Ryan's POV
"Sir, I understand your misgivings about what just happened but you should not speak to my wife in that way." I couldn't help but defend the wild card, Elena.
She has still not said a word since Rosalyn showed her the headlines. It's sad how the media prefers to tear people down than actually give off good news.
Everyone gave me a look of shock including Elena. No one expected it and I could swear that I saw a little smile on the face of her father but it was gone before I could make sense of it.
"I see you both are on good terms then?" He asked, glancing at us both.
Elena scoffed and cleared her throat looking everywhere else but at me.
"We are still getting to know each other, Sir." That was hardly the truth but I cannot begin to tell him how rocky our relationship is right now.
"That means I made a good decision concerning this marriage. At least some good news to make it all go away." He laid his head back for a while then turned towards me once more. "What have you done pertaining to this?"
"Dave is working on damage control right now. We had even started but needed to come here and check up on you. Everything should be settled by tomorrow."
A look of satisfaction was on the face of Charles Thorn. He was a hard man to please so this was new to me.
"I'm glad you got this under control. My daughter needs a man like you because she is always in one sort of trouble or another."
"Dad!" Elena had a face looking pretty embarrassed all of a sudden
"Am I wrong? Since when you were in school it's from one issue to another. Anyways I wouldn't want those memories to ruin the mood."
"What would you like me to get for you, Sir?" The middle-aged woman who seemed to be a maid at the Thorn's residence asked out of the blue.
"I don't feel like having anything for now, but maybe later." He answered her and didn't even have an issue with her interrupting him. None of my staff would dare to interfere when I'm speaking.
"I'd have to leave now, Sir. The workload at the office is pretty much." I stood up with Ian who was silent almost the entire time.
Charles smiled like he knew something I didn't. "It was nice having you, have a great day. I'd be totally fine. Would you people be leaving together?" He looked at Elena and I.
"No!" She answered way too eagerly, then cleared her throat. "I meant to say we wouldn't be leaving together. I'd like to stay here a bit more then head home with Rosalyn."
"I see." Was all he answered and turned back to stare at the ceiling.
"Have a great day everyone." Was all I added and walked out of the room with Ian in tow.
"Penny for your thoughts?" I asked him, he was too silent since after I suspended Elena.
"Why are you so harsh on her?"
"Is that why you have barely said a word?"
"Yes, it irks me. The girl seems like someone who wouldn't hurt a bird but you're too hard on her."
"She's not so harmless. In less than two weeks of being with her, she has placed my name in the bad light."
"She doesn't know any better and you know it."
"So it's an excuse to behave as she wants to?" We got to the parking lot and I opened the driver's door and stepped into my car. Ian sat in the passenger's seat.
"I never said so and you know it. This is partially your fault even. You had a thing with Cara and she obviously doesn't want to let go. She still thinks that she has a chance with you."
I started driving out of the parking lot to the office. His words struck a chord but Ian never had a filter, that's one of the reasons why he has grown on me.
"She got physical at the office and because of our little argument in the morning she didn't do anything at work. That in itself shows a very high level of indiscipline."
Ian rolled his eyes at me and didn't say anything else. Soon his phone rang and he kept listening then dropped it after a while.
"What is it?"
"Dave said that he just discovered that all the blogs that posted the news were tied to one person."
That caught my attention and I seemed to forget what we were talking about earlier.
"What name?"
"Drake Green."
"The name sounds pretty familiar but I can't place my hands on it. Why would he go to such lengths? It isn't even completely true, only the altercation happened but it wasn't for me."
"Well, I guess we might need to talk to him or pay him a visit."
I thought it through and didn't see the need for it. He might just be looking for that kind of attention so there's no point encouraging it.
"Let him be, he's not that relevant."
"Really, man? If not for the quick save, that news might have cost us so much."
"Let it die, I don't want anyone talking to him. He might just be needing this kind of attention."
Ian gave me a long look then nodded calmly. We soon got to the office and walked out of the car.
In minutes we were already at my door and I pushed it open because Dave was there doing his stuff.
"How far have you gone de-escalating the situation."
"Much more than I thought. I'll be done by morning." He took his face off his laptop and gave us a look. "How was your visit to the hospital?"
I shrugged and said nothing while Ian got comfortable on my sofa.
"He was being a brute. But the old man is recuperating just fine. I think it was just a health scare."
Dave nodded and threw me a stink eye.
"What?" I growled at him. But he didn't even flinch, just rolled his eyes and got back to whatever he was doing on his laptop.
"I have news for you both, in fact good news" he finally uttered.
"What's that?"
I asked curiously.
"Cara just resigned, she sent in her letter and claimed that she deserved better."