Page 60 of Power Games

"How would you say Jacobs Enterprises is weathering this storm?"

He forced a smile. "Two weeks ago, we were at an all-time high; now our shares have considerably dropped, we've lost some investors and some contracts, but I can assure you, we will bounce back. The numbers are promising."

Nothing too optimistic. Good.

"How do you manage to balance work with your life at a time like this?"

"I don't," he admitted. "Taking care of Isabella's belongings, attempting to respect her wishes in all things, is a priority. On the other hand, Jacobs employs good people, and feeds thousands of families. If we went under, I'd have all of them to answer to." He sighed. "Fortunately, I have help. From my team, from my family and friends."

The journalist nodded. "The rumor says that Vanessa McNamara has been helping you on a personal level. Care to comment?"

She stiffened.

"Yes, Vanessa is a godsend. She and Claudia are taking care of my apartment, for one."

"Wouldn't your late wife disapprove?"

Charles scratched his head. "Claudia was Izzy's best friend. Vanessa is mine. There's no one else I would trust with this. I wish I had the time to take care of it myself, of course, but my principal responsibility is to care for the living. Ensure that my employees have jobs to come back to tomorrow. I won't lie, though. Going back to my place and seeing her things all over...it would have been painful. I'd feel like she'd just burst out of the bathroom and say, ‘Oh, Charles, what are you doing here early?’ or something. I don't think it's hit yet. She was too young, too full of life."

He avoided looking directly into the camera, lost and vulnerable.

The journalist didn't let that stop her from pushing, asking the hard questions.

"Rumors have flown around, saying that your relationship with your wife wasn't happy. Some even say that Vanessa was your mistress."

"Izzy and I got married right out of high school. We had ups and downs over the years. Almost two years ago now, I asked her for a divorce. However, she had health concerns, and I chose to support her through that. I spent almost half of my life with her. We were friends, before anything else. As a couple, we didn't work, and both of us knew that. We were ready to go forward with a divorce, but a piece of paper wouldn't have changed anything. If she'd called in the middle of the night because she needed a lift, some eggs, or just someone to talk to, I would have been there for her."

The journalist didn't hide her skepticism. "Not many former partners have that sort of bond."

"We would have had it," Charles stated, shrugging as to show her he didn't care whether she believed him or not.

"And Vanessa?" she prompted.

Now Charles looked right at the camera. "Now, that certainly is a subject I'd rather not discuss now, but I know you, your viewers, my shareholders, my employees, my secretary, and the dog walker down the road are waiting for some sort of statement."

The journalist smiled. "Well?"

"Vanessa and I have been on friendly terms since I met her in 2012. Two years ago, we ran into each other and started to hang out, because honestly, she's fun, refreshing, and we get along. It was as simple as that for a time."

He let it drop.

"Then?"

"Then, I realized it wasn't all that simple at all. Vanessa and I never crossed a line, but I could tell she meant a lot to me. That may be what prompted me to ask for a divorce back then. Not to date her, you understand. She was seeing some guy back then, I think. It just opened my eyes, made it obvious that something in my own relationship had ceased to work. When it became clear that Izzy and I would stay together through her recovery, health-wise, I thought it would be safer to keep my distance from Vanessa. I'm a man of values. She's the type of woman who wouldn't allow any inappropriate behavior."

"And yet, the police clearly stated that you were together that Friday night."

"We were. Coincidence, if you believe it." He smiled. "I'll excuse you if you don't. I frequently stayed at the Hay-Adams when Izzy and I had a disagreement. That night, we did have a shouting match, and then she mentioned getting a divorce. I agreed it was time, and left. Vanessa's grandmother was in the city; they both stayed at the same hotel. We met and ended up talking."

He'd learned his lesson: sticking to the truth was the best way to lie.

"That's it?"

"That's it. If you've never crashed on a friend’s sofa after some wine and a chat about the future, that makes one of us."

"You make a good case," the journalist did admit. "So you're not dating Nessie? She's just a friend?"

He nodded. "I can attest that I'm not currently dating Vanessa."

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