They find it creepy." His teasing tone has a hint of concern in it.

For me or the girl, I'm not sure. Probably her, but it won't do any good now.

"I bumped into her on my way to the office."

"And you decided to blast her picture all over the internet? Why?" His voice grates on my nerves sometimes.

"I'm going to offer her the position as my fiance."

"Does the luck girl know?" He asks sarcastically.

"Not yet but I'm on my way to tell her. She's at the hospital."

There are several seconds of silence and some shuffling sounds. "What the fuck man? She got hurt being chased by a bunch of crazy people because of you! What were you thinking? There is no way she will help you after this."

He sounds genuinely mad which confuses me. "I didn't know this would happen."

"I'm sure that will be a great comfort to her. Shit, this is bad. And you posted it under your personal account? What were you thinking?"

I let him rant a little longer until Abigail signals that our car has arrived.

"Alan I have stuff to do. Is there a reason you called?"

He sighs. "Yeah. Our client brought a lawyer to our meeting today. It's not looking good."

I scoff. "For him maybe. Did you call Laurence?"

"Of course. He's already spoken to them and says they don't have a case, but it won't stop them from stirring shit up."

"We'll conference call once I'm done at the hospital. Keep them sweating."

"You got it, boss. Fix this mess with the girl man. You're already an asshole, don't make it worse."

He ends the call before I can say anything and I scowl at the phone. He's the asshole.

My personal security guards, Bryant and Dane are waiting for us when we exit the building. I notice a few people standing near the front of the building with their phones pointed in our direction. It isn't strange given who my family is, but I doubt that's why they're here.

"Let's go," I tell the guys.

When we arrive at the hospital there is a large crowd gathered by the entrance of the emergency room.

"All this for one picture?" I ask no one in particular.

"Social media can be a powerful monster," Abigail says.

Bryant and Dane step out of the car and start pushing people back. Dane moves ahead to make a path for us before Bryant opens the door and lets Abigail out. I slide over and exit the car next. A dozen questions are thrown at me all at once. One, in particular, makes me furious...

"Is the blue-haired beauty a prostitute?"

I nearly stop and rain hell on them, but that would only make things worse so I keep moving. There are several hospital security waiting inside the doors but Abigail makes a quick excuse for why we're here. Apparently calling a woman you never met your fiance gets you into places easily.

We walk over to the check-in desk and a flustered nurse greets us.

"How can I help you?"

"We're here to see the woman who was brought here. She fainted at the bus stop." Abigail tells her.

The nurse snorts. "Yeah, you and everyone else." She points at the crowd outside with a shake of her head.

"I'm her fiance," I say and her attention snaps back to me.

"You are?" She sounds skeptical but when someone makes it past the guards she sighs and ushers us through the door leading to the exam area.

"She's right over there. Room 37." She points in the direction of several rooms and quickly leaves.

Nurses are rushing around us and none of them stop to ask who we are. Convenient.

When we reach room 37 we are greeted by a cheerful-looking doctor.

"Mr. Rhodes! What a pleasure to see you here!"

As part of a charity event, I donated a sizable amount of money to hospitals in the area including this one.

"Are you here to visit someone?" He asks.

"Yes we were told she was in room 37," Abigail says answering for me.

"Ah yes. Poor thing. I'm just heading in to check on the sweet thing."

I don't like the way he says that and by the way, Abigail scrunches her nose up she doesn't like it either. This man has been treating my fiance? I'll have to talk to the chief about that.

He opens the door for us and I nearly run into a nurse who looked to be on her way out. She steps aside for us and I get the first real look at the girl I've chosen to marry.

Her wide uncertain eyes land on me and I know I've made the right choice. I don't know how but I know.