Page 79 of Viral Affair

“James is refusing to search for his brother, saying we need to give him some space,” she said. “I’m aware that my sons are grown men and I shouldn’t be interfering in their lives, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m worried about my youngest.”

“His disappearance has something to do with me. I presume you know what happened after I left that coffee shop. I pushed him away like we discussed and he was very upset. Last night I went out with Laura, and she mentioned that he hasn’t been right since then,” I said, wondering if she knew what happened in that warehouse and how I ended things with Rupert.

Sue Banks didn’t react, but then she got up and put the kettle on.

“Rupert or James didn't want to say much, but I know what happened,” she confessed.

"So you know that I made up lies about how we met to get him to end things… like you asked," I said.

“I haven't been very forthcoming with you from the start, so let me explain."

First, she made me tea, then told me to sit down because she had a lot to say. She started talking about how she’d hired a private detective to look into my background. Based on that, she decided to call me and set up a meeting. Qt that point I was pretty pissed off that she’d had someone follow and tap my phone, but I’d listened to her anyway. A week later, we went back to London and apparently Rupert came to see her, so she tried to warn him about me, which led to her son storming out of her house. Then things took an unexpected turn after our conversation in the coffee shop and I was kidnapped.

"That's a lot of take in," I said. Sue Banks was a good person, even though hiring a private detective and him tapping my phone was a step too far. Still, she would do anything for her children, and what she did, it was not in malice. "So that's how you managed to get a hold of me when I was in Greece with Rupert."

“Precisely. Roger—the guy I hired—works for James as a freelance contractor sometimes and he provided me with your contact information. Obviously, my other son has no idea that I hired him, and it’s better that he never finds out.

I laughed at that.

“I have to tell you, Veronica, I'm impressed by your actions and everything you have done for my son. You clearly care for him. I'm sorry that I put you in a position to lie to him," she admitted, reaching out with her hand to touch mine. Damn it, I didn't want to break right now, but her words meant so much to me. "I thought you couldn’t make my son happy, but I was wrong. We could deal with Vincent being a continued threat in other ways…”

"I appreciate it, Sue, but I'm worried about him. Still I came here to talk to him because I realised I can’t and won’t live without him. I love him so very much. But how do I fix this? How can I keep him safe?” I confessed.

“Oh, honey, I was about to tell you that James is an absolute professional and he is more than capable of handling Vincent and nipping all these threats in the bud.” When I started to say something, she stopped me. “I’m not asking if I can get James involved. I’m telling you I’ll be the one to fix this. I’m sorry once again that I made you break his heart. You’re such a thoughtful woman, and Rupert loves you very much. I’ve seen how miserable he is without you and I can’t bear it. You must find him,” she said, squeezing my hand.

So Sue could fix things with Vincent, but I had to fix things with Rupert.

“If no one knows where he is, then how can I find him?” I asked, knowing that I was setting myself up for an almost impossible task. Rupert had unlimited funds, and only his brother could track him down. I would bet that James wasn’t going to help me.

“I don’t know, darling, but you’re smart. I’m certain that you can figure something out. I’ve emailed my son and told him about that conversation we both had in that coffee shop, so he probably already knows the truth. He’s probably still furious with me, but I thought he should have known that you never lied to him, that this whole thing between you two was real,” she said.

I got up and paced around. Maybe Rupert was not checking his email. I had no idea what to think, but I was certain he’d reach out to me if he knew the truth.

“I don’t know and I have never been very romantic. Oh God, this is a complete disaster,” I said, because that was the truth. What Spencer had done to get Laura back was truly spectacular, but if Rupert had somehow handcuffed me to him during a press conference, I’d have lost my shit. Social media was my life, but that didn’t change the fact that I didn’t want the public to know about my relationship. Rupert was the same—he didn’t use social media, and there weren’t many stories about him online. He simply stayed away from the spotlight.

“Think of something that could really get his attention. I’m sorry, but I’m not that great with technology. I know you can figure something out. You can try talking to James, but my son is stubborn. He won’t help you,” she admitted.

We chatted a bit more after that and I finished my tea, trying to think about my options. I wasn’t worried. Rupert was all right. I just had to figure out how to get through to him.

Then I left, wanting to get home as soon as possible. I took the Tube to Covent Garden, and after I left the station I pulled out my phone, then scrolled through my old photos until I came across the video from a few months ago—the same one Rupert had asked me to take down. Suddenly, the most bonkers and silly idea popped into my head. My heart beat faster.

Moments later, I opened the TikTok app. I was still standing on the busy street with many people rushing past me, so this wasn’t an ideal location but I had to try it. I first added the video from a few months ago to get people’s attention again, then turned the camera so I could record myself, and pressed ‘play’.

“Hey, guys, you remember that video? Long story short, I found my Rupert and after some initial problems, we started dating, then we fell in love … but now I need your help again. He left London after we had a disagreement, and I don’t know how to find him. I promise you, Rupert, I never lied to you except when I told you I didn’t love you. Despite what I said, everything we had was real. Our love was real, and all these crazy coincidences, too, so please come back to me. I love you and can’t live without you. Guys, please help me find him. I know you can do it, TikTok.”

Chapter Forty

Rupert

I got to the resort on Sunday night and slept all the way through until the early hours of Monday morning. I was exhausted, jet lagged, and not in the best of moods. No one knew I’d taken the first available flight to Thailand. I didn’t tell my mother what I was planning. Besides, I didn’t have to explain myself to anyone. I knew if I didn’t go, I would go slowly crazy.

Everyone had moved on. Spencer won Laura back, and now she was expecting his baby. James was ready to go back to Europe. Andrew was shooting another movie somewhere in South America, while I continued to be too busy with work.

I couldn’t stop fucking thinking about Veronica. It had been over six weeks since I’d seen her outside the club, and every fibre of my being wanted her back. I wasn’t coping without her, so I’d decided to leave everything behind. I’d chosen Thailand.

When I glanced at the time, I realised it was just after three in the afternoon, so I took a shower and got dressed. It was humid outside, but I’d selected this resort because it was small and quiet, which meant I wouldn’t have to deal with any snobby tourists from all over the world.

I had a hut within walking distance of the beach. There was a bar run by two brothers and a long stretch of paradise beaches with young backpackers from various parts of the world. I wanted to be surrounded by ordinary people who didn’t know or care who I was back in London.

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