Chapter Six
The following week she went out for a walk to try to catch some fresh air. Tony hadn’t been in touch, but from what she’d heard a new takeover bid was happening; and he needed to be there.
She thought about the way he had acted at the charity ball, about his possessive nature, which then led her to think about what they’d done up against the wall. Her insides clenched when she thought about his hands on her body.
Smiling, she passed a newspaper stand. Glancing over each paper and magazine her eyes were held by one in particular. Without much thought she paid the man and took the magazine. Across the road was a park. She took a seat on one of the secluded benches. On the front cover it had a huge spread of the charity ball with Tony being the main man of the event. As she turned the pages, her tummy dipped. She felt dizzy and sick. The centre fold was a comparison of her and Rita Brooke. One of the photographs was of Tony and Rita dancing. They looked like the true celebrity couple. The successful businessman and the model. On the opposite page was a picture of her dancing with Tony. She didn’t look mature or worldly like Miss Brooke.
The caption read, “Which one would you choose?”
Biting her lip she read the article which contained most of their past. The humiliation at the church and the subsequent scandal that followed, even down to certain rumours she’d gotten pregnant to trap Tony.
In the morning sunlight, her engagement ring and wedding band glinted in the light. He said he wouldn’t let her go. Did he have much of a choice? From the looks of the pictures in the magazine she hindered his career more than she helped it.
A couple of women passed, jogging. The tears fell as the enormity of her decision plagued her.
Getting up from her park, she dumped the magazine and her heart in the nearest trash bin. With nothing to do with her day than to twiddle her thumbs, she walked to Richard’s office building.
The walk took over an hour, but she didn’t mind. With Tony’s latest demands she couldn’t get a job, and she knew he’d find a way of stopping her.
Scarlet no longer worked for him, and so another woman made her sit out and wait. She heard him shouting down the phone seconds before he appeared in his doorway.
“I don’t want that man on my phone again. Get me some coffee,” he said and turned to go back in when he stopped and saw her. “Opal, what are you doing here?”
“I was told to wait.”
He turned to glare at his secretary. “From now on you send her straight into my office, do you understand me?”
The woman nodded and left with her tail between her legs. Opal followed him into his office.
“What brings the pleasure of your visit?” he asked.
“I take it the new secretary isn’t looking up?” she said instead.
“No. Practically useless. Scarlet would never keep you outside. She knows family come first.”
“Maybe you could get her to work for you again?” she said.
“In her condition she needs to rest. Enough about me and my life. What about yours?”
She took the seat in front of his desk. “I wanted to ask you a question.”
“Shoot.”
“Well, it’s not a question really. I was wondering if you knew a lawyer who would be willing to handle a divorce case.”
“On what grounds?”
“Mutual misunderstanding. A separation of sorts.”
“Opal, who’s this divorce for?” Richard asked.
“For me....and Tony,” she said.
“Does he know about your feelings? Haven’t you tried to work something out?”
Opal glanced around the room. This is why she didn’t want her brother handling the marriage. He asked too many questions, and she’d already caused a rift in their friendship.
“I don’t need to talk about it. I think it’s time I let Tony go his own way. We’re not compatible or anything, and I don’t want to bring him any further shame.” The tears were so close to the surface.