Shattered

15. Closer

"I know that if we give this a little time
It'll only bring us closer
To the love we wanna find. "

- Lady Antebellum

Jacqueline always had the ability to turn heads wherever she went, even if it was the DA's office. Swiftly moving through the corridor, she read names as se passed by the cheap plastic doors. She was only looking for one name amongst these, Lewis Hosley.

True to her words, Jacqueline had dug her nails deep into past to bewreak the insult she had faced. She wanted to find the truth.
The truth about Alec's marriage, the truth she had sensed in his apartment, the truth about Beth's apartment on eleventh street, the truth behind this masquerading act of being love. Beth's past had hidden so many lies that truth was way harder for her to find and to her surprise everything was leading to Georgia, the place where Melissa had died.

H O S L E Y she saw written on the translucent door with black paint. She was about to knock when a young lady behind her stopped her. "Yes, can I help you?" she asked.

"I wanted to meet Mr. Hosley." Jacqueline announced.

"Madam he was working on something important and had asked me to not let anyone in at the moment. If you can wait-"

"I have an appointment with him. It's rather urgent." She said with an air of authority. Even though she was no one from the office, Jacqueline could see she had intimidated the lady. Her annoyed expression and the constant tapping of her feet emphasised on the urgency of the matter. Of course it was urgent. Jacqueline knew, the only one who can dig out past is Hosley. He had the power and she had the money and they both only wanted the truth.

Sitting in her five by five cubicle, when the office lady looked at her again, she slowly said, "I will just confirm with him. Please wait." She picked up the phone to make the call.

Two minutes later, Hosley came out. "Ms. Jacqueline, I have been waiting to meet you. Let's get to work, shall we?" He ushered her in his cabin. "Oh and Linda, two cups of coffee please and make sure no one disturbs us." And the door closed.

•

Only half an hour was left before Alec and Beth had to leave and Beth had still not reached back home. She had left four hours back when she had been called to treat an emergency case. It was almost six thirty and she wasn't even picking up the calls. Alec paced around the room.
In the back of his mind, there was a doubt, what if she won't come back on time? For all he know, she may be lying to him and delaying intentionally. He knew she didn't want to go. She had only agreed on coming to the party so that they can prove everyone they are in love and their marriage isn't fake.

After waiting for another fifteen minutes, he heard the door open. Throwing her purse without even seeing, it landed on Alec's face. "I will be out in ten minutes." She said and went inside the room. Soon he heard the shower switch on and he relaxed on the couch.

A little while later, Beth came out. "Let's go? Sorry I got late at the hospital. And it took me a little while to figure out how to wear this gown." She apologized. When Alec looked at her, the woman he saw wasn't his wife. He was sure of it.

In his living room stood a woman dressed in a beautiful peach gown that was hugging her curves. It spread slowly just below her knees and flowed into a beautiful small trail. "Is this okay?" She twirled and the boat neck of her dress disappeared into graceful folds that fell against her bare back. She looked taller than usual with her heels and was probably just over his height. "Alec? Is this okay or not?" She asked him again. But he couldn't find words to answer her question. She wasn't looking okay. Not even close to that, she was looking beautiful. She was looking sensuous. He didn't even know his wife owned such clothes. Her dress shirts were all he had seen. And now she stood in this peach gown looking nothing less than a model from one of the fashion magazine.