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“So someone who didn’t make the list or was lower than you may have tried to sabotage your image?”
“Yes. I think it’s no secret Gabriel Donner has been taking cheap shots at me and now my girlfriend, Bexley Hastings. If he can try to profit from my downfall, why wouldn’t someone else try to capitalize on it?”
“You don’t think Donner had something to do with this being with how vocal he is?”
“I think that’s for the police to determine,” I answer diplomatically.
“And you mentioned that Bexley Hastings is your current girlfriend when many reports have come out about her being your ex-wife,” Diana says.
“Yes.” I don’t elaborate. Bex is one thing I dislike talking about because I don’t want anyone to mock her or treat her like she’s a horrible person for coming back to me or for us rekindling. However, we both were prepared for her to come up during this interview, as much as it pains us to invade our privacy.
“Jessica Lancaster has come forward stating her take on your relationship, which you recently made statements about. Can you tell us a bit about that?”
Sadly, this is what I knew was coming. “In high school I dated Jessica Lancaster,” I say with a weary sigh. “I proposed to her, thinking it was the right thing to do even though I wasn’t sure if it was the direction I wanted our lives to go. I made the decision the summer before senior year of college that I wanted to break things off, but I wasn’t able to come to a tactful way of doing it.”
“So you wanted to end things with her,” Diana reiterates.
“Yes. I wanted to end things. I thought taking a summer to myself in Las Vegas would be a good way to think clearly, although hindsight is always clearer than in the moment. I met Bexley Hastings there visiting for the summer as well. We were friends who became more. Over a drunken weeknight we got married. She had no idea who I really was as I used my mother’s maiden name.”
“But you didn’t break things off with Jessica in the meantime?”
“No. I actually haven’t spoken with her since April, two months prior. Should I have said something? Absolutely. I was a coward then. Unfortunately, the only thing Bex did wrong at the time was fall in love with me. When I came back to school married, my friends were overly concerned, thinking I needed rescuing. She was served with divorce papers on my behalf.”
“Yet somehow things seem to have gone well for the two of you if you’re once again in a relationship.”
“Bex hated me for a long time,” I say with a wry smile. “I came clean to Jessica. I went to therapy, I sought help for the destruction I was implicating on myself and others. Time helped me heal and learn to deal with my emotions in a positive manner for future endeavors.”
“It would seem Bex is unintentionally at the front of all of your current rumors as well,” Diana says, though not unkindly. “How did the two of you end up reconciling?”
At least this story has turned into something happy. “The one thing people don’t realize is how busy Bex’s life is. She’s constantly working or volunteering for causes she believes wholeheartedly in. She’s never needed my money,” I say with absolute confirmation. “And the rumors about her being a gold digger or how her father disowned her are inaccurate. Hastings Center sent out a press release to explain this, though I’m sure in Jessica’s eyes she needed Bex to be the villain, not just me. Bex and I came about organically,” I lie outright on the last bit. “It was actually Aillard Brookwell’s girlfriend Whitney who wanted to volunteer, as you know she’s new to the charity world, and they invited me to join them after being a recluse due to the media attention. We met with Bex then. And Bex and I ended up reconciling that way.”
“Sounds like things worked out well for you in the end,” Diana teases.
“In some regard. I’m grateful to my friends including me on one of their nights of volunteering which led Bex and I back together. But it still doesn’t take away the disgust of what was done to me on my birthday. Thankfully I have an amazing support system, which includes Bex, to stand by me.”
“And Jessica Lancaster’s statement of being with you is–”
“False,” I immediately interrupt. “Jessica and I have had nothing to do with each other in a very long time. She applied for a position at the flagship hotel in New York, but was declined a job. I was made aware of this after Human Resources discarded her application since she has no experience. Afterwards, she has been removed from my offices on multiple occasions and she’s also been forcibly removed from Hastings Center for harassing Bex.”
“Oh my,” Diana’s voice is pure shock. “It would seem as though she’s trying to capitalize on your fame.”
“Unfortunately, that does seem to be the case here. From my understanding, her recent engagement fell through. It would stand to reason she’s emotionally spiraling due to it, and it would seem she’s latched onto Bex and me in her path of destruction instead of seeking therapy to find a healthy outlet.”
“All of this is happening during the police investigation?” Diana shakes her head in dismay. “A lot of stress on such a young man’s shoulders.”
“As I said, I have my support system to stand by me during this trying time. And I have the utmost faith in the police who are doing their investigation.” At least they’re taking it more seriously now that King shined a light on them, forcing their hand. “Although they can’t discuss ongoing cases, I know they’re looking for the person who brought the illegal drugs into my home and who slipped the GHB into my drink as well. They’re searching for the two women in the photo with my unconscious body.”
“They’ve not identified anyone yet?”
“I am not aware of their inner workings of who they have spoken to and who they have not,” I state. “They’re working diligently however, and combing through those who were invited. Unfortunately due to the type of people I surround myself with, it can be difficult to get a hold of key players in businesses. We’re helping provide names, addresses, and occupations to help ease the burden they’re carrying. But in a city this large, I understand some things take time.”
A rather annoying trait considering the severity of what happened. I know enough about the way the police work to know they’re not capable of clearing cases like these easily, especially when there’s no way to gain information such as names and places of the peoplenotinvited to my birthday who showed up.
I do believe with the way King is breathing down the Police Commissioner’s neck that things will seem to pick back up, especially with the help of Aillard’s computer company. Perhaps someone will finally come forward after seeing my interview to explain what they know to help close this case and get the person who dared do something so vile to me in custody.
“I want to thank you for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to speak with me,” Diana says. “And I hear congratulations are in order about a new business venture the Ravenscroft name is being tied to.”
Now I smirk, knowing full well this is going to send Gabriel Donner scrambling. “Yes. I’ve broken ground already for our new Ravenscroft Center. It is one of our esteemed hotels that will boast conference rooms and a large event space that can be utilized year round. There’s discussions of several large companies already wanting to secure slots for their awards and fundraisers.”
