Even If It Hurts -H.S. AU

21

I've had multiple meetings with the hotel lawyers this week. I wasn't sure how they would go, if my concerns would be taken seriously, but the lead on the case is a woman, and she fully understands where I'm coming from.

They've intervened with the tabloid threatening to run the story, and while they can't stop them completely, they were able to control the narrative a little. An article about Alex and I breaking up will, unfortunately, be printed. However, instead of it being about how I coldly turned him down in front of a restaurant full of people, his parents included, after a long and happy relationship, it will be about how we mutually agreed we wanted different things and broke off an engagement that was already in place.

"Violet." Rachel, the lead lawyer, says after she reads me the new agreement we signed with the tabloid. "Something has been brought to my attention."

"Okay?" I furrow my brows at her apprehensive tone.

"I'm only saying this to you, because it's mainly your career it could affect."

"Oh no." I mumble, knowing exactly where she's going with this.

"Looking into your relationship with Alex, I stumbled upon the history you have with Mr. Styles." She says.

"There's a policy against relationships in the office, I know." I get a little defensive and lean back in my seat. "There's nothing going on."

"It would be weird if there wasn't."

"Pardon me?" I ask, surprised.

"You and Harry are not simply an average office romance." She says lowly, keeping her voice down so it doesn't travel outside of my office. "I read the transcripts from the trial against Johnny Davis."

I inhale sharply, taken by surprise hearing his name after so long. "What does that have to do with-"

"You're a smart woman, Violet." She cuts me off. "You've been through a lot, and there's history between you and Harry. I trust you'll be careful about this. Don't make a scene of it, and I will look the other way."

"Yes ma'am." I nod my head and she smiles at me.

She gathers her things from my desk and I thank her before she leaves. Almost as soon as she's gone, Harry swoops in, closing the door behind him.

"How'd it go?" He asks, a hopeful look on his face.

"The story will still run," I mumble, and his face falls a little. "but the threat of suing them for slander was enough to make them alter it a little."

"That's good, right?"

"Good enough." I shrug my shoulders.

"Okay, what's wrong?" He asks, sitting in one of the chairs in front of me as I lean against the desk.

"Nothing." I mumble, trying to act nonchalant and pick at my nails.

"Violet." He says my name sternly, making me look up at him and he cocks an eyebrow at me. I exhale heavily and fidget with a stray thread on my sweater.

"Rachel sniffed us out." I mutter. "She read the transcripts from the trial."

"The trial?" He repeats, furrowing his brows and I watch him put the pieces together. "Why would she read that? It's not relevant to what's going on now."

"It's fine, Harry." I wave my hand in the air at him. "The point is, your name is in the transcripts clear as day, multiple times. It's undeniable our connection."

"What did she say about it?" He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"She said it would be strange if there wasn't something going on between us." I chuckle softly. "She's not going to rat on us."