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“Nothing’s been taken, sir,” the other cop reminded him. “If you discover anything, please don’t hesitate to call. You can clear up, okay. We’ve got all the photos we need.”
Joseph shook his head despairingly and thanked them for their time. He closed the door and turned to gaze at Eleanor. “They were helpful, weren’t they?”
She laughed cynically. “Sounds like they’ve got quite a lot on at the moment.”
He strode over to join her and wrapped her in his arms, making her feel content. “I know. And I bet I know what Stinger’s gossip column will be full of tomorrow.”
“Same bullshit as usual?” she said with a grin.
He chuckled. “Yeah, but this will be bullshit about my place being burglarized.”
She rested her head on his strong shoulder. “It’s terrible what he’s doing. It must be illegal to tap your phone, surely.”
“The cops don’t seem interested.”
“Change your phone as soon as possible, okay?” she said. “Throw him off.”
“Yeah, I’ll do it first thing. And I’ll speak to Dylan’s friend – the senior cop. Maybe he can push my case through.”
Eleanor pulled away from his arms and glanced at the mayhem of the apartment. “I’ll help you clear up.” She inhaled deeply and grinned. “And then I’ll head back and break it off with Matthew.”
“Really!”
“Yep. And tomorrow, I’ll break it off with Blair Robertson. All change, huh?”
Joseph stared at her in shock. A smile crept onto his face. “You’re quitting?”
Excitement rushed through her. “I am.”
“But it’s your dream.”
“Not this. Not like this. I’m a good journalist, and I know I can make it without Blair Robertson and his corrupt empire.”
He squeezed her tight. “You’re awesome, Ellie. You’re brave and honest. And so hot too, of course.”
She laughed. “Yeah, yeah… come on, let’s get this place straightened out. I need somewhere to sleep tonight, and I’m not staying in the aftermath of a tornado attack.”
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like,” Joseph said. “And you’ll still come to dinner at Dylan’s, right? I can’t wait for you to meet them all.”
“Sure, I’d love to.”
Joseph kissed her, then he put on some music and they had fun tidying the place together, laughing about stupid stuff and letting their defences down.
Eleanor could see that Joseph was rattled by what had happened with Stinger, and she was pleased with her decision to leave News Scape behind. But first, she needed to severe ties with someone else…
She took a cab back home and let herself into her apartment, then shrugged off her winter coat – knowing Matthew would be around here somewhere. She drifted into the living room feeling a pang of sadness waft through her. She was going to miss this lovely apartment. It was Matthew’s, and she’d moved in with him when he was already living here. There was a breathtaking view of Manhattan through the wall-to-wall bay window, the furnishings were luxury, and the couches were squishy and soft. The wall opposite the window had been chiselled back to reveal the brickwork, which wasn’t to Eleanor’s taste, but she knew it was fashionable. The white walls were covered with huge bright modern canvases, which had cost a fortune from the local art gallery. Eleanor had been happy to call this place home for the last three years. But now it was time to move out and find her own space – to make her mark on the world as an independent woman.
She gazed out of the window at the buzzing city, losing herself in the hustle and bustle. The sound of an ambulance siren made her jump, pulling her out of her thoughts. Somehow she felt out of control; as if everything was up in the air. But she was sure she was doing the right thing by leaving Matthew. If it felt right, then it probably was right. The icy rain was lashing down out there, but even the warmth from the heat in here couldn’t make it feel cozy. It was a lovely apartment, but soulless.
She rolled her shoulders away from her ears and stood tall, preparing herself to confront Matthew. Then she decided to procrastinate by taking a shower and packing first, so she crept past his office where the light was on. He was probably hard at work as always.
She stood under the warm water of the shower, enjoying the sensation of washing her troubles away. She reached down and started to touch her clit, which made her grin – not just because it felt so good, but also because it reminded her of Joseph. Everything reminded her of Joseph. Every breath was infused with him. She decided not to masturbate now, but to wait until she got back to his for the real thing, so she washed herself with a soapy lather, then climbed out the shower and dried herself in a big fluffy towel.
Anticipation merged with excitement as she slid her engagement ring off her finger and placed it on the vanity table. In truth, she’d never been very keen on it. Matthew had selected it for her, and their tastes weren’t that similar, even in the simple things. But it wasn’t even about their conflicting tastes, was it? It was that he’d picked out a ring she didn’t like – and he hadn’t bothered to find out what she did like. He didn’t know her. Not really. Joseph was right – he was neglectful of her needs. She inspected her empty finger. Somehow it looked better without that clunky diamond dragging it down…
She gazed at herself in the mirror. Come on, Eleanor, you can do this. She threw herself a reassuring smile, then she tossed some of her favourite clothes into a suitcase, grabbed her laptop, and strode in her heels to Matthew’s office up the hallway.
“Matthew?” she called. “Can I come in?”
