A Smile and a Chance

18 EXPOSED

*UNEDITED

I didn't want to touch the cursed magazine.

"A nude model, works at a fish market and several different part-time jobs, but never a permanent job. You chose someone like this over me?"

"That's the least of your concern, Iris." just how much information did this magazine have on Maia? My mind was racing.

"What does she have that I don't?" she asked as if she didn't hear what I just said.

"She didn't cheat on me!!!" I raised my voice and hit the table with both my fists. I don't care if people outside my office heard me. I think it's about time the whole world found out about my cheating ex-girlfriend. Maybe I should call the gossip magazine's office and tell them about Iris, maybe she'll get the spotlight next time. "Is this what you want to hear?" I silently asked, my voice low with threat.

"Will it always be like this? Will you always hold that against me? That I cheated on you?"

"Yes. It's a fact. You can't change that. Once a cheater, always a cheater."

I'm not so sure if the tears that were edging on her eyes were because of shame or because she's furious at what I just said.

"Listen very well, Iris. I'm not going to say this again. I don't love you anymore."

She gave out a short huff before she turned her heels and left.

I remained staring at the gossip magazine on my table. Do I have the guts to read this? Now I know how it feels to be like Ava during our teenaged years. I suddenly felt a headache coming.

"Liam, a Terry Kraft is here to see you. She says it's important." My assistant announced through the telecom. I asked him to send her in and I heard a knock on the door a few minutes later.

After we shook hands, I asked her to take a seat and offered her coffee, which she declined. The gossip magazine caught her attention; she picked it up and scanned the article about us.

"I guess they haven't dug that deep yet." She commented and placed the magazine back on my table. Could she be talking about the information about Maia the gossip magazine hasn't found out about yet? "I have a lead on where Maia is." She announced and I wanted to jump for joy. "She might be in Mexico."

"Mexico?! What is she doing there? Why would..." I stopped myself from asking Terry those senseless questions. It's just unbelievable that she went as far as Mexico.

"I'm not sure if she's really there, but if she is, it will be more difficult to find her there. It's a different country, Liam."

"I understand. You did a great job, Terry." She nodded and smiled to acknowledge me. 

I should be in Mexico at the moment; searching for Maia myself. Terry must have predicted what I was about to do and insisted I stay put and let her do her job. But because there's really not much I can do, I stayed put even though it's against my will. Besides, I might just do more damage than help Terry with her job. 

So after two days, I'm at a baby store looking through a list of baby items on a gift registry system. Brandon literally begged me to go with him, just because he feels 'lost' in a store like this. I guess that makes two of us, I just pretended I have complete knowledge of this maze of a store with unfamiliar items.

"I can't believe you forgot about your assistant's baby shower tomorrow." I complained while browsing the tablet that contained the list of baby items with the pictures included. There were a couple of items that no one bothered to pick out because it was too expensive. Seriously, a wipe warmer? Baby knee pads? Baby food maker? Crib bumper? Bumboo seat? I don't have a baby yet and I'm sure as hell I'm no baby expert, but really, do you actually need these things?