THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS
iii. DOUBLE DATES ARE MEANT TO BE FUN
❝IS PEACE TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR?❞

IT WAS CLOSE TO AN HOUR LATER when they had arrived at Arkham Asylum. It loomed in the distance, donning gothic architecture that was common to find all over Gotham. If Anastasia was being honest, it looked like something straight out of a horror film. She sighed, noticing the rows and rows of press at the event. Pulling down the sun visor, she made sure her make-up had not smudged because of the scuffle at the park. She had already given Bruce his suit jacket back, making sure he looked presentable too. She always hated these events, knowing one mishap would be plastered on every newspaper and every screen. She turned the car off, taking a deep breath as she looked at Bruce. "Alright, here goes nothing."

"We'll be fine," Bruce reassured, giving her his million━━billion━━dollar smile. He stepped out of the car first, being bombarded with flashes as the paparazzi took photographs. He walked around, opening the door. Bruce helped her out, holding her hand.

Immediately, more flashes blinded them. She could see the stage set up. Harvey was already there, standing at the podium along with three members of the Wayne Enterprises' board ━━ one of them being Regina Zellerbach. Behind them, there was a billboard as the backdrop of the stage saying Future home of Thomas and Martha Wayne memorial hospital. It was a new hospital, one that would be replacing Arkham Asylum, being built in the honor of Bruce's parents. Along with the billboard, there were campaign posters for Harvey as well.

The reporters called out to them, wanting to get pictures of their best angle for the articles. Bruce walked with Anastasia, using his spare hand to wave to the reporters. "Good morning, everyone."

They walked up the stage. Bruce led Anastasia to her seat, giving her hand a kiss before he let her go. She smiled, playfully rolling her eyes as she watched the reporters take even more pictures. He turned to face Harvey, walking over to him. "Morning, Mister Dent."

Harvey chuckled, giving Bruce a side hug. "Hey, Bruce, you mind if we swap cars?" he joked. "I mean, mine isn't fast and the paint's rusting off... but boy, does she have charm."

The reporters laughed at Harvey's joke, as did Anastasia. Speaking about Bruce's car, she was sure he had spent a fortune on it. Even when she drove it, there was always something about it hidden underneath. Sometimes, she wanted to ask Bruce about its features. Though, she was sure he would talk about horsepower and all that other car nonsense she didn't care enough about.

Anastasia smiled at the woman she was seated next to, Sarah Astor. She was one of the newer board members, having joined a few years ago. She had been at the party last night, too. Anastasia nodded at her. "Morning."

"How are you doing, Ana?"

Anastasia shrugged her shoulders. "Great, I had an... exciting morning." If you can call almost being murdered, exciting.

"Oh, good. At least, one of us had a good morning," Sarah hummed, nodding her head as she looked over Anastasia's outfit. "I nearly overslept." That was the end of their conversation, causing them to pay attention to Bruce and Harvey.

"We didn't bring you all out here to discuss cars, honestly," Harvey said, addressing the crowd. Despite the colder weather, there had been a decent turnout. Harvey stood tall at the podium with Bruce beside him. "We're here about Arkham Asylum," he said. "Ever since it opened its doors in 1921, Arkham has been a breeding ground for the criminally insane..."

Anastasia's attention drifted to Bruce, watching him text away on his phone. She sighed, tapping a finger against her thigh as she hoped none of the dozens of cameras would pick up his lack of attention.

"Its methods for rehabilitation are crude, its security is lacking," Harvey continued. Anastasia nodded, listening to every word. "Worse still, those who do get out, or God forbid, escape, are even more dangerous than before they went in. Arkham Asylum is a cancer on Gotham." It seemed that Harvey had noticed Bruce on his phone too, placing a hand around his shoulders as a warning. "But today, with a sizable contribution from the Waynes, we break ground on a state-of-the-art mental health care facility. One that will improve the well-being of Gotham, and its citizens, for years to come."

Anastasia had to admit, Harvey gave decent speeches. It was a good thing she was already voting for Harvey. The crowd clapped, agreeing with Harvey as did Anastasia.

"Mister Wayne has a few words he'd like to say," Harvey said, allowing Bruce to have the stage.

Anastasia smiled, watching her husband.

"My parents loved Gotham," Bruce started strong, smiling at the reporters. "They invested their blood, sweat, and tears into this city." He paused, letting out a heavy sigh as he lowered his gaze. "You know, when I was nine years old, my parents took me to see a movie about a hero in a mask. It was a hero who stood up to oppression and defended the people from injustice, no matter the cost. That night... my parents paid the ultimate cost defending me from a man... who needed the kind of help this new facility would provide."

Her phone buzzed, forcing her to glance down to see a text message from her assistant, Laura.

BAD NEWS. THERE'S RUMORS THAT THE COMPANY IS ASSOCIATED WITH CARMINE FALCONE. IT'S IN ALL OF OUR EMAILS.

She tapped her foot against the floor, keeping her eyes up. Focus on Bruce. After all, it was only a stupid rumor being spread around because of Falcone's appearance at the party last night. Anastasia didn't reply, wondering if she had gotten the email as well.

"Let us honor their memory with this new facility," Bruce continued. "In the hope that a night like that... never happens again. Together, we can change Gotham for the better." She clapped, along with the crowd. Everyone in Gotham loved the Waynes.

"Today, on the anniversary of that fateful night," Harvey said, placing a hand on Bruce's shoulder, "we dedicate the facility to Thomas and Martha Wayne, and usher in a new era of healing for Gotham."

Again, the crowd clapped.

"I'm sure you all have plenty of questions about the new hospital, so let's open it up." Bruce and Harvey began to pick out reporters in the crowd, answering their questions.

Her phone buzzed again, causing Anastasia to sigh. She looked down, unlocking her phone to look at the complete texts.

MRS. WAYNE, THEY HAVE EVIDENCE TYING THE COMPANIES TOGETHER. LOVEJOY CORP IS INVOLVED TOO, SAYING IT WAS ALL STARTED WITH BLOOD MONEY.

Anastasia scoffed, gripping her phone. Of course. For once, she wanted a peaceful season without any trouble but that seemed to be too much to ask from Gotham. She frantically typed away.

WHO IS SAYING THIS? WHAT SOURCE?

NO IDEA. BUT, APPARENTLY, THERE'S OFFSHORE ACCOUNTS. PAPER TRAIL THAT LINKS THE MOB TO THE COMPANY. SOMEONE THREATENED TO LEAK THE INFORMATION TO THE PRESS.

She rolled her eyes, sending another reply. It sounded like someone wanted a hand-out from Wayne Enterprises. She hoped it was nothing concrete, considering a scandal was something they did not need.

AND, SOMEONE JUST STUMBLED ONTO THIS INFORMATION? DID THEY SAY WANT THEY WANTED?

Laura's reply came instantly.

IT LOOKS BELIEVABLE. LETTING YOU KNOW BEFORE THINGS GET OUT OF HAND. AND, NO ONE HAS COME FORWARD YET.

"It's rude to be on your phone, you know," Sarah said, placing a hand on Anastasia's arm as she smiled sweetly.

"Oh, it's just..." Anastasia shrugged, turning her phone over. She hoped Sarah had not been reading over her shoulder. "It's only work."

"I'm sure it is, dear."

Anastasia turned her attention back to the questionnaire, noticing a familiar woman standing in the crowd ━━ Vicki Vale. She had managed to find Ms. Vale's articles in the Gazette, reading a few of them. She seemed passionate about her job and that was admirable to Anastasia. Vicki held out her recorder. "With the opening of this new hospital, what does this mean for Arkham Asylum?"

"I think Arkham has only done harm for Gotham," Bruce replied, nodding his head. He didn't truly answer the question, walking around it instead. Which made sense, considering they weren't sure what would have to Arkham yet either. "Made criminals more unstable, put citizens in jeopardy. We can do better."

Harvey agreed, nodding his head. "Okay, who's next?"

Bruce picked out another woman in the crowd. She smiled, standing to her feet as she tilted her head. "Mister Wayne, Julia Remarque of the Tribune," she introduced herself. "My sources say that you welcomed alleged mob-boss Carmine Falcone into your home, even greeted him as a friend."

Anastasia sighed. It was the topic that everyone wanted to talk about.

"I don't make friends with gangsters," Bruce said sternly, clenching his jaw. "He was an unwelcome guest, that's all. Next question, please."

"Please keep your questions on topic, people," Harvey added.

Her phone buzzed again. If it was Laura again with bad news... She checked her phone, seeing that Alfred had texted in the family group chat. At the moment, it only consisted of three people.

URGENT! GCPD IS HERE.

What was the police doing at their house? Her eyes met Bruce's, even he was surprised at the text.

"But, Mister Wayne," another reporter said, standing to his feet. "This morning, the Globe received evidence of an offshore bank account managed by Carmine Falcone and your father, Thomas Wayne."

"What exactly are you implying?" Bruce asked, narrowing his eyes. Anastasia's foot tapped harder against the floor as she forced herself to take deep breaths, trying to avoid looking at all the cameras and people that watched them.

"Transactions connected to organized crime, going back years... and continuing to this day," the reporter continued. "It involved multiple accounts, even most assets of Lovejoy Corp. The paper trail ties your family directly to the mob."

Gasps were heard throughout the crowd. Anastasia felt sick, feeling as if she was going to throw up. But, that would be even more embarrassing. Her eyes flickered to Sarah, watching her shocked reaction as she watched Bruce. But, her husband and Harvey seemed to react calmer than everyone else.

"Care to comment?" the reporter asked.

"And did anyone else receive this evidence?" Bruce asked.

"The Globe, the Gazette..." the man continued, staring up at them with a smug expression. "We all did." That started the floodgate of questions, creating chaos amongst the crowd.

"Is all your money dirty?"

"Is the Wayne legacy built on lies?"

"Did you know about this, Bruce?"

"How long have the Waynes and Lovejoys been dealing with Falcone?"

"Does the mob sign Wayne Enterprises' paychecks?"

The questions kept ringing out. Her nails dug into her skin as she stared at the crowd, watching them grow angrier and angrier as their questions went unanswered. All she wanted to do was go home, but then she remembered Alfred's text saying that the police were at their house. The wooden stage swayed underneath her feet, making her close her eyes as tried to ignore the shouting.

Bruce's voice sounded over the crowd. "I think you should check your source. It sounds to me like an intern is finally putting their creative writing minor to good use."

The crowd was not pleased with his answer, becoming even more forceful with their questions. She opened her eyes, focusing on Bruce.

Harvey whispered something into Bruce's ear, causing the latter to nod as he walked toward Anastasia. He took her hand, leading her off the stage. His anger was written clearly on his face. "I can't believe this."

"I'm so sorry, Bruce," she whispered, looking up at him. It was the worst day for such a scandal to be released, considering this was such a devastating day for Bruce already.

His phone rang, forcing him to pick up. She could hear Alfred on the other end, speaking frantically. After a minute or so, Bruce hung up. "We need to go home," he said, shaking his head. "Looks like it wasn't a social call. The police are raiding the manor."

"What?" she gasped. "Why?"

"I guess we're about to find out."

━━ ━━ ━━

ANASTASIA WATCHED THEM LEAVE WITH BOXES OF THEIR THINGS, claiming it was vital to find the evidence they needed. The manor was a mess from the police, making Anastasia feel bad for Alfred. Though, she was more than happy to help clean. But, the man liked it better when he was left alone to it. Bruce spoke to Lieutenant Gordon, discussing the reasons for the warrant and who had issued it. She stood off to the side, watching the police instead. This was all too surreal and happening too fast. The two were in the parlor, speaking loud enough that she could hear them from where she was standing. Apparently, the warrant had come directly from Mayor Hill. Bruce seemed to grow angier by the second, but he did his best to control it.

A sigh left her lips as she watched more officers walk with items from their office, taking almost everything. Alfred watched them closer than she did, making sure nothing was stolen either. This was... annoying. The Lieutenant walked out of the parlor, giving her a nod as he walked past her. She forced a smile, watching him get back to work.

Anastasia entered the parlor, noticing Bruce kneeled on the floor as he held a cracked photo of his parents and him. He was much younger in the picture, probably around four or five. He rarely discussed his parents, even in passing. It was only something he talked about when he needed to, like at the conference. But, she knew he was still grieving their loss. It wasn't something someone could get over. She walked inside, placing a gentle hand against his back. He didn't react, having heard her coming. "Bruce..." she said softly. "Are you okay?"

He stood to his feet, setting the broken picture frame on the table. "I'm fine."

"You always say that Bruce, but you're clearly not fine," she retorted, placing a hand on her hip as she approached him. He kept his gaze focused on the picture frame, noticing the damage that had appeared on the photograph.

"Ana," he started slowly, as if to tell her to stop pushing. "I'm fine."

"But, Bruce━━"

"Ana, enough!" he snapped, looking down at her with sharpened eyes. He sighed, running a hand over his face when he noticed the hurt that flashed across her face. "Please, I said I'm fine. Okay?"

She nodded, letting out a sigh. "Okay."

"Mr. and Mrs. Wayne?"

They both looked back, spotting Vicki Vale at the mouth of the parlor. Anastasia frowned, wondering how long she had been standing there. She hoped that the journalist hadn't heard a word of the conversations going on around the manor, especially theirs.

"I didn't mean to interrupt..."

Bruce sighed, meeting Anastasia's eyes. It was obvious that he wasn't pleased over Vicki's sudden appearance, but he didn't want to appear any more guilty if he kicked her out of the manor. "It's not a problem, really, Ms. Vale."

Vicki smiled, walking deeper into the parlor. She faced ​​Anastasia for a moment, giving her a nod in greeting. "First the Mayor's office, now Wayne manor... Gotham continues its streak of break-ins." Right. Anastasia had seen the news about City Hall being robbed and how Batman had been there with another masked thief ━━ Catwoman was the name she was being called.

"Really going for the record, huh?" It was strange to see how fast Bruce could put a mask on, acting as if nothing had happened as he joked with Vicki. Anastasia could barely stand still, twirling the giant wedding ring around her finger. It was something she did often when she had nothing else to mess around with, providing a small distraction.

"Listen, Bruce..." Vicki began, keeping her eyes focused on him. "A scandal, surrounding a beloved family like yours, captures the public's attention. I can help you get the right kind of attention."

Anastasia excused herself, walking past the two of them to leave the parlor. Bruce didn't try to stop her. She found Alfred, walking up to him. She let out a heavy sigh, crossing her arms as she watched the last of the police leave with full boxes. She spotted her office computer in one of the boxes, making her roll her eyes. There was a lot of data on that computer, not just relating to Wayne Enterprises. She had old pictures of her childhood digitized and put into that computer, something that she couldn't afford to lose.

"How are you, Lady Anastasia?"

"Stressed," Anastasia answered honestly, shrugging her shoulders. If there was anyone she could truly talk to, it was Alfred. His advice usually wasn't half bad either. "This doesn't look good, huh? The police took so much."

"We've had rumors before."

"Yeah, stupid rumors," Anastasia muttered, chewing on the inside of her cheek. "I've dealt with the cheating rumors, the weird hobby rumors... That one rumor about us being blood-sucking vampires. But, nothing like this? Our families are linked with the mob."

"I will say that Gotham Daily had an impressive amount of evidence of the two of you being vampires," Alfred joked, causing Anastasia to crack a smile too. It wasn't really her fault that rumor had spread. It was all because Bruce hadn't made an appearance during the day for months, being only seen at night. But, that rumor had died down a year or so ago.

"When they find nothing," Alfred said seriously, nodding his head as he faced Anastasia. In some ways, Alfred reminded Anastasia of her father. If anything, she saw Alfred as her father-in-law since she had never met Thomas Wayne. Alfred gave her a smile, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Everyone will forget about this and it'll be water under the bridge."

Bruce walked out of the parlor, escorting a very happy Ms. Vale out. However, Bruce didn't look so pleased.

"What did she want?" Anastasia asked.

"A statement," Bruce sighed, shaking his head.

"I hate to admit it..." Alfred started, looking at Bruce. His hand was still on Anastasia's shoulder, keeping her calm. "But, everyone smells smoke. A fire is heading this way."

"My family has never had enemies," Bruce pointed out, eyebrows furrowing as he placed a hand against his chin. He seemed confused on where all this was coming, as were Anastasia and Alfred. "We've done nothing but support Gotham, even in its darkest days."

"All this... on the anniversary of your parents' deaths..." Alfred trailed off, lowering his hand from Anastasia's shoulder to clasp them together. His expression saddened, staring at the floor instead.

"It's not a coincidence," Bruce muttered, clenching his jaw as his hands fell to his sides. "Harvey's the district attorney, he should've told us this was coming."

"Why would Harvey set us up?" Anastasia asked, not wanting to believe that Harvey would do anything to hurt them after all the support they had given him. "We've done nothing but support him."

Bruce frowned, mulling over her words. He didn't want to think that Harvey had ulterior motives either, but there was no other explanation. "He must have known, right?"

Anastasia sighed, nodding her head. "As the D.A., all the paperwork goes through him."

"Then, he knew," Bruce asserted. "He should have said something."

Alfred narrowed his eyes, staring at Bruce. "Then find out why he didn't.

━━ ━━ ━━

ONE PHONE CALL TO HARVEY DENT and they arrived at Café Triste at about half an hour past five o'clock in the afternoon. Tensions were high from the moment they had arrived with Bruce slamming the search warrant on the table, glaring at Harvey as they sat across from him at an outdoor table. Anastasia tried to keep the peace, but it was too late for that. "A warrant?" Harvey asked, looking through the papers. "Wait... Does this have something to do with what the reporters were talking about this morning?"

"Yeah!" Bruce spat out. "Someone is coming after me."

Harvey scoffed at Bruce's harsh tone. "Let's avoid making another scene, shall we? The press is already up my ass as is."

"Harvey," Anastasia began, causing the man's attention to drift in her direction. He held the eye contact, waiting patiently for her to continue. "Did you seriously not know about this?"

"No, of course not, I would never betray our friendship like that," he whispered, continuing to read through the paperwork again. Anastasia and Bruce shared a look, trying to figure out whether Harvey was telling the truth or not. "Mayor Hill authorized this?!"

"Yeah, the cops raid our house, taking everything related to Wayne Enterprises," Bruce said, pointing toward the warrant. His tone continued to stay harsh, making Anastasia sigh. "Computers, hard drives, files... Everything they could get their hands on."

"Son of a bitch..." Harvey muttered, looking out to the street as he thought about the severity of the situation.

"You're the goddamn D.A., Harvey," Bruce scoffed. It seemed that he wasn't too keen on trusting Harvey yet, but Anastasia found herself believing him. After all, Hill could have easily ran this past Harvey to take down Bruce. It was politics, after all.

"I didn't know about this, I swear," Harvey defended, surprised that Bruce would make such an assumption with them being friends. "You gotta trust me on this, Hill totally blindsided me on this one. I..." he trailed off, shaking his head as he slammed his fist on the glass table. It made Anastasia flinch, taking her hands off the table. "Goddamn it! He has no right to issue search warrants without my approval."

Anastasia picked up the menu instead, looking through it as she stared at all the pictures of the desserts. There was a vast selection of tea as well, knowing that Bruce always had a few cups of tea during the day. Though, he only liked the way Alfred prepared it. She was starving, considering all she had was breakfast about eleven hours ago. She looked at Harvey over the menu, meeting his brown eyes.

"Ana, you believe me, right?" Harvey asked, causing her to lower the menu as her gaze flickered between him and Bruce.

She bit her lip, not knowing why Harvey had put her on the spot. But, she went with how she honestly felt. So, she nodded. "Yeah, Harvey, I believe you," she said, giving him a smile. "You're our friend. I don't think you'd do anything to hurt us."

He reached forward, placing a hand on top of hers as he gave it a squeeze. "Thank you, Ana. I... I really appreciate that."

Bruce sighed, watching as Harvey pulled his hand away to look over the warrant again. "Okay, I believe you too, Harvey. Mayor Hill's trying to screw us all with this move."

"Then he's made an enemy of me too."

"Do you think he's the one who leaked the information to the press?" Anastasia asked, tapping her nails against the laminated paper of the menu. She looked at Bruce, shrugging her shoulders. "Perhaps, this is what your friend meant this morning by... breaking windows."

"Did someone threaten the two of you?" Harvey asked, surprised at Anastasia's words.

"Bruce's friend... Oswald Cobblepot," Anastasia explained, shivering at the morning they had. She looked at Bruce, placing a hand on top of his. "He's just... strange. But, I suppose he did stop us from being mugged."

"The two of you were almost mugged too?" Harvey sighed, shaking his head. His gaze met Anastasia, almost hesitating to say the next part. "This woman I know, she was mugged yesterday. It's dangerous to wander the streets of Gotham, honestly. Be careful next time."

"I don't think Oswald would have been able to make up a rumor like this," Bruce frowned, still thinking about Anastasia's words. "He's someone to come in and trash the place, not spread gossip that'll probably fade. But, Mayor Hill knows a rumor like this can destroy the campaign."

"He must have been the one to spread it to the media too..." Harvey mumbled, shrugging his shoulders. "I just don't get it... Why would Hill stick his neck out over this? Just to tangle you up in some frivolous investigation? What exactly can he accomplish by some cheap headlines?"

Bruce's fist clenched. "That is exactly what I intend to find out."

"Easy, Bruce," Harvey said, watching as the waitress came over to place three glasses of iced water in front of them. She mentioned something about coming back in a little bit to take their order before she disappeared inside the café. "I wish I could make this go away, but... I'm not sure if I can. If I get in the way of this investigation, Hill would be able to spin it as a conflict of interest. And, that wouldn't be good for either of us. It would jeopardize the entire campaign."

"Then, I'll go at it alone," Bruce muttered, annoyed at the fact that Harvey refused to help. He looked at Anastasia, finding it within himself to calm down. He shrugged. "I've got plenty of resources to fight this."

"We're in a bind here, Bruce," Harvey shrugged, looking at the both of them. "But, I'll do whatever I can to help the two of you. I promise."

"There you are," a woman cooed, placing a manicured hand on Harvey's shoulder. Anastasia looked up at her, noticing her sleek black hair and smokey eyes with bold red lips. But, the black eye and cuts around her eye stood out the most. She was definitely punched in the face, but her beauty was untouched.

"Hey, you," Harvey stood, greeting the woman. Bruce took the chance to take back the warrant papers, folding them before handing them to Anastasia to put in her purse.

The woman chuckled, standing on her tiptoes to place a kiss at the corner of Harvey's lips. "Sorry, I have a habit of being late." Oh, something Bruce could relate to.

Harvey shrugged, giving her a warm embrace. "No, I'm just glad you made it."

The woman looked back at them, watching them through her lashes. Her attention was quickly overtaken by Bruce as she focused on the scratches against his cheek. Bruce, on the other hand, was staring at the black eye the woman had. The other woman frowned, but it was quickly replaced by a smile when she faced Harvey. "You didn't tell me you were bringing friends to dinner."

"This is Selina," Harvey introduced them to his lady friend. It made Anastasia smile, sparing a glance at Bruce. It was good for Harvey to find someone he liked, considering it had been a while since he had dated anyone. "Selina, this is Bruce and his wife, Anastasia."

"Please, call me Ana," she said, standing to her feet to shake the woman's hand. Her hands were cold, making Anastasia frown as goosebumps spread up her arm. Selina smiled at her, nodding her head. Bruce stood as well, keeping his blue eyes trained on the woman.

"Everyone knows the Waynes," Selina teased, but her eyes were focused on Bruce. Her gaze did drift to Anastasia, looking her up and down. Suddenly, Anastasia felt out of place as she messed with her clothing. She felt overdressed, staring at Selina's simple form-fitting black dress and leather jacket. She looked... cool. Anastasia would admit it first, liking the woman's look. Though, she doubted she could pull it off herself.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss..." Bruce held out his hand.

"Kyle," Selina finished, taking his hands. They held hands for a second too long for Anastasia's liking, but she chalked it up to being paranoid. After all, the heavy ring on her finger was enough to remind her of Bruce's love. Selina smirked. "That's a strong grip you got there. Don't worry, I'm not gonna fall."

Bruce pulled his hand away, chuckling as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, sorry."

Anastasia looked at Harvey, wanting to see if he noticed anything off. But, he seemed oblivious. Perhaps, she was overthinking. Again, like always.

"Selina's new to town," Harvey informed as they all sat down, but Anastasia had lost her appetite. "I've been showing her around Gotham, introducing her to people."

"You're an excellent tour guide, Harv," Selina smiled, placing a gentle hand on top of Harvey's.

"Well, if I lose the election, I guess I can drive one of those double-decker tour buses around town," Harvey joked, earning a smile from Anastasia too.

Selina tilted her head up at Harvey, chuckling. "I'd take that ride."

"Meet anyone interesting?" Bruce asked, picking up his glass of water to take a sip of it.

The other woman only smirked. "Not really."

"What happened to your eye?" Anastasia asked, curiosity piqued her interest. She had her arm on the table, resting her head in her hand.

Selina frowned, all playfulness fading as her eyes stayed on Anastasia. "I was mugged."

"Oh..." Anastasia whispered, realizing Selina was the woman that Harvey had been talking about. "I'm sorry, that looks really painful. I can't even imagine how scary that must have been."

Selina sighed, meeting Bruce's intense gaze. "I'm just angry I let that masked-freak get away with all my stuff."

Harvey wrapped an arm around Selina's shoulders. "I still can't believe I let you walk home alone. I should have called you a car."

"Yeah, the streets are too dangerous to wander around during the night," Anastasia sighed, having a flash of the morning come back to haunt her. A barrel of a gun appeared across her vision along with a crooked smile of a man she did not recognize, making her flinch. Her arm banged against Bruce, making her fluster out a string of apologies. He softly reassured her it was okay, giving her a smile. She settled back down, ignoring the strange looks she got from Harvey and Selina. She frowned, feeling how itchy her skin had gotten as she began to scratch her arm underneath the table. She wasn't sure if it was the tulle material of her sleeves or if it was the chill in the air.

Selina watched them closely, tilting her head as she watched Anastasia's nervous expression. "I wouldn't think you would have a fear in the world being married to... Bruce Wayne."

Anastasia smiled at Bruce, shaking her head. "He wouldn't hurt a fly."

Selina hummed. "I couldn't be too sure about that. You never know what a man is hiding behind their mask."

Her phone buzzed, grabbing her attention before she could process what Selina had said. It was an email forwarded from Laura, explaining the media frenzy that was going down at the office. She sighed, emailing back to say she would be at the office soon to take care of it. The allegations were not a good look for Wayne Enterprises or Lovejoy Corp. Deep breaths, deep breaths. She reminded herself, finding herself on the news app as she scrolled through the countless articles. It hurt to see her father's name dragged through the dirt. She paused, staring at a picture of her and her father when they had first opened their first hotel. Her father was a good man, just as Bruce's father had been. It wasn't fair to their memory to be compared to the likes of Falcone.

She froze, feeling Bruce's hand on her leg to stop her from shaking. She hadn't realized she had been bouncing her leg, sparing a glance in her husband's direction. He didn't look at her, keeping his eyes on Harvey and Selina as he listened. Bruce's hand engulfed most of Anastasia's thigh, stroking his thumb against her outer thigh. Anastasia set her phone down, trying to focus on the conversation. But, she felt hot and cold all at once. And, dizzy. She reached for her glass of water, taking a sip. Or, more like a few gulps.

"I lost important materials," Selina explained. What were they talking about? It took her a few moments to realize they were still discussing her mugging.

Bruce hummed. "Sensitive?"

"Very," she countered, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know how I'm gonna explain this to my client. When things like this happen in my line of work, people tend to... overreact."

"We should just be thankful you got away with only a black eye," Harvey said, causing Anastasia to nod. There were awful crimes happening every day in Gotham, some that Anastasia didn't even want to think about. Selina was lucky to only have a black eye to remember the mugging. But, not everyone could say that.

"So, what do you do for a living?" Bruce asked.

"It's complicated," Selina said, waving her hand as she dismissed his question. "High-risk, high-reward."

Bruce chuckled, nodding his head. "Stock market, huh?"

Selina smirked, holding his gaze. "Something like that."

Anastasia took another gulp of the water, drinking most of it. She wished she had something stronger to numb her mind, wanting a break from all the stress she felt.

"At least, I'm not the only one taking a beating," Selina teased, playfully winking at Bruce. She tightened her hand on Harvey's hand, not bothering to hide her amusement. "That press conference, huh?"

"We've got it under control," Bruce replied, squeezing Anastasia's thigh. Sure, they had it under control. It was why her phone had been non-stop buzzing for the past few hours.

Selina hummed, "do you?"

Bruce and Harvey shared a look. The latter narrowed his eyes, noticing Bruce's glare. "I'll handle it, Bruce," he said, pulling his arm away from Selina to take out his phone from his pocket. "Someone at my office has to know what's going on. I'll make a call, okay? Just... give me a moment."

Harvey stood, walking several feet away to make the phone call. It left them three at the table, causing Anastasia to take a deep breath as watched the other patrons of the café. A pang of jealousy hit her, watching them laugh in their own private conversations. She was so busy that she didn't have time for friends anymore, other than her assistants. But, she wasn't too sure they counted. All the friends she had when she was younger, they changed when she had come into wealth. Most of them weren't happy with her marriage with Bruce either. And eventually, she had lost her friends. It wasn't a surprise that Anastasia had thrown herself into work and her marriage with Bruce. It was all she truly had left. She felt a headache come on, listening to the train that went by overheard. Suddenly, she didn't want to be at the café anymore. The water she had drunk swished around in her stomach, the smell of food made her nauseous, and the noise pollution hammered into her head.

"So..." Selina started, tracing her finger against the cloth of the table. Unknownst to Anastasia, Selina was watching her reaction carefully. "I heard this city has a... vigilante. Batman, was it?"

But, Anastasia had let the question fly over her head as she stared at a man with his dog in the distance. She had a dog growing up. Maybe. Or, was it the neighbor's dog? Anastasia couldn't remember if she was being honest, making her frown.

"There's a lot of things to learn about Gotham," Bruce answered stiffenly, moving his hand from Anastasia's thigh to around her shoulders. She readjusted to lean against him, making herself comfortable. "Batman is... just someone looking out for this city."

"What do you think, Ana?" Selina asked cooly, looking over her nails.

"What?" Anastasia asked, looking at the woman with the mention of her name.

"About the Batman?"

"Oh, right," Anastasia mumbled, shrugging her shoulders despite the weight of Bruce's arm being there. What were her thoughts on Batman? She barely knew herself, never really thinking about the vigilante that hid in the shadows. "I don't have much of an opinion. I guess... I guess it's scary? I mean, it's a good thing Batman only goes after criminals."

"Good thing you're not a criminal, then," Selina grinned, enjoying Anastasia's answer as she watched Bruce squirm in his seat. She pointed to her eye, frowning. "Or, you might have just gotten sucker punched."

Anastasia shivered, shaking her head. "Imagine being face to face with that thing. I feel as if I would have a heart attack, the rumors about him aren't easy to digest."

"I bet you've come across him and you haven't even realized," Selina smirked, tilting her head. Pieces of her hair fell into her eyes, making her appear even more seductive. No wonder Harvey had taken such a liking to the woman.

She laughed awkwardly, feeling her skin itch again. She didn't like the way Selina watched her, studied her. It was as if the woman was trying to figure out all her secrets. It felt as if everyone in the café was watching. She shrugged Selina off. "I doubt it," she mumbled, interlocking her hands on top of the table. "And, I have no interest in meeting him━━"

Selina accidently knocked over the glass of water, sending it toward Anastasia as the ice cold water drenched her clothing. The dark-haired woman gasped, quickly picking up the glass as she flashed Anastasia an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry," she winced, handing her a bunch of napkins.

"Oh, uh... No, It... It was an accident. Don't worry about it," Anastasia mumbled, taking the napkins from Selina before she dabbed it against her blouse. Bruce and Selina watched her closely, but she avoided their gaze. She stood abruptly, grabbing her phone off the table. "Excuse me..." she whispered, taking a step back. "I need to freshen up in the bathroom."

She ducked out of there, passing by Harvey who was angrily talking on the phone with someone. Anastasia entered the café, smiling at the waitress who looked at her. In the back, there were the bathrooms. Fortunately, it was a single so she locked the door behind her. Anastasia shivered, pulling out enough napkins to soak out the water. When that barely worked, she stood beside the hand dryer for a couple of minutes as her blouse dried.

Anastasia stared at her reflection, noticing the dark circles underneath her eyes that seemed to get worse and worse as the days went by. She wished she had brought her purse, considering it was still on the floor beside their seats. A curse left her lips as she ran a hand through her hair. Deep breaths, deep breaths. She reminded herself, closing her eyes as her hands tightened on the sink. It felt as if the whole weight of the world was on her shoulders. Anastasia knew she could step down as CEO at any time and stay at home. But, it wasn't the job that stressed her out.

At work, Anastasia was confident, calm, and collected. She was untouchable and she would be the first to admit, the company was at the highest it had ever been. She always got all her work done and made sure that everyone else was doing their work too. Everything went perfectly at work. It was everything else that stressed her out ━━ the media, the social relations, her marriage with Bruce. It felt like nothing was the same anymore. He was hiding things. He acted so strange with her, walking around eggshells. She didn't doubt that Bruce loved her, but there was something beyond that. Something... she didn't know what. It felt as if he wore a mask around her and she could never tell if she was talking to the real Bruce anymore.

Her phone rang, pulling Anastasia out of her thoughts. She picked it up, sighing. "Laura... hi..."

"Mrs. Wayne!" Laura gasped out on the other hand, making Anastasia frown as she pulled the phone away to see she had eighteen missed calls from all three of her assistants combined. "We... We have a bit of a situation."

"Yes, I know, the rumors are bad━━"

"No... Well..." she stammered. "This isn't exactly about that."

"What are you talking about?" Anastasia asked, leaning against the sink to stabilize herself. She felt dizzy again, watching the tiles sway on the wall. She closed her eyes, hoping it would fade.

"We have some people here who want to talk to you."

"Tell them to make an appointment," Anastasia huffed, feeling her anger start to spike.

"Mrs. Wayne..." Laura mumbled softly, making Anastasia frown as she opened her eyes again. Her tone had quietened down, allowing Anastasia to hear the sound of men in the background. "They won't take no for an answer. Please come."

Anastasia nodded, realizing the severity of the situation. She had never heard Laura so scared before. "Okay, I'll be there," she whispered, looking down at her watch to see the time. "Ten to twenty minutes, okay?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Wayne."

She tucked the phone into her pocket, taking a deep breath as she made sure she looked presentable. Anastasia opened the door to the bathroom, jumping back when she noticed Bruce leaned against the wall. He offered her a small smile, tilting his head as he stared at her wide eyes. "Bruce..." Anastasia mumbled, lowering her hand from her chest as felt herself calm down. "You can't just sneak up on people."

"You were taking a while, I wanted to make sure you were okay," he said, reaching out for her hand. She ripped her arm out of his grasp, holding it close to herself.

"I'm fine," Anastasia said.

Bruce sighed, reaching into his pocket before he pulled out the keys to his car. He placed them in Anastasia's hand. "I have to go," he said vaguely, pushing himself off the wall. "Stay here, have dinner with Harvey and Selina."

"No," she said, shaking her head. She knew better than to tell Bruce the whole truth, knowing he'd want to come along. "I... I have to go to the office. Laura is stressing out about something and I need to go help her. It's probably damage control, you know how it is."

Bruce nodded, placing a gentle hand against her cheek. "Okay, but... Take it easy, Ana."

"Where are you going?" Anastasia asked suddenly, wondering what Bruce had to do at six o'clock in the afternoon. After all, their calendars were merged and she didn't see anything planned.

"I have an appointment with Lucius, meeting up with a few investors," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "I shouldn't keep them waiting."

She nodded, staring at the taller man as if she was waiting to catch him in a lie. But, she knew she was being paranoid. "Will I see you at home?"

"Maybe," he answered, tucking his hands into his pockets. "I'm not sure how long the meeting will go on. It's just about some expansion ideas about the new hospital."

"Okay..."

"I've already said my goodbyes to Harvey and Selina," he said, leading her toward the entrance of the café. The restaurant seemed quieter than before, as if everyone had been forced to speak only at a whisper. "My cab is waiting."

"I can give you a ride..."

"No, it's okay," he said, kissing her forehead before he gave her a smile. "I'll see you at home, Ana."

"See you."

Anastasia reached the table, watching Selina and Harvey laugh amongst each other. Her eyes watched Bruce get into his cab, watching it disappear down the street. She frowned, reaching down to pick up her purse. Selina watched her, smiling. For a moment, her eyes trailed to the diamond on Anastasia's finger but they quickly trailed back to her face. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," Anastasia mumbled, shrugging off the question as she looked through her purse to make sure everything she needed was there. "I think I'm sick, been nauseated all day."

"I see," Selina's gaze drifted to Anastasia's stomach, giving her a sweet smile. "Expecting?"

Anastasia shook her head, almost laughing at the idea since a baby might push her stress levels over the top. "No, just stressed."

"Though," Harvey started, grinning up at Anastasia as the gears turned in his head, "a baby would be good for publicity."

"I'm not having a baby, Harv," Anastasia scoffed, placing a hand against her hip. In all honesty, she and Bruce never had the 'baby' talk despite being married for five years. Perhaps, it had never crossed either of their minds. Though, she wouldn't mind having a few children with Bruce. She had always wanted a big family.

"You don't need to actually be pregnant," Harvey pointed out, shrugging his shoulders. "We can have a few rumors spread about you being pregnant and then... It'll get people to forget all about the Falcone situation. You'll never confirm, so it'll only be a rumor and it'll keep everyone distracted."

"Not that bad of an idea," Selina added, smiling at Harvey as she patted his arm.

She shook her head. "No, Harv, it doesn't feel right."

"Alright, alright," he said, holding up his arms, "but keep it in mind."

"Are you staying for dinner?" Selina asked, changing the topic. "Bruce said you were."

Anastasia shook her head. She would have stayed, wanting to get to know Harvey's girlfriend better too, but she couldn't. "No, I need to get to the office. I have work to do."

"Alright, next time," Harvey grinned.

Anastasia waved goodbye, starting to head toward the car. "Have a good night, you two."

━━ ━━ ━━

IT HAD TAKEN HER LONGER TO ARRIVE at Wayne Tower than she had promised the girls, forcing her to park right in front of the building. She rushed out of the car, locking it before shoving the keys into her purse. Anastasia ran up the stairs, barely showing the guards her badge. It was a force of habit, if she was being honest. They all knew what she looked like, after all. Her feet carried her to the private elevators, making her punch in a code to call it. Her name was called out by a familiar voice, making the blonde look back to face Lucius Fox. He was one of Bruce's closest friends and the head of the R&D department. "Hey, Lucius," she said, speaking barely louder than a whisper as she tried to catch her breath. "How are you?"

"I'm doing alright, Ana," he responded, approaching her as he returned the smile. He chuckled, noticing the thin layer of sweat that covered her skin. "Did you run here?"

"Only through the lobby," Anastasia laughed, shaking her head as she glanced at the elevator to see it was still making its way down. It wasn't always a perk to have their office on the top floor. She cleared her throat, looking at the time on her watch. "Shouldn't you be at the meeting with Bruce?"

Confusion flashed across Lucius' features, causing a pit to drill into Anastasia's chest as she waited for him to say something. The older man shook his head, letting out an awkward chuckle. "No? I was about to head home, actually."

"Oh..." Anastasia mumbled, staring at the elevator's numbers go down. Was it going slower than normal? She inhaled a shaky breath, feeling her lungs burn. Either Bruce had told her a lie or Lucius was unaware of the meeting, but either way, it seemed strange. Her hands clenched into fists, causing the sharp nails to bury themselves into the skin of her palm. "Well, Bruce said you and him were meeting some investors about the hospital? Maybe you forgot to add it to your calendar."

"I must have, Mrs. Wayne," Lucius said, eyes widening in recognition as he slid his phone out of his pocket. She watched him, narrowing her eyes as she watched him text someone through the reflection of his glasses. He smiled at her, patting her back. "Thank you for reminding me. I know Bruce isn't happy that I'm late. After all, I am the mastermind behind the tech. He's probably busy distracting the investors with his charm."

"With his charm, I'm sure," Anastasia mumbled softly, letting out a heavy sigh as the elevator dinged to signal its arrival. The doors slid open, making her step toward. She looked back at Lucius, knowing that he had lied to her face but it was something she couldn't think about. "I'll see you around, Lucius."

Lucius cleared his throat, nodding. "Of course, Ana. Have a good night."

"Yeah, good night," she mumbled, watching the elevator doors close.

Once the elevator reached the top floor, it opened slowly to reveal a massive portrait of Thomas and Martha Wayne. She stepped into the hallway, noticing her three assistants ━━ Laura, Monique, and Anya ━━ sat on the couches along the hall. Laura sat rigid, staring at the doors that led into Anastasia's office. Monique was pacing up and down the hall, occasionally running her hands through her long black hair. Anya leaned back against the couch, scrolling through her phone. Laura was the main assistant, while the other two were there to help Laura in more daunting tasks that she gave. Together, they all worked for Anastasia and it had taken her a long time to find people she could trust.

"Is everything okay?" Anastasia asked, approaching them. Laura had relaxed hearing her voice, Monique had stopped pacing, and Anya had quickly pushed her phone into her purse.

"Mrs. Wayne," Monique gasped out, rushing forward to grab Anastasia's hands as tight as she could. She led her to the office doors, opening it to peek inside before abruptly closing it. "Your... guests... are waiting for you in the office."

"Who is it?" Anastasia clarified, wanting to know exactly what she was getting herself into. "Shareholders? The board? Regina?"

"No..." Laura replied, standing to her feet. She was taller than Anastasia by a few inches, having sharp features with loose curly brown hair. Her skin had gone from its usual golden to pale. "I think... I think they're sent by Carmine Falcone, arrived about an hour ago."

Anastasia scoffed, feeling her breath hitch in her throat. She bit her lip, wondering if she should call security right away or see what her guests wanted. She walked toward the office doors, pushing them open to see the four men scattered throughout. They all wore suits, similar to the bodyguards that Falcone had brought with him to the manor. Two of them sat on the couches, having their feet up on the coffee table. Her magazines had been knocked to the floor, as had the cookie tin. One of them was seated on top of her desk, playing with an interactive ornament she had. Anastasia didn't miss the massive bouquet of white roses on her desk. The last one stood by the back, having the balcony door open as he smoked a cigar. Despite the fancy suits, the men were rugged in appearance and much older than her. The men at the couches grinned when they spotted her, standing to their feet as they clasped their hands behind their backs.

"Do you need me to stay with you?" Laura whispered in her ear, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear as her light brown eyes flickered to the men. She trembled in her spot, looking sick as if she was going to pass out.

"No, why don't you three head downstairs? Take a break?" she said softly, not wanting the three girls to be there in case anything happened. She wanted them safe. She smiled, meeting Laura's wide eyes. "Or, better yet, go home. It's been a long day and I'm sure all three of you are tired."

"Are... Are you sure?" Monique asked, standing by the door as she clung onto the frame. Anya was peeking in too, watching the men who were waiting for the audience to leave.

"Yes, go," Anastasia reassured, ignoring the men that watched with their dark eyes and sharp talons. "I'll finish up whatever work there is, alright?"

Reluctantly, the girls did as they were told. They gathered their things in the office, Anastasia watching carefully to make sure none of the men would bother them. It seemed that they had spooked them already, causing them to scurry out of the office. Anastasia closed the door, locking it to make sure they wouldn't be disturbed. She took in a deep breath, turning around to face the men.

"What is the meaning of this?" she spat out, walking to the middle of the room as she crossed her arms over her chest. No one answered, watching her through narrowed eyes. "How'd you get past security?"

"We got friends in high places, Mrs. Wayne," the one sitting on her desk answered, giving her a smirk as he beckoned her closer. He placed the ornament back down on the table, placing his hands against his lap instead. She walked closer to him, noticing the finer details of his face. He wasn't as old as the other men, but still a few years older than Anastasia. He held out his hand. "Name's Adriano."

"Anastasia," she quietly mumbled, shaking his coarse hand. She could see the scars that littered almost every inch of his exposed skin, but they had all been covered up with tattoos.

"Anastasia..." the man tested her name on his tongue, grinning as he showed off his white teeth. He gestured to the flowers, picking up the card before holding it out for her to take. She reached forward, taking the card before she read over what was written inside. There was a time and location, signed by Carmine Falcone. "Roses are from our boss, I'm sure you know him."

She gulped, nodding her head as her eyes trailed downward to the gun that rested at the man's hip. She looked back, noticing the other two men watching her intensely. The only one who wasn't paying attention was the one on the balcony, but she bet he was armed with a bullet that had her name written on it. "Tell him I said thank you..." she whispered, tucking the car back into the flowers. "They're beautiful."

"You can tell him yourself tomorrow. He wants to speak to you, alone," Adriano added, knowing Anastasia had seen the invitation on the card. He took her hand again, staring at the ring as he whistled. "That is some rock. How much did it cost?"

Anastasia ignored his question. "Why does he want to meet?"

"Business," Adriano responded, pushing himself off the desk. He was taller than she was, leaning down as he chuckled. She held her breath, feeling the lump in her throat grow as she looked everywhere except at him. Still, her nose flooded with the smell of blood, sweat, and a hint of peppermint.

"I... I have prior arrangements," she whispered, taking a sharp breath. "I have meetings that I need to attend, so I won't be able to━━"

"Rearrange them, sweetheart," Adriano spat out, losing the sweetness in his tone as he gripped her jaw to force her to look up at him. Her eyes were wide as she watched him, noticing the deep scar that crossed his cheek and extended down to his neck. He smirked, resting a hand against his gun. "You don't wanna flake on Falcone."

Anastasia could hear the other men move closer, making her flinch. She couldn't breathe as she stared up at the man, feeling his nails dig into the edges of her jaw. No doubt, his hand would leave bruises if he left it there for too long. But, she heard Bruce's words ring in her ears as she remembered that it only took a minute to die if someone held her in a chokehold.

"Okay, okay..." She whispered, trying to speak to the best of her ability as a few coughs left her lips. She pushed against his thumbs, managing to break free as she quickly took a few steps back. Adriano chuckled, amused as he watched her take shaky deep breaths. Her fingers ran over her throat, feeling how tender the skin had gotten. She felt tears sting at her eyes, but she blinked them away as she watched them. "I'll... I'll be there, I promise. Skyline Club? It's only a few blocks away from here."

"Just you," Adriano reminded, walking toward her as he held her hand. She tried to rip it away, but he held her close as he pulled the ring off her finger. He grinned, pocketing it and Anastasia did not have the courage to fight for it back. "Don't bring your husband or any police, got it? Though, if you wanna bring one of your pretty assistants, feel free."

Anastasia shook her head, watching as the men began to walk toward the door. Her finger felt strange without the ring, being so used to the weight. "I'll come alone."

"I'll return the ring when I see you there, sweetheart," Adriano called out, opening the door as the other men left before he did. He gave her one last smirk, winking at her. "See you then."

♡

ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER CHAPTER. So, this was the last prewritten chapter I had which means it might be a while till we get the next chapter! Somehow, I ended up getting COVID (currently sick right now, sadly!) even though I only ever go to work and stay home. But, slowly recovering! It is one of the worst feelings ever I swear, but it's nice to just stay home and sleep. But, I still wanted to get this chapter polished up and published!

We met Selina this chapter and I love her so much, ahhh! For a good moment, she definitely thought Ana knew about Bruce being Batman. But, she quickly realized that he's keeping secrets. ALSO, HARVEY IS NOT HIDING HIS ATTEMPTS AT FLIRTING ANYMORE LMAOOO. He held Ana's hand in front of Bruce and somehow, no one noticed.

In the next chapter, we'll learn a lot about Ana and her past! I am so excited to write it because Falcone knows a lot more about the Lovejoys than Ana does at this point! It'll definitely surprise her because she didn't know her father as well as she thought she did. Not sure when the next chapter will be out though, only because I don't think I'll get any actual writing done with how sick I feel.

AMARA.
[ PUBLISH DATE ━━ 04.25.2022 ]