19 - Eliza

I spent the night with him at the hotel and left Katy in charge of the shop. It's been a long time since I took any time off and it felt good, really good.

We'd walked to Central Park after breakfast and had strolled hand in hand, just talking and laughing. I couldn't remember a time I'd been happier and I had Zawe to thank for it. He'd insisted on showing me the pictures when we'd got back last night and sure, they looked pretty bad but it didn't matter. He thought she'd somehow staged it, though neither of us could figure out why, and I had to agree.

We were sitting on the couch now, finishing up and old black and white movie with Fred Astaire as my phone buzzes on the table in front of us. Picking it up I see a message from Katy waiting. I was leaning against Tom so we read it together.

"We've got a problem." She'd sent.

"What's wrong? Did something happen at the store?" I send back.

"Store's fine but...look I know you don't read these but this is bad. Like really bad."

She sends a link and looking at Tom completely confused I click the link to open it. If Katy thought it was bad enough to send whatever it was to me it had to be bad. We look back at the screen and both of us gasp.

"Tom Hiddleston's new love is none other than E.L. Grimm, best-selling Young Adult author." The headline reads and my stomach falls as I continue reading.

It got worse as I scrolled down. Attached to the article were several pictures of us, which wasn't unusual but there were two that shouldn't have been there.

"Why are there pictures of me asleep in your bed?" He asks in a tone I had only heard come out of his mouth on screen.

"How should I know? I didn't take them if that's what you mean." I say leaning up and turning to look at him.

He was looking at me like he'd just found out I was a wolf in sheep's clothing and to say it hurt was an understatement. He stands up and starts pacing. As much as I don't want to I look back at the pictures, still at a loss as to how anyone would've gotten those kinds of pictures.

Then it dawns on me, Millie. She'd been upstairs while Tom had been asleep and I'd been in the bathroom. I zoom in and look at the picture again, sure enough I see what I was looking for. I could make out Millie's reflection on my bedside lamp. I was about to show him when he startles me.

"Did you do it to get back at me for Zawe?" he accuses, spinning to look at me.

"You cannot be serious? Why would I do that?"

"I don't know but you're the only one who could've taken them."

"Actually if you look..." I start but he cuts me off.

"I trusted you. I cannot believe you'd release pictures of me without telling me, especially ones that like. Is that why you slept with me?"

I recoil as if I'd been slapped. Standing up I place my hands on my hips and glare at him. I'd gone from confused, to hurt and had just arrived at angry.

"Excuse me?" I growl.

"You heard me. Tell me the truth!"

"You seem to have already made up your mind so why bother?"

"Then you admit it!"

"I admit nothing because I've done nothing. I've never seen those pictures before and I certainly wouldn't have taken them let alone gave them to the bloody paparazzi. You really think so poorly of me to think I'd do that?"

"The proof is right there Eliza."

I was on the verge of crying but I refuse to let him see how badly he'd hurt me. It was good to know what he actually thought of me.

"I've been writing under a pen name for over ten years now and you think what, that I decided to use your name to further my own career? I knew better than to let myself think for even a second that this could turn into anything real."

"You and me both. You're just like Taylor."

I walk to him and grab his hand, slapping my phone down into it, glaring at him. I could feel the tears pricking my eyes now but I didn't care.

"Check my phone. I don't have any pictures of you or us except the first one Katy took. Go through my texts, my calls, my emails, hell my social media accounts, I have nothing to hide. You have been with me every second since I found out about Zawe, I haven't once been on my phone since then."

His anger falters for a second as we stand there but it's back full force the next second. I turn and walk away, heading for the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind me. I though my clothes on and shove everything I'd brought with me into my purse. Throwing my hair up into a messy bun I walk back into the livingroom. He is still standing where I'd left him, scrolling through my phone and that was the end for me.

"Find anything?" I ask slipping my shoes on and grabbing my charger, throwing it into my purse.

"You could've deleted it. Doesn't prove anything." He says handing me my phone back.

Placing the last brick into the wall I'd built around myself over the years I smile up at him. I was not going to let this man see how much he'd broken me.

"Do you still want me to accompany you to the party tomorrow?"

"I don't know." He replies, losing some of his anger again. "I guess we can go back to the original agreement."

"Fine." I say calmly, "I'll see you at seven tomorrow evening Mr. Hiddleston."

I cross to the door and open it just as Chris was about to knock, his tablet in hand; apparently he'd seen it too.

"Mr. Hemsworth." I nod and walk around him, my face still locked in its icy mask.

"What the hell did you just do?" I hear him demand as I turn the corner and push the elevator button.

I only had to make it back to my apartment, then I could let the dams open. I could and would do that. As far as anyone else was concerned, he and I were fine. One more performance tomorrow and that'd be the end of it.

"Millie may I see you in my office for a minute." I say as soon as I walk through the door not bothering to stop walking, "You too Katy."

Judging from the look on Katy's face she knew something was wrong. I walk into my office and sit behind my desk. Millie walks in a few seconds later looking extremely nervous. She knew why she was here.

"Katy close the door please. Have a seat Millie."

She does and looks down at her hands folded in her lap. I take a moment and bring up the picture again and turn it around so she can see it.

"Have you seen this before?" I ask calmly.

"No ma'am." She whispers back, shaking her head for good measure.

"So, when I zoom in on the lamp beside the bed I'm not going to see your face and phone?"

Her eyes go wide and looks at the picture.

"Why would you do that?" Katy asks, coming up to look at the picture too.

"I hadn't planned on doing it but then I saw him and... well I needed the money. I'm sorry."

"You're also the one who told them who I am."

She nodes miserably. "I saw the letter from your publisher on your desk as I was leaving the room."

"I cannot believe you'd do that Millie! If you needed help all you had to do was ask. But you invaded people's privacy." Katy scolds, folding her arms over her chest.

"I'm sorry." She moans again, putting her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry too. I can no longer trust you. Please collect your things and leave. You're fired. Mr. Hiddleston's agent will be informed of what you did and they can take whatever action against you they see fit. I'm very disappointed in you Millie."

She gets up crying and flees the office. Katy looks down at me, my face still a calm mask. She opens her mouth to say something but I shake my head and stand up.

"Make sure she has her last check please. I'll be upstairs and no, I don't want to talk about it."

I was going upstairs, going to take a hot shower and cry until I had no more tears left. He would not get the pleasure of seeing me hurting. I had to make a call to my agent too, now that my real name was out there I had my own problems to get in front of.