The Love of Lies

Connections

Ashton’s POV

We walked into Cori’s attorney’s office and the man’s smile dropped when he saw me.

“Hello Gregory.” Cori looks back at me in shock, clearly not understanding how the man and I are acquainted. “We’re here to fire you.” The attorney looks to Cori, almost pleading with her to reconsider, but before he can speak, I do. “Did you tell this young woman about the conflict you have in representing her?”

“What conflict? I’ve been retained to sue a private company, not your-” The man looks between Cori and I, understanding at once that he made a mistake because he’s a petty, dumb f*ck who thought he’d get away with ‘sticking’ one to my father under the guise of parental rights.

“Mom and dad are doing well, especially since you're no longer sending their clients off to your brother.” I sarcastically added that last bit, adding context for Cori who's smart enough to understand that she’s been used.

“You sent that letter for revenge?” She asks, looking at the man with a scrunched-up face. “I specifically told you that I did not want the father involved.”

“Yes but-”

“No buts; please release me as a client.”

“I can’t simply-”

“Sure you can. Otherwise, you will join Cori in an extortion lawsuit.” The man looks at me for a second, clearly too dumb to figure it out. “You sent that letter to my father, surely you can see why doing something like that may not be looked kindly upon considering your history with the man.”

Five minutes later and I’m reviewing the documents Cori was given. They are pretty standard, so I approve, and she signs, storming out of the office with Troy closely behind.

Troy’s POV

I don’t know what my brother’s intentions were when it came to Cori, and while I don’t think getting pregnant was part of his plan, he had to feel when the condom ‘broke.’

Julia and I have been having s*x for years, but because she doesn’t believe in birth control, we use protection. In all the time she and I have been together, we’ve experienced a broken condom twice. Both times were when we experimented with ones that were thinner, and I felt the moment that they weren’t there anymore.

There is no way Ashton couldn’t tell, and his reaction makes me think he didn’t care, which means that he’s responsible for Cori now, assuming he’s the father. His selfishness may have caused the poor girl to have her entire life turned upside down, and he doesn’t even seem remorseful about it.

All he keeps talking about is his life, and his pain, forgetting that they were both idiots, not just her.

The way Ashton mockingly stared at Cori when she was signing the documents in her attorney’s office was so demeaning that even I wanted to get away. She fled, so I chased after her, and she, unsurprisingly, snapped at me.

“Can I have a mental breakdown in peace?” I know what Cori means, but at the end of the day, I have to protect my family’s interests first. “This may be something normal for you, but this is a little too much for me.”

“I understand that, but Ashton-”

“I know… I already made myself look guilty by hiring an attorney, so you don’t have to explain. I just want to go home.” I feel bad for Cori, but she can’t go home. My mother has promised not to allow her to lose her apartment by paying the rent, but until paternity can be established, she isn’t leaving.

“It may not help, but Julia is already at the house.” Cori shrugs, and we load into the elevator as soon as Ashton joins us.

The girl is so quiet that I’m worried about her, but my girlfriend is good at cheering people up, so I hope she can help with her mood.

Cori’s POV

Julia showed me where I will be staying, and honestly, it's a beautiful room. She helped me unpack my extremely wrinkled clothing, scoffing at how they were shoved inside.

“You can thank your future brother-in-law for that; he said we didn’t have time.”

“Well, he’s going to pay to have all your uniforms professionally pressed.” The statement makes me remember that I work tonight, and I haven’t gotten any sleep at all.

“Can you call out?”

“I don’t have a phone.” Confusion flashes on the woman’s face before she realizes that it's been taken from me.

She hands me her device, and I call my unit, relieved when they tell me they were looking to cancel someone because there is a low census.

Not wanting to push my luck, I give Julia back her phone, and she excuses herself, saying that she’s going to order food for us. I took the opportunity to check the restroom, glad that I packed my soap.

Feeling exhausted, I shower and curl into the bed, hating that it's actually comfortable, but before sleep can consume me, my shoulder is being patted and the smell of something delicious is being shoved at me.

“Mom cooked, so I didn’t have to order. You didn’t come out of the room, so I brought you a plate.” My stomach growls loudly, and I take the dish, impressed by its taste.

My mother and I used to cook a lot, so I know a thing or two. The sauce isn’t bottled, and the beef is expertly seasoned.

I become embarrassed when I realize that I'm inhaling the dish, but Julia isn't looking at me like a pig, she looks… sad.

"This must be devastating for you."

"Devastating is losing the only person in the world who loves you," I reply. "This is just a minor setback. When I convince Ashton and his family that I don't want anything from them, I will move on with my life."

"And his baby…"

"It's not his, it's mine,” I confidently reply.

*TWO DAYS LATER*

My first day back to work since moving, Ashton insisted on driving me himself, despite the fact that I don’t want to be anywhere near him. Julia and Troy came to help keep the peace, but when we pulled up, the man got out with me, telling the couple to wait for him.

“I know my way to work,” I say, hoping that the man gets the hint; I don’t want people to see us together.

“I’m not here for you.” I shrug and start walking toward the entrance, and although Ashton said he wasn’t at the hospital for me, he ignored several elevators that were pretty much empty. “Aren’t you going to step inside?”

“I will when I feel like it.” The man and I just stand at the elevators until security approaches, asking me if I were okay. I worked here long enough for the man to recognize me, but before I could ask him to call the police, the doctor from my unit exited an elevator, looking at Ashton with wide eyes.

“Mr. Lewis, what brings you around?”

“I’m actually here to see you and your wife. I’m curious to see where my donation will be used.” The man looks at his watch and I can tell that he’s conflicted, but then his eyes fall on me.

“Ms. Russo, I have a patient to see at the main hospital. Can you please escort Mr. Lewis to my wife's office?”

“Sir, I don’t think I’m qualified for such an important task.”

“Sure you are, I’ll call the unit for you.”

“Maybe a more experienced nurse should-”

“Ms. Russo, you’ve been out for two days. Right now, the women tending to the children are better equipped. I understand that you may be nervous around someone you may not want to offend, but Mr. Lewis is a nice guy.” I nod, not wanting to destroy my relationship with the physician, so I put on a friendly face and ask Ashton to follow me.

The man does, and I take him to the administrative floor, where the hospital director was already waiting. The woman practically ran to Ashton, letting me know that the man has connections that would destroy my future.

I get what he’s doing, and it's working, so I won’t try anything when he leaves me alone; the message was that clear.

“Mr. Lewis, allow me to have someone better suited to show you around,” the woman says, gesturing to a woman who I recognize as her daughter.

“I would prefer to be toured around by someone who works directly with the patients I’ve donated to help,” he says, taking away the escape that was just offered to me.

“Absolutely, my daughter is a care plan liaison, and she often meets with the children and their families, so she is perfect for the job.” I think I’m saved, but once again, Ashton denies the offer.

“I’m kind of worried that you are afraid of what this nurse will tell me.” The director blanches, and after reading my name tag, she asks me to take Mr. Lewis anywhere he wants to go.

I turn to the man, asking him what he would like to see, and he tells me that he wants to go to my unit, so I take him, but once we’re out of the director’s sight, I don’t plan to take him anywhere.

Fortunately, the woman heard and followed us, giving me a way out when they started to discuss hospital finances and what contributions from people like him mean for the hospital.

“Damn he’s hot,” the charge nurse says, patting my shoulder to get my attention. “You were in the elevator with him, right newbie? What does he smell like?”

“Like a disgusting, womanizing jerk,” I reply, and I’m met with silence.

“That sounded personal,” the woman says, and I quickly tell her a true story but without mentioning my role.

“He was with someone I know, and she later found out that he was committed to someone else. He can be rich and handsome, but he’s some poor woman's nightmare.” It’s me; I’m that woman, but I don’t say that.

“The pretty ones are always the worst,” Kim says, earning herself a series of hums from the other nurses who are eavesdropping. “But on a serious note, don’t let him hear you say that. His family just agreed to sponsor this wing.”

“As in, the whole floor?” The woman nods excitedly, but I feel trapped.

With the kind of money I know it will take to upgrade and run this place, all Ashton has to do is snap his fingers and I’ll lose everything.

Fortunately, he is actually the father of my baby, but I hope that he lets me go without confirming. That way, I don’t have to deal with his condescending attitude or his fiancé.

Ashton’s POV

Cori is really good at ignoring me, and because I genuinely liked the girl, it bothers me more than it should.

This was her chance to show off her connection to me, but instead, she pretended not to know who I was, and for that, I chose to make her evening at work miserable.

I forgot all about Julia and Troy, who had to call me, and when I told them what I was doing and why, it was them who pointed out how stupid I sound.

I want Cori to do exactly what I’ve accused her of wanting to do, and although she said she doesn’t want that, I don’t believe her, and yet, I’m angry that she isn’t doing it.

I feel like I’m going crazy in this situation, and the fact that the woman is beautiful does nothing to make the situation easier on me.

Eventually, I relent, and leave, hoping that Cori got the message I was sending about how deep my connections run in this city. If she’s smart, she won’t try to run away, but if she does, she’ll have nothing to return to.