Chapter 74


    Chapter 74


    HAZEL


    PRESENT TIME


    A mere week had passed since my birthday, and Elenor and I remained in an unsettling silence after


    our intense altercation on the penthouse doorstep. The heat of our argument still lingered in the air as


    we exchanged words that carried more weight than either of us intended. Elenor, unyielding in her


    stance, fervently pressed me to disclose Daisy’s secret to Ravel. Her reason? The current exciting and


    happy atmosphere supposedly lent itself as a perfect time to make the revtion. Yet, I found myself


    resisting, a feeling deep within me insisting that the timing wasn’t opportune.


    With each attempt, Elenor, driven by her unwavering belief, asserted that there would never be an ideal


    moment. Frustration boiled over, and my patience waned, leading me to unleash words that I now


    regret. The tension escted to the point where I, overwhelmed, angrily got into her waiting car.


    Astonishingly, she declined to apany me, instead instructing her chauffeur to transport me to the


    airport.


    My birthday had nearly been marred by the tension with Elenor, but my excitement for Ravel’s surprise


    buoyed my spirits, preventing our quarrel from casting too long a shadow. Determined to channel my


    emotions elsewhere, I engulfed myself in the rhythm of the treadmill, drowning out the world with music


    coursing through my headphones. Each footfall matched the machine’s pace as I poured my energy


    into the exercise. Unbeknownst to me, I shared the gym with an unexpectedpanion.


    The thumping of my own feet pounding the treadmill drowned out the environment so effectively that I


    failed to notice David’s presence until he appeared beside me, standing in close proximity. The sudden


    sight nearly caused me to lose my equilibrium, a near mishap on the treadmill reminding me of my


    surroundings. Swiftly disengaging the treadmill and stepping onto solid ground, I grabbed my towel to


    wipe away the sweat that had umted during my focused exertion.


    Breaking the silence, I finally addressed David, curiositycing my words. “How long have you been


    standing there?” I inquired, my hand reaching for a refreshing bottle of water resting on the bench.


    “Not long enough to figure out how to show you this,” David’s response carried an air of intrigue,


    leaving me to cast a sidelong nce his way. Taking a seat on the bench, I settled down, ready to hear


    whatever he had to share. “What’s going on? Did something happen at the office?” My inquisitive


    words hung in the air, awaiting an exnation.


    In response, David extended his phone toward me, a gesture apanied by a somewhat strained


    expression. His words held a hint of urgency. “I think you should go online and check the trending


    news.” His tone was almostced with a wince, sparking my concern even further.


    –


    A frown creased my forehead as I swiftly grabbed my own phone from the bench. A flood of


    notifications caught my attention, missed calls from Ravel, Elenor, and Agatha. The realization dawned


    upon me my absorption in the workout had inadvertently blocked out the world beyond my


    headphones.


    T


    Attempting to connect online, my focus was interrupted as the gym’s door burst open, and Agatha


    barged in, clearly winded. My eyes blinked in rapid session as I shifted my attention between her


    and my phone. Finally managing to ess the inte, my breath hitched at the sight of the news that


    awaited me, an unforeseen turn of events sending shockwaves through my being.


    RAVEL SOUTHWARK’S EX-WIFE ALLEGEDLY HAD A CHILD FOR HIM, A BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL


    CALLED DAISY WHO IS ALMOST THREE. THE PUBLIC ARE BAFFLED ON HOW THE EX-COUPLE


    MANAGED TO KEEP IT HIDDEN


    ALMOST FROM EVERYONE.


    The inte was aze with pictures of Daisy and me, thest one unmistakably taken yesterday at


    school. A surge of anger coursed through me as I realized that one of her teachers must have captured


    that moment. My hands balled into fists, my frustration palpable. “When was this released?” My voice


    carried a mix of urgency and disbelief.


    “An hour ago,” Agatha’s response came swiftly, her tone mirroring the bewilderment of the situation.


    Her fingers raked through her hair as she continued, her words tinged with concern. “Who could have


    released this? Who leaked the news?” A hint of exasperation colored her voice as she pondered the


    possibilities. “You think it’s the nanny?”


    My thoughts raced back to the heated argument with Elenor, and a gnawing suspicion surfaced in my


    mind. Suppressing


    panic, I rose from the bench, David and Agatha following suit. Stepping out of the gym, I immediately


    took charge. “Give Robertson a call and have him bring Daisy home. He should use the emergency


    parking lot,” I directed, a sense of urgency underscoring my words. The possibility of papara zzi


    swarming outside the school gates to capture images of Daisy was very real. How had things spiraled


    to this point?


    Agatha swiftly moved away to ce the call, and I moved with determination, heading toward the bar


    area. My query cut straight to the chase, a blend of frustration and concerncing my voice. “How


    many of them are outside my gate?”


    Taking a seat beside me, David’s response revealed the extent of the situation. “The papara zzi? I don’t


    know. I took the emergency parking lot,” he admitted, his tone somber. “But with the picture online,


    there are quite a lot of them outside.”


    I reached for a bottle of scotch and took a long swig, the warmth of the liquid momentarily numbing the


    chaotic thoughts racing through my mind. “Nobody is to use the emergency parking lot aside from my


    daughter,” I dered firmly, my frustration evident. The papara zzi would certainly take notice if we


    were seen entering or leaving the house through any route other than the main entrance, potentially


    sparking further invasive inquiries.


    David acknowledged my concerns, his hand finding its ce atop mine, a gesture meant to reassure.


    “Everything is going to be fine,” he uttered, though his words carried a tinge of uncertainty. His attempt


    at reassurance was appreciated, but the storm brewing within me was not so easily quelled. “Who do


    you think could have leaked that?” he inquired, his gaze seeking understanding.


    My mind circled back to Elenor, the most probable source of the leak given her knowledge of the


    secret. She held the knowledge, yes, but broadcasting it publicly rather than simply confiding in RavelN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    raised doubts about her being the sole culprit. “Honestly, I do not know who to point fingers at,” I


    admitted with exasperation.


    My phone vibrated on my hand and I nced at it, scoffing at the unfamiliar number. I ignored the call


    but it kepting until I angrily answered. “Who the f uck are you and what do you want?!” None of my


    business associates have my personal line, so I know for a fact that this isn’t business.


    “You will speak to me with respect you sneaky low life!” The familiar voice snarled. I don’t need any


    confirmation to know who is talking. “How dare you ask who is calling? Did you lose my number?”


    “I didn’t lose your number, I deleted it.” I corrected, setting the record straight. “If you were attentive,


    you would have noticed that I blocked you on WhatsApp too.”


    “I don’t care whether you blocked me or not!” She snapped, “I want to know why you hid the existence


    of that child away from my family?!”


    “F uck off Anne!” I hissed, “I have no business exining myself to you, and the next time you want to


    reach me, contact my f ucking secretary!” I disconnected the call, mming my phone on the counter


    and cursing loudly.


    “You need to take it easy Hazel,” David advised.


    My phone vibrated again before I could even respond. Picking it up, I red at Elenor’s name for a


    moment before answering the call. “Elenor?”


    “This has nothing to do with me.” She blurted out, “I have absolutely nothing to do with this news at all.


    I know what you’re thinking and I know how connected the situation is but this isn’t me. I didn’t betray


    you at all, you have to believe me.”


    “The fact that I don’t even know who did this is driving me crazy Elenor.” Someone is after me and I


    don’t even know who.


    It can’t be David because no matter how angry he was with me, he never wanted Ravel to know about


    the baby.


    “I’m going to help you figure this out, I promise.” She sighed when I didn’t respond. “Did Anne call


    you?”


    “Yeah, I just received her call before you called.”


    She cursed under her breath. “And what did she say?”


    “She was being her usual self and I ended the call on her.” Despite the tense situation, I found myself


    chuckling when Elenorplimented me for ending the call on Anne. “I have to go Elen, I’ll talk to you


    later.”


    “P.S., I think you should know that Ravel is on his way to Seattle. He left an hour ago.”