Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Chris and I stay for another ten minutes, then I have to return to the office. I walk him to the exit, we hug, and I go back to my desk.
Jace's door is open and I peer in. He's not there. I go back to work, updating his schedule and answering calls as they come in though they've reduced considerably from the previous week. As Jace had predicted, the media did discover which clinic it was. It turned out to be the Maritim Fertility Clinic and I feel sorry for them for the backlash they're receiving.
Jace returns to the office a few minutes later. I'm engrossed in my work and I only notice him when he's standing a few feet from my desk.
"How was your coffee with Chris?" Jace asks.
"It was fine. He came to say goodbye," I tell him.
"I saw you just before you left. I was having coffee with Dylan," Jace says.
For some reason, my heart beats faster, even though I've not done anything wrong.
"You two looked very intense," Jace says.
I let out a laugh. "Our conversations often turn out that way," I tell him in what I hope is a casual voice.
"Where's your ring?" Jace asks.
He's only just noticing that I haven't worn it all day. "It's in my purse. I'm not quite ready to show it off to everyone. Not while I'm still working here. It'll be weird."
He nods in understanding and relief surges through me. I turn my attention back to work and Jace gets the message and goes to his office. I call him an hour later to remind him of a meeting he has in the conference room with HR. He leaves shortly after.
I leave at half past twelve for my meeting with Ivy. I opt to take an Uber rather than my car and in ten minutes, I'm downtown at a small deli that Ivy suggested. She's already there and I'm delighted and petrified in equal measure.
"Hi," she says, standing up to hug me.
I hug her back and can't help but think whether she'll ever want to talk to me after this. "Hi," I say as I sit down. "Thanks for agreeing to meet with me."
"No problem and I have to admit that I’m curious," she says. "Being a writer makes me naturally curious." She smiles.
A server comes to get our order. I’m too nervous to eat anything and I order plain coffee. I’ve had too much coffee today but it's been that kind of day. Ivy orders coffee and a grilled chicken sandwich, reminding me of my dinner with Jace. I'll miss such simple normal days.
Ivy folds her hands on the table and looks at me. "So, what's going on?"
I inhale deeply and exhale. This has got to be the most nerve-wracking thing I've ever done. I remind myself that it's going to be the second most nerve-wracking. I have to face Jace as well and watch his handsome face crease and then disintegrate with heartbreak. I can't think of that now. If I go down that road, I'll lose my nerve and not do the right thing with Ivy.
"Where do I start?" I'm thinking aloud. "Okay. First of all, I'm not really a personal assistant. I'm a magazine writer." I swallow hard.
Ivy's face becomes a mask. I can't tell what she's thinking or feeling.
"I was sent by my magazine to work undercover at The Anderson Clinic to see if I can uncover malpractices."
Her mask slips and she looks horrified. She covers her mouth with her hand.
"The reason I'm telling you this is because a couple came forward last week with a story about the clinic. Mike and Susan Clark." I pause to give her time to digest what I just said.
“Oh, my God,” Ivy says and my heart goes out to her.
The server comes with our order and I take a sip of my hot coffee. It burns my throat as it goes down but right now, I don’t care. Ivy sips her coffee too, but I notice that her hands are trembling.
“Because I’m already working undercover at the clinic,” I continue when the server leaves, “my editor gave me the assignment to interview them, which I did on Saturday.”
Ivy’s eyes darken.
“If I didn’t, someone else from the magazine would have done it,” I say. “And if my magazine didn’t interview them, another publication would have.”
“Does Jace know all this?” Ivy finally asks.
I shake my head. Pain spreads across my chest.
"Why did you come to me?"
"I guess I wanted to give you some form of warning because it's your story. It's unfair for you to find out when the story goes public on Saturday."
She lets out a hiss. "The issue comes out Saturday?"
I nod. "I had an idea and I want to know what you think about it. But first, I want you to understand that I won't publish or write anything that you told me in confidence."