CHAPTER 42
Austyn watched Paul close the door on his way out.
So she had an inkling.
Austyn smiled.
The girl was sharper than other people gave her credit for.
But she was barking up the wrong tree here.
Paul wouldn't dare give away his boss' name if his life depended on it.
After that talk with Elsie, Austyn got a clearer picture of his young wife and how proud she could be.
She'd gone to great lengths to butter him up, but in the end, simply couldn't bring herself to grovel. Austyn decided it was best that she not know about his involvement in her getting the job.
"Gimme a minute,' Lexi said as she jogged into the bathroom.
Kira held her colleague's briefcase and waited outside.This text is © NôvelDrama/.Org.
She used the time to flip through the files again.
Lexi was bringing her to visit a client and she wanted to be prepared.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey..."
'Giana, what's up? Kira said as she answered her ringing phone.
'How are you feeling?' her best friend asked.
"Um, I'm fine?"
'No headache? No nausea?"
"Uh, no. Why?"
"You're not hungover? I counted at least six, seven empty bottles last night."
'Oh, that. I was. When I woke up this morning, I thought someone was swinging a sledgehammer in my head, it hurt so bad.'
But it turned out that a good cry could be an effective hangover cure.
She was clear-headed when she arrived at the M Group.
'And? Giana said.
'And what?'
'Don't you have something to tell me?"
'Do I? Like what?"
'Like the man who took you home last night."
Giana had been dying to know who the man was.
It was only good manners that stopped her from calling Kira in the middle of the night.
Ah, this question.
Kira knew it was coming
She delivered her rehearsed lines, 'Huh? Who? I'm sorry, I must have blacked out last night. I don't recall much of what happened."
'Come on, cut the act!"
'I really don't know what you're talking about."
Giana snorted. 'Fine, don't tell me then. I just want to know you got home safely."
'I did, thank you, Giana."
"Will you at least tell me what's gotten into you? You're not a boozer. Something's obviously bothering your for you to drink like that. You know you can talk to me, right? Whatever it is. Her friend's concern brought a smile to Kira's face.
'Giana, honey, you just made my day. I love you so much! How can a girl be so kind and so pretty and so kick-ass at the same time?"
'Stop trying to change the subject, her friend gave a half-laugh, half-snort. "You sure you don't want to tell me what's on your mind?" Kira gripped the file in her hand.
She did want to.
Giana was her best friend.
But her marriage to Austyn had to be kept a secret.
Not being able to take her best friend into her confidence weighed on Kira's mind every time she saw Giana.
How could she tell Giana about Austyn and Kayleigh, when her friend didn't even know she was married?
When Kira hadn't spoken for a minute, Giana said, 'Fine, I won't push. I know you'll tell me when you're ready." Kira breathed a sigh of relief.
'Thank you, Giana,' she thought. 'And sorry."
'So," Giana said, 'you know Austyn McCarthy,"
It was a statement, not a question.
'What?' Kira was thrown.
'No wonder you have access to so much insider info about the man even Janessa couldn't find out." 'Wait, wait, what?'
Glana hadn't forgotten about Kira's clandestine meeting with Kayleigh the other day.
She couldn't understand it back then.
But now it all added up.
"You and Austyn know each other, Giana declared. "He was the one who left with you last night." Wy's Mistress
"Wait, how did you
I have a phone. I can check the internet."
Besides, that man's friend had called out his name.
It was a short hallway.
Giana, standing in a corner, heard it loud and clear.
When she went home, she got online and searched Austyn's name.
No wonder she thought the face was, familiar.
The McCarthy heir kept a low profile, but there were still a few pictures of him circulating online.
Kira's mind went blank..
She couldn't think of a reasonable explanation for how she knew Austyn without giving away the secret.
"You and he.. Kayleigh... Giana paused. Just take good care of yourself. Don't do something you might end up regretting."
It took Kira a moment to process the meaning of her friend's words.
Giana must think she was Austyn's mistress.