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Serena
The next day, my body felt like I had completed a triathlon. Every limb was aching, and I could still feel him between my legs.
I had back-to-back meetings, followed by an hour-long teleconference call. Thankfully, my team had been on the ball all day. So, by the time I finished the conference call at three, I decided they all deserved to finish early for the week and enjoy their weekend. I continued going through the paperwork for another hour before finishing up myself.
After work, I headed straight home, soaked in the tub for over an hour, ordered some Chinese take-out, curled up on the couch, and read a book.
Rhett messaged me earlier asking how I was, followed by the arrival of another beautiful bouquet. I called him back, offered thanks, and apologized for not calling sooner as I was swamped at work. Naturally, being a busy man himself, he understood. However, I could tell he was a bit annoyed that I had to turn down his offer of dinner tomorrow as I had already planned with Ruby to see one of our friends in a play.
I informed him of my progress with getting five more signatures and properties for the company. I asked if he wanted to accompany me next week as I went to Queens to sort out the final paperwork. To no surprise, he agreed and threw in that we should follow it with dinner to celebrate.
As I sat on the phone with my dad, I caught him up on all that had happened since I last spoke to him. I told him all about the gala.
“Yes, it looks like you enjoyed it. From the picture I saw, you looked beautiful,” he said.
I still felt uneasy and super uncomfortable that one of the gossip pages had a photo of Rhett and me at the Gala and used it as one of their main features as they reported on the success of the evening. They had raised a staggering $4.7 million, a record to date.
I was plastered on every gossip website, which resulted in the media breaking down precisely who I was and everything I did. Now people knew I was with Rhett, it apparently made me hot gossip. I didn’t care too much and ignored the articles, as I knew it would be followed by the ever-present internet trolls criticizing every little detail about me. Ruby sent me a link to a blog post. The title of which was The Butterfly among the Wasps. Stupidly, that sent me on a deep dive, looking up everything. Some people said I was a social climber. Others said Rhett was indulging in something tropical. Many hinted that I was using him and his family name to further my name and gain publicity. Even so far as misstating and misquoting statements I had made in past cases to fit their narrative. There was so often a play on my name and micro-racist comments. I even found a link to a Reddit thread where someone was “investigating” if Rhett’s family had any connection to the slave trade, and if they did, could my family have been owned by them? I almost threw my laptop across the room when I got to the comment section. That’s when I put a search engine block on both our names. I didn’t want nor need to see any more of that shit.
“Just roll with it. You’re a strong, successful lawyer. See this extra publicity as free press for your company.”
I knew he was right. Yesterday, we’d been inundated with new clients wanting to hire us.
“I love you, Daddy. You always know the right thing to say.”
We chatted through the rest of his lunch break when he asked how things were going with Rhett.
“Things are good. I’m just not used to being with someone everyone knows, wondering if every time we go out for dinner or an event, everyone will scrutinize my every move. It’s bad enough I have that from his mother.”
“What do you mean? Has she said something?”
I could hear the concern in my father’s voice.
“Well, that’s part of the problem. When I met her at the gala, she basically didn’t speak to me. At first, I thought it was a misunderstanding. But as the evening went on, something about me clearly bothered her. And it’s driving me freaking insane as I have no idea what it is.”
“Is there anything you suspect that it could be?”
My mind was mulling things over, torn between the things I eventually read online and my own insecurities that had formed and mutated in college.
“You mean besides the obvious?” I grumbled.
“What’s obvious, honey?”
“That I’m not white. That I don’t come from blue-blooded pedigree.”
“Do you think she has a problem with that?”
“Well, I don’t know what else it could be. She knows I work. I’m sure someone has given her a breakdown and a thorough background check on me. And from what Ruby has told me of the women he’s previously been associated with, I have more diplomas and qualifications than theirs all added together. So the only other thing I can think of is that I don’t look like them. I didn’t grow up going to the country club. I didn’t grow up with staff catering to my beck and call. I’m not blonde. My physique isn’t willowy, and my opinions aren’t muted.”
My eyes began to sting as I listed all the possible things I could think of. Each one felt like a direct hit. The sigh my father let out almost made me lose it.
“One of the things that makes me so proud about you is how you’re always warm and welcoming to others you meet. The problem is, sadly, not everyone else is the same. Remember, these people live in a very small world. They attend the same parties with the same people they have known their whole lives. Despite their far reach of power, their circle is very small. I’m sure many of them even got into relationships by familial arrangements. And if someone doesn’t fit or conform to it, they push them out. But don’t for one minute think that doesn’t make you worthy. You are worth so much more than that. Has Rhett ever shown this kind of behavior? Made you feel less than him?”
“No.”
I didn’t need to think twice. The answer fell fast and strong from me.
“From what you’ve told me, Rhett seems like a charming man and a hard worker. You’ve chosen to be with him, so he must be a good guy. Plus, he’s got good taste in cars.”
