Never the Same

Chapter 17

An hour.

One whole hour.

That's how long I've been getting bombarded with questions from Calvin. He hasn't gone light on the type of questions he's been asking me and I didn't expect him to. I need to be put under this kind of pressure if I'm going to be asked the exact same things from Nadia's lawyers.

"Out of all the things I have asked you and all the answers you've given me, I don't think you've got good intentions with your relationship with Luca."

"Calvin, I think that's enough." Luca interjects immediately, moving back to stand behind me. He holds a hand up to Calvin to get him to stop. "We can stop there. She gets it."

"I don't think she does," Calvin retorts.

"Oh, she does. Trust me."

"If she does get it, she can answer one final question for me."

I share a look with Luca and nod, silently telling him it's fine for his lawyer to go on.

Luca nods. "Fine. Then we're done."

Calvin steps around the desk and stands to my right. I watch him closely and wait for his final question. He folds his arms over his chest. "Miss. Fletcher, what does family mean to you?"

Out of all the questions he's asked me and the answer's I've given, this is the simplest question and answer I can give. I've already told Nadia what family means to me and that was after I threatened her, something we'll be discussing in court.

I swallow away the lump that's formed in my throat and sit up straighter than I already was.

"Everything," I answer honourably. "If they need me, I'm there. If they're in trouble, I'm there. I'd never walk away from them when they needed me most. I never have and I never will."

I've made that speech before and it was to Nadia. I've said those exact words and it's what prompted her to put a case against me which was added onto the one with Luca.

Calvin smiles and looks at Giles and Degory. "And that's the exact words that she said in the footage that's been given to us. The only thing with that footage is that there was no sound but you can see her lips move as she said more or less the same words."

"Wait. What?" I look up at Luca then to Nick who is looking down at the floor. "You managed to get the CCTV footage from that meeting room of the confrontation between Nadia and me?"

"It was the first thing we asked for when the case against you was handed to us," Nick admits, looking at me. "But as Calvin said, there was no sound on it which can only mean one thing."

"Someone's tampered with it," Luca fills in.

"They have," Giles confirms. "And considering how high tech they are as a company, it's clear to see that someone is up to something."

"It leaves the question of who did it because we all know why they did it," Nick adds.

"But we're not going to be able to find that out so easily," Giles finishes. He stands up. "It will all come out and that's why we can't be any more prepared than we already are."

"Well if that's us done, I think we should all retire for the night." Luca takes my hand in his and I get to my feet. "It's already gone past ten and tomorrow is a big day for all of us."

"I'll be staying here tonight if that's okay with you," Nick announces. "We all have to be at the office early tomorrow morning and it's closer for me to leave from here."

"That's fine," Luca agrees. He looks to his lawyers and assistant. "Gentlemen, I shall see you all in the morning. Goodnight."

There are small mumbles of 'goodnight' from the men and Luca and I leave the office. We walk in the direction of the master bedroom.