The next day, Lizzie wondered how she was going to face Darcy at work. She wished she could talk with Charlotte and get advice. But George had asked her to keep his story from everyone.

However, after a life of friendship, Lizzie knew what Charlotte was going to say; that she needed to learn the other side of the story. And she thought of a way of get that information from Darcy.

Lizzie was chatting with a new member of her department when Darcy appeared outside her office. He waited until she was finished and entered the room.

"Hello Lizzie, how are you?," he said.

"Fine, thank you," she replied, trying to sound normal, and not like the girlfriend of a betrayed friend.

"I just wanted to tell you that our meeting with the director of the miniseries was moved an hour later. He said that he wants to discuss something with his team before they travel to the shooting location."

"Okay, thank you for letting me know."

"Lizzie, is something the matter?," William said. She had sounded too cold, perhaps annoyed.

"No, everything is fine, I'll just have a lot of work to do", Lizzie excused herself.

"In that case, I will leave you to it," William said and walked to the door.

"Darcy, wait," Lizzie spoke, "I'm sorry, I did not get much sleep yesterday."

William did not pay attention to her excuse, all he could think of was that she had called him Darcy again.

"I understand. It was a long night."

"Can you stay? There is something I want to ask you."

"Sure", William sat down again, wary.

"I've been curious for sometime now about your best friend in high school, George Wickham?"

"What about him?"

The tone of William's voice took Lizzie by surprise. There was such disdain in his voice.

"Well, you were inseparable in high school, and I find it weird that you haven't mentioned him at all since I started working here."

"We went different ways a long time ago and we are no longer friends."

"Can I ask what happened?"

"I rather not talk about it. It's sufficient to say that I am glad he is out of my life."

Lizzie was very surprised by those words.

"Excuse me for prying then."

"It's okay, Lizzie. I will see you later," and he left.

Lizzie was now certain that something had happened between George and Darcy. And if she could not get the information she wanted from Darcy, she had an idea where she could find another (more talkative) source.

When he left Lizzie's office, William was feeling uneasy. It had been a while since he had thought of Wickham, and it was not pleasant.

His story with George was full of deception and sadness that he had not wanted to share it with Lizzie. Besides, it was not only his story; it also concerned Georgiana.

He needed a friend and went looking for him.

Lizzie was getting close to Fitz's office when she heard two voices.

"I never expected to hear Wickham's name from her," one said and she recognized Darcy.

"Don't you think it's obvious she would ask? She knew him too," Fitz replied.

"Yes, but still… and you know what is worst? I think I saw him the other day."

"That asshole? Where?"

"I was driving home and I thought I saw him in the car next to me."

Lizzie did not know what to do as they were clearly talking about George. Eavesdropping was not an action she would condone, but she wanted to know more. Luckily for her, nobody else was on the floor.

"Even if he dared to come here, what are the chances you would see him again? San Francisco is a big city," Fitz said.

Lizzie heard Darcy exhaled loudly.

"I hate him. After all this time, I still hate him."

"Same here, brother."

Lizzie covered her mouth with her hand. She could not believe what she was hearing from Darcy and Fitz.

"Maybe I should be a better person and, but I can't help it."

"I think it's normal you feel that way, especially after all he did."

They remained silent for a while, before Darcy spoke again.

"I don't regret what I did, and if I had to, I'll do it again. Georgiana would have never stayed away from him if I had not intervened. She would have never realized he wasn't good for her."

Lizzie had heard enough and left quietly. She could only think that George had told the truth and that Darcy had deceived her boyfriend.

Unfortunately, she did not hear the rest of the conversation that would have made her realize that all that George had said were lies.

William could not understand the change in Lizzie's behavior.

It all had started after she had asked him about George. She was cold and distant during their work meetings, and as soon as they were over, she would leave. She barely talked to him outside of their work meetings and continuously refused his invitations to lunch.

William had tried to find out what was going on, but only received excuses from her. He had even asked Fitz if he knew something, but his friend was also in the dark, Lizzie was also avoiding him.

The worst came when she told William to call her Elizabeth or Ms. Bennet. He was hurt and wondered what he had done to trouble her. It had been sufficient to know that she was in love with someone else and that he could only aspire to be his friend, to be now be rejected by her once more.

Finally, one day, William was returning to Pemberley after having lunch with some potential investors, when he saw them.

Lizzie and George walking together, hand in hand.

Lizzie was distracted talking with George that did not notice her boss walking towards her. However, George did and dared to smile to William.

Then, in an instant, he spun Lizzie around and kissed her. It was not a tender kiss; it was a very passionate one, that made William's blood boiled with anger.

"Why was that for?," Lizzie asked when it was over. She felt a little embarrassed because they were very close to her work place and someone could see them.

"Do I need a reason to kiss my girlfriend?," George asked.

"No, I just…", she shook her head, dismissing her thoughts, "thanks for lunch, see you later at home."

"Love you, peach", George said and walked away, but not without giving William another wicked smile.

Lizzie, oblivious to this exchange, entered Pemberley's building and went to her office.

William could not believe his eyes. George was her boyfriend. The boyfriend he was so envious of.

He felt sick to his stomach when George kissed her. How could she be with him, of all the men in the world? He did not deserve her.

His company interrupted his trail of thought and demanded his attention. William did his best to disguise his discomfort during the rest of their meeting.

Once he was alone again, he checked himself. Maybe George had changed, as he himself had changed. Maybe now, his former friend was worthy of having someone like Lizzie by his side.

Nonetheless, he needed to know if George was behind the change in Lizzie's behavior. He left his office and took the elevator some floors down.

A knock on the door made Lizzie looked away from her computer.

"Darcy," she said surprised as she did not expect him.

"Can I have a minute with you?"

She just nodded as a reply; and William came in and closed the door behind him.

"Elizabeth, I need to know. Are you acting strangely towards me because of George?"