An Interview with Mr. Ex

Chapter 2: Devil In Disguise

Chapter 2: Devil In Disguise

(Present- Jade's office)

(Jade)

Jade picked up the file Megan had placed in front of her with two finger just as she had once picked her son's poop-filled dirty diaper. At least she knew what exactly was inside the diaper. This... this was worse than that. This was much harder.

This is work, Jade told herself, but she knew, Megan knew, too. This was not just another interview she had to do. This would be more, more than work.

It is personal. I can not smile and talk with him like it is nothing. He will break me and I will slip.

Jade had been working as an anchor and news reader at MIB news, one of the local TV channels in L.A. It was run by Isaac Brent, CEO of MIB Networks, and his wife, Megan Brent. Megan and Isaac had been married for two and half years now.

Isaac's father, Isaac Senior, was the one who started MIB networks and it had just been a seedling then. Now it had grown into a considerable tree.

And every Saturday, they have a live broadcast show about famous, influential people, to show how their lives would inspire us to follow our dreams and hopes. A live interview with personalities who have brought a change in the world of business, IT, art, culture, education, whatever. Men, women, girls, boys. Influential people who talked about what pushed them, what helped them. It was the easy part. The difficult part was meeting them and collecting actual facts about them, what made them tick and turn and live and achieve.

It was almost like detective work, and Jade loved unearthing hidden gems about people, but... not this time.

This Saturday, it was Jared Wilson. Jade's worst nightmare. Her ex-husband, who had not really become an Ex, seeing how he still had a death hold on her heart.

Unfortunately, Olivia, who was scheduled to do the interview, was leaving because her mother had an accident, and Jade had to take her place, a place Jade didn't want to take. But it looked more and more like she couldn't slip away from this horrendous job.

"So, about Rochelle or Nate?" Jade prodded again, hoping against hope Megan would give up.

“Rochelle has an appointment with Chef Locks about her new cook book and Nate will be covering the charity gala at Mercy Memorial hospital, Jade. You know all that, you are the one who made it all happen, so... You know I would not be begging you if I had another option, Jade." Megan said with a sigh that felt too impatient. "This is getting kind of repetitive, Jade."

“Then change the date, please, what about next Saturday? Nate could do it then?” Jade's voice was weak, begging—she had never sounded this weak in a while now—and it was so strange to hear herself talk like that. She had worked so hard to come out of her prison and she hated that just his name was enough to pull her back inside that self-made prison of hers. She hated that he still had that power over her.

"You are not this weak, fragile thing, Jade. Not anymore. And I won't let you do this to yourself, again, not for him. Never again." Megan sounded almost furious. "And I can't change the date." Megan sighed as she rubbed her temples as if Jade was giving her a headache.

Of course, not. She can not change the date.

"I know I am not weak or fragile anymore. But just thinking about him makes me feel like everything is going to crash. I think about Cole, and I am so afraid-" Jade stopped and grabbed her head with both her hands. She looked so tired, so lost. It was as if just the thought of him was enough to suck her of her energy, her passion, her everything.

Anyone who has ever heard Jade talk and debate and argue and question a man or a woman in front of her wouldn't believe Jade could ever be weak or uncertain or anything but strong, clear, authoritative and direct.

When she talked, she talked without mumbling or hesitating—years of practice had finally paid back in full. She talked like she knew what she was doing. She handled even the most tight-lipped, difficult men and women expertly during her interviews. She never backed down from angry retorts and vehement threats—yes, someone had once threatened her on live TV, but Jade had just handed him a glass of water, asked him to take a deep breath and smiled at him.

That was why Jade had a high viewership rate, good ratings and a big fan base who followed her almost religiously, waiting to see her work her magic and charm and sharp tongue. They loved how sure she was of herself, how confident and strong and kind, as well.

She was professional, unapologetic and proud of who she was, who she had become after years of stumbling and stuttering, but... talking with him would shatter her carefully composed work life. Her mask would slip and everyone would see the stark truth. In the bright lights.

“Jade, come on, babe, this is stupid. You do need to let the past go. Take this as a closure you really need. You never really had an actual closure, and it is still messing with you. Finish this chapter. You need to close that horrible book and move on." Megan said with a frown. "It has been too long and it is still weighing you down."

Easy to ask, but difficult to do. After all, Jade had tried, hadn't she? Move on. She had tried to move on with all her heart, but it was hard. She couldn't. She was stuck on that page, reading the same lines over and over again. Of course, she wanted to close the damned book—there was only heartbreak and tears and hurt and turmoil—but the book was unending. Infinite chapters of the same broken words. It dragged on and on, dragging her heart along, bruising and breaking it.

"What do you suggest I should do?" Jade asked with a helpless frown.

"Move on. If not for him, for yourself, Jade. Forgive. Or just forget. Something. Anything. Why do you keep insisting on hanging on to the past, and him, Jade? Just cut the rope that was tethering you to him. It is a shackle and you are the one who is not willing to cut it off. Do this interview. Prove to him and yourself that your life is better now without him. This might actually help you, Jade." Megan looked at Jade with worry in her eyes.

“Move on? Let the past go? How do you suggest I do it?” Jade was angry. It was only Megan who knew everything about Jade's life and still here she was...

Why is Megan insisting on doing this? To me? She knows... she knows I can not do anything about him.

“Meet him, talk to him and show him—and yourself— that he doesn’t affect you anymore, show him the woman you have become... this strong, confident, independent, unapologetic, amazing woman, without him holding you back. Show him that you haven't stopped living, stopped existing. Make him regret everything he has ever done.”

If only it was that easy, Jade thought sarcastically.

Yes, she was proud of the woman she had become, strong, loyal, independent, but... Yes, there was a but. Always that but, hanging around, making her doubt herself.

Even seeing him in the magazines and television affected her. How could she meet him again, face to face, without having a meltdown? Or a screaming match. No way in hell.

“Are you insane? Hell yes, he still affects me. You know that.” Jade said as she pressed her hands to her eyes. Be it a nightmare, she prayed, wished. And go away, Megan.

“Then take this as a challenge, say good-bye to the past, Jade. Go on, babe, it is about time.” Megan said, as she looked at Jade with her no-nonsense look. "Just let go.Holding on to him is destroying the essence of you, it is damaging your roots."

Megan shook her head as her eyes assessed her friend thoroughly.

She knew Jared Wilson had hurt Jade in impossible ways. Jade deserved better.

Even back in their college days, Jared was an egoistic, insolent, conceited man who was full of glib remarks and careless smirks. He had kissed Jade, he had befriended her, had a relationship that was more madness than anything, he had dated her and he had married her and, through it all, Megan had always seen that constant look of disregard, that disinterest in his eyes.

All through college, their love was like a storm, like madness and Jade had never found anything wrong with him, or the way they loved, of course, because she was so blind in love. They were both each other's best and worst possible parts.

He was Jade's happiness, once and when he had broken up their marriage, Jade was broken, bleeding and Megan hated him all the more for doing that to Jade. Anyone who knew Jade and how much she had loved Jared would have known that Jade would've never done anything to spoil her relationship, her love with Jared. Except Jared. The man was blind and he broke their marriage and broke Jade. And Megan feared that Jade might always be stuck in that place. She worried about her friend and her happiness.

What could be a better opportunity than this? Jade really did need to move on.

Megan hadn't planned for it or anything, and she was even angry when her husband told her that he had asked for an interview with

Jared Wilson, CEO of TechNets, one of the fastest growing software and technology company that specialized in development of softwares, applications for mobile phones and was slowly finding a foot in the global market. He was also casting a wider net in electronics manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence as per the Business magazines her husband religiously would read. Yes, his resume was impressive, his success story was an inspiration, but his personality, not so much.

Megan had vehemently opposed it at first, but her husband refused to back down. And then when Oliva couldn't do it, Megan slowly realized that this might become the kind of closure her friend desperately needed, when Isaac asked her to ask Jade do the interview.

But now looking at her friend, Megan worried. What if she was wrong?

“How can I say goodbye to the past? How can I do that, when it is walking in front of my face every moment, every hour?” Jade's voice shook. "I try so hard, but sometimes I just can't forget-"

"You don't have to forget, you just have to forgive." Megan said past her own doubt.

"I can not forgive, either. I am like an addict. I tell myself to let go, let go of everything that made me miserable, but then I wake up and he is still there in the forefront of my thoughts, still laughing, smiling, scowling, glaring."

After holding on to him, even through the pain and hatred, for so, so long, Jade feared it would take away a part of her. The part that kept her stable, she was scared that her life would fall apart if she let go of him.

"But how long are you going to torment yourself with thoughts of him? How long are you going to live in the darkness? Letting go of him might find the holes in your walls and shine the sunrise through them, but you are so stubborn to even try-"

"Easier said than done," Jade quipped as she grabbed at the damn file, like it was some slithering snake.

"I love you, Jade, but this time I can't really do anything about it. Isaac wants you to do it," with that Megan left, leaving Jade to her thoughts.

“And then I will break again...” Jade closed her face with her hands and scolded herself for being so weak. She wasn't weak. She shouldn't be weak. Maybe Megan was right, maybe meeting him again could bring her the kind of closure she deserved, but she wasn't optimistic enough. It might either bring closure or it would open that pit of emptiness, back again. Was she ready to find out which one of them was hiding behind this obscurity?

As Jade sat there rigidly, Megan watched her best friend from the side door, her heart aching. She wanted to go to her and hug her and protect her from everything, especially from Jared Wilson, but she didn't. She couldn't. This time she had to watch.

This had to happen, or Jade would waste her life, pining over someone who didn't deserve her time or her. Jade had to move on. Jade had to live again.

"It will be over, Jade and then you will be alright. You will be. You have to be." Megan whispered.

If I die and go to hell, I am bringing you along, Meg... Jade thought with a vicious frown as she opened the folder, narrowing her eyes at the man brooding into the camera.

And you...what the hell are you looking at? She glared at the photograph. It looked like he was taunting her with that small smile in his eyes. If you do anything, anything to make me angry, I will castrate you.

Jade still remembered the first day she had met him. She was fresh out of high school and scared out of her mind, she was trying too hard to avoid everyone, everything, and when she hadn't looked, he had barged in and bumped into her like a very rude, very fast storm. Before she could understand what it was or stabilize her heart, he had broken all the walls and...

Meeting him was either fate or an extremely bad luck. Knowing her life, it must be the latter... ...

Oh, fate, you are such a perfect b*tch.

___