Sealed With a Kiss

Five

V: Alliances

I WANTED TO HIDE UNDER A ROCK and never come out again.

Lying in bed starting up at the ceiling, I felt numb. I was all cried out now.

The media had spun that kiss with Cole into a web so intricate I couldn't find my way out no matter how hard I tried.

A few journalists were nice enough to only speculate that I was Cole Richmond's flavour of the week. Some even went back in their archives for pictures of Cole and his past girlfriends and compared me to the model and actress type he usually goes for.

Yes, I'm aware I'm not as pretty, not as skinny, not as poised, but it still stung to see my flaws in ink for everyone to read.

Others weren't so forgiving.

Some were even coming up conspiracies. These people are actually considering the fact that Cole and I planned to have me inherit Mina's money so we could skip into the sunset together (forgetting of course the obvious fact that Cole was the former heir). Granted those allegations came from the dirt gossip columns that make up stories to sell magazines. But still.

Some just called me a money stealing, fame seeking leach, and that I'm attempting to seduce Cole Richmond just to cause a scandal.

It was ridiculous! If anyone was doing the seducing, then it was definitely Cole bloody Richmond. Try as I may, I still find myself dreaming of him and his delicious abs most nights...even after the awful trick he pulled at the gala.

A knock at the door was heard and I quickly dove under the covers to pretend I was asleep. "Miss Poppy?"

Ingrid stepped into the room and walked forward to yank the sheets off my face. I glared up at the woman and pouted. "I knew you weren't asleep. I was mother to three bratty girls too, you know dear."

I sighed, "What is it?"

"There's someone here to see you."

I sprang up and blew my hair out of my face. "What! Who?"

"They said they were friends." I glared at Ingrid but she simply smiled and walked away. "I'll tell them you'll be just a second."

Jumping to my feet, I stumbled into the walk-in closet and frantically looked for something to wear. Settling on a pair of jeans and a NYU t-shirt, I quickly changed out of my much abused pajamas.

Running a comb through my wavy hair, I gave up on trying to tame it and instead decided to braid it back.

Once I was somewhat presentable, I flew down the stairs and into the drawing room.

Hannah Hastings and Elle Chevalier sat chatting and enjoying a cup of tea, while I stood there watching them and feeling as if I'd just stumbled into The Twilight Zone.

"Oh hey," Hannah said easily.

Elle turned to eye me and smiled. "Poppy, sorry for stopping by unannounced. But Hannah insisted."

"Um," I said as I inched closer. "It's alright."

"Great!" Hannah said placing her cup down with a grimace. "We brought take-out!"

Standing, Hannah walked out of the drawing room and went into the dinning room like she knew exactly where she was going. I stood open mouthed as I watched her leave.

Elle saw my look of surprise. "My grandmother was great friends with Wilhelmina. We've been here plenty of times, or at least enough to know our way around here."

"Who's your grandmother?" I asked as we followed behind Hannah in the direction she'd gone.

"You've met. She's Joanne Mercer."