Stumbling Into the Spotlight - Tom Hiddleston FanFic

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.