It turned out Alison's concerns about the time constraints for the New York Liberty presentation were warranted. Though Emily had found her footing as assistant to the EIC, this new project was throwing her out of her depth again, and Emily was scrambling. She dedicated every spare minute to completing the presentation, all while juggling Alison's incessant phone calls, accompanying her to meetings, and managing the never ending stream of communications with editors, brand reps, and advertisers.
Finally, after what felt like dozens of revisions, Emily finished the last version of the presentation, which Alison approved. And then, less than 24 hours before the scheduled meeting time, Alison dropped the bomb on Emily, that she would be the one delivering the presentation during the meeting. Emily was in a state of disbelief, writing the proposal was one thing, but stepping into the role of presenter was an entirely different challenge. She voiced her concerns but they fell on deaf ears, Alison was firm in her decision, claiming that the message would resonate better coming from an athlete.
"Shouldn't Alison have been back by now?" Hanna asked from her spot at the office table where Alison usually held meetings.
Emily grabbed a chair and plopped down, crossing her arms. "I just got off the phone with her, she's not far."
"Where was she?" Aria looked up from some paperwork she'd brought into the office.
"She went to the brunch that Out Magazine hosted today," Emily stated, her tone somewhat sharp, she cleared her throat hoping to hide her annoyance.
"That speed dating thing they do for the most eligible candidates?" Aria raised a brow.
"That's the one," Emily affirmed curtly, drumming her fingers against the table.
Hanna, noticing Emily's restless tapping, chimed in casually, "It's more like a networking gig than anything else."
Emily let out a controlled breath, tucking her fidgety fingers into her palms as she tried to suppress the churning in her stomach. She couldn't think too hard about how Alison had spent the past three hours mixing and mingling with some of New York's most accomplished and attractive women. She had a presentation to memorize and very little time to do it. She couldn't waste time wondering about whether someone had made Alison laugh, even if it was a fake laugh for the cameras, or if someone touched her, like a friendly arm stroke in casual conversation. The churning in her stomach intensified, and she was just about to pull the socials phone out, it would only take a few seconds to check the Alison DiLaurentis Google alerts for anything interesting.
"Knock Knock,"
All eyes turned to the door. Paige was coming toward the table, her usual broad smile directed at Emily. She did her best to return the smile despite everything on her mind.
"Hey Paige," Emily tried not to sound too disappointed. It's not that she wasn't glad to see Paige, she was just expecting the next person to come through those doors to be Alison.
Aria offered a polite nod, acknowledging Paige's presence but nothing more. Hanna managed a tight smile before diverting Aria into hushed side conversation. Paige wasn't there to see them, the drop in was intended for Emily.
"Hey there," Paige leaned against the table, "I've been texting you."
"I know," Emily gave Paige an apologetic look, "things have been really crazy since Monday, sorry I haven't gotten back to you."
"No worries," Paige shrugged lightly. "But I do need an answer about dinner with Chef Rinaldi."
Chef Rinaldi…Emily remembered one of the texts she received mentioning a dinner date with the renowned chef. The text came in while she and Alison were on their way to an Editorial Leadership Summit where Alison was scheduled to speak. Once inside, Emily hung on Alison's every word for the entire fifty minutes. She couldn't imagine talking in front of thousands of people for almost an hour. Alison did it effortlessly, commanding the room's attention with ease, keeping everyone engaged and at the edge of their seats. It was beyond impressive. The text from Paige had slipped Emily's mind until now.
"I think the date you sent me was fine and you said it was a private thing, right?" Emily tried to recall the details of Paige's message.
"Yeah, it'll just be me, you, and the chef at my place. Text me any allergies you have so I can pass them along, and don't feel the need to dress up, I won't be," Paige elaborated, her fingers gently running down Emily's arm.
"It sounds nice, Paige. I can't wait," Emily smiled up at her, genuinely excited about the new experience.
Paige lifted her hand to gently stroke Emily's cheek and tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. Her presence and the confirmation of their dinner plans had distracted Emily from her previous thoughts and she hadn't heard the clicking of high heels or the sound of the heavy glass door.
"Date night with a private chef, how romantic," Alison's words sliced through the moment.
Anyone who heard the comment would have thought the disdain in Alison's voice was her usual revulsion of all things Paige but Emily knew better. She also knew she wasn't doing anything wrong by accepting Paige's invitation. Alison had just spent the past several hours flirting with and charming other women over brunch. A brunch that strongly hinted at Alison securing the title of the Most Eligible Bachelorette for the third consecutive year.
"Only the best for my Emily," Paige winked at the brunette, causing her to blush. "You keep her stuck in this office from one morning to the next, someone has to take care of her, and remind her there's more to life than this," Paige motioned around the large office flippantly, not bothering to glance in Alison's direction.
"Your Emily?" Alison's icy tone sent a chill through the room. It felt like the temperature had dropped several degrees. "That's very presumptuous after one run and a few sandwiches."
Emily knew that Paige's words weren't to stake any claim on her, yet it clearly triggered something within Alison. Emily and Paige shared a look, Emily subtly urging her not to provoke Alison further, but Paige couldn't resist the temptation.
Snapping her head toward the EIC, Paige retorted sarcastically, "I didn't realize you were so invested in the dating life of your assistant."
"It's like you said, Emily deserves the best," Alison responded, her voice full of condescension.
Emily witnessed the shift in the blonde as she approached Paige. Her blue eyes flickered with what Emily could easily recognize now as pure cold rage. She hadn't seen her like this since the Levi's Campaign shoot, or maybe the Garden Party.
"Which is precisely why her choosing to waste time with you baffles me," Alison declared boldly.
Paige was undeterred, her brows pulling together in a frown as she took on a more confrontational stance. "Are you trying to say I'm not good enough?"
The room went deathly quiet as the tension escalated and everyone braced themselves.
Hanna muttered a resigned "Here we go again…" under her breath that was barely audible.
Aria, realizing the futility of intervening, rested her head on her hand, deciding not to offer Paige any help this time.
"Honestly PigSkin, considering all the privilege, access, and resources you have…It's truly fascinating how unremarkable you turned out to be," Alison's gaze was unwavering as she locked eyes with Paige. "You told me yourself that Emily was out of your league, I'm simply reminding you."
Emily's heart started to race as she sat on the sidelines, grappling with whether or not she should say or do something. Thinking back to the last time she had intervened between Paige and Alison and how it had backfired so spectacularly, she hesitated. Paige seemed certain that she could handle Alison alone, maybe it was best for Emily not to step in this time.
"You're a possessive, and controlling bitch," Paige spat out, her words heavy with deep seated anger and frustration that she'd been carrying around for years, "And you've been that way since we were kids."
Alison acknowledged Paige's accusations with a menacing smile as if to say 'You got me'. "And you've always been petty and small," she countered with cold precision. "That's why you're here in my office cozying up to my assistant. You wanted to get a rise out of me, you wanted my attention and you have it. So, what now?"
Emily lowered her head, unable to look at either of them. Aria and Hanna exchanged uneasy looks. Alison had posed a question and was waiting for an answer, Paige's prolonged silence was causing a wave of secondhand embarrassment for everyone present.
"Emily's choice to see you outside of this building remains hers, I fully intend to have a conversation with her about the quality of the company she keeps." Alison glared at Emily, and she could feel unyielding blue eyes drilling into the top of her head like lasers. The implicit warning sent a shiver down Emily's spine as memories of Alison pressing heated kisses across her body came to mind. Emily chewed her lip, pushing the thoughts away, now wasn't the time.
"But for now, if you want to speak to her, you'll do it when she's not on the clock. You don't come by my office anymore without an appointment." Alison's tone was final as she laid down how things would be going forward with a firmness that left no room for interpretation.
"I'm not some random employee, Alison. You can't boss me around. You can't restrict where I go in this building, I own it, and Emily can speak for herself," Paige tried to recover, but the words tumbled out shaky and unsure.
"No, Pigskin, your father owns part of it. A very small, but very annoying part, and if you want your family to keep it you'll say you understand and get out of my office." It was a heavy threat and Emily wasn't sure if Alison could actually back it up but she knew the blonde didn't say things in vain. "But you're right that Emily can speak for herself, so, Emily," Alison prompted.
Suddenly all eyes were on her, "Paige, you should go," Emily suggested, realizing the situation was on the brink of something irreparable. Paige seemed to open her mouth to respond, but Emily cut her off before she could, "Just go. I'll text you later, I promise," she said, attempting to sound as kind as possible.
Paige huffed but pushed herself off the table and headed toward the door, only for Alison to call out and stop her halfway.
"Wait," The editor brought Paige to a stop. "You're forgetting something. You were supposed to tell me you understand and then leave my office." Alison rested her hand on her hip, she'd already won but it just wasn't enough for her.
Paige spun around wildly, looking like she was ready for round two but stopped suddenly, the fight leaving her body, "I understand." she hissed through gritted teeth before nearly taking the glass door off its hinges on her way out.
Emily watched Paige exit, the way Alison had dismantled Paige so ruthlessly left her with a sensation she couldn't place, it had been distressing to watch and she felt terrible for Paige but Alison's ability to force the other woman to yield left Emily with a feeling she couldn't quite shake off.
Alison turned her attention completely to Emily as she pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. Her face hadn't softened a bit and piercing blue eyes scanned Emily's face before pushing a takeout bag in front of her. Emily stared at the bag in bewilderment and looked at Alison who offered a nod, encouraging her to open it.
"I stopped by that little Italian place you like on my way back," Alison watched as Emily unpacked the contents of the bag onto the table.
Inside, Emily found two drinks, fresh grapefruit juice and a small Americano that thankfully was still warm. There was brioche French toast, made just the way Emily's sweet tooth liked it with Nutella, bananas, and mascarpone. An omelet, precisely the way Emily always ordered it, filled with bacon, feta, and diced peppers, not sliced, she didn't like sliced. Alongside the mains was a side of fruit, with pineapple replacing the usual melon because it was Emily's preferred choice.
Emily looked at all the containers in front of her, biting the inside of her cheek when she realized Alison's brunch was on the Upper East Side and Tarallucci e Vino was on the Upper West Side, it wasn't on her way back at all, the restaurant was a complete detour. Not to mention all the details Alison had noticed about her eating habits. Alison's attention to the little things would never cease to amaze Emily and she sat in her chair a bit overwhelmed.
"You were short with me when you called, I thought maybe you were hungry since you haven't eaten today," Alison sounded distant, and Emily assumed she was still bothered by the clash with Paige.
Though it wasn't why Emily had been short over the phone, she was in fact starving having skipped breakfast. Emily looked between the spread of food and Alison. She struggled to understand how Alison could be so brutal one minute and unexpectedly sweet the next.
"I wasn't hangry if that's what you thought, I was…I was…" Emily started but was interrupted by Hanna's sarcasm.
"Did you bring food for the rest of us?" Hanna quipped.
Emily was grateful for the interruption, for a moment it had felt like it was just her and Alison in the room and she was about to confess that she'd been jealous earlier.
"No," Alison answered without taking her eyes off Emily.
"That tracks," Hanna shrugged expectantly.
Before Emily could say anything else, Alison stood, "Eat and then start practicing your proposal. Aria and Hanna can give you feedback, I'll send Avery in too, she's been with me for similar presentations," The Editor started toward the door.
"Alison," Emily called out, and surprisingly Alison stopped, turning on her heels. "Where are you going?" They needed to talk about what just happened and even though it wasn't a conversation they could have right then, Alison up and leaving didn't feel right either.
"I have a closed door meeting with Spencer."
A closed door meeting with her sister wasn't on the EIC's schedule and Emily thought maybe Alison was lying and just wanted to get away from her, "And you're going to her office? You hate it down there." Emily questioned.
"It's a sensitive matter and her office isn't made of glass," Alison's answer lacked the usual edge that came with her being asked follow up questions. She really was trying to be better…to Emily at least. "But while I'm gone-"
"Eat and work on my presentation," Emily reiterated the directions she'd received.
"Exactly," Alison nodded, her voice finally softening a bit before she retrieved her phone from her blazer pocket, presumably to summon Avery to the office, and then proceeded to leave.
Emily watched Alison through the glass until she disappeared from her sight, admiring the pistachio suit her boss had chosen to wear. It accentuated her curves beautifully, while still being office appropriate, a balance that Alison had perfected. Emily sifted through the takeout bag once again, this time pulling out a pack of plastic utensils. She turned her attention to the French toast, eager for the first bite but just before she could dig in, she noticed Aria and Hanna giving her an odd look.
"What?" Emily asked, cutting into the toast with the side of her fork.
"What?" Aria exclaimed, "What was all of that?"
"Paige isn't going to let that go," Hanna added.
… …
It was rare that Alison ventured to the other floors of DiLaurentis McCullers Drake. Today it couldn't be avoided, with Paige lingering around the 12th floor like a foul odor and Emily occupying the office to practice her proposal. Alison reminded herself of this as she descended to the 7th floor, her destination being Spencer's office, a much safer place to discuss the matters at hand. Her surroundings changed drastically as she stepped off the elevator, tan oak flooring stretched out before her, white walls with blue and dark wood accents, wall seating, and a couple of very uncomfortable looking chairs. It was traditional and seemed to embrace formality, a stark contrast to the modern open area and hybrid work space that Aria had renovated GLOW to be.
The heavy mahogany double doors that separated Spencer's office from the rest of the floor were grand and dramatic, but not in the same way as Alison's glass ones. The walls were dark, and nicely paneled, adorned with certificates, awards, and other achievements. An imposing L shaped executive desk sat in the center, and across from it two lounge chairs. Power emanated from every corner, it was the complete opposite of Alison's office but there was an unmistakeable familiarity as well.
"Have you found her?" Alison asked impatiently.
Spencer had texted while she was at brunch that she had an update. Neither of them cared for tiptoeing around subjects or wasting time, it was something Alison appreciated greatly.
"We'll get to that, we need to talk about Paige first." Spencer stepped away from the window she had been looking out of, motioning for Alison to take a seat.
Alison declined, wars weren't won sitting down. A pang of anger shot through her at the mention of Paige but she hid it well, concealing her feelings under a look of boredom and mild vexation. She had warned Spencer that the last time she held her tongue in confrontation with Paige would be the only time, but still, she should have shown some restraint when she found Paige in her office with Emily. Alison decided she could save that piece of information for later, she already knew what Spencer would say anyway.
"What did you find?" Alison asked, draping her blazer over the back of one of the lounge chairs.
"Bits and pieces, she's up to something, I just don't know what." Spencer collected a folder from her desk and handed it to Alison. "I'm hoping if we look at all this stuff together, we can figure it out."
Alison opened the folder to find a pile of photos, detailed notes, and receipts linking Paige to Thomas Media Group. On the outside, the company was a public relations firm but deeper investigation revealed it to be a troll farm specializing in online attacks against various targets.
"Ian Thomas, why does that sound so familiar?"
"He was Paige and my field hockey coach," Spencer reminded her. "He quit the year after Paige became team captain."
Alison narrowed her eyes at the glossy photo of Ian, he looked like even more of a loser now than he did back then. It was no surprise the manchild who peaked in high school realized he could monetize negativity. She looked up from the folder.
"He didn't just quit, I threatened him into resigning. I told him I would tell the school he was sleeping with students." Alison confessed to Spencer for the first time, watching her sister's face contort into a stunned expression.
"Was that even true? Why would you do that?" Spencer's disappointment was evident.
Alison's defenses rose, and her response was bitter, "Does it matter? If it wasn't, he could have told me to fuck off. He took you off the team without ever asking if what Paige said was true. None of them ever asked they just took her word for it and everything spiraled, and then," Alison took a second to compose herself, "And then you were gone, and someone had to pay for that."
Someones, would be more accurate. Paige, Ian, former Vice Principal Tamborelli, each of them paid in some way and Alison didn't regret it. Not then and not now. This wasn't a realm of conversation Spencer and her delved into, even when Spencer had first come home she'd never talked about what happened while she was away and Alison never talked about her actions in Spencer's absence.
"Ok," the look on Spencer's face shifted to one of understanding. "If you look at the bank statements you can see Paige has already paid him 8,000, It's a small amount compared to what Ian's company charges, it might be a down payment."
Spencer continued, delving into the past workings of Thomas Media Group. The company had successfully taken down a number of businesses, the latest casualty was a small influencer owned skincare line. It was no doubt a rival who had hired Ian because suddenly the company was bombarded with thousands of claims ranging from allergic reactions and unsanitary conditions to tainted products. Despite the company's efforts to combat the allegations, they were overwhelmed and eventually closed. Ian wouldn't be able to shut down GLOW, but he could cause significant trouble for everything Alison had built.
"He's dangerous…and he has a reason to want to hurt you, they both do," Spencer concluded. "Ian is friends with this guy, Eric, and his brother Noel. They came to New York less than a month ago, and Paige set them up with an apartment."
Alison examined the black and white photos of the brothers, they looked like yearbook photos that were scanned or faxed poorly. Between the years that had passed and the quality of the photos, there was no way she'd recognize either of them if they were ever face to face. "There's nothing in here on them other than the pictures."
"That's because there's very little to find since they graduated, just their names Eric and Noel Kahn, it's like someone has scrubbed them from public record as much as possible, probably Ian. There is one thing, the younger brother, Noel, pushed a girl down a flight of stairs when he was young."
Alison handed the folder back to Spencer. She hadn't anticipated that whatever Paige was up to would involve troll farms, Ian Thomas, and a pair of brothers with unknown backgrounds.
"There's more," Spencer continued. "Most of Paige's devices are encrypted, so it was hard enough just getting this little bit of information. But she moved a file from her work computer to her smartwatch, it was titled Emily. The file corrupted when my tech guy tried to copy it."
A number of emotions hit Alison at once, anger and jealousy fought at the front but there was something else. Her calm and collected facade slipped for a fraction of a second as worry set in. Spencer noticed it immediately.
"I wasn't sure if Paige was just a creep or if she was planning on using Emily against you somehow. Now I'm sure it's the latter." Spencer hummed, "You like her…that's going to be a problem."
"It won't be," Alison said aloud trying to convince herself.
"That wasn't a question, Ali," Spencer rounded her desk and retrieved something from one of the drawers. "This is Emily's new personal device, it has the same encryption as yours, mine, and CeCe's. She can't use her old phone anymore, we can't risk Ian hacking it if he hasn't already. You can give it to her when you tell her to stay away from Paige," She placed a brand new iPhone in Alison's hands.
Normally Alison would have rebutted the bossy tone Spencer was using but her focus was elsewhere. She'd already been planning on talking to Emily about Paige but this was different, there was more at stake now. If this was some revenge plot Pigskin was working on she didn't want Emily in the middle of it. When they were younger lives were thrown off course, derailed, and some ruined because of their feuding, as adults they were capable of even more harm.
"Or you could leave her alone. Assign her to another Editor and maybe Paige will realize she can leave her out of whatever she's planning," Spencer proposed.
"Did you find the ex?" Alison changed the subject.
Spencer's shoulders sank, she'd been hoping Alison would forget about that, she straightened back up almost instantly, "I found a motel she was staying at right after she left Emily, she got kicked out after a week. Couldn't pay the bill."
"She left Emily months ago. Where is she now?" Alison pressed.
"Still looking,"
Spencer wasn't telling the complete truth and Alison knew it but she didn't have the energy to confront her. Not when she had to go back to her office and plan her next move under the scrutiny of chocolate brown eyes that would be watching her carefully when she returned.
"Look harder."
... ...
Author's Note:
Thanks to everyone who's sticking around and I hope you enjoy the update.