The Designer and the Model

Chapter 29 - Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

Lucinda didn't show up for work. Beth was a mess trying to handle everyone, as soon as I had walked in the door and faced the staring chaos she pulled me aside to completely chew me out.

Telling me how irresponsible I was for making such a scene and embarrassing Lucinda. Judging me and even hypocritically calling me a slut (which she apologized for quickly after). I didn't have the energy or desire to fight back. All she threw at me was deserved and valid but the staring eyes around the workshop were the only thing that caused me unrest.

They all knew about us.

They all knew that I was a cheating piece of shit and their glares and elevator looks continued for days.

Eventually, Beth asked me for details of the situation after becoming desperate in Lucinda's absents. In her eyes the sooner she knew the sooner she could fix it as she had done in all aspects of her career. It was her job to make things right.

But even with her background, she didn't have much hope for me.

She knew Lucinda a lot longer before I did and started to lose faith as she came to find out how close we were and how badly I'd fucked up.

Beth had told me that she'd never had to deal with anything emotional with Lucinda before. Lucinda always had a quick fuse but never became distraught out of grief or heartbreak like this.

Being barred from seeing Lucinda from her in opening condo Beth was the only one that had seen her. Beth told me how Drake had been pushed away as well and expressed how close Lu and Drake had been over time.

He was somewhat of a friend-slash father figure to her.

And she couldn't face him. Couldn't face the shame and embarrassment I'd caused her.

Turning her attention to me Beth had caught me reapplying my makeup between photo shoots. Catching a glimpse of the bruised side of my face and rapidly becoming concerned for my safety.

Turning the conversation to borderline domestic abuse I had to stop her.

It wasn't abused and I'd never call it that.

Couples fight. I'm not proud of what happened but it wasn't like I was some helpless victim I had done damage myself and I was just as guilty for the violence.

She gave me a number for a couples therapist, trying to help figure out the situation. I knew it was in good faith but I started to doubt Bethany's familiarity with Lucinda. She'd never air her Laundry to some stranger even if it was progressive.

I had to fix this on my own. Slowly and over time, but being there for Lucinda consistently. I had to show my loyalty and commitment to repair what I had damaged.

-

I did quietly become deeply scared as I saw Renèe a few weeks later.

She had said it had been a random attack but the description of its wall was a bit too close to come for it to have been random.

Apparently, she had been heading to her car late at night after working overtime when someone on a motorcycle flew over in her direction. Smashing her knee with a crowbar.

She was stuck in a cast with an elevated horrendously broken leg in a wheelchair and would be for the next few months.

The thought kept leaking in and it was hard to ignore them as I registered the fear in her eyes talking about it, skittishly looking around as if someone was listening in.

-

As I had done for weeks now I calmly knocked at Lucinda's door and waited. I knew she was in there and okay because like every other day Beth had passed me from going in there to give me an update.