Zemira

Trust was a frighteningly enchanting word. Whom or what one trusted made all the difference. I had trusted the interview to go well. I had faith that Antonio would iron out any wrinkle in our concocted tale.

My beliefs had betrayed me. Like a snake on the hunt, it had coiled its ominous hold around me, wringing me of my will to fight.

After weighing our options, Dad and I decided to give Leo a chance.

Setting aside what the media had dubbed his 'misanthropic' life, he was ready to help us. In a desperate moment, I realized I had taken the plunge to trust again.

The parking lot at Leo's company was vacant and so were the floors and cubicles. I pointed towards one translucent walled glass office, showing my father the way.

My chest felt heavy as I walked towards the brightly lit room, buzzing with life amidst eerie emptiness.

As we approached the office, my subdued logic woke from its slumber.

There could be only one reason why the Brentons hadn't discarded me like a used tissue. They needed my help to refurbish Antonio's tattered image. It was foolish to believe that Leo would prioritize me.

Nobody would hold water over blood.

Upon entering the office, I was greeted by Haley and Antonio's brooding faces. Leo sat in a corner, looking outside. He turned in his chair when the door creaked open, and the cold in his eyes made the hair behind my neck stand.

He wasn't the funny man or the errand boy today. He tilted his head, commanding us to enter.

This was not Leo. I was meeting with Sergeant Brenton.

Something about seeing him, the way he tucked his chin over his knuckles, lips pursed and his intense gaze looking at every single paper on his desk had me believe we might find a way out of this.

While I was still new to this game with the media, Antonio and Leo were aces. They knew what they were doing, especially Leo. I recognised it from the way he talked to me over the call that commanded me to adhere.

Leonardo Brenton may just be the man who might save me.

"Zemira."

Antonio's voice floated over before he approached me, palms facing out. As soon as I took them, the stifling tension in the air settled.

"You kids talk. I need to have a word with Dave," Dad said, moving out.

The Brentons and Fords hadn't always been friends.

Only a few years ago, my father and Dave Brenton had realized how profitable it was to work together.

The ill-fated alliance had continued with Antonio and me, who had decided to take it a step further, not realizing that our publicity stunt would scald us.

"Zem, I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Antonio's words, the tremor in his voice, exuded guilt. "I didn't even know I was being..."

"Hey," I gave his hands a gentle squeeze. "This isn't your fault. You need to stop blaming yourself."

In my periphery, I registered Leonardo shifting his weight as if he was uncomfortable with my remark. Ignoring him, I focused on Antonio.

"I can't get over the fact that of all the things I had taken care of, of all the priorities, I missed this." Antonio lowered his head closer to my face. I could tell, he was desperate to confess. "You wouldn't have done such a thing. I know you. Even if you would have been reckless, you'd still be careful."

"Let the past stay where it is," I said.

There was no gain in sulking. With time draining out, the need to act quickly surmounted.

I moved with Antonio to the centre of the room, addressing him.

"Is there anything else we need to know, Anto? Like, any other woman–"

"No." His voice sprang out as if he was miffed by my accusation. "It was a one-time thing. I was filmed without consent."

"And we're not inquiring into it... for now..." Leo rose from his seat, crossing the room. "Right now, we focus on damage control."

"And we're doing everything in our power to control the narrative. It's taking a bit of time but it will be done." Haley said, typing on her phone.

Her voice and her shoulders drooped with the weight of responsibilities.

I realized it wasn't just her who felt the slap of failure. The whole team looked defeated. Even Leo, who had distanced himself from us since the inception.

"BNF and ATR news are refusing to take it down, Leo." Haley clutched her wrist. "They're milking it out. Some other channel is planning a sexpert segment, on how to keep your man happy in bed so he doesn't wander."

"File for defamation, injunction, anything," I said, pointing between her and Antonio. "Let them know, we won't take it lying down."

"Zemira, you are new to this so let me explain. These channels are like wild animals. They'll protect their hunt." Haley rebutted, looking up at the ceiling before focusing back on her phone. "It's not like a doctored video or something that I can prove and get it removed. It's real. And getting real things off air takes time."

Haley sat on the chair, clutching her phone. Soft incoming message chimes from her phone made me aware of how hard she had been trying.

"You're right, I'm new to this. But I know a thing or two about consent. The video was taken without Antonio's consent, Hales." I knelt in front of her. "I don't know if this helps but maybe we can try on privacy lines or something."

"I could try that..." She began typing faster than before, not focusing on anyone. Her fingers swiped up and down her screen, left and right before typing harder.

Swish.

"I've my people on it, Zem." She looked up, a glimmer of hope dancing in her hazel eyes. "Hope this will work. Else, we move to stricter means."

For people married to perfection, even a small glitch in the plan proved catastrophic.

Since our college days, Haley had analyzed little things over and over, picking her world apart, detail by detail. Even now, she did the same.

"From my limited knowledge, I believe the girl who recorded Antonio was part of someone else's plan. She didn't call asking for money, did she? " I asked Antonio, drawing his attention back to me. He pursed his lips, nodding. "It shows she wasn't there to extort him. She was a pawn used by someone to get to him."

The place fell quiet, all three of my partners-in-ruse pondering my words.

"Right now we want to focus on you and Antonio," Leo said. When I began nodding against his suggestion, a muscle twitched in his jaw.

"Right now we need to focus on fighting it, Leo. By any means possible."

Haley's infectious enthusiasm reemerged and so did Antonio's faded smile. Both pulled their phones out, typing up at a lightning pace before escaping through the door with hope springing their steps.

Leo stayed back, falling into his seat and donning the cloak of silence.

I stood near the long glass panes, viewing the streets from the magnificent Brenton towers. Passersby looked like miniature people and the buildings looked like Lego blocks. From outside, the panes reflected the skies. On the inside, it hid our lies and deceit.

"How are you doing?" Leo's voice broke my thoughts.

He dragged the chair closer to the desk. His elbows rested atop, hands intertwined to hide the lower half of his face.

"Navy blue color suits you," I said, pointing to his matching blazer and tie. It was a refreshing look. "And I'm doing fine. Thank you for asking."

"Good to know." His posture erected. "I was worried. You were in shock when I carried you to your room."

His words cleared the hazy reality of my rescue. It ran tingles over my skin, a surge of gratitude, rising from the depths of my soul.

He cared enough to help. He had come to protect me.

"It was you?" I asked, blinking a few times.

Had Leo been somewhere nearby to have come to my aid? Surely, he must have come to support Antonio and had taken me up as the charity case.

There was no other rationale to justify his help.

"Unless you suddenly developed the ability to fly!" Leo teased, standing and circling his desk. "Yes ma'am, it was me."

"Ma'am!" My voice sprang. "Just because I was mauled in the media doesn't mean you have to treat me like some helpless old woman."

"Ma'am isn't an insult, Zem." Leo crossed his arms over his chest, eyes blazing in defense. "It's what I call any woman."

"Really?" I moved back from the window, squaring up at him. "You call your girlfriend that?"

"No. I just..."

"So your girlfriend isn't a woman?"

"She is. It's just-"

"It's just what? Why do I feel you love rescuing me?" I was done taking pity as a donation, especially from him. "Tell me I'm wrong, Leo? Tell me you don't consider me some fragile little girl, in desperate need of a bubble wrapping."

The gratitude I felt for him took a deviant route. It turned into something acrid and spewed into my blood, keying me up for revenge.

A minute ago, I was overwhelmed by Leo's kindness, for his selfless act. But when I saw the pity flash in his eyes, my pride laid siege to my mind.

"You felt sorry for me because I was in shock! Or was it my inability to handle the attention that made you pity me?" If words could slice, Leo would be laying in a pool of regret. "You think of me like a scared little lamb, don't you?"

"Zem, you are putting words in my mouth. I meant no such thing."

"Really?" I closed our distance. "So you didn't start the Zem Zem or whatever crap the newspapers call me? Or that you laughed when some report asked you if Antonio could do better."

"Zemira..." Leo raised his hands in surrender. "That was me being playful. It was me teasing them so they don't publish something about how arrogant I was with them. This wasn't what-"

"What? You never thought it would spiral out? You kept feeding the media whatever they liked and they began snooping more into our lives. And look what has happened..."

"Don't," Leo growled. "Don't blame me for my brother's mistakes, Zemira."

"It could have been us, on that video."

Hissing, Leo ground his teeth together.

"I wasn't so stupid to leave a trail." His anger erupted, echoing inside the office. "I bought the security tapes. Being a Brenton comes with a price, Zem. A price, Antonio hasn't yet learned to pay."

Leo turned his back to me like seeing me irked him more. The new information filled the air, thick and suffocating. My anger was snuffed out but Leo's wasn't.

"For whatever it's worth, I used to call my girlfriend ma'am, out of respect. That's what real men do. They respect women."

With heavier steps, he walked over to the door, tossing it open.

"I am sorry, Leo." There was no shame in admitting that I had been wrong. "I didn't mean... I mean... I said all that..."

His actions were faster than a fired bullet. Shutting the door, he moved back to hold me in his embrace. Musky cologne calmed my senses.

"I know, you didn't mean it. You just needed to vent," he said, wiping the misty corners of my eyes. "Feeling better now?"

My throat pricked, my eyes burning at his gesture, but I couldn't cry. I allowed the tears to dry up under the warmth of his hold.

"Much better. I officially claim you as my punching bag, if that's alright with you."

Peeling off his arms from around my back, I nodded. "I officially claim you as my punching bag, if that's alright with you."

"Happy to oblige, ma'am," he said, pulling out tissues from a nearby box and handing them to me. "Just give me a heads up. I'll have an ambulance in waiting for me."

The screaming match had been cathartic. My body felt lighter. The weight I felt on my chest shifted. Though it didn't disappear completely, it wasn't constricting my lungs.

"So tell me, how do we go about this?" I asked, pulling our attention back to the drawing board.

"I was thinking, we can have a press statement. Haley could do it. Or I can-"

"No. Noo. Nooo," I waved my arms around. "You cannot face the media. They'll chop you up into pieces."

"And roast me with thyme and butter?" He asked with a grin that begged to be wiped away.

"That's only for celebrities. That'd toss your worthless pieces in the trash."

"All my pieces are worthy, I'll have you know." Leo placed his hand over his chest, faking hurt. "You wound me, Zem Zem."

"Man up, Leo Leo."

"You have a way of riling me up, Ford..." Something dark swirled in his eyes as he moved a step closer.

"Likewise, Brenton."

~

Within an hour of announcing the press gathering, we stood outside the conference room that buzzed with people. Ready with their cameras and recorders, everyone was prepared to catch us off-guard... yet again.

"You're ready?" Leo checked Haley's cue cards and stacked them up before handing them to her.

"Yes. I'll only talk about what we discussed. Nothing else."

Though her words pacified my exteriors, my insides were on fire. It would remain so till these shenanigans were over.

"Good. And if they ask questions?" Leo was being thorough, a bit too thorough.

"No response. And I walk," she smiled and tapped his cheeks.

"Will it work?" Antonio asked. His palms were clasped in a knot, his lips turned painted an angry red from all the biting.

"It will work. I'm sure," Leo said, delivering a confident nod.

We stood at a safe distance, sending Haley into the lion's den.

My heart banged into my ribs. I chewed on my cuticles.

"Bad habit." Leo pulled my hand away from my mouth, holding onto it. "Don't do it."

Haley's voice boomed from inside the room.

"Thank you for gathering at such short notice. We understand that the public has questions and concerns regarding the video that was released today. On behalf of Zemira and Antonio, I would like to extend gratitude for your ongoing support during this challenging time."

She cleared her throat. 

"Though we wish to answer your questions and alleviate your concerns, our primary concern at this time is for Zemira and Antonio's safety and welfare. As such, we thank you for your cooperation and privacy while we evaluate the veracity of the video in question. In the meantime, I would like to offer assurance that the Ford and Brenton families remain strong in their commitment to each other and to the welfare of their employees and consumers."

The mic screech marked the end of her statement. Relief washed over me.

A second later, the room burst into chaos. Questions roared.

"Are Zemira and Antonio still together?"

"Why would she still be with a man who cheated on her?"

"Is Zemira's past the reason, Antonio cheated?"

"Get out, Haley. Get out." Leo chanted under his breath. There were no signs of her. All that emerged was her feeble voice.

"No further questions, please."

The uproar only turned louder. The questions were more bitter.

"You think anyone would marry Zemira if she breaks up?"

"What is her current condition? Is she livid?"

Leo dropped my hand.

"That's it," he snapped and strode into the conference room.

"Leo, no!" I shouted.

"Leo." Antonio rushed behind him but it was too late.

The microphone screeched.

"How cruel can you people be?" Like the words of an oracle, Leo's question calmed everything.

I turned to the palest version of Antonio, pleading, "Do something."

"It can't be undone, Zem," Antonio said, moving to my side, and sliding down on the floor.

The ringing in my ears increased when Leo's voice emerged once more.

"Your fixation on Zemira is making her life miserable." The intensity of his tone made the floors vibrate

The mirage of silence broke an instant later, shattered by questions about the marriage, merger, and infidelity.

"Drop the mic and get out of there, Leo," I chanted, hoping for a miracle as I inched closer to the door.

At that moment, I wasn't afraid to face the cameras. I would face anything, to help the man who had helped me.

I held the cold doorknob, readying my carcass for the media scavengers.

"The Ford-Brenton relationship and its future are secure." The heat of Leo's words hit my face as I slid the door open. "Zemira Ford remains a member of our family. But..." A brief pause, when he turned towards the door and saw me. "I'll be the one marrying her."

~

And boom goes the dynamite...

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