ã€ŠRise of the Billionaire actressã€‹


 DDD 1

    Deloise¡¯s Home, Chicago.

    Inside the walls of a three-room capacity bungalow, Deloise was found inside one of the rooms that belonged to her, with a tripod set up that held her phone as she prepared herself for a smooth delivery of the monologue script she found on the inte.

    Immediately getting into character, facing the camera, she began:

    ¡± Of course I know I¡¯m pretty! The problem remains that you don¡¯t.¡±

    She cocked her hand towards the camera and summoned a deranged look that could bring paralyzing chills and fear to her prey.

    ¡± It¡¯s all because of you! ¡± she said with every reason and conviction like she had thought it all through and could never be wrong with her assumptions.

    ¡± You choose her over me. ¡± She spoke with discontent. ¡± Again and again, time without number. You caused this, you should have chosen me! ¡± She screamed, getting angrier as the seconds trickled by. ¡± When I said to make a choice, you picked wrong.¡±

    Deloise gestured her gun to her head and pulled the trigger, feigning suicide, and immediately fell limp upon her bed. At that moment, Esther ¨C Deloise¡¯s mum, walked in. On seeing her daughter go limp, her spirit nearly left her body before she sighted the setup.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    Deloise, saw her mome in and almost lose her footing immediately palmed her face. She readied herself for a lecture which she knew was looming now she was caught in the act.

    ¡± Louise dear, what exactly is going on?¡± Esther asked, almost too calmly.

    ¡± Shooting? ¡± She drawled.

    Esther grew aggravated. ¡± Baby, you should know by now that you are not supposed to be ying around.¡± She said, displeasure clouding her face. ¡± Especially at this pivotal point in your life.¡± She lectured.

    ¡± I know ma, I¡¯m just trying out my acting skills on this new monologue I stumbled on earlier today, it¡¯s so challenging and exciting so I decided to¡± Deloise shared excitedly only to be cut off by her mother,

    ¡± Enough already! I don¡¯t want to hear it, Loise. You shouldn¡¯t be here wasting precious time.¡± She reasoned, ¡± You should be preparing for your future inw school! ¡± she projects firmly, sounding dissatisfied.

    ¡± But mummy you know I don¡¯t want to pursuew as a profession,¡± Deloise whined. ¡± My passion is acting and I want to make a profession out of it.¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t want to hear it! We have a n, Deloise.¡± Esther said, taking a breath, ¡± The earlier you start pursuing it, the better for us. I am your mother and I know what¡¯s best for you, this is nothing but a hobby and no child of mine is taking that path,¡± She said sternly.

    Deloise¡¯s face fell, and every trace of her prior happiness vanished to thin air.

    ¡± Don¡¯t make a big deal out of this, listen to me. I wouldn¡¯t mislead you, having the brains which you do, you¡¯ll make for a very greatwyer in this state. And that, my dear, is a life to lead,¡± Esther spoke with a patronizing voice.

    Deloise felt ambushed and lost words to exin or defend how important her dream to be a world- renowned star meant.

    ¡± But I love what I do, you know I can do this, I¡¯ll be famous and do great stuff, Mom. I have no desire or call to the bar.¡± Sheined, almost childishly.

    ¡± This isn¡¯t a conversation.¡± Esther said, having had enough, ¡± I believe I¡¯ve made myself clear. Clean up all of these and let me not see them or you in front of them ever again.¡± she ordered, gesturing to the whole setup. ¡± I¡¯ve allowed you to have your fun. It¡¯s time you got serious and that¡¯s final,¡± Esther walked out the room with an unpleasant look. Leaving no room for rebuttal and a hurt Deloise.

    Mood soured, Deloise took down the tripod and mock setup she made and headed for a change of outfit, feeling suffocated and caged by the words and ns of her mother.

    Soon enough, she was girded in a ck jogger and T-shirt alongside her running shoes. She picked up her phone and connected her earphones ready to leave the house to her favorite spot.

    A saddened Deloise sprinted away from home, leaving her mother to her devices, all the while trying so hard to understand why her mother had such an uncouth feeling towards her chosen career path and passion.

    As Eminem¡¯s ¡® Am not afraid ¡® sted into her ears, It felt like the world wasughing at her. Of course, she was afraid! She couldn¡¯t even imagine not having the support of her mother, talkless of going against her.

    ¡® Why couldn¡¯t she do this for herself? Why couldn¡¯t the world stop revolting against her? Why does her mother have such a deep-rooted hatred for the film industry? And why the hell, couldn¡¯t she be happy?

    Deloise pondered and sprinted even faster, feeling even more upset and conflicted. She got to a park not so far from her high school, her go-to spot in times like this which held a lot of memories from her childhood.

    Deloise was born and bred in Chicago, a ce where she discovered her passion and was groomed into the woman she was. With everything, the city felt more constricted than ever.

    Esther¡¯s dream for her daughter to one day be one of the most respected and brilliantwyers from Columbus University was forever standing as a bane towards the existence of Deloise.

    Her fears of what could be, should she not ept the ns of her mother kept her up at night and scared the daylights out of her. She knew her mother and how very extreme the repercussions for disobeying her could be.

    Mumbling, she sat on a log of wood and took a breather. She logged into the popr microblogging app as an effort to get her mind off the waters of the confrontation earlier experienced.

    Scrolling through the news feed from her timeline, she encountered snippets of an interview from one of the most sessful veteran actors in the industry.

    ¡± The film and entertainment industry scene atrge would be stoked to have you back after your two-year hiatus, Mr. Daniel.¡± The interviewer said to veteran actor, Daniel Greenwood.

    He smiled modestly, ¡± The industry is such a beautiful ce, one that makes dreams a reality. I¡¯m just d to be a part of that, now as a director and actor. ¡±

    ¡± Well, you¡¯re going to add to the beauty! I mean look at you, girls all over the world are blown away by today¡¯s news. They are all anticipating your return,¡±

    Daniel let out augh, ¡± It¡¯s no secret that I am not interested in pursuing any kind of rtionship at this time, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not grateful for the love and support from the fans though, so thank you all. ¡± He said, effortlessly killing any further inquiry.

    ¡± So there you have it, Daniel Greenwood is back in the entertainment scene, ready to take on a journey as a production director and actor in his home city, New York!¡±

    Deloise exited the video after getting the gist of the situation. With a smile, she continued readingments from fans of the actor. The news of the return of the movie King Daniel dominated every conversation.

    There, she whispered to herself that one day she also will attain such height and level of artistry and stardom.

 DDD 2

    ESTHER¡¯S POV ( Deloise¡¯s mother)

    ¡± I can¡¯t have Louise ending up like him, that can never happen. Oh not again! ¡± Esther paced around her kitchen gripping her hair as she saw her nightmare sh before her eyes.

    ¡± It feels like I can¡¯t escape him, he just won¡¯t give me a break! I can¡¯t let my daughter go through that path. What can I do? ¡± She thought hard, and reorganized an already organized set of cups.

    Walking into the whole setup of Deloise reciting and acting that monologue sobered her up to the fact that she had to do something and fast. She always thought the whole drama ir was a phase that would pass in her beautiful daughter¡¯s life.

    Oh, how wrong she was!

    Her daughter had always been a focused, consistent, passion-driven and outstanding youngdy since her childhood. She mindlessly walked about her kitchen picking up some sugar, baking powder, and other things in readiness to ¡®stress-bake¡¯ ¨C as her daughter termed it.

    Going through the process of creating a piece of cake, her mind took her back to when the whole mess started, when her daughter started going down that route, Just like he did.

    *****FLASHBACK****

    ¡± Mummy, Mummy! I got picked, I did it, I got picked! ¡± A little Deloise screamed excitedly, announcing her arrival.

    Esther sat with a guest at the time, and smiled at her daughter who ran into the house with a book held up in her hands. She watched with amusement as her little legs drove hurriedly towards her.

    ¡± Baby girl, slow down! Don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡± She took Deloise into her arms with a wide smile at the energy of her little angel.

    ¡± Who do we have here?¡± Micheal, her guest, and prospective husband of the time said, alerting Deloise of his presence, which she seemed to have missed on her run.

    ¡± Mickey! ¡± She screamed with a happy grin, and he gently patted her head like the cute girl she was.

    ¡± What¡¯s the hurry? What do we have here?¡± Esther reminded, causing little Deloise to remember her reason for excitement.

    ¡± I got picked to present a drama for our school¡¯s end-of-year program! I¡¯m the princess!¡± She announced, proud of herself.

    Upon hearing that, Esther¡¯s heart plummeted to her stomach, she couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡± No you aren¡¯t. Baby, why would you do that? why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    ¡± I wanted to surprise you and now I got the part, I¡¯m the¡±

    ¡± No! I don¡¯t want to hear it. You aren¡¯t taking part, and that¡¯s final.¡± She ordered, displeasure written all over her face.

    ¡± But¡­ but..¡± A little Deloise stuttered, now at the brink of tears.

    Esther felt anger course through her,

    ¡± Go to your room, Deloise. Now!¡±

    Deloise turned around with a sob and ran in the direction of her room. Only after affirming she was in her room did Esther sink into her chair, well aware of her fiance¡¯s concern over her outburst.

    ¡± What the hell was that about?¡± He inquired, confused by her actions.

    ¡± No, Micheal. Just let it be.¡± She muttered tiredly. ¡± There¡¯s nothing to it, she shouldn¡¯t be doing such things, she needs to focus on her studies.¡±

    ¡± We both know she¡¯s a smart little girl, and it won¡¯t affect her, so what is the problem?¡± He reasoned, closing the space between them.

    ¡± I don¡¯t want to talk about it ¡±

    ¡± You have to. Brcause it¡¯s hurting you, and Deloise.¡±

    Esther palmed her face in frustration, and spoke through gritted teeth, ¡± I don¡¯t want to talk about it. She¡¯s my daughter, and I reserve the right to direct her towards the right paths as I deem fit. I don¡¯t want to argue right now, so please, drop it.¡± She muttered, tired of everything.

    Micheal raised his hands in surrender, surprised at her reaction towards the said topic. ¡± Okay, point received. But, just so you know, she worked hard for that, and taking it away from her isn¡¯t right.¡± He stood up, and walked a few meters away from her, eyes fixed on towards Deloise¡¯ room. ¡± She¡¯s only eight, she has a whole life ahead of her, let her be a kid.¡±

    He walked out, leaving her food for thought, and space to think about what she¡¯s done. After much thought, she finally decided to go talk to her baby girl, hoping that this would be thest she would have to address an issue of this kind.

    ******* END OF FLASHBACK******

    Esther ced her batter into the oven, filled with regret. She felt stupid to have allowed her daughter a nce at a drama script.

    Now, she reaped the fruits of her carelessness and leniency towards the subject at the beginning.

    The infuriating part being the man who convinced her to make such a dire mistake wasn¡¯t even around to see what it led to.

    ¡® Where was the said man who convinced her to let her child go through that silly phase?¡¯ She thought in anger. ¡® Probably somewhere with his real family having the time of his life. Men are and will always be betrayals!¡¯

    Esther fumed at what her choices with men throughout her life had caused her. She swore never to let her daughter fall in the same hole she did. Deloise couldn¡¯t end up like her- she determined her daughter got the better edge of the stick if it was the only thing she did.

    The buzzer went off, and Esther heard her doorbell go off. ¡± Come in!¡± She yelled, then kitted her palms, ready to bring a thoroughly baked cake, hot from the oven.

    ¡± Ummm! I¡¯ve missed you my sweet friend,¡± The voice of Mrs. Karen, her long-time friend and neighbor broke into the air. Salivating at the aroma of the freshly baked cake that instantly ced a smile on her face.

    ¡± We both know you want to eat some cake, Karen.¡± Esther deadpanned, sporting a grin as she dished the cake in little tes.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡± Caught me, ¡± Karen giggled, and took part of the cake for her consumption. After which, she followed Esther into her sitting room for a chit-chat. ¡± How¡¯s Deloise doing? What are your ns for college? ¡± She inquired, holding a ss of water.

    ¡± She¡¯s alright. Just doing the usual,¡± Esther sighed, unhappy at the route her daughter took as regards her future prospect.

    ¡± Well, at least she is good at what she does, Anna would be applying for the college ofw tomorrow,¡± Karen shrugged, and took another big bite.

    She felt proud of her daughter¡¯s decision to go into the college ofw- a supposed secret between them. Her daughter surely knew that she wasn¡¯t nning on keeping such good news to herself, so it was fine. She thought excitedly.

    ¡± If only Deloise could understand that I want the best for her,¡± Esther felt dejected. She shared the burden concerning her daughter¡¯s desire to pursue acting, and her distaste towards the said field. ¡± Acting isn¡¯t even a job. She wants to spend the rest of her life chasing shadows while she has the qualifications to be a respectablewyer. ¡± She fumed,¡± I need to do something, force her in the right direction.¡±

    Esther¡¯s shoulders sagged and her countenance soured. Deloise¡¯ refusal to pursuew as a profession despite being smart enough to do so grieved her.

    ¡± You could do something about it, think about it, there has to be something you could do, you just have to calm down and figure it out,¡± Karen said, trying to encourage her.

    Hearing the words- there has to be something she could do- Esther felt revived. She believed as a mother, who had her child¡¯s best interest at heart, there had to be something she could do, and that fact made her see a light at the end of the tunnel.

    She just needed to find the right time and n to push Deloise into doing her bidding, no matter the costs. She believed that even though she was too young to understand her right now, in the end, It¡¯ll be worth it.

    Deloise would be thankful she saw past her childish infatuation with acting, and helped her pursue a real career, which in time, she would grow to love.

    Esther didn¡¯t know she was sporting a smile- one Karen found odd but didn¡¯t mention. For now, she felt convinced and needed to figure out how to make things work to her favour.

    Esther felt lighter, and determined to save the future of her daughter, any means necessary.

 DDD 3

    Deloise held nylon bags filled with provisions, and struggled to get into her gate, unwilling to set them down for a second. The gates creaked loudly as she forced it open with her body weight.

    Carefully dragging her bags, she walked slowly into her home, aware of her mother¡¯s presence, but refusing to call for help. She struggled to bnce herself, and the numerous items, then heard the voices of her childhood friend, Ann, speaking with her mother.

    By the door of the living room, Deloise unconsciously hastened her movement, which resulted in missing a step, and crashing into the sight of the talking duo in the living room.

    ¡± Talk about the devil and she shows up, dramatically.¡± Ann said, sporting a shit-eating grin at Deloise¡¯sughable state on the floor.

    ¡± Thank you for your thoughtful act of kindness, Ann. I appreciate your helping me off the floor.¡± Deloise said in the most sarcastic voice and picked up her scattered items.

    Ann joined her on the floor, assisting to get it together and setting them up respectfully in the kitchen. Both came back into the living room, half Expecting to see Ms. Esther seated only to meet her absence.

    ¡± Where did she go?¡± Ann asked, looking around.

    Deloise knew her mother was in the study room, her disappearing act had everything to do with their misunderstanding. Their back and forth during the week brought a follow-up strained rtionship between them.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

    Lost in thought, Deloise nced longingly at the direction of her mom¡¯s study, wishing they could somehow be able to meet in the middle as regards their desires. She missed the rtionship she shared with her mother as their only living family.

    ¡± What do we have here?¡± Ann¡¯s voice brought Deloise out of her thoughts. She turned around to see her friend raiding the fridge in search of something to drink.

    ¡± I¡¯ll be in my room, help yourself.¡± She deadpanned, unsessfully hiding a smile on her face at the sight of Ann¡¯s digging in the deep freezer.

    ¡± You know I will.¡± Anna sassed, pulling out a bottle of orange juice, and drinking straight from the bottle. She belched then continued, ¡± Lead the way, Hunny.¡±

    Deloise pushed open the door to her room, ushering in Anna, who threw herself on the bed in a not-sodylike fashion. She grinned and sat up to Deloise¡¯s pointed face.

    ¡± Spill.¡± Ann demanded looking straight into her eyes.

    ¡± Spill what?¡± She could sense the confusion on her friend¡¯s face.

    ¡± We both know there is some tension going on there,¡± she paused, ¡± If you both weren¡¯t rted, I¡¯ll probably think it was some sort of sexual tension,¡± Ann added with a lopsided grin.

    ¡± Ugh, only you would say that,¡± Deloise cringed at the thought.

    ¡± I could cut the tension in the room with a knife, it¡¯s that obvious.¡± Ann reiterated with augh.

    ¡± Everything about you always has to be sexual, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Deloise asked, prompting a roll ofughter from Ann, who was about to take a sip from her drink.

    ¡± You know it, baby.¡± She smirked, ¡± But seriously, talk to me, what¡¯s got your panties in a twist?¡±

    ¡± My panties aren¡¯t in a twist.¡±

    ¡± You know it is..¡±

    ¡± Do you want to hear it or not Ann?¡± Deloise asked, getting frustrated.

    ¡± Sorry tiger, go on.¡± She said, hands raised, ¡± Just a harmless joke.¡±

    Deciding not to dignify her jokes with a response, Deloise continued speaking.

    ¡± It¡¯s about my schooling. We¡¯ve always had a conflict of interests regarding what I want to do and what she wants me to do.¡± She exined, ¡± That current has been boiling below the surface for a while now.¡±

    ¡± Yeah, but what¡¯s changed?¡± She asked, trying to see where the conversation was headed.

    Deloise sighed. ¡± She saw me shooting a monologue not so long ago, and I guess it became too real for her about how serious I am about acting. All of a sudden, all I ever hear isw school.¡± She deadpanned. ¡± About how it¡¯s such a great move to make in life, alongside the fact that you have figured out your life direction while I stay over here wasting ¡®precious¡¯ time.¡±

    ¡± First, that was like a top secret between me and my mom. ¡± Ann immediately rified, not wanting to make her feel any worse than she already felt.

    ¡± You know your mom can¡¯t keep a secret to save her life,¡± Deloise said with a grin, remembering Mrs. Karen and her not-so-secretive personality.

    ¡± Tell me about it,¡± Ann says, her face brightened up at the thought of an experience. ¡± Remember that time I told her about your little crush on Ryan? She legit couldn¡¯t stop herself from-¡±

    ¡± Okay, let¡¯s not derail, point gotten.¡± Deloise interrupted, knowing what wasing. Anna smiled, ¡± I just want to go to New York City. I want to live out my dreams, and take over the world. Sometimes, I just wish my mom would support me,¡± She nced jealously at her friend, ¡± You¡¯re so lucky, you don¡¯t know how fulfilling it is to be able to pursue your dreams, no questions asked.¡±

    Ann shook her head, ¡± I don¡¯t call it luck, I¡¯ll say it¡¯s just me doing all I can.¡± She said softly.

    ¡± I have been doing all I could to make my mother see that I could make something out of acting, I know I can, I see and dream it every day ¡± Deloise argued,

    ¡± But are you? Because right now, despite knowing that you are probably more talented than every star out there, you need a lot more than your mother¡¯s support to kick start a career.¡± She stated. ¡± You¡¯ll need deals to get your face out there, opportunities, support, finance, and all. Else this would end up as an unattainable dream.¡±

    ¡± I know all of that Ann, I do.¡± She said stoically, picking offense. ¡± If you don¡¯t have something positive to say, then I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡±

    ¡± Listen to me dear, I¡¯m your friend, I won¡¯t lie or butter you up. With me, you get the real truth, a hundred percent of the time. To convince your mum about this, you¡¯re surely going to need much more than talent and desire to show for it.¡±

    ¡± I just know that if I can leave this state for New York, I¡¯ll have a solid chance at this,¡± Deloise said thoughtfully.

    ¡± Not to be a hater, but what have you done to make it all more realistic?¡± Ann inquired.

    Following that question, was a long and almost deafening silence. Deloise looked like a deer caught in headlights which caused Ann to burst outughing, ¡± Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t thought of that,¡± she said, surprised at her friend¡¯s answer, orck thereof.

    ¡± You of all people know how hard I¡¯ve been working for this,¡± Deloise muttered.

    ¡± Yes, but apparently what you are doing isn¡¯t enough to secure you a ce in the industry. You have to think big Louise, cause right now, even I, can understand why your mother would rather you secure a solid future as awyer than acting as a profession.¡±

    ¡± What do I do?¡± Deloise asked almost dejectedly.

    ¡± That¡¯s for you to figure out hunnie,¡± she sips her drink, ¡± You sure have valid dreams though, You just need some master n to go with it.¡±

 DDD 4

    A troubled Deloiseid on her bed as she thought back on her conversation with Ann. The undiluted truth about her not doing anything realistic in pursuit of her desired career gued her.

    She picked up her phone and opened a popr microblogging app. Scrolling through her timeline, news of the arrival of the movie king Daniel Greenwood in New York City upied the number one spot of what¡¯s trending.

    Pictures of the Forty-year-old man flooded the inte showing the pack of fans who weed him into the busy city. How great would it feel to have such an impact? Deloise thought, sighing as she went through the pictures of the number of fans and gifts received.

    Not wanting to spend more than the required time sulking over how pathetic her life was at the moment, she kept on scrolling and saw a post from the official handle of The Royal Arts Academy, New York. Which read;

    _

    SCHOLARSHIP! SCHOLARSHIP! SCHOLARSHIP!

    Application to study performing arts in our prestigious institution and academy is ongoing. Are you interested in pursuing a career in the film industry? Are you talented and determined to take a shot at making a profession out of your passion?

    TWO SLOTS LEFT!

    Send in your audition monologue of the attached file below and you just might be one of the chosen candidates for this year¡¯ fully funded schrship offer!

    _

    On reading the sponsored advert from Royal Arts Academy- the most prestigious institution for theater and performing arts in general. Her heartbeat feltboured. She felt convinced that this was the opportunity she needed.

    Herself and probably over one billion others!

    With just two spots, her discouragement andck of confidence in her ability to secure it grew. She remembered her conversation with Anna and knew if she wanted to live out her dream, she had to do something other than overthinking and dreaming of a life where it was possible.

    Although the schrship program felt impossible due to its highpetition, she couldn¡¯t afford not taking action. If she tried and failed, then she¡¯ll be consoled from the fact she gave it her all.

    As much as it would be a terrible experience if she wasn¡¯t selected, it won¡¯t be as destroying as knowing she never took any realistic shot at her desire and aspirations.

    Years from now, she refused to add this to her possibly long list of regrets. And with a made up mind, clicked on the link, filled out the form, and downloaded the PDF of the audition monologue.

    She nced through it, and ideas on the best way to depict the character in the said monologue kept pouring in, she immediately logged offline and got to work on creating her audition video for the application, setting up to deliver her best acting yet.

    ******

    It was Esther¡¯s birthday.

    Deloise made up her mind to hatch things out with her mother. They had a birthday ritual of having dinner together. Being the only family the other had, it was easy to fall into the routine.

    asionally, they had Anna and Karen over just to spice things up. But tonight, Deloise knew it was going to be just her and her mother.

    With a father who rejected them before she was born, and an almost stepfather who betrayed them, she refused to be at odds with the woman who had always been there for her. She woke up with renewed determination to make her mother¡¯s Birthday the best one yet.

    Deloise walked into her mother¡¯s room, holding her favorite piece of chocte cake as a peace offering while she sang her awake.

    ¡± Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear mommy. Happy birthday to you.¡± She sang softly, efficiently driving sleep from her mother¡¯s eyes- who felt unshed tears at the sight of her daughter.

    Deloise¡¯ heart broke at the sight of her mother¡¯s tears. ¡± I¡¯m sorry about everything, I love you.¡±

    ¡± My b-baby ¡± Esther took the cake from her daughter¡¯ hands, dropped it by hermp stand and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. ¡± I love you so much, child. ¡± She said, kissing her wavy hair.

    ¡± Unm, okay mom, I love you too!¡± Deloise squeaked out, lost for breath at the sheer power of the hug she was enveloped in.

    Allowing her some air to breathe, Esther withdrew from her daughter and reached for her hands with a smile on her face. She spaced out for a second and immediately lost peace. Her grip on Deloise¡¯s hand tightened, ¡± Promise me something,¡±

    Esther said and Deloise felt worried. ¡± Are you okay, what¡¯s going on?¡± She inquired, wondering the cause of her drastic change of mood.

    ¡± Just tell me that whatever happens today, You¡¯ll think about it and understand that everything I do, I do for you, my child.¡± Deloise drew back in uncertainty at her mother¡¯s intent.

    She shook off the odd feeling she felt at her mother¡¯s words and put on a smile. ¡± I know you love me, but you need to get up, and get out of your room. It¡¯s your big day!¡± She said with a grin. ¡± Remember our dinner date, and help yourself with some cake.¡± Deloise dropped a kiss on her mother¡¯s forehead, ¡± Have a great time out with Karen, and have a happy birthday! ¡±

    Deloise exited her mother¡¯s room, and immediately, Esther jolted towards the doors. She heaved a sigh of relief when she confirmed it was indeed locked.

    She jittered with intent back to her bedside where the chocte cake was dropped on an envelope that somehow managed to escape the eyes of her daughter.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

    Remembering the content of the envelope she heaved a sigh, grateful that her daughter was too upied with her to notice the envelope.

    She immediately opened and nced through its content for the hundredth time since she received it the previous day. Afterwards, she returned into its envelope and securely locked it inside one of the drawers.

    Esther anxiously waited for dinner to reveal the content to Deloise, hoping she received good feedback without having to take extreme measures to achieve her purpose.

 DDD 5

    A troubled-looking Esther sat in her study, contemting on how the night might end for her. She knew she may have crossed a line with what she did, but a greater part willed her to believe it was for the greater good.

    The only problem was Deloise may not look too favorably on her honest efforts to help get her life on track. Her growing obsession with pursuing the filthy lifestyle of an actor had forced her hand to do what she did as a mother.

    After all, she was her child and knew nothing of the world she so desperately wanted to be a part of. Esther knew how cruel, betraying, and borderline evil that lifestyle transformed people into.

    She was determined to never let her daughter slip through her hands the way he did.

    Papers were spread on her home office table, which served as a space to run the paperwork for the little baking business she had going. But now, it littered with the official papers that had the power to break or make her rtionship with her daughter.

    Esther tapped on the papers, and heard the door shut loudly; Karen was on her property. She packed up and quickly headed out.

    ¡± The day my door falls off, I¡¯ll be sure to get a check from you, Karen,¡± Esther said, and joined Karen in the sitting room, watching her help herself to some cake kept by the table in honor of her birthday.

    ¡± This is good.¡± Karen grumbled with her mouth full, intentionally chewing with her mouth open.

    ¡± Whatever, Karen,¡± Esther said, unwilling to go further with the discussion upon seeing the state of Karen¡¯s mouth.

    Now finished with the chunk of cake she spooned, Karen noticed the afar and sunken mood of her friend, and immediately cleared her throat. Sporting a smile, she cheeked, ¡± Happy birthday sweet! How are we spending the day today and why are you wearing such a sullen look?¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡± Thank you,¡± Esther said, half-heartedly. ¡± I don¡¯t think I want to do anything this year, so I¡¯m just going to have dinner with Deloiseter today.¡±

    ¡± Okay? so why the long face, don¡¯t tell me you guys are still at odds.¡± Karen inquired, wondering why her friend looked so pent-up and unhappy on her birthday. ¡± I¡¯m getting worried, is everything okay with you and Deloise? ¡± She pushed, trying to get something out of her now quiet friend. ¡± Esther, I¡¯m going to call Deloise right now if you don¡¯t-¡±

    ¡± I applied to the State¡¯s Law school for Deloise and now she¡¯s gotten admission and I haven¡¯t told her yet cause I don¡¯t know how she will take it! ¡± Esther blurted out in one breath.

    Karen took in a breath,¡± Okay, that¡¯s a lot.¡± She stated thoughtfully.

    ¡± How is that going to help me? The school resumes in two weeks for God¡¯s sake and everything is in motion except for the person who they are prepared for. ¡± Esther felt frustrated.

    ¡± Anna is resuming in two weeks too! Ooouuu, they could be roomies!¡± Karen eximed, sounding excited at the possibility.

    ¡± Stay on track Karen,¡± Esther spoke firmly, almost angry at her friend¡¯s not too solid attention span. ¡± I n on telling her about it tonight and I know she isn¡¯t going to be thrilled about it. We just made up this morning from the previous argument and I don¡¯t want to get into another one.¡± She ryed worriedly.

    ¡± Calm down, and talk to her. Deloise is a smart child, and she loves you, just make her see reason. It¡¯ll be fine, I promise.¡± Karen assured, ¡± Get your face out of the gutter, and let¡¯s enjoy your birthday before Deloise has you for the night, okay?¡±

    ******

    Deloise came back from the mini Mart in a taxi, paid the driver, and gathered up her shopping bags before walking into her home.

    No one was home, which alluded that her mother was out with her friend, Ms. Karen went on a birthday spiral before their dinner.

    She picked up the key from the spot behind the window and opened an empty house, beelining for the kitchen where she dropped all her bags in readiness to make her renowned white soup and other side dishes for dinner.

    As a tradition in the Tanner household, the women duo prepared something handmade for dinner on birthdays, and enjoyed each other¡¯s presence for the rest of the night.

    Deloise needed to relieve her dder and after dropping the ingredients, She made way to the bathroom. There, she heard her ringtone and quickly finished up. Just before the phone went off, she picked up.

    ¡± Hey Ann!¡±

    ¡± I¡¯m on my way to your house, and I¡¯ll be around in five minutes to help with dinner. See you! ¡± Anna ended the call afterwards, leaving a smile on Deloise¡¯ face.

    Immediately, she began preparing things for dinner ahead of Ann¡¯s arrival. Five minutes into washing and cutting the vegetables, the front door opened, and Ann¡¯s shadow appeared by the kitchen door.

    ¡± Guess what? ¡± Ann walked into the kitchen and sat in an aisle.

    ¡± I don¡¯t know Ann, I do know you need to pick a knife and join in cutting the veggies and onions.¡± She answered, ¡± they won¡¯t cut themselves.¡±

    ¡± I¡¯m going to excuse yourck of sportsmanship because it¡¯s mom¡¯s birthday.¡± Ann snorted, then continued excitedly, ¡± I¡¯m leaving themunity in about two weeks. I¡¯m going to college!¡±

    ¡± That quick? Oh my jewel, I¡¯m happy for you, Ann! ¡± She said supportively.

    ¡± Thank you. And you, mydy, are in charge of helping me prepare and choosing what stays and goes.¡±

    Deloise remembered her friend¡¯s tendency to pack in things she didn¡¯t need and with a smile epted to do that for her.

    ¡± Of course! That¡¯s a given. Congrattions sweet.¡±

    ¡± Thank you. I can¡¯t wait to get out. It¡¯s long overdue.¡± She sighed and together, they prepared dinner for Esther.

    Meanwhile, Deloise wished that someday she would also be gone, in pursuit of her dream and happiness.

 DDD 6

    Royal Arts Academy, New York.

    The sun was out and bright, portraying shades of trees and leaves littered in the quiet schoolpound. The prestigious school was yet to open for academia and prepared to open the year¡¯s session in three weeks.

    The director of Arts, Mr. Austin walked hastily towards the school gates, checking his Rolex watch as his eyes nervously scanned the empty area. Meanwhile, far to the right, a ck Lexus Jeep parked horizontally, with its sses tinted and exotic.

    A man in histe forties sat inside the car, leisurely looking through a news magazine. His deep brown orbs, effortlessly scanned through the content of the magazine. While his long babyshes and deep ck eyelids gave a beautiful touch to his round eyes, perfectly arched brows, and ss skin.

    Dressed stylishly, his magnificently sculpted body was donned in a ck tux which entuated his model arms and body structure ¨C arms desired by the majority of the female popce.

    His poise screamed royalty and confidence as he sipped the water provided, and crossed his long-toned legs. Outside, Mr. Austin sighted the car and hurriedly walked towards it. He adjusted his shirt as soon as he got where they parked, ready to receive one of the greatest men of influence to have graced the film industry.

    The driver saw Mr. Austin walking in their direction, and immediately informed the person seated at the back of the car, his boss.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    ¡± The director is here.¡±

    Mr. Greenwood gruffed, ¡± Could they be anyter than they are?¡± His annoyance was barely hidden.

    The driver maintained silence, his boss wasn¡¯t happy and he didn¡¯t want to join the queue of job hunters.

    ¡± Open the door. ¡± Mr. Greenwood spoke clearly, briefly ncing at the director, who stood with a smile, waiting to wee him. He drank thest of his water, folded up his magazine, and left thefort of his car.

    ¡± Wee to Royal Arts Academy, Mr. Daniel Greenwood.¡± He greeted with utmost hospitality, then guided him into the school¡¯s administrative block. ¡± Our school is determined to grow future great men and women in the film industry.¡± Mr. Austin chatted as he walked his guest into the office.

    He gestured to thefortable sofa situated in the huge space that was his office, and immediately dug out a bottle of expensive wine from his fridge.

    After serving his esteemed guest, the director finally sat down opposite Mr. Daniel, whose countenance remained calm. It was hard to tell what went on in his mind.

    ¡± You¡¯re highly wee once again, I hope the wine is to your taste.¡± He spoke, humbled at the presence of one of the world¡¯s biggest veteran star actors, currently looking to invest in his academy.

    ¡± Thank you. Let¡¯s get off to business, shall we? ¡± Mr. Daniel took off his sses, and a sip of his wine. ¡± I am putting together a production; I want the best of your students to participate, fresh and promising talents for the screening process.¡±

    ¡± Our academy is the best, we only train the best faces and talent who have the potential for a promising career in the field in the near foreseeable future. We guarantee you nothing but the best.¡±

    ¡± Then we have a deal.¡± Mr. Daniel spoke monotone, picking up his ss and downing the remnants in a gulp.

    ¡± Thank you once again, Mr. Daniels, Royal Arts Academy is d to have you.¡± The director spoke, stretching his hand for an official wee and handshake, to which Mr. Daniels took in a firm grip.

    ¡± How is the search going for the female character? ¡± Mr. Daniels asked, wanting feedback on the earlier discussed script which was sent to the school in search of a new face for his film production.

    ¡± Very well, we put up two slots for a fully funded schrship with the dialogue as a script for the audition. So far we have received tons of videos, but none have as much potential as the people we have currently in Royal Arts.¡±

    Mr. Austin gauged the reaction of the man in front of him but couldn¡¯t grasp anything substantial. He couldn¡¯t tell how his client was taking the news and it bothered him.

    ¡± The search is currently on, and hopefully will bring good fruits forward in no distant time. Unless of course, you decide to have the ones that are already in school and with potential.¡± The director said, efficiently putting his students out to be picked.

    He knew that if one of his female students gained the role of the female lead in the huge production, it would be a huge credit to the academy as it could shoot one into instant stardom.

    ¡± I stand by my decision, my female lead is still out there, somewhere. find her.¡± Mr. Daniel stood up on his feet, signaling his departure from the office.

    ¡± We will find her, all hands are on deck.¡± The director agreed and ushered him out of the office, escorting him to where his driver stood by the exotic car.

    Nodding, the director watched him till the car drove out of sight.

    ********

    Deloise donned a beautiful long sleeveless gown. She got the table set with a smile on her face, knowing her mother was going to enjoy the meal prepared with a chocte cake to go.

    ¡± You are all ready, tables set, and food tantalizing, it¡¯s time to go.¡± Anna counted and picked up her bag, ready to leave.

    ¡± Thank you so much, you are the best,¡± Deloise called out to a leaving Ann.

    ¡± I know!¡± She shouted back before exiting the homeplex.

    Five minutester, the rev of a car arriving outside alongside the voice of her mother was heard. Deloise straightened up, expecting her mother¡¯s presence, she stood by the dinner table and immediately her mother walked in, the smell of sweet foods and delicacies wafted up her nostrils.

    ¡± Yummy.¡± Ms. Esther closed her eyes and inhaled the aroma in the air.

    ¡± Happy birthday mum,¡± Deloise replied with a smile as she took in her mother¡¯s countenance upon sighting the set food.

    ¡± Thank you, my love,¡± Esther felt almost moved to tears, she enveloped Deloise in a motherly hug- one that felt a bit too tight.

    ¡± umm- mumm, I think the food might get cold.¡± Deloise said as the hug prolonged.

    ¡± Ohh yeah, let¡¯s eat,¡± Esther said, finally letting her go, and they settled in to eat.

    The duo ate happily, chatting as they went and reminiscing previous years of the tradition. As the dinner drew to an end, Esther decided to bring up the topic she had been putting off for a while.

    It was now or never.

    Perceiving a change of mood and atmosphere, Deloise looked at her mom in wonder, puzzled as to what could make her silent so suddenly.

    ¡± Are you okay?¡±

    ¡± There¡¯s something I want us to discuss.¡± Her mother said in a small voice.

    ¡± Okay, I¡¯m all ears,¡± she said, looking at her mom, and waiting to find out what got her so bothered.

    Esther pushed food round her te, a trait her daughter recognized to mean she was nervous. She watched her mother finally open her bag, bring out a folded envelope, and slide it over to her.

    Deloise felt a sense of rising dread overwhelm her. Something told her she wouldn¡¯t like what wasing.

 DDD 7

    The atmosphere felt tense and the wind from the windows chilled the apartment. The windows rattled, momentarily distracting Deloise from her mother¡¯s gaze.

    It didn¡¯t take long before their eyes reconnected, each trying to read the other¡¯s motive. Deciding to take the softer approach, Deloise finally spoke. ¡± What is this, Mom?¡±

    ¡± Pick it up and open it dear,¡± Esther replied tenderly, holding her breath as she watched Deloise pick up the envelope and take out the enclosed paperwork.

    Deloise paled at the contents of the documents. As she continued, her expression grew worse. She vehemently shook her head, showing her stance on the situation.

    ¡± I can¡¯t, you know that.¡± She opposed, ¡± why would you¡±

    ¡± NO. I don¡¯t want to hear whatever it is you are feeling, my stance on this matter is that you are going.¡± She stated, upset at her daughter¡¯s refusal to see reason.

    ¡± How could you apply for me? I never consented to pursue admission to the States school ofw! ¡±

    ¡± Now you listen to me, I am your mother and I know what¡¯s best for you.¡± She stood up, ¡± and I am going to do right by you. Whether you like it or not! I have given you enough time with that rubbish you do, but now it¡¯s time to get serious with your life, ¡±

    ¡± But- ¡±

    ¡± No buts! ¡± Esther threw a powerful hit on the table, and her daughter flinched at the sheer power and rage behind it. ¡± You are going and that¡¯s final! ¡± She bellowed, determined to see her daughter bend to her will.

    Deloise couldn¡¯t ept her fate without a fight, and that fact strengthened her resolve not to go through with her mother¡¯s will. Her decision solidified by her mother¡¯s act of securing admission to the school ofw without her consent.

    ¡± No.¡± Her tone caught Esther by surprise.

    ¡± Didn¡¯t you hear me? You don¡¯t have a choice in this. I¡¯ve paid for everything and you resume this weekend.¡±

    ¡± I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡± Don¡¯t push me to the wall, Deloise.¡± Esther spoke in a warning. ¡± for both our sakes.¡±

    Deloise erupted at the words of her mother, tired of her prodding into her life without consent. It all ends today.

    ¡± Don¡¯t even think about ckmailing me.¡± She hissed, ¡± Just once, try to listen and understand me! Is that too hard to do? Why are you ruining tonight?!¡± Hurt reeked from her voice.

    ¡± If my ruining tonight will stop you from ruining your life, then so be it!¡± Esther screamed, her veins pulsed in anger.

    ¡± I am not ruining my life, but even if I am, that¡¯s my choice to make. You can¡¯t take that from me, Ihave a right to decide what I want to do with my life! ¡±

    ¡± I can and I will. To stop you from ruining you.¡± Deloise didn¡¯t expect her calm tone, unknown to her, Esther had other ns, she had just the right weapon. ¡± It¡¯s me or your acting.¡± Esther muttered, and Deloise froze in shock.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡± You know I can¡¯t do that, what are you trying to achieve with this?¡± She inquired, baffled at how low her mother was willing to go in order to have her way.

    ¡± I¡¯m done here. Good night.¡± Esther said, ending the conversation and leaving her daughter with a choice.

    *****

    ANNA¡¯S HOME.

    Deloise sat on Anna¡¯s bed. Heaps of clothes were strewn carelessly on the bed and boxesid open and half packed around the bedroom. As a result, the room posed hard to navigate without hitting something on the way.

    ¡± Are you going to tell me what is going on or are you just going to sit there sulking?¡± Anna inquired sassily, her patience almost running out at the sheer attitude of her friendew .

    Deloise rxedrefusing to r, seeking unwilling to respond and unbothered. while Only thing was that she was. E Her fingers interlocked behind her head and her eyes remained closed. She thought about just how her life refused to cooperate with her these past few days.

    She knew her friend was probably getting the shorter end of the stick from her stubborn behavior and refusal to tell her what m was going on, but she couldn¡¯t be bothered about it.

    For the past three days, they hadn¡¯t said a word to each other- both mother and daughter. The air in her house grew strained, ufortable, and almost impossible to breathe in especially when they were in each other¡¯s presence.

    Throughout this period, she became a daily uninvited guest at Anna¡¯s home. She couldn¡¯t be in the same space with her mother- who decided to stay home and work ever since the night of their argument.

    Of course, she still had the envelope with her since the night of her mother¡¯s birthday- the night everything went wrong.

    That night, she remembered feeling nothing when she was left alone with a choice to make between her dream and her mother. How does one choose between their family and their dream and why on earth was anyone being subjected to such a difficult, and almost inhumane decision?

    She couldn¡¯t resist thinking along the lines of just what kind of mother would put her daughter- who she imed to love- in such a difficult position. Deloise didn¡¯t want to think, she had an inkling that if she continued with such a line of thought, she might make a mistake.

    And one she couldn¡¯t return from.

    She couldn¡¯t for the life of her exin how she felt at that point, so she decided to go the easy way out ¨C She became someone else for the night.

    Submerging her emotions into the soul of some fictional character, that night, Deloise lost herself in her passion, repeatedly shooting a particr scene over and over again.

    Her countenance portrayed that of the said character, her disposition, emotions and goal for the night uniting with that of the scripted character she religiously performed till her spirit, soul, and body were fatigued.

    Deloise acted with her very best and gave her craft everything. That night, she attained a level of perfection in the said role. Afterwards, she numbly put together the video, unable to ignore the sharp contrast between the video and her reality.

    She sent an email of the clip as an audition video, giving her dreams a final and realistic shot. After that, she dropped to bed, sumbing to a dreamless sleep.

 DDD 8

    ¡± Today, two things are bound to happen,¡± Anna spoke firmly, her hands on her waist. ¡± It¡¯s either you tell me what¡¯s going on or you tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± She said to Deloise- who groaned in return.

    ¡± Don¡¯t even think about ying moody with me or you are going to have to leave.¡± She threatened. ¡± I refuse to spend myst days with a moody person who has refused to speak to her alleged best friend on whatever the problem is.¡±

    By the look on Anna¡¯s face, Deloise realized that she may have pushed it with Ann and almost spoke up. She made to speak but the memory of that miserable night came rushing back, effectively shunning her to silence.

    Anna noticed her internal conflict, but refused to back off. She couldn¡¯t let her go back into the slimy shell she¡¯s been in for days. ¡± No, you¡¯re not doing that, not today. Speak.¡± She urged firmly, while silence engulfed the room.

    The silence got broken by the incessant sobs of Deloise. Witnessing her best friend in a state of immense pain, Anna¡¯s facade crashed, and she immediately rushed to herfort.

    Deloise wept. The pain she had bottled up for days came pouring down, and her body shook. The veins in her forehead were visible, her eyes reddened and her skin burned. For twenty minutes, Anna focused solely on her friend, slowly rubbing her back infort without speaking.

    She knew from experience that her speaking would only cause more tears to flow and Deloise usually got sick after crying ¨C It was her nature. She desperately prayed she would fall asleep for the night, to avoid gaining a migraine, fever, or cold.

    Soon enough, her tears reduced to inconsistent sobs and inevitable sleep, after which Anna moved Deloise away, careful not to wake her up.

    *****

    Esther was busy at her work table while the home phone rang nonstop. She felt animosity as she was not quite in the mood to talk to anyone.

    The home phone ringing reminded her of a certain someone who used to call her house phone back in the day. She knew she was being paranoid not wanting to pick it up but she couldn¡¯t help it.

    Back then, it used to be a secret between herself and him. It used to bring flutters in her stomach when she heard it ring, regardless whether it was someone other than him. At the time, just hearing it ring brought her immense joy and pleasure.

    Right now, it brought back the pain.

    The continuous ringing of the phone ultimately brought her anger, and she couldn¡¯t understand why she kept punishing herself for someone else¡¯s mistakes! The ufortable sting in her heart drove her to the brink of rage.

    ¡± Why am I putting myself through this?¡± She thought bitterly, scrunching her face.

    For the fact that she left the phone functional- as a weird way of keeping touch with her past- made her feel pathetic.

    Fed up by the ringing of the home phone, she quickly washed her hands, and moved into the sitting room, striding purposefully towards the phone ced on the center table.

    Without checking the caller, she picked up, unconsciously holding her breath till she heard a familiar voice.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    ¡± Hello ma, it¡¯s Anna speaking.¡± She introduced, and Esther to let out a breath of relief.

    ¡± O-oh Anna, h-how are you doing?¡± She stuttered, then wrecked her brain on the reason for her call. Deloise was over there so it couldn¡¯t have been for her daughter.

    ¡± I¡¯m alright, ma. I just wanted to inform you that Deloise would be staying over at my ce today. If that¡¯s alright with you.¡±

    Esther lost her sense of taste, and her mood turned poor. For a brief moment, she considered forcing Deloise back home but decided against it.

    ¡± Alright, you both have a great night, say hi to your mother on my behalf.¡± She concluded bitterly and dropped the phone, fighting back tears.

    Her daughter never slept out since she was born. Their rtionship was one that they loved and depended on each other, but now, Esther wondered if she might have pushed things too far; if she had lost her daughter for good, If she had pushed her into picking wrongly.

    The thought of losing her daughter and their already strained rtionship caused fresh waves of tears to flow out of her eyes. She never would have thought that a day woulde when the rtionship with her daughter would be so strained that she preferred to sleep outside.

    Deloise had cultivated the habit and nature of not sleeping out or staying outter than eight because she always wanted to be with her. What changed? Esther looked over her workstation and the zeal to do anything left her body.

    As a result, she slowly headed towards her room. The windows shuddered, ushering a cool breeze into the house and leaving a string of goosebumps on her skin.

    She quickly walked to the window, shut it, and slipped underneath her bed. She Desperately waited for fatigue to catch up with her, and provide an escape from the horrible gripping of her heart.

    ****

    Deloise stirred awake, and the consciousness of her environment came into her memory. Her eyes got wide in milliseconds and she jolted up at the realization that she didn¡¯t go home.

    At that moment, she felt shittier than she did in the afternoon when she cried her heart out. Now, she left her single mother and family alone out of sheer selfishness!

    She didn¡¯t even have the decency to inform her before carrying out such a selfish act. At that moment, she got caught up in her head, judging herself, that she didn¡¯t realize Anna was wide awake and watching her episode with keen eyes.

    ¡± There¡¯s still time, I better leave.¡± Deloise muttered, and scanned around for her belongings, not bothering to check the time.

    ¡± Calm your tits down, it¡¯ste.¡± Anna finally spoke up, her voice deeper than usual.

    ¡± I¡¯m sorry I woke you up, I¡¯m just going to pick up some of my things and head home before it¡¯s toote.¡±

    ¡± Calm down, it¡¯s past two and prettyte if you ask me,¡± she said, ncing at the wall clock hanging by the left side of the room which forced Deloise to nce at the time.

    ¡± Well, I guess I¡¯m going to have to make a call then, just a few seconds.¡± She resigned, then shuffled around in search of her phone.

    ¡± I already called and informed Esther the moment you slept off. So calm down.¡± She said with patient eyes, while Deloise finally settled upon hearing her.

    Deloise hands were intertwined, she bowed her head and sported an eerily calm look.

    Anna pushed forward, so softly that you could barely make out the words. ¡± Tell me, what¡¯s going on? ¡± She inquired, and as usual, was met with silence.

    ¡± Let me help you, Dee. ¡± She professed patiently. Staring at Deloise, who finally let a tear roll down her face. Exposing her willingness to share her inner turmoil.

 DDD 9

    Royal Arts Academy.

    It¡¯s a resumption day, and senior students of the academy trooped into the schoolpound. Some were brought in by their parent(s) in vehicles while the rest were dropped off by chauffeurs.

    Thepound was rowdy with the majority of the people stylishly dressed and pulling on their belongings, headed towards the school¡¯s hostels and amodations area.

    Some people were caught up in conversations and situated at various sects of the schoolpound. The summer events remained a topic in the conversation of students.

    ¡± I heard he¡¯s as beautiful as he was when he started!¡±

    ¡± Not just beautiful Darlene. He is the most outstanding and talented actor in the entire state! ¡± Another girl gushed with a swoon.

    ¡± The whole state?! He¡¯s a recognized international actor, at this point, he¡¯s a world-ss top star! ¡±

    The girl group chatted excitedly on the topic that buzzed the entire school and entertainment world atrge.

    Amid the chaos, a luxury car drove into the schoolpound. The vehicle- being one that students were familiar with- caused a new wave of gossip. Seated inside the car were the top stars in the academy whose acting skills were on another level.

    They were known for their ability to thoroughly portray a character¡¯s conflict and misbelief in such a way that one was unable to tell the difference between their on-screen acting and reality.

    The duo were perceived geniuses when it came to the acting field, and wereing into the schoolpound, resuming alongside the others. With their skills, If they decided not to continue with the Royal Arts Academy and go directly into the industry, their future in the acting field seemed secured.

    Not only were they top-tier geniuses in their skills and work ethics, but they also had top-tier gics which made their skin wless. Their body structure made proof of the existence of angels and heavenly bodies in human form!

    To crown it all, the duo happened to be best of friends. Students adored and felt eager to identify with the mini fan base they ruled. They were regarded as the ruling couple of Royal Arts Academy, only that they weren¡¯t a couple much to the people¡¯s dissatisfaction.

    Aaron Steele and Ste Davis were friends bound by the love of acting, who worked their way with determination to get to the top of the acting industry. Aaron Steele was the senior of the duo, as he came into the academy a year before the arrival of Ste.

    With theirpetence, they became the only work-study students permitted in the history of Royal Arts. The school director figured it a waste of time keeping them from the world until their three-year course was over; and after a year of studying, Decided to let them audition for roles distinctively sorted out himself.

    This was an attempt to give them a head-start in their career, different from their colleagues who were not up to par with their skill level. As a result, Aaron starred in various sets with supporting roles and other not-so-little roles.

    Not only did he have a growing poprity, but gained momentum in the industry, which sent many talent-developingpanies after him for a managerial deal. All pending his graduation from Royal Arts.

    The future indeed was bright for Aaron, having snagged a main character role in a just concluded movie set he worked on during the summer break. The movie trailer was currently garnering huge anticipation.

    Ste on the other hand was an acting Queen, and a gem to the Royal art academy and film industry. She was deemed a princess who would in time take over the reins from the veteran and star actresses of the moment, to rule over the entertainment and movie world.

    Her exceptional beauty and fairness made her appear docile, but her skill and mastery of the dramatic art made others with even more experience and passion pale inparison to her.

    Her first movie debut was one of a mermaid princess who fell in love with a human prince and deceptively snags him from his family into her world as a prisoner of love.

    Her role was one of expert deception. The contrast of a fairy, the beautiful nature of a mermaid and the deceptive, selfish, and heartless soul of one who can go to hell in pursuit of her desires. The expert disy of the role shot her to the limelight as a beginner in the industry, starring alongside other big faces.

    Inside the car, Aaron and Ste were both discussing their experiences with their just concluded production.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    ¡± You know the most challenging part of my plot? The moment when the character figures out that she¡¯s been in love with the male lead. Flowing from feeling pure hatred to ripping his clothes off.¡± Ste chatted excitedly, walking Aaron through her recent experiences.

    ¡± I look forward to seeing the smut, ¡± Aaron remarked with a smirk.

    ¡± You won¡¯t change now, will you? ¡± She reeled at the thought of him seeing the smut scene she acted in herst project.

    With how much effort she put into the scene, it was wless, and maybe, just maybe, Aaron would finally see her as a woman. The duo got down from the car while the driver came down and got out their suitcases as perfunctory.

    Oblivious to the people¡¯s stare, Aaron walked with his phone ringing. It was the school director, and he¡¯d requested they report to his office as soon as possible.

    The duo of Aaron and Ste headed straight for the Director¡¯s office, knocking on the door as soon as they arrived,

    ¡± Come in!¡± A voice yelled from within and the duo walked into the office.

    ¡± How are my favorite people?¡± Mr. Austin asked with a smile, motioning them towards the sofa in his office.

    ¡± We are good, and ready for another academic session,¡± Ste replied on their behalf.

    ¡± That¡¯s great to hear,¡± Mr. Austin nodded in contentment, ¡± I¡¯m sure you killed the roles you handled over the break.¡± He said with a smile.

    ¡± Yes sir,¡± they replied in unison.

    ¡± Alright, I called you in here because I have news,¡± Mr. Austin resumed a serious outlook, ¡± There¡¯s a new development, an instant hit, and the director of this project is in need of new faces. In simple terms, he doesn¡¯t want experienced people.¡±

    ¡± That¡¯s weird.¡± Ste remarked, ¡± why would anyone want that?¡±

    ¡± That¡¯s where you bothe in. With your skills, less amount of poprity, and real experience. You both are more than capable of getting those roles, trust me, you would be the next top star before you know what¡¯s happening.¡± Mr. Austin delivered a convincing standpoint, ¡± this production is an award winner, I can sense it.¡±

    The director handed over two copies of a script from his drawer. ¡± These are both male and female lead scripts, familiarize yourself with them ande up with an audition video for application, then I¡¯ll take it up from there.¡±

    Aaron, went through the content of the script, and found the character quite fascinating. The fact that they wanted new faces irked him, hemitted to building himself a strong profile in the film industry, and just wasn¡¯t interested in pursuing a role without realpetition.

    He needed a strong portfolio and to ascertain his ability and growth in the field, he needed to par with more experienced people. In his books, more experienced people tranted to senior partners in the business, strongerpetition, higher profit and visibility.

    The idea ofpeting in an audition with people in his category or lower sprouted no iota of interest from him- regardless of the future predictions for the said production. He was ready to reject the script but decided to y nicely. Just for the sake of the director who carefully sorted out a project he believed was tailor-made for them.

    ¡± I¡¯ll do it. It seems very challenging.¡± Ste spoke up, after a brief study of the script. ¡± What do you think, Aaron?¡± She asked with a blinding smile.

    ¡± Thank you so much director, you¡¯ll hear from me soon, ¡± He answered.

    The director could tell he wasn¡¯t thrilled about it, and encouraged in hopes that he turns up a positive answer. ¡± Trust me in this, Aaron. Just trust me.¡±

    Aaron stood up, ¡± Thank you, Mr Austin.¡± He said, and they shook hands.

 DDD 10

    It was a sharp noon and Mr. Austin took note of the fact he had two hours before his next meeting and submerged himself into work.

    In his search for new faces, he¡¯s seen over seven thousand audition videos, in which he selected twodies he felt could have some prospect in the acting field if brushed up a little.

    The job took a major toll on him, and the fact he was yet to see an outstanding audition video sent him to despair. Mr. Austin tiredly scrolled down the mail, he decided to sort them from thetest received, and got ready to bin applications as he had been doing forever.

    Usually, he went five seconds into every audition. Surely, five seconds was enough to get him to feel something. Matter of fact, he deliberated the thought of reducing his torture to a three seconds mark before judgement.

    After the sixth video, Mr. Austin was gradually losing his mind. The confidence of people, sending in poorly done videos made him cringe. The sixth video wasn¡¯t even an audition video!

    Apparently, someone thought it wise to send in a poorly edited porn video with the caption ¨C ¡® let off some steam.¡¯ One second into the video and Mr. Austin nearly lost his bnce in shock at the disgusting soundsing off his system.

    With a renewed speed, he shutdown his system, ending the unprofessional sounds that scarred him. Afterwards, he took out time to treat himself to a cool juice, drinking directly from the carton.

    He returned to his table, ready once again to take on the torturous job. This time, he got prepared for sneak attacks, and muted the sound of his PC before opening the seventh audition video with no expectation.

    A girl, with wavy hair and light skin stared right at him at the brink of tears, as she muttered some words. The young girl shook her head and muttered unheard words, Mr. Austin knew this scene too well!

    It was the game-changing scene of the script and the most challenging!

    Nobody attempted this particr scene from the three scenes put out for audition. Yet here was thisdy sent from heaven to rid him of his misery.

    Mr. Austin continued watching, and for the first time, defied his five seconds to rule. He saw the raw talent of the girl who carried out a perfect act, struggling between herself and ¡®someone¡¯.

    She slipped to the floor, having lost the tug and looked straight to the camera. He made out the words, ¡® I love you¡¯ and he felt the naked emotion in her eyes.

    Mr. Austin felt stunned. Recovering from the epic performance, he turned on his sound and re-watched the clip; this time around, even more entranced as he heard the words fall out of her lips in the most natural way.

    Combined with the best performance he had seen in years of his training minors, he couldn¡¯t believe she wasn¡¯t a trained actress. He felt like there had to be some background to her performance but something told him he¡¯d discovered a gem in the rocks.

    Watching the video for the third time, he could see that it was edited. With keen eyes , he caught on a few rookie mistakes in the continuation, which spoke volumes on how meticulously she worked on putting them together.

    One thing was certain, his search was over. He checked the time and found he had one hour before his guest arrived. Suddenly, he felt ecstatic and positive that his client would be pleased with his findings.

    He had other videos to go but knewpared to what he found, the difference was akin heaven and earth. Each contrasted in quality so much it red. Nevertheless, he sat back in his office with a smile, awaiting the arrival of Mr. Daniel.

    *******

    Dells Ind was a top-tier Ind in New York City, which hosted some of the richest and most influential people in the world.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    It was developed by one of the top constructionpanies in the world.

    Its unique design and structure were exquisite, having different spots created for leisure, ranging from bars, pools, golf courses, gyms, spa treatments, cinema, and beach, and amunity club.

    The ind was inhabited by billionaires of different fields, outstanding personalities and families, public figures, and public post officers. Dells Ind formed amunity of powerful ns, politicians, and even individuals.

    In addition to the allure of the ind, it was famed for its peculiar amount of mansions built on the ind which was a perfect number of seven. The inhabitants were unknown to the General public and social sses.

    In one of the mansions of the ind was none other than Daniel Greenwood, the privacy of the ind was one of the factors thatpelled him to purchase a mansion on the ind when a spot opened up.

    He was convinced to get one for the family he knew he would raise with ¡®her¡¯ when they reconnected. As mind-boggling as it may have seemed to onlookers, he was convicted of the house the moment he got a look and feel of it.

    Daniel stood in his room ¨C veryrge and spacious with minimal styling. A king-sized bed stood in the middle and a walk-in closet by the right, everything readily situated in the right ce.

    The mansion¡¯s hostess prepared for housekeeping, while Daniel got ready for his appointment inside his room. His athletic strong build and physique stood out in his bare chested body.

    With damp hair, he expertly maneuvered himself into a thoroughly ironed dress shirt, picked up his phone and fired a quick text notifying his driver to be ready in fifteen minutes. He made to drop the phone but a call came in ¨C one he¡¯d been expecting.

    ¡± Any news for me?¡± He cut to the point.

    ¡± Unfortunately, none. She left the state twenty years ago to an undisclosed location. We are back to square one.¡± A voice narrated from the other end, nervous at his reaction to the news.

    Daniel twitched, ¡± Now you have the world in your hands. The next time you call, let it be with the right news. ¡± He said and ended the call.

    In no time, he was ready to leave, and determined to have his queen back in his life, even if it was thest thing he did.

 DDD 11

    Royal Arts Academy.

    Mr Austin and Daniel headed straight to his office as soon as he arrived. It seemed like they were in a haste, and immediately they got into the office, the conversation took off.

    ¡± I have great news for you.¡± Mr. Austin revealed after exchanging pleasantries. He couldn¡¯t wait to see the look on Mr. Daniel¡¯s face after sharing his discovery with him.

    ¡± I¡¯m d that today someone has good news for me,¡± Daniel muttered, ¡± Let¡¯s get right into it.¡±

    Mr. Austin dly opened his PC and went straight to the folder where he saved the videos selected from the auditions. He took a nce at the content of the file, and without a blink, clicked on the very clip he couldn¡¯t get enough of.

    Daniel saw the girl in the footage, and knew he had met his main character. Nevertheless, he patiently watched the clip till it was over and couldn¡¯t put into words how he felt.

    His spirit resonated with that of the actress in a way that he had never felt with anyone else before. Her delivery of lines, expressions and bodynguage spoke volumes of how talented she was as a newbie.

    A fact that solidified his faith in her ability to deliver a good lead. By the look on his face, Mr. Austin knew his search was over.

    ¡± I want her as my main female lead, and I want her as a schrship student here in Royal Arts.¡± Daniel finally spoke, and Mr. Austin was all smiles.

    ¡± Definitely. I will make the necessary preparations for her schooling; and send you a list of possible male leads to know what you think.¡±

    ¡± Great.¡± Daniel stood up and they shook hands. He suddenly felt an urgency to get back to his job, with the female lead, everything wasing together. ¡± Thank you, Mr. Austin. Looking forward to working more with you and Royal arts.¡± He said and headed for his car.

    Daniel couldn¡¯t understand just why he couldn¡¯t get the young girl out of his mind. Since he left the academy, her wide eyes popped into his mind. He felt a familiar pull to her and wondered if he¡¯d encountered her previously.

    Later on, he pinned it to the fact she was a rare talent. One he couldn¡¯t forget after her enchanting performance.

    Daniel pushed the thought out of his mind, pinning it on the fact that he was so taken with her because of her rare talents and looks. Her eyes brought back memories of a certain someone, alongside a kick in the guts.

    Surely, she didn¡¯t forget about him. She couldn¡¯t have moved on when he held something that belonged to her alone. He felt determined to seek her and wasn¡¯t losing hope regardless of the obstacles.

    He wasn¡¯t losing hope despite the news, matter of fact he just grew a greater zeal to seek her out. He had to meet her, even if it was a gravesite, but he earnestly hoped it wasn¡¯t.

    *****

    Anna, Deloise, and Esther were seated in the living room. ¡± Good afternoon ma,¡± Anna spoke, finally breaking the long and overdue silence.

    ¡± How are you doing dear?¡± Ma¡¯am Esther asked calmly.

    ¡± I¡¯m alright, just preparing for my resumption this week.¡± A wry smile pitched on Esther¡¯s face at her words.

    ¡± Yeah, Karen won¡¯t quite shut up about it, we are both proud of how your life is shaping up.¡±

    Esther felt happy that one of the girls she watched grow up had actual ns to do something worthwhile, meanwhile, Anna couldn¡¯t help but notice theck ofmunication between Deloise and her mother.

    She stylishly hit Deloise by the side, and with her eyes, willed her to say something, hinting on their discussion prior to this meeting. Deloise lost the urge to speak to her mother upon setting foot in her house.

    The pep talks were useless the moment she saw her motherfortably seated without care. Did she even mean anything at this point? Did she notice her absence or did it not mean anything to her.

    Just like her dreams meant nothing to her.

    Nevertheless, she decided to do what she had always done ¨C suck up and bend to her mother¡¯s will. During the time spent away from her, she realized her mother was the light of her world.

    Everything revolved around her mother, including her best friend who came by extension of her mother¡¯s best friend, Karen. How could she possibly survive without her?

    She was her only family and despite her dream of acting, she couldn¡¯t imagine herself doing it without the consent of her mother. It wasn¡¯t possible. Who would be her active support system? There wasn¡¯t anyone else.

    Deloise felt a headache hit from her thoughts and decided to bite the bone. There was nothing to lose anyways.

    ¡± So you¡¯ve decided to disown me?¡± The words rolled with an air of arrogance that shuffled Esther¡¯s feathers.

    ¡± Good afternoon.¡± Esther spoke softly, too soft forfort; her eyes focused on her daughter, and her face wore a permanent scowl at her tone.

    ¡± I don¡¯t want to y good girl today, Mom. You should answer, and let¡¯s be done with this conversation.¡± Deloise spewed with disregard, having had enough.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    Anna saw the exchange leading to w disaster and immediately dragged Deloise out the sitting room. ¡± Why are you being difficult? For goodness sake, we talked about this! Why are you letting your head get in the mix? ¡± She asked in exasperation, attempting to keep her voice low.

    ¡± I¡¯m sorry. I-I just wanted to know why she said that. ¡± Deloise stuttered, ¡± Why would she use our rtionship against me like it meant nothing to her? ¡± She asked rhetorically, visibly hurt.

    ¡± Your being rude wouldn¡¯t get you the answers you need. We need to go back in there and solve the equation. Okay? ¡± Anna got an affirmative nod from Deloise.

    Meanwhile, Esther felt scared. She had never seen Deloise in such character and it freaked her to imagine she pushed her off the cliff.

    While Anna spoke animatedly by the corner, her mind fell back to thest person she put up with those conditions and the results that followed. Her heart ached as her psych relived the traumatic experience, poking a barely healed wound.

    Esther sensed the girlsing around and immediately ced her guard up. Every emotion formerly reflected disappeared, and She resumed a stoic position, ready for the final tug.

    She was ready to ept whatever happened. Maybe her life was made to be that way, maybe no one could ever love her enough to choose her ¨C Not her daughter, and definitely not him.

    Anna and Deloise sauntered into the living room and cautiously sat on the couch with Anna beside her. This time, she wasn¡¯t cajoled to speak.

 DDD 12

    ¡± I didn¡¯t want toe here.¡± Deloise started, ¡± Matter of fact, I was ready to never speak to you again.¡±

    Esther observed her daughter speak very calmly and shook inside of her. Unconsciously, she readied her heart for an unknown impact she felt wasing.

    ¡± But I couldn¡¯t..¡± Deloise¡¯s words triggered a wave of relief, ¡± these past few days I¡¯ve spent hating you, butst night, I couldn¡¯t bear the fact that I left you home alone despite my anger.¡±

    Esther¡¯s stoic stance cracked at her daughter¡¯s words.

    ¡± Mummy I don¡¯t know why you do not want to support me, I don¡¯t know why you are so against the idea of me being an actress, I don¡¯t know what your reason forced you to even contemte disowning me in regards to this issue.¡± Deloise sniffed, ¡± I¡¯ve been so consumed with thinking these past few days. I thought of a time when you weren¡¯t there for me and I came up empty. A time when you didn¡¯t love, care and cater to me while being a single parent and- ¡±

    Anna couldn¡¯t hold back her tears.

    ¡± The thought of you contemting cutting ties with me hurts so much. It made me question everything. I felt thrown away, unneeded, lost and full of anger.¡± Deloise shook with unshed tears as she continued.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Esther sobbed, and for some reason had her hands inteced and fighting the urge to hold her daughter. Deloise was a mess of emotions but she tried keeping herself together while Anna held her shoulder in support.

    ¡± I know that you love me though. I¡¯m convinced deep inside my soul that you love me.¡± She admitted softly, bearing it all. ¡± And if leaving the idea of being an actress behind is the only way to keep you in my life,¡± She paused, and tears rolled down her eyes, ¡± I will do just that. I will stop pursuing a career in acting.¡± She said, Desperately trying to convince herself. ¡± B-because, ¡± she stuttered, and her mother¡¯s heartbeat quickened. ¡± Because I love you so much, mum. ¡± Immediately, Deloise was enveloped in a hug, ¡± I choose you ma, I choose you.¡±

    That night, the mother and child pair cried themselves to sleep. They converged into Esther¡¯s room, and slept in each other¡¯s arms, silently and contentedly. None knew what the future had in store, but the pleasure of being in each other¡¯s lives was enough for them both.

    At least for the while.

    ****

    Deloise and her mother arrived at the mall to shop for her resumption to school; following their reconciliation two days ago, she couldn¡¯t reject shopping with her mother in order not to dampen their easy going rtionship.

    Truth be told, she wasn¡¯t excited to shop the things she needed forw school for obvious reasons. But, in her usual fashion, she had to suck it up, and do what made her mother happy.

    Even if it meant faking some excitement along the way.

    Deloise was dragged around by her mom through the busy mall, getting and ticking things off the list. A seemingly endless list. By the time they were through, the stroller could barely move an inch without tumbling the items piled up.

    Esther was glowing, and her happiness, contagious. She hopped around with a smile, buying things written and things she felt like getting. Recently, she felt her life on track: her business was flowing, and her daughter would be off to school in a few days.

    Never had she felt a joy soplete, it screamed in her countenance, all of which brought a bittersweet smile to her daughter who had to give things up.

    Deloise sometimes wondered if it was worth it, but shunned the thought as soon as it raised its ugly head. The day she reconciled with her mother, she packed up her content creation set, and shut it in a box ¨C never to see the break of light again.

    Deloise walked ahead to her mum who engaged in some chit-chat with someone at the counter. Without wasting time, she conveyed the items to the car, and waitedfortably for her mother¡¯s appearance.

    On the second trip back to the car with thest of the items, Deloise took a while to catch a breather and observed the busy area and the beauty of people in motion. Vigorously pursuing one thing or the other while minding their business.

    Content, she rxed by the car, enjoying a few minutes of solitude. Suddenly, the need to get in touch with herself arose. It was a hard few days and somehow she felt swooped by the string of recent events.

    It was only a matter of days before she left for school too! Deloise looked around, studying people around, and feeling the clean air of a not-so-distant river caressing her skin. There, she decided on a walk.

    She heard the voice of her mother and some man, watched him get dismissed before her mother came up.

    ¡± Have you been waiting a long time, darling.¡±

    ¡± Not really,¡± Deloise said, ¡± I was thinking of taking a walk.¡±

    The situation felt tricky as they were joined to the hip since their reconciliation.

    ¡± Okay. ¡± Esther opened the door and ced her bag in the front seat. ¡± Why are you still there? it¡¯s open.¡±

    ¡± I asked if I could go on a walk, I¡¯ll be back before you know it. I just want to look around a little.¡± She ced the items in the car, threw in a thank you, and took off without waiting for a response.

    Esther saw the jogging figure of her daughter and couldn¡¯t withhold her smile. The sight of her daughter running left a raw sensation and brought sweet memories of her childhood.

    The fact her daughter listened to her brought an inflow of joy she couldn¡¯t exin. She finally won, despite her recent troubles and anxiety, everything fell into ce, she felt much lighter.

    It was clear her daughter was still trying to adjust her idea of a perfect world, and probably even struggling with the decision, but she knew her daughter will scale through. She raised a strong and independent woman after all.

    Meanwhile, Deloise was having the time of her life. She carelessly strolled by the roadside and found her way towards a bridge, overlooking a big river. She took in a whiff of fresh water and couldn¡¯t be happier.

    Being a sucker for natural air and earth, Deloise enjoyed being close to such a beautiful natural setting. Cars drove past and she caught sight of a mega screen disy.

    Deloise¡¯ breath caught at the sight of a stunningdy on the screen. She couldn¡¯t help but notice it was a movie premiere and with more attention, she realized it aired in an hour and proceeded to the theaters.

 DDD 13

    It was almost time for the movie to air. Deloise spent her time window shopping until she got tired and made a head start to the theater. Time slowed at the theater hall, she picked up her phone and scrolled through a microblogging app.

    She hadn¡¯t been on her phone for a while and being there only reminded her of things she wanted to forget. As she scrolled through, it became easy to convince herself that she could be a fan of the art.

    A sneak peak into the entertainment world wouldn¡¯t hurt, it couldn¡¯t get her back to desiring and needing to fulfill her dreams, it couldn¡¯t pull her into the sweet abyss she created herself.

    Messages flooded in and she felt nostalgic. Familiar handles and mutuals she used to engage reminded her of the life she meticulously built over the years. Now washed down the drain.

    Barely ncing at the notifications, she switched into what¡¯s trending and busied herself reading about controversial topics.

    Surprisingly, the movie she was about to see made the list. With little research, she found out the captivating person she saw on screen was the lead actress of the movie; who had some buzz for being young and talented.

    It was Ste Davis.

    There was a lot to find about previous movies, and anticipation for the first airing of the movie was off charts. She even had a group of fans who made it their duty to promote her person.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    While Deloise informed herself of the new and thriving face in the entertainment industry, she couldn¡¯t help the hurt she felt. This was her dream, an unattainable one, but a dream nheless.

    Soon, the movie began, giving her an opportunity to forget her sorry state and enjoy the craft. At the end of the movie, the audience erupted in apuse, satisfied by the awesome movie that entranced them for hours.

    Deloise realized she waste on getting out and meeting the dark. A glimpse at the time ¨C that read 9 pm ¨C and a waiting message from her mom was all it took for her to sprint down the expressway in search of a cab.

    No doubt, she¡¯d outdone herself by not informing her mother of her possiblete entry. She dashed into the house upon getting home and noticed the front door open with light streaming through the kitchen.

    Esther was baking when she heard here in, she heaved in relief, confirming she was a bit too dramatic in her thoughts.

    ¡± I¡¯m so sorry. I got caught up in the movies and didn¡¯t remember to-¡±

    ¡± It¡¯s alright.¡± Esther couldn¡¯t wait for her to finish, ¡± you¡¯re here.¡± She said, more to herself than her daughter.

    Deloise was stunned but she didn¡¯t push it. Instead, she freshened up, ate and went to bed.

    *******

    Royal Arts Academy, New York.

    The school buzzed with new students arriving. Other than that, the premiere of Ste¡¯s movie was another hot topic in Royal Arts Academy.

    With the box office sales it garnered on its first showing and the genuinely great reviews, safe to say the movie was on a path of sess and Ste couldn¡¯t be happier.

    As a newbie in the industry, it wasn¡¯t a small feat to pull such an amount of attention and publicity ¨C a fact that everyone respected. Manymented on her exceptional talent andpared her to A-list actresses, and ordingly, she became the rising star of the movie world.

    Ste sat in Aaron¡¯s kitchen aisle and watched him prepare a sumptuous meal of fried rice and chicken. She leisurely scrolled through thements about her on the inte with a smile.

    Her countenance flourished as she consumed the praises thrown at her, while waiting for her special dish. Aaron took it upon himself to treat her for her movie¡¯s sess and she couldn¡¯t be happier.

    Despite how strongly she felt for him, Aaron made clear how tonic their rtionship was ¨C so much that they gotfortable in each other¡¯s presence and almost rted as siblings.

    Ste remained relentless with her pursuit, deluding herself to believing it was a matter of time before Aaron realized his true feelings for her. Her restarted thoughts were sponsored by a belief there wasn¡¯t anyone capable of matching up with him.

    ¡± Out of the kitchen, Stells!¡± Aaron spoke from the living room, alerting her of the fact she was alone.¡± Your food is on the table.¡±

    Ste got up, and straight to the meal prepared for her. Before she got a bite of it, Aaron dragged it out of reach.

    ¡± Did you say something?¡± He asked with raised eyebrows.

    ¡± But my movie did well.¡± She whined, unhappy at his denying her food, but loving the attention.

    ¡± Yeah. So before you scarf the whole food, let me formally congratte you on your new movie.¡± He said, thoroughly proud of her. ¡± Would you let me do that at least?¡±

    Ste grew red at Aaron¡¯s words. Who wouldn¡¯t? ¡± You know I put you to shame, Ron.¡±

    ¡± You almost put me to shame. Don¡¯t forget. Almost. ¡± He corrected, then patted her head like a little child. ¡± Now eat, before I change my mind.¡±

    Ste rolled her eyes, and proceeded to eat her meal. She felt sofortable and ate in the most hearty and udylike manner. Aaron didn¡¯t seem to mind, so she didn¡¯t care either.

    Shortly after, she remembered the project the director spoke about, and decided to inquire about what he felt about it. Ste yearned to get on a project with Aaron, and with a script like that, she was confident it could be the start of something between them.

    What better way to cross the invisible lines if not their profession? The script was a dark romance and she was ready to convince him to see sense in taking it up.

    ¡± Let¡¯s do a joint reading for the script Mr. Austin gave us.¡± She dered, testing the waters.

    Aaron red, ¡± Not today, maybe some other time, ¡± that was code for never.

    ¡± I¡¯ll hold on to that.¡± Ste knew nothing woulde out of dragging the talk so she decided to leave it for the time. She¡¯d definitely take it up some other time.

    ****

 DDD 14

    ¡± I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ll be resuming with my best friend,¡± Anna said excitedly.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    ¡± I¡¯m d that you feel that way Ann,¡± Deloise muttered, clearly not as excited. ¡± Help me zip this up.¡± She said, struggling with her bag.

    ¡± Last time I checked you didn¡¯t help me when I was getting packed so why should I?¡± She sassed, having way too much fun seeing Deloise sitting on a clearly overpacked luggage.

    ¡± P-please Anna, I don¡¯t want this to-¡±

    RIPPPP!!

    The horrible sound of her luggage tearing apart filled the air, and Anna looked like a deer in headlights.

    ¡± Maybe I stretched that a little bit..¡± She cringed at her friend¡¯s deranged look.

    ¡± This is so fucked up! We leave tomorrow, what am I going to do? Where do I start?¡± She growled, her handbed through her hair and she took in the damage.

    Anna saw the turmoil in her eyes and immediately sourced out another option. Her eyes caught a box deep inside the closet and before Deloise could protest, she dragged it out.

    ¡± Anna, don¡¯t open-¡±

    ¡± It¡¯s alright. This should do, I¡¯ll just swap whatever¡¯s inside with this one-¡± she opened the box and felt worse, ¡± I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know-¡±

    ¡± I¡¯ve had enough! I need some air.¡± Deloise pushed past Anna and her mom, picked up her phone and sprinted out the house.

    Esther witnessed the scene and momentster she walked into the room- where Anna stood, looking confused.

    ¡± She¡¯s been like that for two days.¡± She ced a palm on her shoulder, ¡± I think she¡¯s trying to get used to the idea of leaving. She just needs some time, okay?¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s so pissed, I thought she got over it.¡± Anna remarked, hurt at the way things panned out.

    ¡± I know. I¡¯m the mom, remember? Give it sometime and she¡¯ll be back with an apology. Don¡¯t take it to heart, okay?¡± Ms. Esther requested and Ann nodded.

    ¡± Great! Let¡¯s get her prepared for tomorrow, then?¡± She sped her hands, ¡± you know she¡¯ll worry if things aren¡¯t packed up by nightfall.¡±

    ¡± I know right.¡± Anna shook off her mood, ¡± she probably pulled that stunt to avoid packing up herself!¡±

    Estherughed, happy they were on the same page. ¡± Where do we begin?¡± She stated, and together, they packed up, and prepared for dinner.

    Deloise sat in the park, beating herself over her nasty attitude towards Anna. No doubt, her umted frustration on what was fast bing her life influenced her decision.

    In a moment of self reflection, she realized her childishness and determined to let go of everything. She was leaving tomorrow, and it was about time she embraced her new life.

    With newfound strength, Deloise walked home, she met them having dinner, apologized and joined in. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonades.

    ******

    The girls were finally leaving for school. Esther drove them to the station while Karen apanied the ride.

    ¡± I¡¯m so excited!¡± Anna said as they sped past themunity sign.

    ¡± Feels liberating to finally get out, huh?¡± Deloise smiled, ¡± I¡¯m looking forward to a new experience.¡±

    ¡± I can¡¯t believe my girls are finally all grown up,¡± Karen cooed, sporting a glum look. ¡± My favorite girls are going off to College.¡±

    Throughout the ride, Karen wasn¡¯t herself. She was unusually quiet and overly emotional. She hadn¡¯t been separated from Anna, and they could tell she wasn¡¯t handling it well.

    ¡± Mummy¡­ we aren¡¯t at the bus station yet.¡± Anna whined, ¡± Don¡¯t be so gloomy.¡±

    Deloise and Esther connected eyes via the mirror, withholding theughter that threatened to expose their inside joke.

    ¡± What¡¯s funny?¡± Anna and Karen chorused and the floodgates were opened.

    After a fit ofughter, Deloise spoke, ¡± I¡¯m sorry, okay? Let¡¯s not get all grumpy and enjoy the ride.¡±

    ¡± Let¡¯s get to the darned ce before the waterworks, Karen.¡± Esther chided yfully.

    ¡± Silly.¡± She chided, and they allughed. Soon, they were in the station.

    ¡± Stay here while we get your tickets, okay?¡± Esther instructed the girls, then left with Karen.

    ¡± The station¡¯s filled with young people. Maybe we can meet someone that attends with us.¡± Anna remarked, ¡± ouuu, take a look at him. He¡¯s so cute!¡± She fawned over a guy standing a few meters away.

    Deloise deadpanned.¡± You think everyone is cute, Anna.¡±

    ¡± Nope, I do not think every boy is cute,¡± she corrected, ¡± I could actually pursue a rtionship with him. I mean, have you seen those arms?!¡± She scanned him shamelessly.

    Anna was very unfiltered. Most especially with her thoughts on the opposite gender. She was most likely to ask a man out or walk up to said person to profess how hot he looked.

    ¡± I think he¡¯s interested! He just checked me out.¡± Deloise suppressed an eye roll.

    ¡± Probably to check who¡¯s behind the stare. Anna, we don¡¯t have time for this.¡±

    ¡± You¡¯re such a kill-joy.¡± She murmured, watching him walk away. ¡± I can¡¯t wait to see your first rtionship, so I can pick on it.¡±

    ¡± Yeah, right. Unlike you, I have a peculiar taste. I doubt there¡¯ll be anything to pick on, meanwhile, our mothers are here, so get ready for the waterworks.¡±

    The mother¡¯s duo bought the tickets, and handed them over. On cue, the system goes off, calling passengers to board.

    ¡± This is it, Darlings,¡± Esther said with a smile, and Deloise groaned, sensing the waterworks.

    ¡± We love you both so much, and we believe you¡¯ll make us proud.¡± Karen started with a sniff, ¡± I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡± We love you too, mum. Group hug!¡± Anna said and they got into a hug.

    After a while,

    ¡± Okay, we¡¯re going to bete¡­¡± Deloise said, warmed up from the tight embrace.

    They dispersed with augh and in no time, thedies were on their way to board.

    ¡± Deloise!¡± Esther called and she stilled. ¡± Make me proud.¡± She mouthed to her.

    Deloise nodded, and swallowed a lump. She wasn¡¯t allowed to cry. Not now. Not ever. Instead, she smiled, hoping to alleviate whatever doubts her mother had.

    *****

    Daniel was in a luxury car, headed to see a childhood friend- Elvis. He ran a multi-million dor business in transportation and Daniel was determined to surprise him at work.

    Elvis and Daniel were friends who knew each other from the roots and despite their different life paths, their rtionship flourished despite being continents apart.

    Daniel¡¯s decision to visit him at work turned to be a hassle due to his public personality- causing him to ce a call across for assistance in his transition.

    ¡± Are you really here or are you joking around?¡± Elvis asked him over the phone,

    ¡± What do you think? ¡± His tone was smug, ¡± I¡¯m at the station. You¡¯ve done quite well with yourself,¡± Daniel couldn¡¯t deny, his friend was doing great.

    ¡± Thanks. Come in through the back, I notified the security, there wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± He directed with a smile.

    ¡± Go in through the back.¡± Daniel instructed his driver. ¡± I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± He added, and ended the call.

    His eyes crossed the windows and he crossed eyes with a woman. Shocked, he blinked and couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. The next moment, she was gone! Vanished to thin air.

    ¡± Stop the car!¡± He roared and immediately got out with his shades. Determined to get to the root of it, he wore his coat, trying as much to shield his face while he sought her out.

    He scavenged the area, hoping for more time before the people recognized him but no such luck. It didn¡¯t take long before whispers began, fingers pointed in his direction with cameras and the like.

    It was only a matter of time before they approached him and all hell could break loose. Begrudgingly, he returned to the car, giving up on his search for the time. As he proceeded to his destination, the wide blue eyes of a certain someone burned in his consciousness.

    The eyes of a woman that haunted his dreams for eighteen years.

 DDD 15

    Daniel walked into the office of his long-time friend Elvis and was enveloped into a bro hug.

    ¡± Is this you, man?¡± Elvis said, eyeing him from top to bottom.

    ¡± One and only. ¡± He replied with an equal smile.

    ¡± Acting did you good, remember those times you were in rickety jeans, now you¡¯re some hot shot.¡± Elvis said, and elbowed his friend.

    ¡± Oh please,¡± Daniel waved his hand, then took a seat. Elvis sat across from him.

    ¡± Tell me, how¡¯s your search going? any breakthrough so far? ¡± He asked and got a pointed look from Daniel. ¡± I think you should give up on her, get anotherdy and settle the fuck down, you aren¡¯t getting any younger.¡± He spat, unfazed by his gaze.

    ¡± I need a drink.¡± Daniel demanded, ignoring his friends¡¯ opinions.

    ¡± A hangout is long overdue at this point.¡± He stood up, ¡± might as well hear what you have to say over a drink.¡±

    ¡± Lead the way.¡± Daniel got up and straightened his fit. Together, they exited the building.

    Elvis drove to a nearby hotel using one of his luxury vehicles. They were at the city¡¯s central, which held a lot of cool hangout spots. It didn¡¯t take long before they were settled in a five star hotel, ordering lunch.

    ¡± Didn¡¯t know you had such taste. A huge turn from the boy you used to be.¡± Daniel didn¡¯t miss an opportunity to get at him. It was their routine. Always been.

    ¡± Far from it.¡± He exined, ¡± it¡¯s just too much a hassle to bring you to the good old ces with your fans littered around.¡±

    Their order finally arrived and they dug in. Both realized how hungry they were after the meal. ¡± What exactly are your ns?¡± Elvis asked over a drink, ¡± why leave the hot lifestyle of a sessful actor to work behind the scenes?¡±

    ¡± Didn¡¯t know you were a fan.¡± He smirked, ¡± I bet you¡¯re dying to get a picture.¡± Elvis couldn¡¯t suppress his eye roll.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡± I¡¯m dying to find out why you aren¡¯t married at forty, man.¡± He dissed, ¡± look at you, sessful, famous and good looking. I can¡¯t wrap my head around what¡¯s hindering you from getting your arms full with a wife and kids.¡±

    ¡± Of course, you found a way to get back to this topic,¡± Daniel muttered, refusing to speak any more on the matter.

    ¡± I can¡¯t let you waste away. I know the security and peace of marriage. I want that for you too.¡± He preached, ¡± listen, you aren¡¯t a pretty boy anymore. You need to take this seriously.¡±

    ¡± Since you won¡¯t let this go, I¡¯ll be honest with you.¡± Elvis listened in rapt attention. ¡± I came back to give back. To help raise stars greater than myself, to put people who don¡¯t have the opportunity I had on the map. Pursuing my dreams cost me everything, including the love of my life, and I¡¯m here to take that back.¡±

    ¡± I get that.¡± Elvis stated, ¡± You had a whirlwind romance with someone but at this point, you must move on. The chick that¡¯s got you pining is probably underneath her husband as we speak. How¡¯s that fair to you? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still holding onto this shit, I thought we were past this.¡±

    ¡± I¡¯m done with this topic.¡± Daniel gulped the content of his ss.

    ¡± It¡¯s been eighteen years!¡± Elvis hit the table, ¡± surely, you know it¡¯s been eighteen years since you saw her. This is crazy.¡±

    ¡± I said enough! I am done with his topic.¡± He reiterated, at the brim of his tolerance.

    ¡± Okay, fine.¡± Elvis surrendered, ¡± but onest question. Do you have any leads on her? Maybe on how to find her? I¡¯m trying to help here.¡± He defended.

    Daniel gauged him for a moment, ¡± I¡¯ve set eyes on her.¡± Elvis was baffled.

    ¡± And? Did you speak to her? When was that?¡±

    ¡± I saw her today at the station. Didn¡¯t speak to her and I have no idea where she is right now. All I know is she either left the city or is in the city.¡± Daniel swirled the content of his cup, ¡± I feel like I¡¯m losing my mind thinking if I saw her.¡±

    ¡± Just great..¡±

    By the look on his friend¡¯s face, Elvis knew he had his work cut out.

    *****

    College of Law.

    Deloise and Anna couldn¡¯t hide their amazement as they walked through the college gates. The school was filled with people tugging luggages in various directions. An organized chaos.

    ¡± Where do we go?¡± Deloise asked, after a while.

    ¡± Admin silly, we need to get our schedules, amodations, and stuff.¡± Ann said, looking around.

    After hopelessly touring thepound, the duo ran out of strength.

    ¡± It¡¯s about time we asked questions.¡± Deloise walked towards a set of people, had a brief exchange and they pointed out a building.

    Anna rolled her eyes at Deloise¡¯ antics and together, they went on their way. Casually bumping into the guy they met at the station. Things were about to get interesting.

    *****

    Royal Arts Academy.

    ¡± You both would make a great on-screen couple. ¡± Flora ¨C Ste¡¯s roommate, gushed after hearing about her prospective project.

    Ste felt great at her approval, ¡± I know right, we just need his approval.¡± Her voice held her unhappiness at Aaron¡¯s indecisiveness.

    ¡± Don¡¯t be grumpy about it, all you need to do is work your magic on him and he¡¯ll do your bidding,¡± Flora advised,

    Ste wasn¡¯t happy at the development of events, Aaron hadn¡¯t responded in regards to the project and she felt anxious. She didn¡¯t want some unknown person snagging the role.

    After all, no one could match their level of artistry, and the role was tailor-made for them!

    ¡± How do I get him interested in this casting? ¡± She thought, wrecking her head for Answers. On looking up, she sights Flora smiling sheepishly, and looking at her phone. ¡± What are you looking at?¡±

    ¡± Nothing.¡± Flora said with a sing-song voice, apparently in a good mood.

    She raised her eyebrows, ¡± is that tony?¡± She asked, carefully observing her roommate. Flora broke into a smile.

    ¡± N-no. ¡±

    Ste rolled her eyes, ¡± and the Antic ocean emptied into my bathtub.¡± Sarcasm dripped from her tone.

    ¡± He just posted some gym pics.¡± She gushed, ¡± He¡¯s so fine, and he doesn¡¯t even try!¡±

    ¡± Ask him out already.¡± Ste said with a wave, ¡± at this point, it¡¯s pathetic not to.¡±

    Inasmuch Tony was a yboy, Ste couldn¡¯t fathom why she relegated to pining over him, without taking a shot. Flora was an impressive girl, one of the reasons Ste felt the need to keep her close.

    With her strong background in the industry, and her gullible nature, Ste found it fitting to keep her, and use her when the matter arises. Her family was stinking rich and in this industry, having connections and sponsors were crucial.

    A light bulb went off Ste¡¯s head, ¡± let me help you.¡± She spoke out of the blue, and Flora did a double take.

    ¡± What?¡±

    ¡± Let me help you with getting Tony.¡± She reiterated, this time, with a crooked smile.

    ¡± Y-you can do that? How?¡±

    ¡± Just trust me.¡± A cynic smile broke on her face and Flora felt confused, ¡± I just need one thing.¡±

    ¡± Anything.¡±

    ¡± Remember how we found out your dad sponsored the other production?¡± She mused, ¡± I want you to work your magic. I need to know the one behind this project, if Aaron would be convinced, I need to prove it won¡¯t be a flop. Can you do that?¡± Ste meant business.

    ¡± O-of course, a-anything.¡± Flora replied, ¡± I¡¯ll get to it.¡±

    ¡± Then we have a deal.¡±

 DDD 16

    The girls settled into the school, and built a three way friendship with Amanda ¨C a freshman they met in the school banquet. Amanda was the social one, always getting invited and showing up to the school¡¯s events with the girls.

    It was school hours and the girls went out to do some filing. ¡± When are you going to ask that boy out, Ann?¡± Amanda started, ¡± we all know you feel something.¡±

    Anna felt ruffled, ¡± I don¡¯t want to rush into Anything.¡± She replied, but Amanda wasn¡¯t having it.

    ¡± Rush into anything? I¡¯m not asking you to have sex with him, girl. Maybe go out on a date?¡± She suggested, ¡± I mean, you¡¯ve been in the awkward friendship phase for too long.¡±

    ¡± Now you¡¯re getting on my nerves. Can we drop this?¡± She hissed.

    Seeing the case was getting thick, Deloise intervened.

    ¡± When Ann is ready to take that step, you¡¯ll be the first to know, Amanda.¡± She lectured, and Amanda raised her hands in mock surrender. ¡± You can also drop the attitude, Ann. That tea is long overdue.¡± Deloise wriggled her eyebrows. ¡± While you girls were biting, I got my job done. I¡¯ll be off to get my certificates, don¡¯t bite yourselves while I¡¯m gone.¡±

    Deloise left, headed to a Cyber cafe, and got on with her business. She opened her mail and unsessfully scanned through in search of her certificate to no avail.

    She dailed her mom as she went through the unread mails, and suddenly caught sight of a mail that took breath from her lungs.

    ___

    SCHOLARSHIP OFFER. ROYAL ARTS ACADEMY.

    Dear Deloise Tanner,

    Congrattions! You have been selected as one of the winners of the schrship at the Prestigious Royal Arts Academy.

    We remainmitted to making the best out of our students and talented young individuals across the states. Please contact the Directors¡¯ office for more inquiries and due process.

    ept Our congrattions on your schrship!

    Signed: Mr. Austin. Director, Royal Arts Academy.

    ____

    ¡± Hello¡­ are you there?¡± Esther¡¯s voice broke Deloise from a trance.

    ¡± H-hello¡­ Y-Yes, I-I am h-here.¡± she stuttered, still staring at the screen in disbelief.

    ¡± Why do you sound like that, have you received it yet?¡±

    ¡± Y-Yes. Thank you so much, I have to go!¡±

    ¡± Alright. Give my regards-¡±

    Before Esther could finish her statement, Deloise hung up and dropped the phone. She read and re-read the mail in shock.

    At some point, she looked around and pinched herself ¨C all to ascertain it was reality. When the mail dropped, she immediately printed the certificate and letter before heading out.

    Meanwhile, there was an uproar in the Royal Arts Academy. The auditions for the movie ¨C scorned were held in the school. After going through the script, Aaron decided to try his hand at it.

    He loved a challenge, and with theplex character of the protagonist, he decided to give it a shot. There wasn¡¯t anything to lose either way. Ste felt over the moon when she heard the news, and his willingness strengthened her resolve to get the female lead role.

    The selection day came for both male and Female leads of the movie. Young, talented and prospective individuals came for tryouts hoping tond themselves the role.

    Ste and Aaron walked into the hall and as usual, theymanded the attention of people. They found a spot and prepared for the exercise while murmurings on their presence filled the air.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Austin, Daniel Greenwood, Mr Hart Ambrose ¨C director of the Evolve managementpany, and one of the most talented ywright, Ema Be were seated in the director¡¯s office.

    The distinguished personalities were brought together as judges for the procedure of selecting the production cast.

    ¡± Is she not interested in the deal?¡± Mr. Hart inquired in wonder at the case presented before them.

    ¡± Am afraid that remains to be known. There¡¯s been no reply whatsoever from her ever since the video.¡± Mr. Austin informed, looking between the influential people gathered in his office.

    ¡± As opposed to waiting for her, why not take today¡¯s selection seriously and choose a new female lead?¡± Ema Bet opined, ¡± we¡¯ve gathered some of the finest talents out there who are more than willing to do the job.¡±

    ¡± We could take that route, I have no problem whatsoever,¡± the director said with a shrug, inwardly happy and confident in his students ability to deliver and snag the role now it was fair game.

    ¡± What do you think Daniel, are we going ahead with the process or are you still hung up about your mystery female?¡± Mr. Hart spoke with a lopsided grin.

    Daniel sat in the director¡¯s seat, rolling a stic globe. His mind jumbled the thoughts of why thedy in question would put in an audition video, and when given an opportunity, would be a no-show.

    He couldn¡¯t forget the talented youngdy who gave him goosebumps via a one-minute-long video that kept him like an addict, rewatching and wanting more of what she had to offer.

    At some point, he thought to put her video on his socials but he knew it would turn into a hassle and bring a lot more than the lost actress.

    ¡± Hellooo, Daniel? ¡± Mr. Hart snapped his fingers, and drew the attention of Daniel- who stood up with his hands dipped in his pockets.

    ¡± We would be selecting a female lead today.¡± He began, ¡± but I¡¯m still optimistic about our mysterydy. Very optimistic.¡±

    ¡± There we go again..¡± Ema muttered and there were murmurs of agreement.

    Daniel resumes speaking, ¡± We will choose a Female lead. But please give it an extra week. If there¡¯s nothing, then we proceed with whoever stands out from today.¡± He exined with difficulty.

    ¡± If she does show up, what happens with the one selected from today?¡± Mr. Hart asked, still trying to grasp the reins of his proposition.

    Daniel¡¯s answer was automatic. ¡± She gets the supporting role.¡±

    ¡± I¡¯m not so fond of this idea, but I¡¯m choosing to trust you.¡± Ms. Ema said with a shrug, ¡± it¡¯s your show anyway.¡±

    ¡± Fair enough.¡±

    *****

    Ste was seated in the hall, waiting her turn when Flora¡¯s call came in. She excused herself and spoke inaudibly.

    ¡± Hey, I¡¯m at the tryouts-¡±

    Her words were cut off by Flora¡¯s excited ramblings.

    ¡± I got it, I got the news!¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡± Calm your nerves and talk to me¡± She hissed, ¡± I can¡¯t be caught on the phone right now.¡±

    ¡± I heard the director of Evolve is part of the production board.¡± She informed, ¡± Also, Ema Bet happens to be part and parcel of the project, alongside some other big shots in the industry. Word says they are all on campus.¡±

    Ste held her silence for a while, ¡± Alright, I¡¯ll get back to you.¡± She said and ended the call.

    She mentally doubled her determination to get the role. With news of the people involved, she couldn¡¯t stand the thought of losing her role.

    ¡± Who was that?¡± Tony asked, noting the change in her countenance.¡± What¡¯s got you so hyped?¡±

    ¡± Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m feeling good about this whole process.¡± she said with a smile he thought unusual.

    ¡± You¡¯re acting odd.¡± He pointed out, and before she could muster a reply, she was called in for her turn.

    After the process, a lot of people left looking deted and sullen, others maintained an optimistic approach, while Aaron walked out as the male protagonist.

    Immediately he finished his take, the judges made a conclusive decision to end the process as they¡¯d found the best candidate. Meanwhile, Ste felt confident in her smooth delivery but for the first time ever, she couldn¡¯t deduce the thoughts of the judges.

    Coupled with the fact Aaron was awarded his role instantaneously, she felt a bit insecure at the inconclusive results on the female lead role. Nevertheless, she rested easy knowing the ones supposed topete against her were more or less her fans.

    On the other hand, Daniel left the ce with news of Elvis¡¯ failure to produce encouraging results to his search. He left Royal Arts with a dampened and relentless determination.

 DDD 17

    ¡± C¡¯mon Deloise, you know how much I hate suspense. Can you please talk to us?¡± Amanda inquired, scared by the silent treatment.

    ¡± Loise, I¡¯m getting scared, what¡¯s going on?¡± Anna spoke softly, her tone riddled with concern. ¡± I might need to call your mom if you don¡¯t get speaking.¡±

    That elicited a reaction from Deloise.

    ¡± Don¡¯t call her!¡± She blurted, with her eyes wide, ¡± I just needed a moment.¡±

    The twodies sported a knowing smirk and drew closer to her.

    ¡± Okay?¡± Amanda urged,

    ¡± Swear to me that whatever I say doesn¡¯t leave this room.¡± Deloise said, looking between them. ¡± I meant that.¡± She added after seeing their reluctance.

    ¡± That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Anna began, ¡± you should-¡±

    ¡± I swear!¡± Amanda said, eliciting a smile from Deloise. Anna sported an eyeroll.

    ¡± Whatever. We don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    Deloise suddenly felt nauseous. She couldn¡¯t understand why she felt so nervous.

    ¡± IgotanofferfromRoyalArtsAcademy, ¡± she blurted in one breath.

    The girls didn¡¯t hear a thing. Or so she thought.

    ¡± Wait a minute. How exactly did you get an offer from the biggest creative school on the continent?¡± Amanda demanded with wide eyes.

    ¡± You heard that? I thought I heard wrongly.¡± Anna¡¯s eyes fixated on Deloise. ¡± What¡¯s this offer about?¡±

    ¡± Full schrship and other benefits.¡± She exined, ¡± I can¡¯t even tell mom about it, she¡¯ll freak out! You know how that ended thest time.¡± Deloise held her head. It was all too much, ¡± I feel there¡¯s something there, but I can¡¯t even explore it.¡± She added sadly.

    ¡± Then do it without her approval,¡± Amanda said, so casually you¡¯d think she spoke about the weather.

    ¡± Uh- no, you shouldn¡¯t. Amanda, what are you saying?¡± The reasonable Anna showed up, shocked at her friend¡¯s suggestion. ¡± Don¡¯t listen to her, Dee. It won¡¯t end well. Your mom will never consent to it, it¡¯s best you focus on what you have here.¡±

    ¡± You don¡¯t need it though,¡± Amanda mumbled to the annoyance of Anna. ¡± You just need money from your mom, which she already supplies via your school fees. Convert that and you can move to New York and fulfill your dreams!¡±

    ¡± I do not like where this is going.¡± Anna sounded stressed. ¡± Stop putting foolish ideas in her head, this isn¡¯t a joke!¡± She scolded, ¡± Deloise, you always do the right thing, don¡¯t let anyone take that away from you.¡±

    Amanda scoffed, but didn¡¯t speak. She felt her message had been delivered. Anna¡¯s phone rang and a beautiful smile grew in her face.

    ¡± It¡¯s the boy toy,¡± Amanda said in a sing-song voice, sessfully knocking the smile off Anna¡¯s face. Deloise hit her by the ribs, gesturing that she cut it out but it was toote for that.

    ¡± You know what, Amanda?¡± Anna was aggravated, ¡± that boy-toy has a name ¨C Liam! Maybe if you could find someone that could stand you for five minutes, you wouldn¡¯t be here, spewing crap.¡±

    ¡± Babes, it ain¡¯t that serious. ¡± Amanda retorted, picking offense.

    ¡± What did you say? Anna was ready to pounce.

    ¡± Hey hey hey, you guys should calm down. I called y¡¯all for support and now you¡¯re making me go through this?¡± Deloise asked with a hurt tone, sessfully diffusing the situation.

    ¡± That was a joke Ann, take it.¡± Amanda let out a sigh, ¡± I¡¯m sorry if it threw you off or rubbed off the wrong way.¡± She added.

    ¡± I¡¯m sorry too. I shouldn¡¯t have said the five minutes stuff. ¡± Ann replied, apologetically. ¡± I have to go,¡± she announced, typing on her phone, then looking at Deloise, ¡± Do the right thing, okay?¡± She said she left.

    After some moments of silence, Amanda finally spoke, drawing Deloise¡¯s attention with her seriousness. ¡± I¡¯ve never said this before Dee,¡± she began, ¡± but I just need to tell you, so you don¡¯t make the same mistakes I did.¡±

    ¡± Whatever you decide, make sure it¡¯s the best for you and no one else. Take the risk and if it doesn¡¯t work out, you¡¯ll rest easy knowing you did the best you could.¡± Amanda¡¯s words shocked Deloise. ¡± The worst feeling is regret. And I don¡¯t want that for you.¡±

    Deloise was stunned at her friend¡¯s advice. She never pictured her as one capable of making such serious and reflectivements. ¡± Thank you..¡± she said, and felt an unfamiliar feeling of freedom.

    ¡± Great!¡± Amanda said in a much brighter tone, ¡± there¡¯s a party tonight, and I need to get ready. Catch youter!¡± She smiled and picked up her things, ¡± You¡¯re a star, everyone knows that, I just hope you do.¡±

    With that, Amanda walked out the door. Leaving her a lot to think about.

    ******

    Ms Esther was busy in the kitchen when her phone rang. A smile came on her face at the sight of her daughter¡¯s name disyed.

    ¡± Baby, how are you doing?¡± She asked, in her best of moods.

    ¡± I¡¯m fine mom, just missing you that¡¯s all,¡± Deloise was sweet and docile.

    ¡± I miss you too hunny, can¡¯t wait for the semester to be over. The house¡¯s not the same without you. ¡± She said, and rapidly turned the batter, aiming to finish it quickly.

    ¡± Are you in the kitchen? Is that cake I hearing?¡± Deloise asked, having heard the noise off the phone.

    ¡± Yes darling, you know I¡¯m incapable of ignoring my favorite daughter¡¯s call, ¡± Esther said with a smile,

    ¡± You mean your only daughter¡¯s call mum, ¡± Deloise pointed out with augh.

    ¡± Same thing to me.¡± Ms. Esther dropped the bowl of batter as soon as she heard the oven go off. ¡± I need to go hunny, hope you are great though,¡±

    ¡± Yeah, just here, trying to make you proud and staying happy while at it,¡± Deloise exined, feeling tired of everything.

    ¡± I love you so much baby, I always want you happy, seeing you happy makes me proud and happy too.¡± Esther said, hoping to cheer up her daughter. ¡± Take it for the team, and always put your happiness first.¡± She admonished softly.

    ¡± You mean that mom? ¡± Deloise asked from the other line, feeling very emotional but trying to hide it from her voice.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡± Of course I do! You¡¯re my priority love, never forget I love you. Don¡¯t stress and just trust yourself. Be happy for us both okay? ¡± Ms. Esther requested, genuine with her words.

    ¡± Yes ma, ¡± at that moment, Deloise knew exactly what it was she had to do. There was no stopping her now. ¡± I love you, always.¡± She concluded and the line went off.

    Ms. Esther continued her work, clueless to what she¡¯d unknowingly supported and fueled. Immediately, Deloise kicked off preparations for her new beginning as a student of the Royal Arts Academy.

 DDD 18

    Deloise stood nervously in the kitchen, rigorously turning the batter for the first andst cake she was baking within the college walls

    How did she know? Because she finally decided to leave. No going back now.

    Ever since she had the conversation with her mother, she was convinced of exactly what it is she must do. Her mother made her stance clear as regards the matters of her happiness and she truly believed this was the right choice ¨C It had to be.

    Deloise felt certain that her decision would prove to be her best decision yet. This time, she wasn¡¯t letting anyone discourage or stop her. Not her mother, not her friends, and definitely not herself.

    She made peace with the fact that she must pursue her dreams. Even if it meant doing so alone. After preparing the cake, she made dinner. She¡¯d previously asked the girls toe around this evening for what she referred to as a surprise dinner.

    Anna was skeptical when she asked for space to prepare the said surprise dinner but she managed to convince andpel her out of their amodation.

    Perfectly satisfied with the meal¡¯s turnout, Deloise took it to the living room to cool off, while she set up for dinner. After that, she quickly sent a text to the group chat inviting the girls over.

    Twenty minutester, the front door was pushed open and the voices of Amanda and Anna filled the air.

    ¡± Ouu, now that¡¯s what we¡¯re talking about, what¡¯s that delicacy? ¡± Amanda moaned, sniffing the air with her eyes closed.

    ¡± Don¡¯t act like a dog, foodie. It¡¯s just food. Good food, but still food.¡± Anna retorted with a yful eye roll, and took a seat.

    ¡± I have no time for you- Hey! ¡± Amanda yelled as she watched Anna pick up and eat a cupcake.¡± No fair! dinner hasn¡¯t even begun yet and here you are already getting a head start. ¡± she chastised, looking around, ¡± where¡¯s our chef at though?¡± She asked, and picked up a cupcake for herself.

    ¡± I see you¡¯re both enjoying yourselves,¡± Deloise stated, eyebrows raised, and the girls took in her presence.

    ¡± She started it! ¡± The duo chorused, with mouth-fulls, pointing usatory fingers at the other.

    ¡± Whatever, let¡¯s eat,¡± Deloise said, and settled down. ¡± I better get to it, seeing you guys already got a head start.¡± She muttered and they burst out to a fit ofughter.

    They all ate happily, chatting as they went at it and rxing without stress. While the dinner drew to an end, Deloise grew into a nervous mess. She fought the urge to be cowardly about her decision, to take the easy route out.

    She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say what it was, the way it is.

    Anna observed something fishy but made no move to point it out. Amanda on the other hand was pretty much engulfed in their chat. Having had enough, Anna finally spoke up,

    ¡± What is it?¡± She asked, looking at Deloise who at the time felt exposed by the question. Amanda finally noticed the situation,

    ¡± Hehehe, what are you talking about?¡± Deloise said with a nervousugh.

    ¡± I am not an outsider, if I say something¡¯s wrong, then something is definitely wrong,¡± Anna said pointedly, calling her out.

    ¡± I didn¡¯t notice anything though,¡± Amanda added her two cents, still quite confused.

    ¡± I don¡¯t- ¡± Ann spoke sternly but was interrupted by Deloise.

    ¡± Fine. I do have something to say.¡± She began, ¡± I was going to speak up anyways.¡± She mumbled and cleared up her throat.

    Her palm suddenly became sweaty and her throat dried. She swallowed under the intense gazes of her friends, seeking the confidence to say what she had to say.

    ¡± Okay, I think you need some water¡­¡± Amanda trailed, and handed over a bottle of water.

    ¡± Thanks,¡± Deloise said in a small voice, then took a sip. Anna who had been watching the exchange had a lot of theories as to why she acted in such a manner.

    Deloise¡¯ internal conflict was obvious but she couldn¡¯t figure out its cause. A bulb suddenly went on in her head and it suddenly started to add up.

    ¡± I hope it isn¡¯t what I think it is,¡± Anna stated in disbelief, and her eyes widened. ¡± I thought we closed that chapter, Dee! what are you thinking?¡± Anna asked, shaking the form of Deloise.

    ¡± You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying,¡± Deloise mumbled, knowing her friend was onto her, and disheartened by her reaction.

    ¡± Can someone please tell me what crazy things are happening right now? I thought we were having fun.¡± Amanda felt lost.

    ¡± I thought so too. So tell us, what is it that you want to do exactly?¡± Anna said, standing with her hands akimbo.

    Deloise¡¯s brain ran a thousand miles per second, her patience thinned as the seconds flew by. Unable to hold it anymore, she stood up, feeling aggravated as she aired her opinion.

    ¡± Yes! I want to do it!¡± She yelled, ¡± I¡¯ve always wanted to do it. Hell, I¡¯m doing it!¡± She affirmed, unashamedly.¡± I¡¯ve had enough of everyone trying to control my life! Enough of bending to the will of everyone sans myself! And I¡¯m done with sacrificing my dreams for others! ¡± She spoke hysterically, maddening the more she spoke. ¡± You once said I needed a real shot at it, and guess what, that real shot opened up. You expect me to just let it slip by?¡± She asked in disbelief. ¡± I refuse to miss this opportunity, Ann. I¡¯m going through that door,¡± she said resolutely. ¡± I have decided.¡±

    The atmosphere was tense after her episode. Both girls faced the other, each refusing to back down. Amanda felt stuck in the middle, she supported Deloise¡¯ decision but didn¡¯t know if it was the right time to air her opinion.

    Anna wore a wicked glint, ¡± You¡¯ve made up your mind, huh? And what does your mother have to say about it?¡± She asked and Deloise froze. ¡± Oh my, you haven¡¯t told her to have you?¡± she spoke snidely. ¡± Yeah, I thought so.¡±

    ¡± That¡¯s not something you should use for petty remarks, Ann.¡± Amanda gritted, unhappy with the way things were headed.

    ¡± Shut up!¡± she replied, not sparing her a nce.

    ¡± You know what?¡± Deloise began, with an odd calmness. ¡± I¡¯m not trying to do this with you so let¡¯s make this easy.¡± She dered, ¡± It¡¯s either you support me or you don¡¯t, whichever way I¡¯m leaving at dawn tomorrow,¡± Deloise informed, with a stoic look.

    What was supposed to be a send forth, was now a royal screw up. A barely contained wave of surprise hit the girls at Deloise¡¯s deration.

    ¡± Whatever your decision is, you¡¯re not at liberty to talk to your mom or mine about this. Keep it to yourself and we¡¯ll be fine.¡± Deloise gritted, understanding the message passed by her friend¡¯s silence.

    ¡± Do whatever you want, but do not insert yourself into the affairs of me and my family. ¡± Deloise warned, her face expressionless.

    ¡± Wow.¡± Anna breathed, shaking her head. ¡± You want to go on with this? Without even getting consent from your mom? I thought we were past this?¡± Anna asked, sounding almost hurt.

    Deloise¡¯ expression was locked, barely giving anything of her emotions.

    ¡± Fine. I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t need to be here anyway.¡± Anna said, brimming with anger. ¡± Do what you want, I don¡¯t care. have a nice life.¡± She said coldly and left the room.

    Amanda knew not to poke at the matter, it was bad enough as it is. ¡± So¡­ tomorrow, huh?¡± she asked lightly, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

    ¡± Yeah¡­ ¡± Deloise replied, forcing a smile onto her face.

    ¡± How are you going about it though?¡±

    ¡± I kinda replied to the mail and confirmed that the spot was still quite avable. With some back and forth, I was sent a flight ticket to New York City.¡± She exined.

    ¡± Congrattions darling, I¡¯ll miss your fine self,¡± Amanda said genuinely, excited.

    ¡± I¡¯ll miss you too,¡± Deloise replied with a smile and they hugged. In seconds, they both broke up beaming.

    ¡± Let¡¯s get packing! ¡± Amanda called out, ready to help.

    Deloise smiled at her enthusiasm and took a not-so-discreet nce at the shut door across, belonging to Anna.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡± She¡¯lle around, just give her the night. By tomorrow y¡¯all will be besties again.¡± Amanda assured, and Deloise replied with a nod.

    The duo went into her room, quietly packed up and soon enough, they were asleep, ready to take on the world the next day.

 DDD 19

    It was finally the day. Deloise woke up with a startle. It felt like the universe skipped a beat and she immediately checked the time on her phone, noting Amanda¡¯s presence beside her.

    Memories from the previous night crept into her consciousness but she didn¡¯t feel anything. She felt so calm, she wondered if it was the calm before the storm.

    Remembering the time, she got up with a lightning speed and hopped into the shower. Her flight was scheduled for seven, and it was her first ever flight.

    She couldn¡¯t afford to bete!

    Her fuss awakened Amanda who opened her eyes with a squint, while Deloise threw a good morning as she prepared herself. This time around, she couldn¡¯t risk failing.

    Before you know it, Amanda was up and doing the lord¡¯s work. Deloise met her suitcases packed by the door, while Amanda fussed around, ticking things off the list they created to avoid forgetting anything.

    ¡± All done.¡± Amanda said, looking around the bare looking room.

    Everything had been packed up, safe for the outfit she was wearing to the airport.

    ¡± Thank you so much..¡± Deloise felt her emotions peak. She wasn¡¯t an organized person, and always tended to forget or leave out something when putting things together.

    Soon, she was ready to go and they went into the living area. The shut door to Anna¡¯s room became more prominent than it was the night before.

    They stared at the door, half expecting it to open but no such luck. She couldn¡¯t believe that Anna wouldn¡¯t see her off. Everything felt all shades of wrong. Was their friendship really that fickle?

    ¡± Maybe she¡¯s still asleep, it¡¯s still quite early,¡± Amanda excused, noticing the lingering gaze of Deloise on Anna¡¯s door.

    ¡± I¡¯ll go wake her up, she obviously wouldn¡¯t let you go like this.¡± She muttered, walked up to her door, and knocked. ¡± Ann, are you still sleeping?¡± Amanda called out.

    When there was no response, she knocked louder. ¡± You¡¯re not sleeping, I hear the ping of your phone, Ann. Open up!¡± she said, furiously hitting the door.

    ¡± What is wrong with you? ¡± Amanda asked aloud, throwing a fit at Ann¡¯s attitude, ¡± She¡¯s your friend for crying out loud.¡± She said in disbelief at Ann¡¯s actions. ¡± Take a second from your selfish ass and be a real friend this once!¡± Amanda cussed out, royally pissed.

    Deloise stood by the cushion, watching the scene, knowing that Anna wasn¡¯t nning on settling whatever it was between them. She was hurt but came to ept the route to her happiness was a lonely one.

    One look at the time and she was almostte. ¡± It¡¯s okay, let her be.¡± Deloise said softly, ¡± we¡¯rete, let¡¯s head out.¡±

    Amanda was reluctant, ¡± It just doesn¡¯t make sense, this isn¡¯t right.¡± She remarked unhappily.

    ¡± It¡¯s fine,¡± Deloise muttered, ¡± Goodbye, Ann!¡± She called with a louder voice, not bothering to wait for a reply. Deloise checked out the school with Amanda and made her way to the airport.

    Soon enough, Deloise was in a ne with millions of thoughts. Excitement and nervousness flowed through her veins as she prepared for her next stop. New York City.

    *****

    Daniel was in his Mansion, getting ready for his trip to the airport. Ever since he received word on the sudden appearance of his female lead, he felt a wave of giddiness and excitement.

    One would think it was his first meeting with a crush.

    Except it wasn¡¯t his crush. It was thedy he had eyes set upon for the female lead of his production. Daniel was a driven and passionate man with everything rted to his craft but this situation stood out.

    How else could he exin his decision to personally pick her from the airport?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    He reckoned it was her first time in the city, and there were more than enough trusted chauffeurs to convey her to Royal Arts Academy, but for some reason, he wanted to do it himself.

    Regardless how daunting it could be as a person in the public¡¯s eye.

    His desire to see her for himself as soon as she hit the city was borderline obsessive. He wanted to check for himself, and truly witness her abilities.

    But first, he had to see for himself, drive her to Royal Arts and personally test her abilities. Everything was to be done today before she met with the panel tomorrow for the formal audition.

    The audition was a formality because if he was satisfied with her abilities, there was no more discussion to be had. He wouldn¡¯t have anyone else, no matter the others though.

    Soon enough, Daniel was exiting his Mansion with his White AMG Mercedes Benz 4matic, tinted and ready to hostdy Deloise.

    *****

    Deloise was all smiles when she heard the address system notify all of their arrival. She sat by the window, taking in the new scenery as theynded.

    She collected her luggage from the top bunk as the ne touched down New York. She walked down the stairs and took in the sunny weather with a huge smile. She couldn¡¯t believe she was finally here!

    Feeling overwhelmed, she looked around, still unsure on where she was headed. She was supposed to be picked up by someone holding her name but so far she couldn¡¯t find any.

    Her eyes scanned through the mob of heads, holding signposts and the more she searched, she panicked.

    Deloise hadn¡¯t considered getting lost, so her surprise watching others leave till she was left was inexplicable. What if she was scammed? What if it was a set up? She thought fearfully.

    She sat on her luggage, hopelessly thinking about her deplorable state when she suddenly saw a signpost with her name on it.

    Her face lit up in a smile and she ran towards the waiting man, d it was real afterall.

    *****

    Daniel Greenwood was parked in the airport lot. He had to pick up his actress but due to the crowd, he chose to wait it out.

    As he waited, he amusedly thought of testing her patience, seeing she¡¯d done that to him by putting him in a tight position with his production and project. Heughed at the irony of it, how he waited so long to meet her, and then when she finally dide along, left her waiting.

    When the crowd had emptied itself, Mr Daniel geared up in his shades and a hat, alongside a signboard, ready for ambush.

    He stepped out of the car and found his way to receiving the star he was keen on making.

    When Daniel got to the receiving area, he met a handful of people and immediately sighted her. She was real afterall. She ran to him in seconds, her happiness was contagious.

    ¡± Hello, mister, I¡¯m Deloise.¡± She looked at him expectantly, waiting for the sses to be put away so she could meet the one behind them but no such luck. Well, at least not yet.

    ¡± Wee, Miss Deloise.¡± Mr Daniel replied, adding an ent to his voice and enjoying his newfound acting gig.

    ¡± Shall we?¡± He said, gesturing the path she was to go through.

    ¡± Sorry, but who are you?¡± Deloise felt suspicious, she couldn¡¯t just follow a strange man without any form of introduction on his part.

    Impressed by her smartness, Daniel said,¡± I¡¯m your driver. From the Royal Arts Academy.¡± He informed her with a bow, inwardly chuckling at his superb acting skills.

    Deloise seemed to rx a bit. Her steps still showed she wasn¡¯t thoroughly convinced. Meanwhile, Daniel noticed her difort and wondered if the driver would help her feel more at ease with the transition. He led the way In quick strides, headed out of the airport, and subtly checked in on her to be sure she was following him.

    On getting outside the airport, he increased his pace. People could tell him from his body structure, walking steps and fashion sense. The struggle of being in the public eye!

    Deloise followed her ¡® driver ¡® , still unconvinced about his identity, but beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers. She stilled in surprise when the driver led her to an exotic vehicle. Royal Arts Academy was no joke!

    She couldn¡¯t have been the person they brought such a car for her ride in, Deloise thought, humbled. The driver, Albeit somehow looking weird, finally opened the door for her to walk in.

    Deloise looked forward and was shocked to see someone at the steering wheel. Fear gripped her, and before she could utter a word, Daniel Greenwood entered beside her and removed his hat and shades.

    He looked at her with a smirk, and she was dumbfounded. It was Daniel Greenwood! Veteran star actor ¨C Daniel Greenwood.

 DDD 20

    Daniel watched as she visibly struggled for words, failing every time to produce something. His smirk graduated into a full-blown smile seeing her antics around him.

    ¡± Miss Deloise,¡± He called her, ¡± I¡¯m sorry we had to meet under such¡­circumstances, ¡± He hesitated a little,cking proper words to exin his stunt. Afterwards, he continued, ¡± d to finally meet you.¡± He reached out his hand for a formal meeting.

    Deloise grabbed his hand with both hands and shook excitedly, ¡± Nice to meet you too, sir! I¡¯m a big fan of yours!¡± She said with sweaty palms, ¡± I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s you!¡±

    ¡± d we cleared that up,¡± he smiled, ¡± you may go now, straight to the Royal Arts,¡± Daniel ordered, and the driver maneuvered the car through the roads, next stop, Royal Arts Academy.

    During the journey, the duo spoke on various topics in conversation, each more passionate than thest, they never seemed to run out. Soon, they got to the Royal Arts Academy gates, and Deloise held back tears.

    She was finally at the school of her dreams!

    She never thought that one day she would be going through the gates of Royal Arts, not to talk of meeting a big star the day she entered New York City. Indeed, this was her destinednd. It all felt unreal.

    In a few minutes of stepping foot in New York, she managed to do, and experience things she nursed only in dreams.

    ¡± Are you ready for a new world?¡± Daniel asked the young actress beside him ¨C staring at the school in awe. His question felt like a double-edged sword, and he nursed a glint in his eyes, one of a kid who couldn¡¯t wait to peel off his candy.

    Deloise didn¡¯t hear him, lost in the glory of the school environment. She¡¯d never imagined the school to be so beautiful. The pictures online did no justice! It was that beautiful.

    The car soon slowed to a stop, jolting Deloise out of her reverie. Suddenly, she didn¡¯t know what to do. She¡¯s been thrown into a new world. One that made her stomach churn in the sweetest way.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Daniel resumed a stoic look, came down the car and shut the door behind him. The sound from the door resounded in Deloise¡¯s ears, and in a second, she was out of the car, looking for the man who¡¯d brought her all the way here.

    Deloise attempted to get her belongings from the car trunk, but Daniel encouraged her to leave them behind. Saying something along the lines of ¨C it would be taken care of.

    Daniel checked his time, which read half past one. Perfect. He had enough time to carry out his vendetta before the rest arrived.

    ¡± C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go. There¡¯s a lot to cover.¡± He said with hastened steps, forcing Deloise to get into pace with him.

    Daniel led her to the office of the director and closed the door. The director wasn¡¯t around. They had thirty minutes till he was to join them ¨C twenty minutes too long for what he wanted to confirm.

    Deloise looked at him confusedly, he brought her into someone¡¯s office and went quiet. What was she supposed to do with that?

    Still on the thought, a script was suddenly thrown towards her.

    ¡± You¡¯ve got five minutes. Get ready and meet me at the end of the hallway.¡± Daniel finally spoke, every trait of friendliness gone. ¡± Let¡¯s see just how much you want all of this,¡± Daniel remarked and walked out of the office, leaving a stunned, surprised and determined Deloise.

    She came over here, throwing caution to the wind and beating the odds. There was no way she¡¯d lose it all now.

    Deloise picked up the script and nced through it. She distinctly remembered when she shot this particr scene. How she worked it over in pain, determined to shut everything out.

    This time, she would do it, and with a clear motive. This was the ticket to her long-term dream, and she didn¡¯te this far just toe this far.

    With that, she prepared herself. Heart, soul and mind, ready to give all that she had, notwithstanding her already tired state from her journey. Within the quickest of time, Deloise rushed out of the office, clearly remembering the direction given to her.

    As soon as she crossed the doors, she bumped into the most attractive man she¡¯d ever seen. And for a moment, she stared into his unusually clear green eyes until she was snapped out of her reverie,

    ¡± Scram.¡± A cold voice said to her with the meanest look.

    Stunned at the sheer rudeness depicted, Deloisemitted his face to memory and without a word, walked away, straight into the deciding hall of her life.

    ******

    Aaron Steele angrily walked into the director¡¯s office, seething at his recent findings. He couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d been swindled into epting and auditioning for a script written by that wench!

    His anger elerated at the fact that the Damned director knew about the little fact and intentionally decided to keep him in the dark until he was done and dusted with the deal.

    The worst part was that he signed the documents! Feeling like he¡¯d bagged something great only to be met up with the news of her most recent job. When Aaron found out that Ms Ema was the ywright of the script he¡¯d just auditioned for, everything turned red.

    The newspaper he got the information from wasn¡¯t speared and neither was the director going to be spared from his fury. He had decided he wasn¡¯t going to be a part of the production, signed or not! And he was going to see to it.

    Met with the absence of Mr Austin, Aaron mmed the door behind him, pacing around the office space in wait for when he was going to arrive. He¡¯d earlier called him and somewhere in between his raised voice and deafening anger, the director asked to meet up with him at his office.

    In a terribly poor countenance, he¡¯d marched his way over to the office, giving everyone a cold shoulder. Usually, he tried to be less of a jerk to people, especially in the Royal Arts but it wasn¡¯t his best day.

    Aaron took a seat on the couch, his feet impatiently tapped the marbled floor, as he awaited the presence of the director. He made to call him again, to find out where he was, but decided against it.

    He didn¡¯t want the director thinking he¡¯s been taken for granted or insulted so he decided to wait it out and talk in person. As though on cue, the door of the office opened and Mr Austin strolled into his office, adorned in a suit.

    The director smiled upon spotting Aaron¡¯s poor countenance. ¡± Aaron, my boy! How¡¯re you doing?¡± He said with a grin, reaching out his hand for a handshake but received no reply from Aaron- who remained seated, mute and sulking.

    ¡± Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still pissed about that, c¡¯mon boy, that deal is THE deal! Forget about whatever baggage and treat it as a job, which it is.¡± Mr Austin tried to reason with Aaron. ¡± Listen to me man, when you met me to manage you, even as a student, I never agreed until you proved to be a worthy investment. Don¡¯t let anything stop you.¡± He advised.

    ¡± You don¡¯t get it! I¡¯ve done everything I can to avoid being affiliated to her or them! I chose a new path for myself, and you know my story!¡± Aaronshed out, getting angrier as the clock ticked, ¡± you knew about it and still put me on! This isn¡¯t just about the brand, it¡¯s way deeper than that and yet you chose to deceive and blindside me!¡± Aaron bellowed at Mr Austin, who could now understand the erring of his ways upon seeing the reaction.

    ¡± I overstepped and I apologize.¡± Mr Austin said solemnly, knowing any other thing would only tick off the bomb that was Aaron. ¡± Forget about the deal, we can sort out a recement. Lucky for you, the director and producer of the project is in the building, so let¡¯s make it formal, shall we?¡± He proposed, readying himself for the bacsh he was surely going to get for the sudden development.

    ¡± Fine.¡± Aaron said, with a still voice. ¡± I apologize for my reactions and still want to be in partnership with you, Mr Austin.¡± He said in a formal yet polite tone.

    ¡± Don¡¯t get soft on me boy, you were blowing a pulse less than a minute ago.¡± Mr Austin remarked amusedly, causing Aaron to unsessfully conceal a smile. The tiff from earlier flushed down the toilets as they regained their usual banter.

    ¡± As much as I feel like we¡¯d regret losing this role, I¡¯m just going to let it be.¡± Mr Austin said, causing Aaron to shake his head. He knew that he was never going to hear the end of it but he had already made up his mind.

    Together, they walked out of the office, headed towards the show room at the end of the hallway. Mr Austin wondered why Mr Daniel decided to meet him in the showroom, when his office was opened.

    Daniel¡¯s early appearance for the meeting also surprised him but when he remembered what was at stake, he understood his impatience to finally meet the one he¡¯d so vehemently stuck out for.

    Mr Austin couldn¡¯t help but admit he was also looking forward to meeting thedy. Assess her for himself and know if she was truly deserving of the spot and the hype.

    As they approached the end of the hallway. The door was crowded by onlookers who were stopped by a security official, hindering them from disturbing whatever it was happening in the showroom.

    Aaron and Mr Austin exchanged nces, wondering what the ruckus was about. The director penned it down to the fact that there was a world ss star and actor inside the room.

    ¡± Everyone! To your business please.¡± Mr Austin spoke in a firm tone, and the studentsplied, murmuring on the little they witnessed.

    The area emptied and Mr Austin turned around, only to find Aaron out of his sight. He briskly walked inside the showroom, hoping that Aaron hadn¡¯t takenw to his hands and met with Daniel without hispany.

    Upon entering the showroom, Mr Austin spotted Aaron, standing still and looking at a perceived empty space directly in front of him. He further walked in to take a better look and was stunned to see an ongoing audition.

    Apparently, Daniel couldn¡¯t wait for the rest of the panel¡¯s arrival before beginning a personal test run on her ability. Mr Austin joined the spectors, and observed the scene ying out before him.

 DDD 21

    Deloise was in character. She¡¯d been nervous of the watchful eyes of Daniel Greenwood and the importance of this very audition, and fumbled twice as a result of fear, which earned her a solid rebuke from Daniel, and ast chance of redemption coupled with a pep talk from him to give it her best shot.

    Knowing it was herst shot, Deloise recounted her journey and how she¡¯d discovered her passion for creative arts, its consequences and costs so far.

    She walked all the way to this moment in order to do what she loved and there was no way in hell she was going to leave a failure. She was far too gone to fail.

    Under the watchful eyes of the men thrio, Deloise slumped to the floor. Her face contorted to one with immense pain, and the spectators felt the mood of the room change.

    In character, she crawled painfully to the mannequin situated meters away from her. In the scene she was to deliver, she had just found her son, bloodied on the floor, and killed by poison administered by her husband¡¯s concubine.

    Acting as a scorned woman, Deloise screamed out the character¡¯s name , shaking vehemently as she crawled up his supposed dead body. Taking the slowest pace possible, she cried her way to his body and attempted touching him.

    Her hand hovered over the mannequin, trying countlessly to touch its cold pale body, to no avail. Deloise wept so profusely that at some point, the spectators forgot it wasn¡¯t real and felt very emphatic towards her pain.

    Deloise managed to immerse all into the little world she¡¯d created. The atmosphere was tense as they awaited for the final part of the scene to be acted out. The female lead was going to seek out and deal with the one who had caused her such pain.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    Eyes reddened and a nose running, Deloise looked up, directly at her judge. Still in character, she said with a vengeance driven countenance disyed upon her face.

    ¡± An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,¡± she recited the mantra, heaving in pain and anger. She looked at the mannequin and pointed at the supposed concubine, muttering thest words with an eerie coldness, ¡± A son, for a son.¡±

    Goosebumps washed over the arms of both Aaron and the director. They¡¯d never seen such realistic acting ever before! Not even from top stars. Daniel on the other hand couldn¡¯t help himself and gave her a standing ovation.

    ¡± You got it! You are it! Finally! My lead!¡± He said happily, pping at her artistry and smooth delivery of the scene. Daniel was happy that he¡¯d given her another chance to redeem herself despite her previous mishaps. The men trio kept on pping and throwingpliments to her performance, happy to have found her.

    Humbled, Deloise got up and wiped her face shyly. She was surprised by the audience she¡¯d gotten as she¡¯d been so lost in the headspace of the character that she took no notice of her surroundings.

    After the cheering, Mr Austin walked up to Deloise,¡± that was a great piece, looking forward to having you at Royal Arts Academy. I¡¯m the director.¡± He said, immediately introducing himself.

    ¡± Thank you so much sir, I¡¯m Deloise.¡± She answered politely, still in disbelief of what was now turning her reality.

    ¡± I know that dear, I¡¯m just going to let you rest and have someone take you to your amodations on campus and I¡¯ll get to youter okay?¡± Mr Austin said, noting the fact that she was probably yet to settle down and had been made to audition immediately she got in.

    ¡± No! Let her wait, the rest are on their way. They need to experience this.¡± Daniel said excitedly, simultaneously typing on his phone.

    ¡± They would watch the clip , our star here needs rest.¡± Mr Austin retorted, stressing his point. Daniel, who had now gotten off the high, remembered she was yet to rest from the flight and a sheepish smile came into his face.

    Embarrassed by his manners, he agreed. ¡± Take care of her then.¡± Daniel said to the director. Turning to Deloise he apologized, ¡± Sorry about my manners.¡±

    ¡± No problem.¡± She squeaked, meaning every word.

    ¡± Now that¡¯s settled, Aaron, please take her to the students affairs and see to her safe settlement into Royal Arts.¡± Mr Austin instructed, stunning Aaron out of his reverie.

    Aaron nodded, still lost as he watched the curvy self of Deloise walk towards him. He immediately turned on his charms and put on a smile, but was surprised to receive a poor countenance in return.

    Deloise remembered Aaron from his earlier rudeness and wasn¡¯t the happiest to hang with him. Not giving him a time of the day, she spoke upon reaching him,

    ¡± Shall we?¡±

    Aaron was stunned by Deloise¡¯s beauty and her acting prowess. Of course he wanted to get off on a great Start with her but he didn¡¯t appreciate the attitude he was getting. Nheless, he spoke in a friendly tone.

    ¡± That was a bomb act right there. Now I look forward to spending time with you. I¡¯m Aaron Steele.¡± He said, his hand outstretched with a soft smile as he introduced himself.

    ¡± I¡¯m not interested in all of this, please take me to the students affairs.¡± Deloise retorted with a bored expression, their earlier interaction still fresh in her mind.

    ¡® He was such a hypocrite! ¡® She thought.

    ¡± Hey, hey, hey, I¡¯m being nice here. And you are just being rude.¡± Aaron said, picking offense.

    ¡± Nice? Ha ha, don¡¯t y stupid, okay?¡± Deloise said, still not giving him a time of the day.

    ¡± You know, in this production, I¡¯m the male lead, and in order for me to work with you, you need to reel in the bitchiness.¡± Aaronshed, aiming to get back at her and felt satisfied knowing he seeded.

    Deloise countenance grew poor, ¡± did you just call me a bitch?¡± She asked incredulously, her distaste for him grew to an all time high.

    ¡± Didn¡¯t say that. I just asked that you reel. In. the. bitchiness.¡± He replied, drawing out each word and having way too much fun from her expressions.

    ¡± I¡¯m not about to handle this right now, I¡¯m tired and rightfully need to settle down. I think I¡¯ll help myself from here on.¡± Deloise said, totally annoyed at the prick and headed out to the hallway, only after did she realize that he was supposed to take her to the students affairs.

    Releasing a frustrated sigh, Deloise decided it was better she found her way around herself. She wasn¡¯t looking forward to spending another passing second with the douchebag. With that, she headed out of the block, her n being to ask questions until she got to the office.

 DDD 22

    Aaron stood with a smirk, waiting for the fire cracker to return, knowing he was her only hope of navigating the school grounds. He was surprised when he found out she actually left.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    Without him.

    Mr Austin and Daniel watched their interaction and couldn¡¯t help but smile at the duo. Mr Austin was pressing to have Aaron let out of the production, yet refusing to cite a solid reason.

    ¡± They already hate each other, let¡¯s make it easier and find some other male lead.¡± Mr Austin said, pressing on the notion to have Aaron dismissed.

    ¡± Matter of fact, if I hadn¡¯t seen that, I would have epted to rece him. But now, he doesn¡¯t seem like he wants to lose the role.¡± Daniel Greenwood said, motioning to Aaron who stood with an odd smile, looking at the door in bewilderment.

    ¡± You don¡¯t know that.¡± Mr Austin said with a smile.

    ¡± Let¡¯s find out then,¡± Daniel said, and without further Ado, called out to Aaron with an excited glint in his eyes. ¡± Hey boy! Still want to drop your role?¡± He asked, drawing the attention of Aaron.

    Aaron felt caught, seeing the material they were working with, he felt challenged and didn¡¯t want to drop out anymore. He needed to see more of the firecracker and her acting.

    The original reason why he wanted to drop the role returned with a vengeance and he felt conflicted. He wanted it but at the same time didn¡¯t.

    Daniel could see the conflict in his eyes and his lips curved into a smile. He was looking forward to producing him alongside Deloise, they had some chemistry, waiting to be unearthed by the right words in the right scene.

    Aaron reminded Daniel of his younger self ¨C talented, determined and conflicted. He was also ambitious seeing his reluctance to drop the role after seeing the chosen female lead.

    Deciding to put the young man out of his misery, Daniel spoke up. ¡± Take your time, think it through. I¡¯ll be here next week, same time for your answer.¡± He said, and Aaron nodded in reply before stepping out.

    Meanwhile, Deloise walked around the schoolpound, admiring the new environment while also trying to find her way to the student affairs. Judging from her previous college, it should be close to the administrative building.

    She trudged around the not-so-busy school environment, passing various halls where lectures took ce. She even saw a shed where some acting and filming was ongoing. Deloise felt excited, her exhaustion vanished as she watched in awe.

    As she watched the people recite their lines, each adding a touch of passion and style to their delivery while the others watched, she knew for certain that she was home.

    ¡± Beautiful isn¡¯t it?¡± A feminine voice jolted Deloise out of her reverie.

    She turned to the source of the voice and was surprised to find a brte who looked around her age standing beside her.

    ¡± Um.. Hello?¡± She said in reply, suddenly feeling out of ce, not to mention, watched.

    ¡± Isn¡¯t it beautiful seeing such beautiful linese to life? You know one thing that never ceases to get me? The fact that it all started with an idea, some words, a book , then finally a film.¡± The slenderdy said in awe,¡± the most fulfilling yet unsatisfying part of the process.¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t for the life of her understand what this person was getting at but she didn¡¯t feel like leaving either. Her earlier fatigue evaporated the moment she saw first hand what a movie set should look like. It was a school after all.

    In seconds, a loud voice in the crowd cried the word ¨C ¡®cut!¡¯ signaling the end of filming. Noise was restored as the involved people spoke between themselves, oblivious to the extra audience they had.

    ¡± I¡¯m La. Who are you?¡± The girl asked outrightly, her eyes scrunched up as she observed the general appearance of the acimed La.

    ¡± I¡¯m Deloise and I¡¯m new.¡± She informed her.

    ¡± I knew it! I just arrived some weeks ago myself, what¡¯s your major?¡± She asked excitedly, her gap tooth evident from the broadness of her smile.

    ¡± Major? This is an acting school.¡± Deloise said, confused as to what she meant.

    ¡± Yes, silly! You didn¡¯t expect the Royal Arts Academy to be all about acting, did you? ¡± She asked incredulously, surprised at Deloise¡¯ confused look.

    ¡± Okay. If you¡¯re going to survive here, you need me to tell you things like this. First, it¡¯s an arts school, not an acting school. ¡± She corrected with a tut. ¡± There are writers, musicians, artists, dancers and the rest who study here. Everyone to his niche.¡±

    Deloise was stunned. Royal Arts had once again managed to bring her to a whole new level of admiration.¡± So¡­ I get to study other things too?¡± She asked, trying to assimte the new information.

    ¡± Well yes, but the sweet thing is, it¡¯s totally optional. The idea is to enable creatives to get in touch with all their creative sides, not just one. That¡¯s what makes our art different, outstanding and noble.¡± La said in a recital tone, her head tilted and nose upturned, as she attempted a real life imitation of Mr Austin.

    Deloise smiled at her antics, she seemed like a nice person. ¡± You act like you¡¯ve heard that a billion times.¡± She said earning an affirmative from La.

    ¡± We have! Soon you¡¯ll see. So.. when did you get in and where¡¯s your room, Dee? ¡± She asked, taking note of her deer in headlights look.

    ¡± Dee? ¡± A full blown smile was pitched on Deloise¡¯s lips. It¡¯s been a long time since she¡¯d been addressed so fondly, not to talk from a stranger.

    ¡± Oops, you don¡¯t like it? I¡¯m sorry, Deloise is a mouthful for me.¡± She muttered sheepishly.

    ¡± It¡¯s okay, I actually like it. I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t have one for you yet, La. ¡± Deloise affirmed, putting it at the back of her mind to find a suitable and natural nickname for La.

    ¡± It¡¯s okay. Where are you off to? ¡± She asked with a beautiful smile, not the least bit offended.

    ¡± Yeah! Students affairs for my amodation.¡± Deloise rattled off, finally remembering her situation.

    ¡± You met just the right person. Come on! ¡± La said, tugging Deloise along.

    The girls walked together and soon enough they were done, and Deloise settled in. Surprisingly, La was one of her roommates and together they arranged her things while chatting like long lost reunited friends.

    *******

    Daniel was on his way home from Royal Arts Academy. Inside his car, he kept smiling, only stopping himself when he felt like he may appear a tad bit crazy in the eyes of his driver.

    He couldn¡¯t help himself. He finally found his little angel! At the mention of the natural nickname he had managed to give her, Daniel burst outughing. This time around, startling the poor driver who kept his face forward but stole nces at him.

    He noticed his driver¡¯s difort but couldn¡¯t bring himself to care. He was in a good mood and he couldn¡¯t hide it. Something was finally going his way after a long row of never-ending bad news.

    Content, he rxed in his car, Daniel got on his phone, and checked his schedule. He was supposed to be in Chicago in a few days for a business meeting.

    A cocky smirk clouded his face when he remembered his friend Elvis. He was going to his turf once again and decided it was best to announce hising this time around.

    With a tap to his phone, Daniel dialed Elvis, and waited for the line to connect. On the other hand, Elvis was in his office, busy with some work when the call came in. Surprised, he swiped to the green icon.

    ¡± Am I safe? ¡± The friendly voice of Elvis said immediately the call connected, his tone depicted an aura of wonder.

    ¡± It depends¡­ ¡± Daniel said, ying along. ¡± Confess your crimes and maybe l get you a light sentence.¡±

    ¡± Ha, ha.. boring! I expected something even more creative from a world renowned actor.¡± Elvis called out, patronizingly.

    ¡± Whatever. I¡¯m in a great mood and there¡¯s nothing your ass could do to ruin it.¡± He ascertained.

    ¡± Easy, pretty man. Don¡¯t get all snarky with me. Tell me, what¡¯s up?¡± Elvis dropped his pen on the desk andid back in his chair.

    ¡± I¡¯m ecstatic. I just got the lead female for my project, I couldn¡¯t be more satisfied with her.¡± Daniel chatted excitedly.

    ¡± She must be very good if you are this satisfied with her. Congrattions!¡± He remarked.

    ¡± You make it seem like I¡¯m insatiable. It¡¯s not a crime to have an impable good taste in everything.¡±

    ¡± Yeah right. Whatever makes you sleep at night.¡± Elvis¡¯ tone dripped sarcasm.

    ¡± You know what? I¡¯m not about to humor you. I¡¯ll being to your City in a few days. ¡± Daniel said, finally getting on track.

    ¡± That¡¯s good news, Maybe this time around you will get to meet the family.¡± Elvis suggested, already creating ns in his head for the moment his family met Daniel.

    Especially his wife who made it a point of action to tease him about what she described as an imaginary friendship with Daniel Greenwood.

    Not that she didn¡¯t believe he was telling the truth about his friendship with Daniel, but she decided to consistently tease him about the situation until she got to meet him for herself.

    ¡± Yeah, I look forward to seeing them, and getting a front row seat to analyze the joys of marriage. ¡± Daniel teased, expertly referring to theirst conversation and how he had so beautifully described his marriage.

    ¡± You are in for a surprise then.¡± Elvis¡¯ office door opened and his secretary walked in, holding up some files he demanded for. ¡± Um, we¡¯ll discuss the detailster, congrats once again. I have to go.¡± Elvis said, and ended the conversation.

    Deciding to get some work in, Daniel took out hisptop while the car sped past the road. While clearing his emails, he met an offer to invest in apany in Chicago. Immediately, he fired a reply and added it to his schedule for the trip.

 DDD 23

    Deloise was in her Royal Arts dorm room. Since her arrival the previous day, she was upied with unpacking and getting her schedule ready. For the first time in a while she was finally getting free time to properly settle in before ssesmenced.

    La ¨C who was tired from her seven o¡¯clock ss- dozed off the moment she returned. She could tell that her roomate wasn¡¯t a morning person.

    Nevertheless, Deloise was happy to finally get settled inside her room and got busy on her phone, going through the inte, when she came across a picture of a popr mother and daughter duo in the industry.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    For a while, she analyzed the picture with a ghost smile. How great would it be if she had her mother with her on this journey? Deloise wondered if a time woulde when she got the support of her mother.

    As though the earth heard her thoughts, her phone broke out in a loud ring, and to her utmost surprise, it was her mother!

    How on earth she decided to call at that point in time was a thought that scared Deloise. A thousand thoughts filled her head on why she was calling her. What if she¡¯s been found out? Maybe Anna told her?

    Deloise¡¯s mind was a tug, while the phone rang for the third time. Biting the bullet, Deloise swiped green.

    ¡± Baby! Where have you been? I was getting a little worried when you weren¡¯t picking up.¡± Her mother¡¯s worried voice made its way into her ears.

    ¡± Uh, um, I mean, yeah.¡± She managed to reply, hyperventting.

    ¡± Those aren¡¯t words, are you okay? Should I be worried?¡± Esther said, her motherly instincts up and gauging her daughter¡¯s reactions.

    ¡± No mum! I¡¯m okay, just erm¡­ I was erm¡­ ¡± Deloise struggled to speak, she looked to the side, saw a sleeping La and immediately blurted, ¡± Sleeping! I was sleeping.¡± She said to her mother who was quiet behind the phone.

    ¡± Hello? ¡± Deloise called out when she received no response from her mother¡¯s end.

    ¡± Yeah, I¡¯m still here. I could tell something was wrong with you, I guess I woke you up. I¡¯m sorry, I just missed you a lot.¡± Esther said and she felt relieved.

    ¡± It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s fine.¡± She said, feeling terrible for the tant lie she had resorted to in order to cover her slip ups.

    ¡± Since you¡¯re already up, tell me, how¡¯s school going over there, and Anna? Is she with you? ¡±

    ¡± Uhm, it¡¯s fine mom, can we talkter, I need to go, take care of yourself, I love you, bye! ¡± Deloise rushed out, ending the call without waiting for a reply from her mom.

    Deloise let out a huge sigh of relief. She didn¡¯t realize she held her breath the entire time. The fact that talking to her mom now gave her a ustrophobic reaction threw her mood downhill.

    How did it get to this point? She wondered painfully but decided against dwelling on it. It was only going to hurt her.

    She threw her phone by the side of her bed andid down properly. Exhausted and feeling the need for somefort food, she got up, deciding to explore the food spots on campus.

    With a stroll, she made her way out of the dorm, breathing through the situation and hopeful for the best.

    *****

    Inside one of the cafeterias on campus, Aaron, Ste and Tony were seated together, sharing a table. The Royal Arts cafeteria was the best you could find in the school environs. It was usually always packed with hungry students in need of a snack.

    It was also a throbbing spot where all manners of meetings, hangouts and gossip took ce. To add to the allure, their burgers were nothing short of heavenly.

    ¡± For getting the role, you sure are cranky. ¡± Ste said to Aaron, and sipped her drink.

    ¡± Yeah, one would think he didn¡¯t get the role. He¡¯s been in a piss mood for some days, it¡¯s like living under a dark cloud. ¡± Tony added with a joking tone, knowing his friend wasn¡¯t in his best mood.

    Aaron didn¡¯t humor them with a reply. He wasn¡¯t in the best mood and despite knowing the role yed part of the reason, he knew it wasn¡¯t all there is to it.

    It was the fact that he suddenly didn¡¯t feel like dropping out of the damned production. The fact that he couldn¡¯t seem to sessfully push thoughts of his firecracker out of his head.

    His conflict was annoying as he always knew what he wanted. He had always been clear on what mattered and what didn¡¯t, but recently, everything seemed to be spiraling out of control.

    His thoughts, his decision making process, and the fact that he unconsciously longed to get another glimpse of the little firecracker who got the role of lead female was concerning.

    Another angle was the fact he didn¡¯t inform Ste that the role she coveted was taken by someone else. Not only that, but he found himself yearning for the shoot to begin.

    It was a weird dynamic for him, coupled with the fact that he¡¯d been given an extra week to decide if he still wanted out of the production.

    ¡± Uhm, hey, Aaron.. Hello?! ¡± The voice of Ste snapped him back to reality.

    ¡± Are you done eating?¡± Aaron asked as he got out of his reverie, noticing the attention on him.

    ¡± Uh, yeah? Ages ago. What¡¯s up with you man?¡± Tony asked, point nk worried about his friend.

    ¡± I¡¯m okay, I just..¡± Aaron replied and suddenly went quiet midway. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. It was her.

    The little firecracker he¡¯d been on the lookout for. She literally walked inside the cafeteria looking lost and cute as ever. Before he could stop himself, Aaron stood up and took purposeful, confident strides towards her direction. Having no idea what he was going to do.

    Meanwhile, Ste and Tony remained seated. Tony looked at him with an amused look while Ste bored a hole behind him.

 DDD 24

    Deloise was dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans. She turned on her phone, searching for food spots on campus. Seeing her roommate wasn¡¯t avable, she figured it was best she found her way around campus.

    Sooner thanter.

    As she strode towards the direction of the cafeteria, she made mental notes on the way and couldn¡¯t help but notice the odd looks thrown her way from fellow students.

    The Royal Arts Academy was amunity of over five thousand people ¨C staff and students Inclusive. It was amunity that was tight knitted and uneasy to get into.

    As a result, people recognized each other by default. Making it obvious when a new face showed up. And with Deloise, being a new intake, she stuck out like a sore thumb.

    Trying her best to appear unaffected by their stares, Deloise headed quickly towards the school¡¯s cafeteria, hoping it wasn¡¯t too filled up with people. It was school hours afterall.

    Upon entering the cafeteria, she was weed by beautiful aromas of pastries and food. Her stomach grumbled at the deliciousness, prompting her to look around for a counter.

    As soon as she found it, she made her way towards it, but was stopped by a familiar yet unfamiliar voice.

    ¡± Running off again? ¡± The voice said behind her, and she turned around.

    Upon sighting the guy, her eyes squinted, trying to recollect how, where and when they met. As soon as the facts were verified, a scowl made its way to her face.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    She made to leave but felt a broad hand hold her by the wrist, ¡± Leave me alone. I¡¯m not about to spend another minute with your rude ass.¡±

    ¡± Did you just call me rude? Have you met yourself? ¡± Aaron asked, sporting an incredulous look on his face.

    ¡± Can you please get your hands off me?¡± Deloise demanded, already aggravated.

    ¡± Why did you run off? I¡¯ve been on the lookout for you. Got lost? ¡± Aaron ced his hands in his pocket with an aggravating smirk.

    Deloise felt dumbfounded. She couldn¡¯t believe the audacity he had to walk up to her without the littlest remorse for what he did. Even though she got help from Later on, he didn¡¯t know that. She could have been stranded for goodness sake!

    This went ahead to depict how inhumane he could be to strangers. What good was his chiseled body and beautiful face if the moment he opened his mouth, all she wanted to do was smack his pretty little head?

    Ugh!

    ¡± Take a picture, it¡¯llst longer. You do know it¡¯s rude to stare right? It¡¯s also very rude to ignore people.¡± Aaron tutted.

    ¡± You know what I think is rude? It¡¯s rude to keep a girl away from her food with meaningless talk when she obviously and desperately wants to be anywhere but here, talking to you.¡± She lectured. ¡± If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have better things to do. ¡±

    Tony sauntered into the conversation with a smile, ¡± Hello! It¡¯s me! You know, the friend you left behind to talk to this beautifuldy. ¡± He addressed Aaron who threw fireball res at his intrusion.

    Deloise didn¡¯t know what to do, so she decided to go along with it for the minimum time possible. The guy seemed a more decent human than Mr Rude over there.

    ¡± Hi.¡± She greeted, keeping it short and sweet.

    ¡± Hi beautiful, care toe join the table, there¡¯s space for one more. Come on! Don¡¯t be shy now.¡± Tony urged Deloise over to their table. Ste was seated and watched them approach her.

    Deloise didn¡¯t want to sit with them. She was only interested in getting herself some delicious burger, but apparently God had other ns for her. As she approached their shared table, she contemted rejecting the offer and just getting a to-go order but Tony was too kind about it and she didn¡¯t want to seem stuck up.

    Aaron on the other hand was radio silent, he could tell that the little firecracker didn¡¯t want to sit with them but was trying to be nice about it. He knew that If he had been the one who offered, she¡¯d be on her way to wherever the heck she stayed without as much as a reply.

    The trio finally settled on the table with Deloise sitting opposite to Ste and Aaron beside her.

    ¡± Okay Beautiful, this is Ste, Ste ¨C beautiful.¡± Tony introduced, and Deloise broke into a shy smile.

    ¡± Deloise.¡± She corrected, sharing a light handshake with Ste who wasn¡¯t the most excited to meet her.

    ¡± I was fine calling you beautiful. Matter of fact, I¡¯m keeping it. Beautiful.¡± Tony reiterated with a smile, while she reddened.

    ¡± Shut up.¡± Aaron muttered, hitting his foot underneath the table. An act that didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Ste.

    Deloise kept looking at Ste, trying to gauge exactly why she seemed so familiar. Thedy seated before her felt so familiar that she could have sworn she¡¯d met her at some point.

    While the guys spoke, the twodies were calm. Ste expertly ate her burger and Deloise pressed her phone, waiting for the to-go order she made and counting the seconds till she had to leave the strangting area.

    ¡± Tell me, how did you get into this school? Are you visiting? ¡± Ste asked, breaking the silence.

    ¡± Yeah beautiful, tell us, how did you meet the big guy over here?¡± Tony asked, genuinely interested.

    ¡± Um, I¡¯m a schrship student. I just arrived here a few days back. Still feeling my way around. Prospective actor in the making. ¡± Deloise tattled, having noticed their keen attention to her.

    ¡± Schrship program? Didn¡¯t realize they still did that. ¡± Ste said in a condescending tone. Deloise felt off. ¡± I guess they need to let people in for free, so they appear more humane. You¡¯re wee anyways. ¡± She rounded off with a signature smile.

    As soon as Deloise saw her blinding smile, she recollected where she saw that face. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes, it was the one from that movie! Ste Davis!

    ¡± Y-yo-you are Ste! From the movie! ¡± Deloise squeaked excitedly, totally forgetting her previousments and reeling from the fact that she got to meet someone she was watching some months back.

    It was a full circle moment.

    ¡± Um, I¡¯ve done quite a number, so you¡¯re going to have to be specific. ¡± Ste couldn¡¯t be bothered with her antics, she wondered how Aaron met ady who didn¡¯t exude an iota of elegance. She acted like the slums she definitely came from.

    At this point, Ste couldn¡¯t wait for Deloise to be on her way out.

    ¡± Yeah dork, you actually need to be specific. When did it air? ¡± Aaron added with an air of arrogance, finally joining the conversation.

    ¡± Three months ago? ¡± She said unsurely, feeling the spotlight. She wasn¡¯tfortable with the tone and manner they spoke to her. Especially that of Ste.

    ¡± Is this an interview? Let the girl off! It isn¡¯t a crime to have seen your movie now is it ? ¡± Tony said, sessfully bringing the attention to himself. Deloise shoots him a grateful smile which didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Aaron.

    ¡± Yeah whatever.¡± Ste couldn¡¯t help but notice the unusual way in which Aaron kept his attention on the slum girl. She felt like she was out to seduce Aaron and that thought didn¡¯t go down well with her.

    At this point, Deloise was seeking a way out. She could hear the distaste in Ste¡¯s voice, and Aaron wasn¡¯t her biggest fan at the moment.

    Yes, she had figured out Mr Rude¡¯s actual name over time. At that moment, Deloise¡¯s phone started ringing. She dug out her phone from her pocket and it was Amanda!

    Pleasantly surprised, she excused herself and picked the call, ¡± Hi, Ams! Longest time! how¡¯re you doing?¡±

    ¡± Babes! How are you doing? It¡¯s so good to hear your voice! ¡± Amanda said in a familiar dramatic tone, bringing a genuine smile out of Deloise.

    On her way out, Deloise sights her order headed for the table and quickly intercepts the waiter, ¡± One minute. Can I call you back?¡± Deloise requested, took her lunch and proceeded outside, sending a wave at the table and signaling her leaving.

    ¡± You better! I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±

    On getting outside, Deloise hung up the phone, ready to leave. She was thankful for Amanda¡¯s call. Due to its timely intervention, she was able to get out of that situation.

    Unwilling to dwell in the not so pleasant thoughts of them, Deloise proceeded back to the dorm and made a mental note to return the call when she was home and done with lunch.

 DDD 25

    Esther was inside her kitchen. Opening up cupboards and taking note of the provision she needed. She opened the fridge and its emptiness was ring, including the need to visit the supermarket.

    She was swamped with a lot of orders in recent times and most times, got too busy to cook anything and ordered take out instead. The dreaded visit to the provision store was something she had to do as it ate deep into her healthy eating habits.

    While she mentally noted the important items she needed, she prepared to take on the darned job alone, as Karen was on a trip.

    These days, during their conversations, all she could hear was about how much love, care and attention she was getting from her husband.

    When Esther heard the beautiful stories of Karen and her husband ¨C whom she¡¯d never seen despite her being friends with Karen for a long time, she was brought back to the point when she had someone who cared for her. Someone who she could confidently call hers.

    Sometimes, she wondered if she was being too hard on herself by refusing to put herself out there after so many years. Esther didn¡¯t like her pattern of thought and immediately shook her head in an attempt to snap out of it.

    *****

    Deloise finally returned to her dorm room. Having walked all the way up the stairs and from the cafeteria, she felt exhausted and barged into the Living space, forgetting about a potential sleeping La.

    Moments after the deed was done, she recollected the fact that she wasn¡¯t alone. Deloise dropped her food pack on a table and looked over to La¡¯s bed with what could be described as a sheepish look.

    Fortunately, the bed was empty and made. Signaling she was probably out for some ss. Aware of the fact she was alone, Deloise locked the doors and plopped to her bed with burger in hand, ready to be devoured.

    In a few minutes, Deloise was pretty much filled and in awe of how good the burger tasted. She wondered if there was anything bad about Royal Arts and just when she wanted to dere the answer nil, the picture of Aaron and Ste fluttered into her mind.

    As their brief, not so brief interaction reyed in her mind, she couldn¡¯t understand how someone so beautiful could be so ugly.

    When she hade across the movie of Ste that very night, she¡¯d been wholly convinced and won over by her level of art that she had unconsciously given her a beautiful stereotype and character.

    Who would have thought that she¡¯d get to meet the real person and have every single good impression she nursed shattered by her?

    Deloise was jerked out of her thoughts by the ringing of her phone. It was Amanda. She smiled in recognition, having forgotten to return the call as she¡¯d promised earlier.

    ¡± Hey babes.¡± She grinned, happy to talk.

    ¡± Hey superstar! What¡¯s up? I¡¯ve been waiting for your call.¡± Amanda said through the phone, her tone excited.

    ¡± Don¡¯t mind me, I was kinda busy trying to eat and it sorta slipped my mind, sorry. How¡¯re you doing?¡±

    ¡± It¡¯s alright, I would probably forget all about me if I were you! Pfft, it¡¯s The Royal Arts darling.¡±

    Amanda was never one to hold grudges. She was a say-it-and-move-it kinda chick. One of the traits Deloise hade to love about her.

    ¡± You know it¡¯s not like that. But then, tell me, what¡¯s it like over there? What have I missed?¡± Deloise chatted excitedly, rxing into her bed In readiness for what she believed was going to be a long session of catch up. Except that it wasn¡¯t.

    ¡± There¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s been boring the whole time you¡¯ve been gone. With exams fast approaching, there aren¡¯t as many parties and the vibe has just been low over here. ¡±

    ¡± What about Ann? How¡¯s she doing? ¡± Deloise asked, feeling a wave of nostalgia wash over her. It¡¯s been a while she¡¯d thought of her former best friend who was still yet to talk to her.

    ¡± Locked up in her room or somewhere with the boy.¡± Amanda said offhandedly. ¡± Ever since you left I¡¯ve been literally living in your room and I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ve exchanged more than a few words. I think she wants to talk to me about you but she¡¯s being a prude about it.¡± She managed to say in one breath.

    ¡± Well, I guess I¡¯ll be here whenever she¡¯s ready then.¡± Deloise said, having nothing else to say about the topic. It was already hurtful as is.

    ¡± Enough with the downing talk, Tell me, what¡¯s it like over there? How are the boys there? I¡¯m going crazy thinking about all the drama that surrounds that school.¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Upon hearing Amanda¡¯s curious antics, Deloise couldn¡¯t help butugh. If there was someone who was more excited about her than herself, it was Amanda.

    ¡± I¡¯ve just been trying to settle down, I haven¡¯t even attended ss yet. I¡¯ve only met a handful of people, including veteran actor Daniel Greenwood.¡± Deloise knew pretty well how huge it was to meet a person such as Senior Daniel. She intentionally mentioned the name in passing and waited patiently for Amanda to go berserk.

    ¡± Daniel Greenwood! Fuck me senseless! Are you kidding me?! I¡¯m about to hop on a ne to visit you because damn, you are one lucky superstar in the making.¡±

    ¡± You¡¯re such a drama queen.¡± Deloise said in-betweenughs. ¡± He¡¯s way out of your league so don¡¯t even think about it.¡±

    ¡± Never say never sweetie. You never know, I just might be what he needs to settle down.¡± She said, patronizingly.

    ¡± Yeah right. Focus on the guys in Chicago, you¡¯ll have more of a chance.¡± Deloise said in a yful tone.

    ¡± I¡¯ve told you Dee, never say never.¡±

    Amanda said with a yful suggestive tone and while the words were still in her mouth, the door to Anna¡¯s room opened and she strolled out. The look in her face told Amanda that she¡¯d been listening to the conversation.

    ¡± Anyways, back to the story. I actually met him the day I- ¡± Deloise was cut off by Amanda.

    ¡± You know what? Let¡¯s talk about thister okay? I love you!¡± Without waiting for a reply, Amanda hung up and turned to face the leaving form of Anna. ¡± Where are you off to? ¡± She said to Anna, causing her to stop midstep.

    ¡± Last time I checked, I don¡¯t answer to you. But if you must know, I¡¯m going to see Liam. Ring a bell? The one who you enjoy referring to as a boy. ¡± Anna replied with gritted teeth.

    As much as she tried her best not to listen to the conversation with Deloise, it was hard with how loud she was being.

    ¡± Whatever. I just spoke to Dee.¡± She stated, watching to see her reaction. ¡± Are you still not going to talk to her?¡±

    Anna¡¯s muscles visibly tensed. Leave it to Amanda to casually speak about sensitive topics. She didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry about Amanda¡¯s apparent inability to read the room.

    ¡± I believe I made myself clear about this topic.¡± She said and continued on her way out.

    ¡± You¡¯re not even going to apologize? That¡¯s Deloise we¡¯re talking about here. Your childhood friend! ¡± Amanda¡¯s tone was rising.

    ¡± Exactly! So stay out of it and mind your Damn business, Amanda. Read my lips, ¡± Anna stressed, apparently ticked. ¡± I. Don¡¯t. Care. We¡¯re done with this conversation.¡± She said and immediately left the house. Leaving a somewhat stunned Amanda behind.

    *****

    Daniel touched down Chicago. He was seated in a ck SUV, going through his phone while the driver fired away to his hotel. He had a penthouse with one of the leading five star hotels in Chicago booked and waiting for his arrival.

    Despite the many attempts of Elvis to get him to sleep in his home, he still went ahead to book a hotel. He was one who treasured his privacy and that of those affiliated to him.

    Having fans scattered about, it was only logical to prepare for every situation in advance to avoid mishaps. Despite the fact he wasn¡¯t to stay over at Elvis¡¯s home, he still promised to have dinner with his family.

    Daniel got on his way to see Elvis after visiting his penthouse and freshening up. It was going to be the first time he met Elvis¡¯s wife and children, so it felt wrong meeting them without a gift in hand.

    ¡± Is there any ce where I could get some gift bags and items? ¡±

    ¡± Depends. What kind of gift do you need? ¡± The man behind the wheel said, his ent betrayed his Italian heritage.

    ¡± For children? ¡± He said in an unsure tone. ¡± Just something courteous.¡± He added.

    ¡± If it¡¯s for children, sweets will do. Just go to the grocery store and pick up some good sweets.¡±

    ¡± Okay, can we take a detour then. ¡± He said and the man nodded in reply.

    The duo spoke for a while until they got to the store. Daniel felt stuck. He observed the area and saw that there were less than a handful of people inside the store and calcted dropping in and out without getting his identity revealed.

    ¡± You not going sir?¡± The driver asked again and this served as a kick to his butt. Before he knew it, he got out of the car with a mask and walked into the grocery store, ready to pick up something and take his leave.

    Daniel hung his head as he sorted out the best sweets to get. His eyes crossed a familiar bottle and he picked it up. On raising his head, he caught a glimpse of someone and his breath was knocked off his lungs.

 DDD 26

    Esther wore a white t-shirt and joggers pants. She was finally grocery shopping. Her car was parked outside the store, ready to assist her in conveying the items.

    Her list was pretty long, and she ran around the store, picking out her things and throwing them in the cart.

    It was mid-afternoon and surprisingly there weren¡¯t many people in the store. She wasn¡¯tining as it allowed her free reign, ess and speed all through her shopping spree.

    It was nice to shop when there weren¡¯t as many people and Esther found it almost enjoyable. Keyword being almost.

    Having gathered all she needed, Esther was ready to go and trudged towards the counter to get her check. There was no line, and she immediately got checked and packed.

    Taking two trips to her car, Esther was finally good to go and mentally hi-fived herself for a job well done. Unknown to her, someone was carefully watching her with unbelief d in his hooded eyes. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing.

    That person was Daniel Greenwood.

    He visibly struggled to breath and in milliseconds she was gone. It was like she was never there to begin with. Like he had been hallucinating all these while and maybe losing his mind.

    Still standing in the middle of an aisle, Daniel kept his eyes on the door which she just passed through. A gazillion thoughts ran through hisplex mind.

    Daniel didn¡¯t want to appear like a psycho or risk being discovered, so he picked up some sweets packets and some other snacks in quick session. He was already losing his mind as it was.

    The moment he turned around, he was met with the shock of his life. He wasn¡¯t dreaming, it couldn¡¯t have been a dream. There she was, standing right before his eyes. In the same white shirt he thought he¡¯d wrongly seen.

    It was her. Standing over the counter and attempting to gather all her paper bags in both hands. He was brought back to the moment he firstid eyes on her.

    That curve, poise, confidence and hair of hers. They were still the same. She was still the same. Only a little bit older. And boy did she age like fine wine.

    Daniel gradually took her in, mouth agape and loss for words. Like before, she was out the door before he could properly take her in. The moment the doors shut once again, he regained his senses and this time around, hurried to the counter and paid for his treats.

    The woman behind the counter was stunned. It was actually ¡® Daniel Greenwood ¡® in her store and he was looking as pretty as ever! As soon as Daniel noticed her reaching for her phone, he dropped a thousand note bill and without a word, dashed out in pursuit of his queen.

    On getting out, he saw the familiar ponytail in a car driving out, and he panicked. He couldn¡¯t lose her again! Heck, he just found her! Heaven did him a favor and he wasn¡¯t about to let it go down the drain.

    It was his destiny to seek her out and make her his again. If there was anything his search for her over the years had taught him, it was the fact that only he could get to her.

    She was his ma. His soulmate. His Queen. And there was no denying that it was approved by the Heavens. Daniel rushed into the car and bellowed at the driver.

    ¡± Follow that car! Do not lose sight of her, step on it.¡± He ordered hysterically, stunning the driver who immediately started up the car and began tailing her.

    After a while of following blindly and silently, the driver realized that they were headed the opposite direction of their prior destination and decided to bring it to his notice.

    Meanwhile, Daniel¡¯s eyes were focused on the car ahead of them. His eyes didn¡¯t lose sight of the target, it was as though If he blinked or removed his eyes for a little second, she would disappear. He couldn¡¯t afford missing her, not today, not anymore.

    ¡± Sir, I believe we are headed quite far away from your previous destination. ¡± The driver blurted. Before he could get another word out, Daniel beat him to it.

    ¡± Keep your eyes on the car. Don¡¯t lose sight of her. ¡± He said determinedly.

    ¡± Yes sir. ¡±

    The cars continued up until the neighborhood of her home was in sight and her car pulled up in front of her home.

    Esther turned off the ignition of her car and let out a sigh. She was finally home and all she could think of was the two trips inside she was going to do as a result of the volume of her shopping bags.

    She immediately got loose from her seatbelt and stepped out of her car, ready to get her groceries Inside. She packed a decent amount of bags in her hands, alongside her home key and uneasily marched to the front doors of the house.

    Meanwhile, Daniel was inside the car watching her like a psycho stalker. He was gobsmacked as he once again reaffirmed the fact that it was his queen in flesh and blood.

    As he watched her struggle with the bags, he couldn¡¯t stop a smile froming into his face. She was still the same. His Queen was never a fan of grocery jobs, she still wasn¡¯t. He wondered what else that hadn¡¯t changed about her. He yearned to go closer; to find out, to touch her.

    And he did just that.

    Daniel stepped out of the car like an intoxicated person. He didn¡¯t remember to take along his face cap or mask. He walked over to her with his facial glory in full disy.

    As he drew nigh, his heart thundered within him and his pulse quickened. His stomach knots tightened and an effectual door of previously locked emotions poured out of him in measures he couldn¡¯t exin.

    Two steps away from her, he reached out for her arm and the moment his palm connected with her arm, something shifted. Sweet shockwaves shot through his system just like he¡¯d remembered.

    This time around, it was even better.

    He was on cloud nine. His thoughts and feelings spiraled out of control like a boy meeting his crush. Like a wolf joining with his soulmate. Above all the wonderful feelings, there was one unmistakable emotion that resonated through him.

    One that caused his breath to hitch and his heart race. An emotion he never thought he could feel again after her. One that he felt once in the early stages of his life and had lost hope on ever feeling that way ever again.

    Love.

    Utter, unhinged, natural, and in its most purest form.

    Esther felt a presence loom over her and before she could turn around to see just who it was, she felt a warm, manly and oddly familiar hand ced upon her arm.

    She turned around in curiosity, backing her front door to properly face the culprit. Her eyes connected to the familiar brown orbs of Daniel, and the world stood still.

    Esther was ovee by a lot of emotions she¡¯d worked throughout the years to keep hidden. She was stunned, scared, angry, frustrated and to her disgust, happy. She couldn¡¯t deny that a little bit of her felt ecstatic to see him and the knowledge of that irked her to no end.

    In a matter of seconds, what felt like a peaceful collision of two worlds was abruptly brought to an end.

    ¡± Esther.¡± The sure voice of Daniel breathed, breaking the silence between them and making aware of how close they were from each other.

    The feeling of his hand over her was nothingpared to how she felt at the mention of her name. The way her name effortlessly rolled off his mouth did things to her that she couldn¡¯t exin.

    It was bittersweet. Nostalgic and intimate. Abination that never spelled well for her. Everything about her leaned into the familiar feeling but she fought it.

    Gut Wrenching memories poured within her mind space from her past and it wasn¡¯t so hard anymore. She needed to be as far away as possible.

    She was no longer that person, her life was changed now. She couldn¡¯t let him in and wreck all she had managed to create over the years. Deloise was now in the picture.

    The moment her daughter¡¯s face shed within her mind frame. The deal was sealed. Esther jerked away from his hold like one bitten by a snake.

    ¡± Don¡¯t you dare mention my name. How dare you touch me?¡± She spoke in a venomous voice. ¡± Never show up here again.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    Without waiting for a reply from a dumbfounded Daniel, she opened her door, entered along with her bags inside and closed it with an ear splitting bang.

    There were still more provisions in her car but it could wait. She slid to the floor behind the door, and captured her face in her palms, trying to calm herself.

    It didn¡¯t take long before she reduced to a sobbing mess. For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself the right to be weak and cried till she couldn¡¯t.

 DDD 27

    Aaron was in his apartment on campus, packing a bag when Tony walked into his room.

    ¡± Hey man! Where are you off to? ¡±

    He plummeted himself on the made bed in the center of Aaron¡¯s room.

    ¡± None of your fucking business.¡±

    Aaron continued packing his bag, nonchnt to Tony¡¯s presence. He didn¡¯t sleep through the night, and spent the whole time thinking about the deal.

    As a result, he was crankier than usual.

    ¡± What crawled and died up your ass? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still touchy about yesterday. ¡±

    At the mention of the day before, Aaron¡¯s jaws clenched.

    ¡± Shut up and tell me why you are here. I don¡¯t have all day.¡± He said with gritted teeth.

    ¡± Bullshit. You¡¯re cranky. Something¡¯s up.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, something¡¯s up, I¡¯m two seconds from decking the shit out of you.¡± Aaron announced in a warning tone.

    ¡°Easy, Tiger. I heard a little gossip and I figured you¡¯d be in the best ce to tell. ¡± Tony stood up and walked towards the window mane, not the least bit threatened by his friend.

    ¡°News has it that the female lead was picked from the auditions. And it isn¡¯t Ste.¡± He turned around and gauged Aaron¡¯s reaction. ¡°You¡¯re not surprised. Is that why you want to drop out of the production?¡±

    ¡± Of course not. Why would you even think that? ¡± Aaron asked incredulously.

    ¡± Then what¡¯s up? I¡¯m dying from theck ofmunication. ¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t care about the female lead and I need to be on my way to my gran¡¯s. Keep your mouth shut about my whereabouts. I need a break. ¡±

    Aaron zipped his duffle bag, and hung it over his shoulder.

    ¡± Is that code for not telling Ste your whereabouts?¡± Tony said with a knowing smirk. ¡± You know that chick is in love with you. She¡¯ll go bananas if you go missing. ¡±

    ¡± Don¡¯t even start. I¡¯mte. I can¡¯t get into that right now. ¡±

    Aaron headed over to a basket of keys ced on the table within his room. He picked up a car key and proceeded out of his room with Tony hot on his trails.

    ¡± Ohe on! You know I¡¯m right.¡± Tony has always believed Ste was in love with Aaron. From the first day he introduced Ste to Tony, he had nursed the funny notion of Ste being hopelessly in love with him.

    Over time, it metamorphosed into an inside joke between them but with the way he was feeling, he wasn¡¯t in the mood to entertain any sort of banter with his friend. He just wanted some peace and quiet time away, and maybe some advice from his Grandma as pertaining to the matter at hand.

    The duo got outside and to Aaron¡¯s parked car. With a beep, the car opened and the duffle bag was shoved into the back seat.

    ¡± Whatever you do, keep my location out of your mouth. You. Don¡¯t. Know. Where. I. Am. ¡± He said, enunciating each word.

    Without waiting for a reply, he entered the car and doomed off, leaving Tony standing behind with a knowing smirk.

    *****

    In about thirty minutes, Aaron¡¯s car slowed to a stop in front of a vintage building where his Granny resided. He looked over the building he was nurtured, and felt his stress melt away.

    It was good to be home.

    Aaron entered the front doors with a smile as he took in the nostalgic scent of his grandma¡¯s home. Looking around, everything was the same. Vintage, homey and perfect.

    ¡± Who¡¯s out there? ¡± A shaky voice said, following the voice were footsteps which caused the floors to creak.

    ¡± It¡¯s me! ¡± Aaron said and followed the sound towards the kitchen. It was his favourite part of the home alongside his Grans. Sometimes he wondered if he really loved the kitchen for itself or as a result of his grandma¡¯s love for cooking.

    No doubt he was influenced by her in that department but he couldn¡¯t have loved it any other way. He ended up learning how to cook from his grandma and connecting with her on a deeper level.

    ¡± Oh Ronnie! I¡¯m in the kitchen. Is Ste with you? ¡± The sweet familiar voice of Mrs ckman rang into the hearing of Aaron. Sessfully bringing a smile to his face.

    ¡± I can tell ma.¡± Just one whiff and the aroma of some freshly baked pie overwhelmed his senses. His grandma was literally the best, his favorite chef.

    Mrs ckman was an eighty seven year old woman who loved baking and cooking. She was wealthy, being married to a politician back in her days who ended up divorcing her and marrying another woman at the peak of his career.

    She never remarried and instead carried on with her life with her only son who ended up being her ex husband¡¯s only child as a result of his wife¡¯s inability to give birth. She lived her life as a single mother to her child- Aaron¡¯s father -and a terrific cook.

    The moment Aaron came into his grandma¡¯s view, he was engulfed in a motherly hug. ¡± How¡¯re you doing, why didn¡¯t you bring Ste? ¡± Mrs ckman chided with an using tone.

    ¡± I¡¯m alright ma, how are you doing? Do you need help? Maybe it¡¯s about time we get you a caregiver who would move in. You shouldn¡¯t keep stressing yourself.¡±

    Aaron saw the fuss in the kitchen and switched into guardian mode. His grandma was all he had and he wanted her to live asfortably as possible.

    He took over the preparations going in the kitchen after pulling out a single dining chair for his Ma. In no time he was dressed up in a full chef attire, hands washed and ready to get hands on.

    ¡± Not in my house. I am doing just fine.¡±

    Mrs ckman said, reaffirming her stance on having strangers in her home. A topic which has been pretty consistent in recent times.

    Aaron knew his Ma. He knew that pushing the matter would only harden her resolve on her decision and decided it was best to revisit the topic at a muchter time.

    ¡± Think about it. I feel stressed thinking about all you take on in the house. Just take a look at how much food is in here.¡± Aaron said, looking through the packed fridge. ¡± There¡¯s probably enough tost a family for a month.¡±

    ¡± It¡¯s almost holiday, I would share those in the neighborhood. Maybe have some sent to your father and the rest of the family.¡± Mrs ckman said.

    ¡± Whatever. Just please take it easy. Don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡±

    Mrs ckman watched Aaron do the job with a smile on her face. She knew he wasn¡¯t pleased with what she was doing but didn¡¯t want to upset her. Ron had always been so thoughtful towards her and it made her both happy and sad.

    Happy that she got to see this beautiful side of him and sad that he wasn¡¯t letting anyone in. He was a very sensitive child and she wanted him to have more people in his corner who he could grow to trust and love.

    While Aaron cleared up, his thoughts were back on the options he had. Mrs ckman could tell something was bothering him but knew not to rush him as he would open up when he was ready.

    ¡± Ma. Can I ask you a question?¡± Aaron¡¯s voice piqued, just like she¡¯d predicted.

    ¡± Do you now seek permission before asking? ¡± She retorted.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    ¡± If you had a good shot at bing an established chef but it came at the expense of working with your enemy, would you take the opportunity despite that hup or walk away? ¡±

    ¡± I¡¯m taking that opportunity and showing the world how good I am. In time she¡¯ll fade into background noise. That¡¯s how irrelevant I¡¯d make that person. ¡± Mrs ckman said without blinking an eye.

    ¡± Wow..¡±

    ¡± Yes baby. You can¡¯t let anyone stop you from achieving your goals. Not even yourself. ¡± She said with finality. ¡± Turn off the oven.¡±

    ¡± Okay ma.¡±

    Everything was suddenly clear. Aaron spent the day with his Ma and left only after receiving a call from Tony that his presence was needed. He went back with a clear mind on what he had to do and couldn¡¯t be more grateful.

    *****

    ¡± Never show up here again.¡±

    Daniel couldn¡¯t push out thest words he heard from her. He couldn¡¯t forget how she looked at him when she said those words. He couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of hatred and anger poured into those words.

    The fact that it was from Esther who once adored and loved him made it even more unbearable. He had done that. That wasn¡¯t the Esther he remembered and he had a feeling that he was responsible for that.

    He was that monster who took until he couldn¡¯t anymore and left her with darkness. Darkness that she caught as a result of his leaving her in the dark.

    Daniel was on his way to dinner at his friend¡¯s home. He was dressed in a casual outfit and proposed in his heart to finish up as quickly as possible. He wanted to be alone.

    As he approached the home of Elvis, the urge to retreat to his hotel became stronger. He couldn¡¯t find strength to pull off another bomb impression of Daniel Greenwood. At this point he wanted to retreat to his home and be Daniel for the night.

    Not the famous actor Daniel Greenwood but just Daniel.

    He wanted to be the human Daniel but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to cancel on Elvis. It wasn¡¯t about Elvis anymore but about his family. A family who was expecting him for the longest time.

    Daniel released a sigh as he watched his car slow down to a stop at the front of a huge yard. It was show time and he wasn¡¯t the least bit ready.

    He had to be the charismatic Daniel Greenwood today and best believe that was what he was going to be. He was an actor after all.

    The moment Daniel walked out of the car, his countenance changed and so did his entire being. He sauntered into the house with gant steps and was weed by the screaming of two beautiful children.

    ¡± It¡¯s really you! From TV! ¡± The little girl said with a huge smile, pointing at him. ¡± Mummy! He¡¯s here! ¡±

    ¡± Easy there, Sharon. Shine! What did I tell you about opening the doors? ¡± Elvis said and soon he was in view.

    ¡± I should always wait for an elder to open.¡± The little boy recites in an unsure tone.

    ¡± Leave him alone.¡± Daniel rebuffed his friend, ¡± Oh my, Sharon and Shine. If I didn¡¯t know better I¡¯d think you¡¯re twins.¡± He said with his tone very friendly.

    ¡± That¡¯s right! We are twins. My mummy said so.¡±

    Sharon was the talker between them. She was never one to shy away from people since her childhood. Unlike her brother who was much more reserved.

    ¡± Thank you for sharing, I never knew!¡± Daniel said in a sing-song voice, elicitingughter from Elvis and his wife, Gift.

    ¡± Wee to our home.¡±

    The family had dinner together with Daniel who tried as much as possible to remain present and kind. Contrary to Daniel¡¯s impression of having everything under wraps, Elvis noticed that his friend wasn¡¯t himself.

    Daniel struggled to maintain conversations which were unlike him. Sometimes he was found staring aloofly by his friend.

    After some time, Daniel decided it best he called it a night. His mind was filled with thoughts of Esther and it was eating deeply at him. He needed to reim himself and he couldn¡¯t do that here.

    He expertly excused himself out of the home, apologizing for his otherwise short stay and promising to visit whenever opportunity presents itself.

    Daniel sauntered out of the house, but not without receiving a stern order from Elvis to call him. On the way back to his hotel, Daniel picked up his phone and within seconds, dialed the number of Mr Austin. The call connected after two rings.

    ¡± Hello sir.¡±

    ¡± Sorry to bother you, I¡¯d like to request that you go on with the cast preparations and formal reading. I will be returning back to New York muchter than expected.¡± He said in one breath.

    ¡± No problem. Take your time, I¡¯ll handle things over here.¡±

    ¡± Thank you. I¡¯ll be in touch. ¡±

    Beeps were heard from the line, and the call disconnected.

    Mr Austin was in his home when the call came through and immediately, he sent a mass text message to all the parties involved, scheduling a meeting for the next day.

    It was time to get this show on the road.

 DDD 28

    ¡± Meeting tomorrow by 10am. Office of the Director, Royal Arts Academy. ¡±

    The message was sent to the selected candidates for the production that evening, and the recipients were excited, hoping to finally get Intel on the status of the project after a while of silence.

    Amongst the recipients of the invitation were Ste, Aaron and Deloise. On Ste¡¯s side, she prepared herself, going through the script once more in case they decided to begin filming.

    The role was hers after all.

    Meanwhile, on the side of Aaron, he proposed to talk to Mr Austin about his decision to continue with the job. He didn¡¯t know how he was going to feel about it and hoped it wasn¡¯t toote to retract his previous demands.

    Deloise didn¡¯t know what to expect. It was the first time she was receiving word from the management since her settling in.

    Early the next day, she got up very early, had her bath and prepared herself for the ¡® meeting ¡® with the director. By the time she was done preparing, La was only stirring up from sleep.

    ¡± You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Where on earth are you going so early in the morning?¡± She asked, wondering how on earth someone could be up and doing so early.

    ¡± I have to see the director today, he requested a meeting.¡±

    ¡± Yeah, I thought it was by 10 am, this is still¡­ seven fifteen? ¡±

    ¡± I wanted to be early. I¡¯ll hang around the area till it¡¯s time.¡±

    La sat up on her bed, her eyebrows raised in wonder.

    ¡± You mean to say you¡¯re going to hang around for approximately three hours?¡± She asked in bewilderment. ¡± You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. ¡±

    When she saw that Deloise¡¯s face was unchanging, her face morphed into that of concern.

    ¡± You are not about to leave a room asfortable as this to go hang around in some area, Deloise. I know you¡¯re probably itching to know the reason for your being summoned but I promise you¡­ even the director is asleep.¡±

    Deloise broke out inughter upon taking in the look on La¡¯s face. One would think she was about tomit bloody murder with the way she was looking at her.

    ¡± You think I don¡¯t know that? I¡¯m just going to feel the area a bit before the meeting. I was finding it difficult to sleep, so I figured, why not head out early? ¡± She said with a shrug, hoping it was enough to set her mind at ease.

    ¡± You are probably the only one who can¡¯t sleep in the whole of Royal Arts. Maybe because you haven¡¯t really been inaugurated into the school system.¡± She remarked, ¡°Trust me, the moment you begin school proper, you¡¯d be begging to get a bit more sleep in.¡±

    ¡± Until then, I have to go.¡± Deloise said with a smile, finding her roommate¡¯s concern cute.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

    Deloise sauntered out of the room, d in an off shoulder semi formal dress. Her hair was up in a ponytail, entuating her high cheekbones and trimmed eyebrows. Nothing about her seemed out of ce and she felt confident as she took easy steps towards the school area.

    For the meantime, she was going to find a spot where she could get some light meal before finding an empty area to wait out the time until she was needed.

    Fair enough, she found a spot , purchased an early breakfast and hung around watching a movie until it was well past ten. As soon as the credits of the movie rolled, she was made aware of the fact that she was ten minuteste!

    ¡® oh shit shit shit! ¡®

    Deloise couldn¡¯t believe she waste! Having prepared so early and ended up losing herself to a movie didn¡¯t sit quite well with her. Without a second thought, she rushed out of the now scanty breakfast spot and headed straight for the directors office.

    She couldn¡¯t help butugh at the thought of La getting wind of the fact that she ended upte. She was definitely getting roasted for days!

    With a short sprint, Deloise was able to get to the office building without breaking a sweat. In times like these, she appreciated the little athletic stamina she built from years of running from her problems.

    The fact that thest time she felt like running now seemed like ages ago wasn¡¯t lost on her. She felt more free in one week at Royal arts than she¡¯d felt her whole life, and she wasn¡¯t about to let all of that go down the drain.

    She proceeded to the second floor of the building where the office was located and upon climbing thest step to the huge corridor, she was almost brought down by a human brick wall.

    A huge, bulky and broad chested individual.

    For a tiny second, she fumbled from the unexpected impact but was secured by a very strong arm which held her by the waist, preventing her from falling to her death.

    Or rather, down a couple stairs.

    The delicious scent of the individual assaulted her senses, causing her to momentarily take out time to appreciate the firmness of his arm and his body structure.

    So far, the man before her was looking edible and if she wasn¡¯t already full from breakfast, she¡¯d definitely take him up on the offer. He looked and smelled delicious afterall.

    ¡± If you¡¯re done eye fucking me, get your desperate self off my body and out of the way. ¡±

    A clipped and masculine voice said, efficiently putting an end to Deloise¡¯s little reverie.

    ****

    Ashamed of her shameless act, Deloise quickly tilted her head forward, wanting to get a glimpse of the man she had literally assaulted with her eyes for the longest of seconds.

    ¡± I¡¯m sorry You! ¡± She gasped in shock at the sight of Aaron, almost spitting out blood as a result of how surprised she¡¯d been.

    ¡± Yes, me. Now keep your hands to yourself.¡±

    Deloise¡¯s hand was ced on his chest the entire time, she quickly removed it with the speed of light. One would think that she had been burned by a hot sizzling pot.

    She attempted stepping away from him but quickly realized she was locked in by his oh-so-firm grip. She suddenly felt ufortable and in dire need of space between them.

    ¡± Uhm.. You need to let go of me.¡± She finally spoke, her voice in a low tone.

    ¡± Are you sure you want me to let you go? Last I checked, you were lost, and dare I say, undoubtedly taken by me. ¡±

    This time around, Aaron smirk was arrogant. He couldn¡¯t unsee what he¡¯d seen and he was going to make sure she knew what he saw.

    ¡± Yes, I was lost. Wondering how you go through the door with such arge ego.¡± She said with an equal smirk on her face.

    Two could y this game.

    ¡± You know what people with ego don¡¯t do?¡± He asked with a pondering countenance. ¡± Hold people from plunging to their deaths.¡±

    Aaron shed an almost genuine smile and within a millisecond, retracted his arm from her and watched her helplessly struggle to find her bnce, but failing to regain her stance.

    Before Deloise could get a grasp on what was going on, she was free-falling down the stairs. Her free fall was brought to a halt by a hand to the railing.

    Having watched her regain her footing, Aaron made way to leave but was brought back by the ssh of some liquids on his white t-shirt.

    Stunned, he turned around to be met with a smiling Deloise and an almost empty bottle of water in her hand.

    The bitch actually doused him in water!

    ¡± Oh you little¡±

    ¡± That¡¯s for being a heartless asshole!¡±

    ¡± Ass you must be really crazy, who the fuck raised you?! ¡±

    ¡± My single mother clearly did a better job raising me than whoever who raised a mannerless douchebag as yourself! ¡±

    ¡± Don¡¯t you dare insult¡±

    Ssh!

    ¡± That¡¯s for insulting my mother, you dick! ¡±

    Before he could muster up words, an angry and mumbling Deloise found her way around him, muttering how unfortunate she was to have run into the rude prick.

    In no time, she was in front of Mr Austin¡¯s office and before she could knock, the door flew open, exposing the little crowd of people who were seated in the office.

 DDD 29

    Aaron stood dumbfounded. His shirt was ruined and his mood soured. He felt angered at himself for letting her have thest words. At the back of his mind, he knew that he wasn¡¯t the most innocent in the situation but he felt angry nheless.

    No one, not one person had the right to speak to him like that. Pretty or not. He was going to teach her a lesson. Something to remember him by.

    ¡± What¡¯s going on in that smart head of yours boy? ¡±

    The familiar voice of Mr Austin jerked him out of his reverie.

    ¡± Are you sweating or something? Did you run all the way here?¡± He asked, looking at the drenched chest with his hands in his pockets.

    ¡± I ran into a situation.¡± He winced, ¡°long story short, I have to talk to you.¡±

    ¡± Okay? Let¡¯s head on to the office then.¡±

    Aaron shook his head at the request before speaking.

    ¡± There¡¯s a lot of people there. It¡¯s about the project.¡±

    ¡± Whatever it is, we can always talk about itter. I¡¯mte for a meeting. ¡±

    With that, Mr Austin led the way to his office. Aaron trudged behind him, unsure about how he felt, being in the same room with her.

    The moment Mr Austin walked into the room, every conversation slowed to a stop and they all said their greetings to him.

    ¡± Good morning everyone. Sorry for the dy.¡± Mr Austin began, not bothering to take a seat. Aaron walked in and like everyone else, found a spot to sit.

    ¡± Today is the day we announce the roles you all rightfully auditioned for. And yes, the fact that you are all in this meeting means that you have, in one way or the order, bagged a role in the movie production.¡±

    At that deration, the crowd erupted into cheers, each and everyone happy that they had been selected. Soon enough the conversation died down, giving room for him to continue.

    ¡± Due to the importance and sensitivity of this project, many of you were given roles other than the one initially auditioned for. In other words, you may not get the actual rolepeted for, but were given a role nheless. ¡±

    This time around, there were murmurs flying around. The happy countenance and air slowly fizzled out. Recing it was a more serious approach to the subject matter. Everyone was eager to know what they¡¯ve been assigned.

    ¡± As much as I¡¯d like to remind you that small roles matter, you are at liberty to ept or decline whatever offer you are given. I¡¯ll immediately announce the roles and the assigned persons for them.¡±

    With that, Mr Austin began announcing the cast list, from the least significant up to the most significant roles of the script. At the mention of different names, there were chants of oohs and ahhs up until it was down to the three most important roles.

    The female lead role, The Male lead and second female lead.

    Everyone else heard their names in one category or the other leaving out three persons.

    Aaron, Ste and Deloise.

    Every eye was fixed on them, most especially on Deloise who was a new face. They all wondered who she was and how she managed to snag such a high ranking role without showing up at the auditions.

    Although they didn¡¯t know the exact role she was getting, they knew it was either the female lead or the second female lead. Each of which were pivotal roles for the production in general.

    Ste felt confident of getting the role. After all, there wasn¡¯t any realpetition. No doubt she felt some brewing angst at the fact that the new girl was granted entrance into such delicate and high profile production.

    But other than that, she was patiently waiting for her name to be announced as the lead female. She wasn¡¯t the only one who shared that thought. As a matter of fact, ny nine percent of the people held that belief. The other one percent included Aaron and Mr Austin.

    Deloise was overtaken by joy, she honestly didn¡¯t mind getting the second lead role of the gig. She had heard the gossip on Aaron being the male lead and now that it was confirmed, she didn¡¯t exactly feel like working that closely with him.

    She had seen a movie of Ste and despite her bitchy character towards her, she couldn¡¯t deny the fact that she was talented and good at what she did. She could live with her being the female lead.

    ¡± Finally, for the Lead Female category, we have Deloise Tanner for the female lead and Ste Davis for supporting female! The male lead, I believe has beenmunicated to you, you¡¯ll be updated if there are any changes.¡± Mr Austin said, staring directly at Aaron, and oblivious to the bomb dropped on the people.

    The room was silent. Unlike the usual round of apuse that came after every announcement, there was nothing.

    Zilch.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    No one could believe their ears. How was Ste the supporting lead and a newbie the main lead?! After some moments of shock, a p came from someone and soon, the whole room was ringing with apuse.

    Everyone threw congrattions at Deloise, despite not knowing who she was. It was literally her moment. She had been announced as the face of the project and despite the fact that some people had their reservations, they joined the train anyway.

    Ste felt dumbfounded and confused. She stormed out of the office in the midst of the chaos wondering what the hell just happened. Meanwhile, Deloise was in the moment, epting the many congrattions getting hurled her way.

    ¡± Okay, okay, that¡¯s it for today. Meeting adjourned. You may all leave now.¡± Mr Austin said to the people who were seconds away from turning the office into a meet and greet session with Deloise.

    ¡± Not you, we have to talk, remember?¡±

    Aaron was stopped by the voice of Mr Austin. He was never nning on leaving though. With a head nod, he proceeded towards his target.

    ¡± Good to know that there¡¯s actually something you are good at.¡±

    He said to Deloise who clearly heard the menace in his faux friendly tone. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to exchange words with him and left him to his devices.

    Soon enough, the room was emptied out, save the presence of Aaron and Mr Austin who had business to handle.

    ¡± So tell me, what will it be? ¡± Mr Austin asked from the other end of the table, across from Aaron.

    ¡± I¡¯m taking it.¡± Aaron said decisively, staring him square in the eye.

    ¡± Okay. Do you mind telling me why?¡± Mr Austin probed, curious to know the reason for his sudden change of heart.

    ¡± I¡¯d rather not.¡±

    The moment the words went out of Aaron¡¯s mouth, the duo erupted inughter. It was hard to be professional with how close they¡¯de to be.

    ¡± For real though, what changed?¡± Mr Austin asked, genuinely interested to know.

    ¡± Let¡¯s just say I have a good feeling about it and want to try my hands despite the inconveniences.¡±

    ¡± Inconveniences that haven¡¯t been resolved.¡± Mr Austin added, with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡± I don¡¯t think they need to be resolved. I just need to get the best out of the situation, do my job and move on. All it took was a visit to Ma¡¯s and it all made sense.¡± He exined while Mr Austin nodded.

    ¡± Anyways, I¡¯m d you decided to do it. It¡¯s a great opportunity and would be the turning point of your career.¡± He sighed, ¡± he was right Afterall.¡± Mr Austin added. Referring to Mr Daniel¡¯s thoughts on the subject matter at the time.

    ¡± Who was right?¡±

    ¡± Did I say that aloud? Nevermind, get yourself prepared. The filming will kick off much sooner than expected. Be on your best.¡±

    ¡± I¡¯m always at my best. See you around.¡±

 DDD 30

    Deloise was overwhelmed with joy. She couldn¡¯t stop smiling on her way back to the dorm room. She¡¯d been congratted by people she didn¡¯t know and couldn¡¯t wait to actually share it with someone.

    She hoped La was home and stopped by a cafeteria to get some burgers and soft drinks. She was going to eat it as a celebratory meal for her first movie role.

    After getting the meal, shemitted to taking care of herself more in preparation for the filming. She wasn¡¯t about to look funny in her first role in a movie and made a mental note to hit the gym as soon as possible.

    One thing she loved about her body was the fact that it could fit Into almost anything. With the right conditioning that is. She was never one toin about weight due to her fast metabolism.

    She couldn¡¯t go wrong with some facial and skin therapy and all she wanted was to look and feel good. She¡¯d previously searched up some popr actors¡¯ rituals in preparation for a new role and ever since then, itched to have a ritual of her own when she eventually ventured into the film industry.

    Deloise attempted pushing the door to her room open but quickly realized it was locked. Which pretty much signaled her roommate wasn¡¯t around. Knowing she would be alone almost put a damper on her mood but she shook it off and dug into her bag for a spare key.

    In no time, she was inside and catapulted herself on the bed with a cheesy smile. Her heart was warm and she itched to share her joy with someone.

    A light bulb went off in her head and she immediately reached out for her phone. This was a dream she had nursed with Anna throughout her life and it was only fitting she told her of the news.

    Deloise immediately dialed Anna¡¯s number, waiting anxiously with a smile to share the news. The line rang three times before it connected.

    ¡± Anna! You wouldn¡¯t believe it! I got a female lead gig. It¡¯s all finally happening, I¡¯m so happy.¡± She said in one breath.

    ¡± Okay? So¡­ ¡± came the voice of Anna, t and unruffled.

    ¡± You don¡¯t get it, I just got picked as the lead female for a huge production. I can¡¯t even begin to exin how I feel. It¡¯s been a week and my entire life has changed. It feels like a dream.¡±

    The line was pin drop silent, Deloise checked to see if she ended the call but saw that the line was still connected.

    ¡± Hello? Are you there?¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t know what you want me to say, Deloise. What do you want?¡± Anna asked, sounding almost bored.

    Deloise deted like a balloon. How stupid had she been to think she was going to share her joy? They weren¡¯t even talking for Christ¡¯s sake!

    ¡± If that is all, then..¡± Anna spoke after a while of quietness from Deloise¡¯s end. With that, three beeps were heard, signaling the end of the call, alongside the end of a long time friendship.

    Deloise turned off her phone with a soured mood and a new found determination to draw happiness from herself and attain a level of emotional independence.

    Meanwhile, in the Royal Artsmunity, news of Ste Davis losing a role to a newbie spreads like wildfire. The news left everyone thirsty to see the one who was able to snag a role from the industry¡¯s princess.

    ******

    Esther was in her home, tidying up her kitchen when the doorbell went off. She wasn¡¯t expecting anyone and wondered who it was at the dead of the afternoon.

    She quickly washed her hands and headed on out to see who it was. On getting to the door, she looked through the peephole and saw an unfamiliar face.

    Without wasting any more time, she went on to open the door.

    ¡± Hello, how may I help you.¡± She said to the man, a delivery man.

    ¡± Good day ma¡¯am. Delivery for Miss Esther.¡±

    A bouquet of sunflowers was handed over to her alongside some paperwork which she signed. In a matter of seconds, the transaction was over and she was left thinking about the person behind the gesture.

    She ced the flowers on her table with a suspicious look. It wasn¡¯t a coincidence that after he showed up, the sunflowers followed. She tried to convince herself of the fact that it was a mistake but deep within her, she knew it couldn¡¯t have been.

    It wasn¡¯t a mistake that her favorite flowers were suddenly delivered to her, in the same fashion he used to surprise her. The only thing missing from the assembly was the usual sweet note attached.

    Esther unconsciously found herself searching for the note which was usually attached. With a turn of the basket, she immediately sighted a yellow envelope in the midst of the assembly.

    Her heart picked up at the sight of it. If she wasn¡¯t sure of the source before, she was clear on it. It was definitely from him. The locked memories from previous years poured into her mind frame, bringing back nostalgic feelings.

    A part of her wanted to push the basket into the garbage without reading the content of the card, but another side of her was curious.

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she picked up the flowers and headed straight for the garbage. She couldn¡¯t let herself fall into that sweet abyss. She managed to move on with her life after everything that happened.

    She couldn¡¯t let herself go back.

    Esther disposed of the flowers, convincing herself that it was the best thing to do. At that moment, three sessive knocksnded on her door. Esther turned around with eager steps and marched to her front door.

    This time around, without looking through the peephole, she threw the door open and was met with a shock.

    Daniel Greenwood stood on her patio with another sunflower and an almost teasing smile. She couldn¡¯t escape him!Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

    Esther made to close her door but the foot of Daniel hindered the door from being shut.

    ¡± Hear me out! I know you threw out the flowers, just please talk to me.¡± Daniel¡¯s hand was by the edge of the door, holding firmly.

    ¡± I don¡¯t have anything to say to you. Can you please leave and nevere back?¡± Esther said with a pointed look, then finally came out of the house, shutting her door behind her.

    ¡± Just hear me out. Can we talk? Inside?¡± Daniel covered his head with his coat, he couldn¡¯t afford his picture being taken at her home. It would only invite the public eye. Something he really wanted to do away with for the meantime.

    ¡± You must be dreaming. Leave now or I¡¯ll invite the police. I¡¯m sure your fancy famous self wouldn¡¯t like that. ¡± She said with a serious tone. Her heartbeat was erratic and she hoped he didn¡¯t notice how much effect he had on her.

    ¡± I will leave. But this isn¡¯t over love. I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    Daniel spoke with a level of confidence that scared Esther. She didn¡¯t need this right now. It was only a matter of time before Karen, Deloise and Anna returned back.

    ¡± Don¡¯t you even dare. Back off.¡±

    Upon seeing the look on her face, Daniel figured that it wasn¡¯t his best day yet but was reluctant to go without achieving anything. Before he could stop himself, he blurted, ¡± Can I at least get your mobile?¡±

    The question was met with a m of the door. Esther entered her house and locked the doors. Hoping that he got the memo and stopped showing up on her doorstep.

    Daniel stood motionless for some seconds after which he broke into a smile. His Queen was the same. He wondered what he was thinking when he came in such a conventional way.

    The only way to gain the heart of his love was by creeping up on her. He was going to get in so subtle that she wouldn¡¯t see iting until the deed was done.

    He went away with a smile and a new n hatched in his mind. He was going to capture the heart of his queen. It was only a matter of time.

    On entering his car, he ced a call to his employee, demanding to get the mobile number of his beloved. Within minutes, his phone pinged with a message including the number.

 DDD 31

    Deloise was on the phone when her mother¡¯s call came in. She hesitated to pick it, not quite in the mood of lying so tantly to her.

    On the third ring, Deloise swiped to the green button and slowly ced her phone on her ear. Half expecting the screaming voice of her mother.

    ¡± Baby, how are you doing?¡± The still voice of her mother spoke instead.

    ¡± I¡¯m alright mum, sorry I didn¡¯t pick up earlier, didn¡¯t hear it ring.¡± She said smoothly.

    ¡± No problems. It¡¯s fine. Talk to me about school. What¡¯s been happening? I heard that the exams are around the corner.¡±

    ¡± Oh yes! Sorry I didn¡¯t tell you. With theing exams I¡¯ve been really swamped up trying to prepare.¡±

    ¡± I understand. Take all the time you need. Don¡¯t hesitate to tell me if anythinges up okay? No matter how little, anything at all.¡±

    ¡± Definitely. I¡¯ll be back for the holidays with Anna after the exams. ¡± Deloise said, making a mental note to inquire from Amanda when the exams were beginning and the time frame for the holidays.

    ¡± No! I mean, no need toe back so soon. Take your time. You can stay on campus and study. Or get a job through the holidays and boost your portfolio.¡±

    Esther was skeptical as she spoke. She wondered if she sold herself to be investigated by her daughter. It was almost too obvious she was stalling her, and she hoped her daughter didn¡¯t notice.

    As the seconds trickled by in silence, Esther figured her daughter wasn¡¯t deceived by her little attempt to keep her at school till she settled things with Daniel.

    ¡± I¡¯d love that! I was actually thinking about getting a job too. I was only worried that you would feel too lonely.¡±

    Upon hearing the words of her daughter, Esther didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. It was either she was a damned good actor or Deloise was actually enjoying her school.

    Either way, it was all to her advantage and she couldn¡¯t be more grateful for how the conversation was going. She needed time to clear things up and she was going to do everything to keep her daughter at arms length while she handled things.

    ¡± Great! Say hi to Anna for me okay? I gotta go.¡± She said and quickly ended the call. Esther didn¡¯t feel too good about how things were. She didn¡¯t like deceiving her daughter but desperate times called for desperate measures.

    On the other hand, Deloise was stunned at the call she just received. Believe it or not, she was worried about how everything was going to end with her new life.

    She wasn¡¯tining though. Matter of fact, she was d how it turned out. With the recent development, she knew she had toe up with some story but her mother made it easy.

    Now, she didn¡¯t have to lie to keep up with her escapades. It was a good day.

    ****

    Amanda was on her way out of ss when she overheard a conversation regarding her friend Ann.

    ¡± Do you know her? She used to hang with him all the time but now, she¡¯s been dumped. He was literally sucking the face of a bimbost night. ¡± A girl informed a clique of three that stood in the corridor.

    ¡± I¡¯m not surprised she was dumped. She felt like the deal when Liam pivoted towards her, not knowing she was just another notch on his bedpost.¡± Another said with a malicious tone.

    ¡± I¡¯m sure he fucked the hell out of her. Anna¡¯s such a tramp and best believe, she had iting. Can¡¯t wait to see her and ask who¡¯s the bitch now.¡±

    The trioughed aloud, having fun with the news spreading round town. However, their fun was cut short when Amanda stepped in.

    ¡± Ha, ha ha. That was funny for a moment there.¡± She said with a bored look. ¡± It¡¯s obvious you are all so jobless and bitter. Forming a little Anna haters club ¨C what are you guys? Mean girls? ¡±

    One of the girls, having had enough, spoke up.

    ¡± We have no business with you whore, get a move on.¡± There was an antagonistic and daring tone to her voice which drew people¡¯s attention.

    ¡± Oh tell me she didn¡¯t just call me a whore. Somebody please tell me I heard wrong.¡± Amanda said and before they could find time to react, she pounced on thedy before her.

    A cat fight ensued.

    Amanda, having the upper hand, sat on top of the mean girl and rained ps on her face while she kept scratching and attempting to get back at her.

    The other girls, scared toe close, watched their friend get pped until her face turned the color of a tomato. The rest of the students watched with their phones out, recording the moment with glee.

    They were soon separated but the damage had been done. A damage which Amanda made sure to effect in order to make her think twice before ndering others.

    ****

    Amanda was seated in Anna¡¯s dorm, waiting for her arrival. The door finally clicked open, bringing in Anna who faltered in her steps upon sighting Amanda¡¯s presence.

    ¡± You¡¯re just going to pretend you didn¡¯t see me?¡±

    Amanda¡¯s words stopped her trail. Anna, hearing what happened, didn¡¯t feel like having a conversation. Without a word, she attempted to proceed to her room but was brought to a halt by Amanda¡¯s next statement.

    ¡± So it¡¯s true? You got dumped by what¡¯s his name again?¡± She asked, having trouble remembering the name of the guy she¡¯d been frolicking with since their arrival at the college.

    Burned, Anna couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡± Shut the fuck up.¡± She bit back, ¡± Maybe if you had something going on, you¡¯d learn to mind your business and stop involving yourself in matters that have absolutely nothing to do with you!¡±

    ¡± So now I¡¯m crazy? I¡¯m crazy to have defended your bitch ass, Anna? I¡¯m crazy to have actually stood up for you and try reaching out to you? You know what? You¡¯re a bitch after all. I can¡¯t believe I was so stupid toe here.¡±

    Amanda was quick on her feet and without a nce back, she left Anna to her devices, vowing to never involve herself in anything pertaining to Anna.

    She¡¯s had it with her.

    ******

    ¡± Meeting by 8 am sharp. Venue at the director¡¯s office. Not a minutete!¡±

    A mass message was sent to the cast members of the new production. Including Deloise.

    It was soon the day of the meeting and unfortunately, Deloise slept in. She barely had a close eye due to her overthinking and when she was finally able to sleep, she got past her usual get up time.

    At 7:56, La was well dressed and ready to go out when she remembered her roommate told her she had an appointment for the morning.

    ¡± Dee, wake up, did you cancel your appointment? ¡± She asked while tapping her gently.

    ¡± Just a little more- oh my goodness!¡±

    Deloise was wide awake and panicking. She looked towards the clock and the time she read sent her flying out of bed and to her dresser.

    It was 8 : 00 am!

    She was supposed to be at the director¡¯s office for a meeting. La watched in surprise for some seconds at how fast she was going but soon remembered she had a meeting herself and left the amodations to get a move on with her day.

    Deloise couldn¡¯t be bothered with a shower and instead picked out some outfit, doused them in perfume, brushed her teeth and washed her face in record time.

    In five minutes, she was out the door, running like her life depended on it with the most absurd clothes you would find in the market. As she sprinted, she begged the one above to help her dy the arrival of the director like the other time but there wasn¡¯t such luck.

    Meanwhile, seared in the director¡¯s office was the entire crew, excluding Aaron who was rightly covered by Mr Austin, Ms Ema Bet, and the director of Evolve talent managementpany.

    They were brought in to be introduced to the cast as the ywright and sponsor respectively. The absence of the female lead and male lead was unmistakable and equally irritable to not only the people who showed up early but the actual ywright of the film.

    Ms Ema Bet couldn¡¯t understand how she could be there early, as busy as she was, but some uing nobody made them all wait for so long.

    To think that a tardy person was the selected person for the female lead character irked her to no end. She wondered just what it was about the girl that everyone spoke so favorably and unsessfully tried to cover up.

    She was seething and literally couldn¡¯t wait to get up and out of the school environment, but not before she could get her hands on the little thing that has been a hassle from the very beginning.

    ¡± Believe me, it usually isn¡¯t like this. I¡¯ll send someone to get her, in the meantime, let¡¯s introduce other characters, shall we?¡± Mr Austin intervened, breaking the silence and trying to save face.

    ¡± Now why would we do that? The main role is literally the story. Her life epasses the rest.¡± Ema Bet, the ywright of the film exined.

    ¡± Maybe It¡¯s best we wait. She is the lead for a reason. How about you send that person to check on her?¡± Mr Hart Ambrose, director of the Evolve management said from his chair, hoping that it could serve as a temporary appeasement to Ema who wasn¡¯t in her best mood.

    The other cast members were seated silently, some of them with pity for what was brewing for Deloise while others either ecstatic about it or couldn¡¯t be bothered.

    Ste was amongst those who were ecstatic about it. That is if she wasn¡¯t the only one thrilled to see just what would be of Deloise.

    She was in the industry and knew that ying a role as the lead female while in the bad books of the ywright wasn¡¯t the easiest thing to do. In the middle of the chaos, all she saw was an opportunity.

    An opportunity waiting for her to explore.

    In that moment, a disgruntled, sweaty and panting Deloise barged in. The room watched silently as she attempted to catch her breath. Deloise soon realized she was in fact not alone.

    She shied away from looking at the faces of the people and contemted getting on her knees to apologize but she was cut off by the stern and unfriendly voice of Ema Bet.

    ¡± Nice of you to finally join us. Everyone, Let¡¯s wee the queen of Zamunda!¡± She chided sarcastically.

    ¡± I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to, I overslept and just I¡¯m really sorry. ¡± Deloise stuttered out with her head bowed.

    ¡± You overslept?! Don¡¯t tell me the director sent us azy and ipetent girl as the female lead because believe me when I say if she doesn¡¯t make the cut, she¡¯s out!¡±

    The room was quiet as Ms Ema ferociously aired her opinions.

    ¡± Just look at her. Her hair is a nest, she looks like she was rescued from beasts and not to talk of the stench. Did you even take a bath? Oh don¡¯t even answer, get out of my sight and fix yourself somewhere. ¡± She ordered with displeasure written on her face.

    ¡± I¡¯m sorry, sorry everyone.¡± Deloise said coquettishly and made her way to the vacant seat behind, embarrassed.

    The room watched Deloise until she was seated and with that Mr Austin took the reins of the meeting once again.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡± Okay. As I¡¯ve said before, this is Mr Hart Ambrose. He is one of the major sponsors of this project and the director of the Evolve managementpany. Do well to perform your best for this filming and if possible,mit his face to memory. Who knows? you just might be the next signed talent.¡±

    The room was revived at thest statement and excitement came fresh upon everyone. The previous events, long forgotten.

    ¡± And this is Ema Bet, our ywright. Feel free to ask her questions regarding the interpretations of your characters. Anything at all, she¡¯s got all the information you could ever need about portraying the characters. She wrote them after all. ¡±

    Mr Austin was a man of charisma and knew his way with words around people. Ema Bet, in reply cracked a smile of agreement to his words.

    ¡± Now that that¡¯s settled, let¡¯s begin the characterization, shall we?¡± He added and the meeting began properly.

 DDD 32

    The meeting soon drew to an end and the esteemed guests were escorted out by Mr Austin. Deloise didn¡¯t move, she hoped to leave when the room was at least halfway emptied out. She felt lucky to be ignored the whole time by Ms Ema after theshing she received.

    This experience wasn¡¯t the prettiest for her but it sobered her to the fact that she needed to take her job and life more seriously if she was going tost. It was a rude awakening ¨C the fact that she could be dropped at the slightest misconduct.

    She had to be extremely careful and conscious of slip ups because this was thest chance at her dreams and life. She didn¡¯t have anything else. She couldn¡¯t fail at this.

    While pondering these thoughts, Deloise didn¡¯t notice Ste approach her. She jolted in surprise when she heard the sharp voice of Ste.

    ¡± What? Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± She asked with a smile which Deloise detected as faux and mocking.

    When she didn¡¯t reply, Ste tutted and with graceful steps encircled her while she spoke.

    ¡± Don¡¯t be too worried. You actually look good in those.. What¡¯s it called? Maternity gowns?¡± Ste sported an unsure look, perfectly acting like she meant no harm, acting was natural to her.

    ¡± Regardless of what it is, it definitely suits you so you shouldn¡¯t feel too conscious. You¡¯re the lead female after all.¡±

    Deloise didn¡¯t say a word. She didn¡¯t even spare a nce at Ste who threw innocent and perfectly hidden jabs at her person,petence and general outlook.

    The worst part was the fact that some people were still hanging around, waiting for who she believed to be the director as he was out for sometime.

    She was also waiting for Mr Austin. Deloise thought it right to apologize for the tardiness and embarrassment she caused the academy and production.

    With the words of Ms Ema, she came to realize that her role was very important and needed to be handled with true discipline. She couldn¡¯t afford people thinking she wasn¡¯t serious or cut out for the job.

    After waiting for over thirty minutes, Deloise figured the director wasn¡¯t nning on returning anytime soon and left the building.

    She headed back to her home, making mental notes on all that was discussed in the meeting and preparing to read, and if possible, act out her designated role in preparation.

    Immediately Deloise entered her home, she headed straight for a much needed bath. She remembered the merciless insults that were thrown at her earlier and scrubbed with more intensity.

    She wished the first few hours of the day didn¡¯t happen, but no such luck. She lived it and it¡¯s constant reminder wasn¡¯t leaving anytime soon.

    Deloise was fresh and clean when she jumped on her bed with the script for the film she yed the leading female.

    The story followed a woman who had her only child poisoned and killed by her husband¡¯s Mistress. It told the tale of a scorned woman who made it a goal to take vengeance upon all her adversaries while simultaneously winning the love of her husband.

    Deloise was more than excited to y the part, and as she read her character¡¯s script; the fears, desires and arc of her character grew in her heart.

    She was determined to portray every single trait, conflict and perk of her character. She couldn¡¯t wait to get on set and the more she went through her lines, the more she looked forward to the challenging parts of it.

    The only downside of the deal was the fact that she had to y marriage with the jerk. There were some steamy scenes involved as the story followed an enemies to lovers trope.

    Deloise was a lover of fairy tales, but deep within, she didn¡¯t believe in it. She believed that happily ever afters didn¡¯t exist in real life but was ecstatic to partake in creating some feel good fictional movies where it was preached.

    The satisfying part of the book was that her character was to transform into a strong woman from the weak and defeated person she used to be. It was like the death of her son killed something yet resurrected something in her.

    The storyline gave her the feel of the rise of a phoenix. No doubt ¨C Ema Bet was one hell of a storyteller!

    She was woman enough to tell the truth despite how she felt about her.

    While basking in her fictional realm, Deloise¡¯s phone suddenly rang, jolting her away from her reading. Her interest was piqued when she found out it was an unknown number.

    Deloise hesitated for a moment before swiping the answer button and ced the phone on her ears, waiting for the caller¡¯s introduction.

    ¡°Come to the administrative building now!¡± A thick male voice said without context.

    ¡± Sorry, who is this? ¡±

    Her question was met with a beep sound, signaling the end of the call. Deloise didn¡¯t know what to think and wondered if someone was trying to y a joke on her. She returned the call a few more times but was directed to voicemail.

    Having had enough, Deloise continued her reading. She figured that if it was important, then the call would be returned.

    Soon enough, Deloise was passed out on her bed, script in hand, while she slept soundly. She had managed to cover a tangible amount of the script and decided to take a much needed nap.

    Meanwhile, In the office of the director, the cast of the production was gathered and waiting for the arrival of Deloise. This time around, Aaron was on seat with the rest of the crew and cast members, including Mr Austin while they awaited the female lead for yet another time in one day.

    Mr Austin was growing agitated at the tardiness and made it a point to ask Aaron if he actually called her as earlier instructed.

    With every single affirmation, his countenance grew poorer.

    The entire room was filled with murmurs on just how irresponsible she was being and notions to drop her were gaining momentum. The only thing this did was fuel the anger of Mr Austin, who was struggling to keep it in.

    She had somehow managed to arrivete for two meetings, without exnation or reasonable context. Mr Austin was a firm believer that talent without discipline was a recipe for disaster.

    They were yet to begin filming and she was already acting in such an uncouth manner! Maybe Ms. Ema wasn¡¯t wrong after all. There were many serious individuals ready to take on the job and he wasn¡¯t about to settle for anything less than perfection.

    That was the criteria for Royal Arts. The academy wouldn¡¯t have attained such a great level of mastery if they allowed such ipetence amongst their candidates.

    Deloise wasn¡¯t going to be an exception.

    ¡± Give me a moment.¡± Mr Austin requested from the guests, picked up his phone and walked out of the office with a mysterious look etched upon his face.

    On getting outside, he took two steps from his office door and quickly drafted a message which he forwarded to Deloise.

    Without a moment¡¯s thought, he proceeded back inside the office and addressed the people.

    ¡± Let¡¯s begin.¡± He said and the meeting ensued.

    *****

    Two hourster, Deloise stirred from her sleep. She felt nourished from the nap and immediately sat up to check if her roommate was in the room.

    These days, it felt like they barely had time to connect. They both had different schedules and lifestyles which made it hard to find ample time to know themselves better.

    After verifying that she was alone, she picked up the script on her bed with the intention to put it away when her phone came into view.

    She dropped the script and picked it up wanting to check if the strange number had finally returned the call, only to be met with the shock of her life.

    It was a message from the director. She didn¡¯t have his number saved but it wasn¡¯t hard to tell when the same email which saw her through her transfer process sent a message which read:

    ¡± If you are no longer interested in the role, Kindly turn in the script. But if you don¡¯t, make sure you are here before the meeting pses. Mr Austin, director ¨C Royal Arts Academy. ¡±

    The email oozed the threat behind the words and immediately, everything began to add up. The call to meet at the administration building -which also is a host to the director¡¯s office- the cast members staying around, and now, the message that nearly made her cough up blood.

    She checked the time she received the email and upon seeing the two hours ago mark, one thing was certain.

    She was fucked.

    Deloise jumped off her bed like a deranged woman, had a change of clothes, threw her hair in a messy bun and ran out of the dorm like her life depended on it.

    It actually did.

    For the second time today, Deloise arrived at the office building out of breath and in a frenzy. On getting to the door of the office, it was suddenly pulled open and people trooped out of the office, signaling the end of the meeting.

    As the crew and cast members walked by her, some gave her the stink eye while some went as far as making faces and throwing some poorly minced words about how she was unfit and irresponsible.

    To each and every jab, Deloise took with good faith, praying she didn¡¯t get cut out by the director. She was a tad bitter than he had instructed and her heart was erratic at the thought of what the repercussions might be.

    Soon enough, the office emptied and she was finally able to get in. On seeing the look on the director¡¯s face at her arrival, she immediately got on her knees to plead her case.

    ¡± I¡¯m so sorry sir, I didn¡¯t mean to arrivete. I had no idea there was a meeting and when the message was sent I was asleep. I really want to do this. Please, forgive me just this once.¡±

    Deloise hands were sped together and shaking in fear of her world being destroyed. She couldn¡¯t afford to be dropped. She worked way too hard to get here.

    ¡± One time you said? You didn¡¯t receive a call asking you toe over here?¡± Mr Austin inquired with an eerie calmness.

    Aaron sat by the corner, watching it all unfold.

    ¡± I received a call toe to the¡±

    ¡± Oh so you did. And yet you choose to ignore the invitation, because?¡± He interrupted her, his countenance growing poorer as he interrogated her.

    ¡± I didn¡¯t realize. I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t cut me off. I promise to be better. Please sir.¡±

    ¡± Leave.¡±

    ¡± Please sir, it was a mistake! One that would never repeat itself, please give me one more chance.¡± Deloise was close to tears. She saw her life sh before her eyes. She couldn¡¯t believe this was happening.

    ¡± Not you. Aaron.¡± Mr Austin corrected, revealing the fact that Aaron was in the room. Immediately he stepped out, and the director began.

    ¡± I don¡¯t know what happened today, Ms Tanner. But I sure as hell wouldn¡¯t stand for such irresponsible acts onwards! You are the lead of this production and I expect a certain amount of discipline andmitment from you; and so help me God if I don¡¯t see it in no distant time, you¡¯ll be out of this gig. Do you understand? ¡± He asked with fire in his eyes to a stupefied Deloise who only nodded her head in affirmation, unable to speak.

    ¡± Good. Now get out. ¡± He barked, residual anger still brewing within.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    Deloise scrambled on her feet with tears in her eyes. This was the first time she was being spoken to in such a manner by the ever supportive Mr Austin.

    By the time she was out the door, the floodgates opened and irresistible tears poured from her eyes, heart and soul.

 DDD 33

    Aaron was in the male restroom of the building. After being rudely asked out by Mr Austin, he figured he might as well relieve himself before leaving the building.

    On getting out to the hallways, he witnessed Deloise rush out of the office and after a few steps, plopped shakily on the floor with her head bowed.

    ¡± Was she¡­crying?¡±

    Aaron thought, unsure of what was going on. He carefully took steps forward, not knowing how to approach the situation. As he got closer, her sobs got louder and the fact she was crying became ring.

    He knew that Mr Austin was pretty angry at the situation and the fact she was a no-show. But he felt it couldn¡¯t have been that bad.

    Knowing Mr Austin, it was going to be a warning at most. It wasn¡¯t something he expected his firecracker to be bawling her eyes over.

    Aaron stood in a standoffish stance before Deloise. A part of him wanted to move on with his business like he didn¡¯t care but something within him hindered his movement. He couldn¡¯t stand seeing her look so destroyed over something that was probably nothing.

    If there was one thing he hated, it was crying girls. He believed that women in general were a nuisance but a crying woman took it to another level.

    He tended to avoid situations where women were involved, more less when the woman in question was bawling her heart out. The fact that he wasn¡¯t running the other way was something he couldn¡¯t exin.

    ¡± Hey¡­ are you alright? ¡± He managed to speak before he convinced himself otherwise. For the first time in a long time, he was making an attempt to talk to a woman of his own ord.

    Deloise¡¯s face was reddened. Her face was a sight for sore eyes and she had snot all over. Safe to say she wasn¡¯t the prettiest at the moment.

    Despite her blocked nose, the beautiful and alluring scent of cinnamon and fresh wood filled her senses as footsteps approached where she sat on the floor, cradling herself.

    ¡± Are you alright? It couldn¡¯t have been that bad.¡±

    Deloise was brought to her senses at the intrusion of the voice. A male voice which she found oddly familiar. She let her eyes seek out the owner of the voice and in no time, she was looking at the brown orbs of Aaron.

    Upon seeing her face, it took a shitload of willpower on Aaron¡¯s side not to burst out withughter. Not the mocking kind ofughter but a truly genuine one.

    Looking down at the firecracker, all he could see was a little child. One who was making a fuss in order to gain the attention of others around. The fire she once exuded was gone; like it was never there to begin with!

    Unknown to him, his stoic facade was cracked and his hidden smile wasn¡¯t so hidden anymore. Something Deloise was quick to pick up.

    ¡± What¡¯s funny?¡± She asked with an eerily calm tone and made to get up on her feet. Displeasure written all over her. ¡± Is there some joke you want to share with me?¡±

    Aaron wasn¡¯t a fan of her tone and immediately responded with as much attitude.¡± Maybe if you weren¡¯t such a killjoy you would understand that one doesn¡¯t need a joke to smile. Happiness is free.¡± He said while sporting a smile that quickly converted into a smirk.

    ¡± Yeah right. I¡¯m a killjoy because I am upset I nearly got cut off from a job I¡¯ve prepared my entire life for. All because some prick failed at his job to properly disperse information! ¡± She said, anger flowing through her veins.

    ¡± Okay, now that I wouldn¡¯t agree. You got the prior notice but you choose not to show up. Don¡¯t shoot the messenger alright?¡±

    Aaron was defensive. He couldn¡¯t stand and watch her proportion me on him for no justified reason. He made sure to personally reach out to her when he was directed to inform her.

    She couldn¡¯t pretend like she didn¡¯t get the information he rightly and personally passed across to her. He wasn¡¯t going to let her. At least not on his watch.

    ¡± You have no idea what I¡¯m talking about. Maybe you were escorted to the venue but normal people like me, didn¡¯t even get the notice.¡±

    ¡± I hate liars. If you were busy or didn¡¯t feel like showing up at the time, just say so. There¡¯s literally no point lying about it.¡±

    ¡± I see no reason why I should exin anything to you. Why are we even having this pointless conversation again?¡± Deloise pondered aloud. Not understanding what his problem was.

    ¡± Pointless you say? I called you and informed you about the damned meeting and here you are trying to me somebody for what I believe was as a result of your carelessness. ¡± Aaron jabbed, still not having it.

    Deloise was losing it at this point. Her fist clenched in anger and she saw Aaron in a different light. He was the reason she got in this mess!

    If only he¡¯d done his job properly then all of these would have been avoided. The nerve he had to call her careless made the veins in her forehead pulse.

    ¡± Oh¡­ you were the person who supposedly informed me about the damned meeting?!¡±

    ¡± Correction. I told you about the meeting.¡± He snapped his fingers as though trying to get her attention.¡± The one who called and instructed that you head over to this building? Remember? ¡± He spoke as one trying to exin things to a little child.

    Deloise¡¯s eyebrows creased in confusion as she tried to understand what the hell he was talking about. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head and immediately, everything made sense. The only downside was, she wasn¡¯t just angry. She was seething!

    ¡± You¡¯re that guy?! You told me toe to the ¡® Administrative block¡¯, you dare to call that an information toe for the meeting?! ¡± Her eyes widened in disbelief at what he was saying.

    ¡± Last time I checked, this is the administrative building.¡± He said offhandedly. ¡± You know another bizarre fact about this building? It holds the office of the director. Ring a bell?¡±

    Aaron spoke in the most sarcastic voice he could muster. Which only fueled Deloise¡¯s anger and frustrations at what was fast bing her life.

    ¡± You must be crazy. Hell, are you stupid? In what world does calling a random person and instructing her to ¡® head to the administrative block ¡® trante to my invitation to meet the director?¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t care what you think. It¡¯s clear that you received the information but decided to y dumb with it.¡±

    ¡± Can you listen to yourself? You caused this and you still have the nerve to show up before me and spew crap? You couldn¡¯t even apologize for what you¡¯ve caused me? This! All of this?! It¡¯s all your fault and you stand there to tell me I¡¯m dumb?! ¡±

    ¡± Okay, that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s not my fault that you want to be spoon-fed everything. I am not responsible for your sheer carelessness and ipetence. I¡¯m not your mother and you can go shed more crocodile tears elsewhere, it¡¯s disgusting.¡±

    Aaron didn¡¯t spare her another nce and walked away. He ultimately regretted speaking to her. Now his mood was soured.

    Upon hearing hisst words, Deloise felt stupefied. Of course he wasn¡¯t her mother. What was she expectinging out here alone to pursue a dream that seemed to move farther the more she drew closer.

    Defeated, she stood up and walked out of the building, envisioning her bed as she went. She wanted to sleep and never wake up. It seemed like everyone was right about her all along. What was she doing thinking that she was going to surprise them and actually make something out of this?

    Just a few weeks in and she was already at the verge of losing everything. She lost her mother, her friends and now she was on the verge of losing the dream that caused her the former things.

    The moment she entered her room, her throat tightened as she saw every single negative word thrown at her from the past regain life and torment her afresh.

    Filled with self doubt and in istion, Deloise broke down in the middle of her room and cried so hard she wondered if there were any more tears left in her.

    She couldn¡¯t do this. Her mother was tight after all. She had made a terrible mistakeing here and leaving the life she knew all too well into the unknown.

    Now she was paying for dreaming too big. It felt like the world was having augh at her. As Deloise thought about every single event from Ms Ema, Ste, Mr Austin, Aaron and her supposed colleagues. She was demoralized and with the lowest mood, she crawled into her bed: and for the first time, wished that it was all a dream.

    Meanwhile, on the other side of the coin, Ms Esther¡¯s phone was attacked by a consistent inflow of sweet messages. Sweet and very familiar messages.

    At every point in time, her phone beeped with an all new message along the lines of how he was going to wait until she gave him an audience. Thest message she got caused something to flutter within her. It read:Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡± I¡¯m on the rooftop. Pleasee to me. My Queen.¡±

 DDD 34

    Aaron walked into his apartment with a scowl on his face.

    ¡® I knew I should have walked away!¡¯

    He thought angrily as he recalled his little tiff with Deloise.

    ¡± What¡¯s got you looking so disgruntled?¡± The voice of Tony made him aware he wasn¡¯t alone.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    ¡± Nothing. What are you doing here?¡± Aaron copsed on his couch.

    ¡± What do you think? ying hide and seek?¡± Tony replied with a mouthful. There was always something to eat at Aaron¡¯s.

    Upon hearing him, Aaron turned around and noticed the opened dominos on the table. His countenance grew poor. ¡± Don¡¯t tell me you ate all the pizza bro.¡±

    Tony picked a slice of pizza, took his time eating it, then finally spoke.

    ¡± I won¡¯t.¡±

    He drank some water under the wrathful gaze of his friend and plopped down the opposite couch. ¡± What¡¯s got your panties in a twist?¡± He inquired again with a straight face. Like he didn¡¯t just add to the reason for his friend¡¯s poor countenance.

    Aaron sighed, ¡± I don¡¯t know who¡¯s more annoying at this point. You or her.¡±

    ¡± Her? A girl¡¯s behind this? Okay, don¡¯t tell me. Ste?¡± Tony asked, interested to hear just whatdy had such an influence on his friend. He couldn¡¯t remember thest time he looked so disgruntled, and over a girl?

    ¡± Ste couldn¡¯t do this even if she tried. I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m telling you shit.¡±

    ¡± Because I¡¯m your therapist. You know? Helping you figure you out. ¡± Tony spoke like it was a known fact, increasing the crease on Aaron¡¯s forehead.

    ¡± Shut up.¡±

    Aaron couldn¡¯t help but think that maybe, just maybe he¡¯d gone a little bit far. As much as he actually informed her about the meeting, he didn¡¯t expressly state what it was as he¡¯d been in a hurry to get into the meeting.

    He didn¡¯t know it would result in her tears after a little scolding from Mr Austin. As much as he was reasonable enough to see how it could have seemed like it was his fault, he stood on his belief that he wasn¡¯t.

    She was the architect of her problems. If she had at the very least tried to find out just what the call meant, then maybe she wouldn¡¯t have beente in the first ce. Then all the events following would be avoided.

    It started with her.

    Aaron¡¯s eulogy was destroyed the moment he picked up his phone. He saw some missed calls from hours ago, specified to the time he called her. He¡¯d been so caught up in his business that he didn¡¯t even realize when the calls came in.

    ¡® oh shit¡­ ¡®

    A very unfamiliar emotion immediately engulfed him. One that made him rethink every single word that was said to him in a new light. She wasn¡¯t so wrong after all.

    Two emotions were prominent in his countenance. Guilt and regret. Guilt to have unintentionally caused her predicament and regret for every word he said to her in ignorance. He didn¡¯t even know how to redeem himself.

    ¡± Are you ready to talk or are we going to mope for another fifteen minutes?¡± The voice of Tony snapped him out of his reverie.

    ¡± I messed up.¡± Aaron said with a wince, unable to shake off the look on her face when he¡¯d told her the many cruel things he couldn¡¯t remember. ¡± I think I may have ced someone in a difficult situation and rubbed it in while she cried about it. But only because at the time, I felt she wasn¡¯t actually responsible?¡±

    ¡± Okay. What?! How do you even¡­ oh goodness, who is she? ¡± Tony dropped his phone at his friend¡¯s confession.¡± And don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t remember because that¡¯s even worse.¡± He warned icily.

    ¡± Firecracker. ¡± He mumbled, which was more than enough to get to Tony¡¯s ears.

    ¡± Beautiful?! You made her cry? I¡¯m not getting it. I need the full story because there¡¯s got to be a mix up somewhere.¡±

    Aaron proceeded to narrate the day¡¯s events to Tony, not missing a beat while Tony¡¯s countenance grew poorer at every new information.

    ¡± Okay. You pretty much fucked up. You said that? To a crying beautiful girl? You need to apologize.¡±

    Aaron froze.

    ¡± No. Now that¡¯s pushing it. I know I had some slip ups but she was also rude. She¡¯s been very rude and after thest time, this might have made us even.¡± He said it as though it wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    ¡± Why did it have to be you? Mr Austin had the whole crew and decided you were the best person to actually pass information? He basically set her up for failure.¡± He said angrily.

    ¡± Okay, that¡¯s enough. You¡¯re beginning to push it. While you were moaning about how terrible of a person I was, I figured a way to actually get this done and over with.¡± Aaron spoke with his face on his phone. ¡± ¡­And done! ¡±

    ¡± What did you do, stupid? ¡± Tony deadpanned, hoping he didn¡¯t actually just make things worse.

    ¡± I just sent her the filming schedule. Top tier information from Mr Austin. At least now she can¡¯t bete unless she chooses to.¡± He said with an almost proud glint and dropped his phone.

    ¡± Easy there tiger. One might think you are actually holding a torch for her. ¡± Tony projected with a smile. Ever since her arrival into campus, there was a lot moreing from Aaron and he was all for it.

    ¡± I can¡¯t with you, how on¡±

    Ring! Ring!

    A call from Aaron¡¯s phone interrupted his little speech. He picked up his phone and upon seeing it was Ste, he answered without a moment¡¯s thought.

    ¡± Where are you? Let¡¯s eat lunch together, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Ste whined from her end. Using a faux baby tone as an attempt to sweeten her way into getting him to do her bidding.

    ¡± I¡¯m tired and in need of some sleep. I can¡¯t cook now so order something and I¡¯ll see you some other time.¡± He said, praying she didn¡¯t show up just yet. He needed some time to himself.

    ¡± You don¡¯t need to cook. Juste out with me please. I¡¯d feel so terrible eating alone. There¡¯s a lot of rumors about me, Ron.¡± Ste pleaded, expertly adding that little detail to persuade him.

    ¡± Ok. I¡¯ll be out in a few. See you soon.¡± Aaron dropped the call with a sigh. He didn¡¯t feel like heading out after the day he¡¯s had but with Ste¡¯s request, he couldn¡¯t deny her.

    He felt a tad bit guilty for not telling her that she didn¡¯t get the role she¡¯d pinned after for the longest time. It wasn¡¯t news that there were a lot of whispers about her losing the role.

    Although he knew she was a strong woman and seldom cared about people¡¯s opinions, he couldn¡¯t turn down her request for him to be there for her. They were best friends after all.

    ¡± Since you¡¯ve obviously had enough food for lunch, it¡¯s no use inviting you to eat. So you¡¯lle with me and help keep Ste busy while we eat. Yeah?¡±

    Aaron stood up, picked up his coat and when he noticed his friend wasn¡¯t moving an inch, he gave him the look and in seconds, Tony was up on his feet and grumbling.

    In a matter of minutes, the duo was seated inside a restaurant, waiting for the arrival of Ste who showed up after five minutes of waiting in the restaurant; sporting a beige casual short dress which showed off her long, slender and fair legs paired up with some ts and jewelry.

    She was a fashion statement without even trying. At her entry into the restaurant, every eye pair naturally gravitated towards her, admiring her hungrily with the very expression she¡¯d hoped to elicit from Aaron.

    On sighting Aaron with Tony, her countenance dropped. She didn¡¯t expect he was going to be brought along. She suddenly felt stupid to have thought they were going to be alone. Having gone through the length to ask him out for the first time.

    Ste didn¡¯t realize that her steps had slowed to a stop and she was a shadow of the girl who walked in. As though feeling her gaze on him, Aaron looked up and she smoothly regained her earlier countenance and walked forward holding his gaze.

    ¡± Took you long enough.¡± Tony said with a sing-song voice, having seen her oh-so- majestic strut to their table.

    Ste ignored Tony and Instead, focused her attention on Aaron. ¡± I¡¯m sorry foringte. Have you ordered?¡±

    ¡± Not yet, we were waiting for your arrival.¡±

    ¡± Yes! You invited us out. It¡¯s only fitting that you pay for the food.¡± Tony said, earning himself a set of eyerolls and a smack in the head.

    ¡± Ignore him.¡± Aaron said. Soon the waiter came and took their orders. ¡± So tell me, how are you?¡± He said, facing Ste. ¡± Don¡¯t be discouraged by whatever the people are saying. I believe you would kill the second female lead role but if you don¡¯t feel like it, you are at liberty to drop the role entirely, no questions asked. ¡±

    Ste was on cloud nine. The fact that he¡¯d been worried about her made her feel a certain type of way. Truly, she had contemted rejecting the role altogether but she knew that it wasn¡¯t going to do much. She also wanted to be on this particr set because it was a career defining opportunity.

    She felt confident that with the current female leads persona, it was only a matter of time before she removed herself from the production. Deloise just had to sabotage herself and she¡¯d be on her merry way out.

    ¡± I just feel a little down because I prepared for that role and it was handed over to some unknown nobody. We don¡¯t even know how she got appointed, especially for such an important role. ¡± She said with a disgruntled face, ¡± I just hope she is at least an actor.¡±

    ¡± She¡¯s been awarded a schrship in Royal Arts and now, given the role of the female lead over you. Come-on, she¡¯s got to be an actress. A talented one at that. She¡¯s definitely clear.¡± Tony said, staring directly at Ste.

    ¡± I have to admit she¡¯s got to be good. She couldn¡¯t survive you if she wasn¡¯t. She may be ateing crybaby, but she¡¯s got to be a talented one. ¡± Aaron added with a smile.

    Ste wasn¡¯t having it. ¡± I just feel like I deserved that role. I worked hard for it only for it to be snatched from me by underhanded means. Now I¡¯m the joke. ¡± She said with disdain.

    ¡± Don¡¯t think about it anymore, okay? You¡¯ll be fine.¡± Aaron said half mindedly, he already moved on from the topic on hand which only added to Ste¡¯s anger at Deloise.

    Not only did she steal her role, now she was making her seem like a crazy woman. Ste watched in silence as the men spoke while eating, not bothering to engage her in whatever they were on about.

    She suddenly felt like leaving. Things had gone south and it was all the little wench¡¯s fault! The more they chatted, Ste pondered on just how to take Deloise out of her way and regain her rightful position bedside Aaron.

    Just one slip up and she felt like Aaron had drifted farther away from her. She was even more determined to get rid of Deloise.

 DDD 35

    After the encounter with Aaron and Mr Austin, Deloise relegated to her shell to nurse her wounds. As a result, she wasn¡¯t as outspoken or outgoing except when needed.

    She also began sses the following day and made deliberate steps to avoid any sort of mishaps in her life moving forward.

    Later that day, she surprisingly came across a message bearing the filming schedule for the production and wondered if it was from the director. Her ponder was cut short when she realized that it was from the same number which had called and requested she go to the administrative building.

    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder his reason behind the oh so generous gesture. It was either he finally realized he was in the wrong and did it as some sort of apology or it was directed by Mr Austin.

    Whichever it was, Deloise couldn¡¯t care less. Aaron was the most evil jerk she was unfortunate to meet in her lifetime and nothing could change her perception of him.

    Not even a filming schedule she needed and was ecstatic to have in possession.

    It was one of the most anticipated weekends in the Royal Arts Academy. The whole school buzzed with excitement as a result of the freshers banquet which was scheduled to be held Saturday evening.

    The freshers banquet was an event sponsored by the Royal Arts Academy to properly wee the newest intakes into the school. As a prestigious school, the banquet was formal and an excuse to showcase their ability to throw a good event alongside other things.

    The banquet usually held till about six pm, before it was overtaken and turned into a real college party. The entire school looked forward to mingling and generally having a great night.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

    Saturday morning, Laid over Deloise who was pretending to be asleep.

    ¡± Please Dee, you need to go, it¡¯s literally said to be the most anticipated party of the year!¡± La spoke in a whiny tone. ¡± You can¡¯t stay in while the whole world is having a good time.¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t want to. Trust me, I¡¯m fine. Thest thing I want to do is leave this room, talk less of attending a whole party.¡±

    ¡± Please¡­you are literally the only friend I have, I don¡¯t want to be alone while every other person shows up with a date or something.¡± La sat up, giving Deloise room to breathe.

    ¡± You don¡¯t get it. I¡¯m not cut out for a party right now. Thest thing I need is to give the world another reason why I¡¯m unserious with my job.¡± Deloise¡¯s tone grew bitter at the end of her words.

    ¡± You know you can¡¯t live like that. Trust me, the moment you start living your life to please others, that¡¯s the moment you truly lose yourself. Come on! There¡¯s literally nothing to lose; you need a distraction to get your mind off these things, you¡¯ve been a damper for way too long.¡±

    ¡°Ouch.¡± Deloise muttered with a half smile at her roommate¡¯s persistence. She knew that she hadn¡¯t gotten much sunlight through the week but she couldn¡¯t help it.

    She was literally going through a major melt down within herself and needed time to get herself back together and in one piece.

    Maybe her roommate wasn¡¯t wrong after all. The inevitable truth was that she was in need of a massive distraction in order to let go of some recurring thoughts and pain. Throughout the week, she punished herself for things that were outside her control.

    As a result, she wasn¡¯t in the best headspace and oftentimes wondered if It was going to affect her performance. There and then, she decided she wasn¡¯t ready to take chances.

    Attending one party couldn¡¯t hurt right?

    *****

    ¡± Attending this party was a mistake on my part! ¡±

    Deloise screamed over the loud music ying in the open field. She had decided to attend the party after much persuasion and now, all she wanted was the softforts of her mattress.

    ¡± No! It is the best decision you¡¯ve made since meeting you.¡± La said with an equally loud voice while she navigated them through the crowd.

    The party was filled with a lot of people. New faces were more than the students as the party was open to all. It gave everyone an opportunity to mingle, hook-up and have a fun night out.

    The girls arrived muchter due to Deloise¡¯ dragging feet with her preparations and finding every excuse in the book to avoid having to attend the party.

    ¡± Finally! It feels like hell here. Look at all these people.¡±

    La said as she got out of the crowded middle area, now close to the bar and ready to order.

    ¡± Exactly. This isn¡¯t my idea of a party, it¡¯s like a festival out here! ¡± Deloise said with a look that suggested she felt overwhelmed.

    ¡± Wee to Royal Arts darling. What¡¯s your order?¡± A voice said behind the makeshift bar, his eyes focused on Deloise.

    ¡± Uhm¡­ w-water please? ¡± She stuttered, managing to swallow afterwards.

    ¡® He was so attractive! ¡®

    ¡± Don¡¯t mind her, two of your most intoxicating drinks please!¡± La intervened with a smile, and to Deloise, she said, ¡± loosen up! ¡±

    ¡± Two of my most intoxicating stuff,ing right up! ¡± The bartender said, ignoring Deloise¡¯s silent protests with a wink that did things she couldn¡¯tprehend.

    The cups were soon passed along to the girls and La threw it back in a single shot. Deloise took little sips, careful and vignt not to get caught by any of her cast members who could interpret it to mean she was an unserious person.

    Apart from the fact that she was overly conscious and aware of her surroundings, Deloise felt pretty. For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to be dressed up in an off shoulder short red dress.

    Her stiletto¡¯s made the look even more brazen as with any wrong step, she may as well be walking in her underpants. She took little sips of her drink, while watching La dance with some group of people.

    Stood by the corner, she felt a strong urge to leave the party due to the prolonged stares from guys who didn¡¯t care to meet her eyes.

    As though noticing her little thought, La walked from the dancefloor and dragged Deloise, not listening to her pleas to be left alone.

    Deloise didn¡¯t feel like getting in the midst of sweaty bodies with her drink on hand, she immediately threw them all in and dropped the cup, letting La take her.

    Being lightweight, it took measly seconds for Deloise to lose her wits while dancing with La.

    With steady bops ying, Deloise lets loose and dances like her life depended on it. Her energy was contagious and soon, she was taken around with multiple dance partners trying to get to her.

    A little secret about Deloise ¨C she was a queen on the dancefloor. Having the kinds of friends she did brought out the hidden party animal in her which most of the time, she didn¡¯t believe she had.

    She was that person who attracted eyes when she let loose on the dancefloor. The boggling fact was she didn¡¯t even need a man to do it.

    She was fine all by herself.

    Music has always been therapy to Deloise and with a little buzz, it was easy to let out the seductress and nymph she could be when the music flowed through her.

    Unknown to Deloise, someone had joined the party and like the many others, had his eyes fixed on her. Aaron stood by a corner, sipping his drink as he watched the graceful movement of Deloise on the dancefloor.

    ¡® Damn, that¡¯s something. ¡®

    He couldn¡¯t deny he was surprised by what he saw. Shocked even. His firecracker, upon first nce, seemed like a sheltered youngdy. After hisst encounter with her, he believed she wasn¡¯t only sheltered, but a tad bit spoiled if he said so himself.

    The way she danced, he didn¡¯t know what to think anymore. He prided himself as an urate profiler but with the appearance of his firecracker, his uracy got questioned more often than not.

    Aaron looked to the dancefloor and like magic, she was looking right back with an expression that allured him. He¡¯d never seen her eyes shine so brightly, and at the moment, he couldn¡¯t help but think blue might be his favorite colour.

    Her eyes were daring, alluring and alive. He¡¯s never seen her look so alive. Aaron walked over to Deloise, maintaining eye contact.

    Deloise didn¡¯t understand what she was feeling. She¡¯d seen the asshole walk into the party looking like a snack and suddenly felt the urge to make him see her.

    She was marveled at the way her body got to work like it heard her little thought, drawing attention to herself.

    With alcohol in her system, she felt unhinged and gone was the shy and timid Deloise that wanted to fold herself underneath the covers of her bed, out of sight and judgment.

    Now, she was basking in the glory of being seen, wanted and probably adored by him. She couldn¡¯t fathom where all these thoughts wereing from but she couldn¡¯t be bothered about it now.

    Deloise felt his eyes on her before she saw it. The look on his face was one she couldn¡¯t read. One thing was evident though. The fact that he was utterly stunned at the sight of what she was doing.

    That bit was clear from his slightly opened lips as he watched her grind on some guy. Yes, she was grinding on an unknown guy in public, and without any care in the world.

    Maybe she made the right decision after all, she felt the most free in the ten minutes she¡¯d been on the dancefloor than the entire week.

    Deloise didn¡¯t know what she was expecting but she definitely didn¡¯t expect to see Aaron walk purposefully towards her with a smirk and drag her away from the hands of her dance partner.

    She couldn¡¯t help but notice how firm his grip on her waist was, how intoxicating he smelled and oh how beautiful he looked under the open sky with a devilish smirk on.

    ¡± Don¡¯t stop on my ount darling, I don¡¯t bite.¡±

    The breathy voice of Aaron filled her senses, his eyes challenged her to continue, to show him just what she was made of, and in that instant, like a defiant queen, she was more than ready to do that.

    The music changed and Deloise lost it. Literally. Her waist moved in a manner that caused jaws to drop. She worked her waist in a way that seemed both dreamy and unreal to the onlookers.

    Aaron was pleasantly surprised. For the first time ever, he was d he listened to the incessant talks from Tony to attend this year¡¯s party. He allowed himself to feel all that Deloise had to offer and for the first time ever, he felt high.

    Not from the drink he earlier had but from her ¨C an all consuming woman he couldn¡¯t seem to figure out.

    Soon the music slowed and so did the dancing. The duo swirled around, looking into the other¡¯s eyes, searching for something they didn¡¯t know or understand.

    At that moment, Aaron realized something. She was utterly beautiful. Her beauty, for the first time in his life, caught him off guard. His heart palpitations grew as they danced with little to no space between them.

    Their eyes spoke a thousand words withheld by the palpable tension between them. Wrapped in the moment, the duo failed to realize the racked up audience. Photos and videos were recorded of them in that haze.

    Unknown to them, in the midst of that audience was none other than Ste. Who sported a disgruntled face with furious eyes at the scene ying before her.

    Unable to do anything, she stormed out of the party, filled with wrath which only grew as she reyed the intimate scene over again.

 DDD 36

    The next day, Deloise woke up with a headache she described as demonic. Her head pounded while she attempted opening her eyes properly.

    A blinding streak of sunlight made her deck underneath her pillow. She sat up and memories of the previous night poured into her consciousness ¨C reminding her of the very reason her head was in a terrible state.

    Of course it was the drink! She was such a deadbeat when it came to drinking and always found the morning after horrific.

    Again, she promised never to get drunk again, this time around, hoping she actually lived up to it. Feeling the urge to ease herself, Deloise attempted getting up on her feet but was brought back to bed by the sudden dizziness she felt.

    Due to the unexpected give away of her feet, she felt queasy and the urge to puke was uncontroble. Before she could get to the toilet area, she emptied the content of her stomach on the floors and La walked in.

    ¡± Oh my goodness! Are you alright?! ¡± The worried voice of La asked upon seeing her roommate doubled over on the floor. ¡± I knew I shouldn¡¯t have left! Here¡¯s some water.¡± She said, handing over a bottle of water she got from her little time out.

    ¡± Remind me never to drink again.¡± Deloise said, feeling embarrassed to be seen in such a state. She regretted drinking so much the night before but when she thought of how the night panned out, she didn¡¯t know how to feel.

    ¡± No need to feel shy.¡± La said after directing her back to bed, then took up a mop stick. ¡± I¡¯ve seen worse.¡± She said with a smile as she got to work.

    ¡± How are you even standing?¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t understand how she wasn¡¯t hungover. La had taken multiple drinks the night before yet she was up and doing like nothing happened.

    ¡± Uhm, with my legs? ¡± She replied with augh, ¡°I have a big tolerance for alcohol. I guess I never really get drunk, just tipsy.¡± She exined to Deloise who stared at her like she developed a second head.

    ¡± I don¡¯t even know what to say. My head¡¯s banging. You are so lucky you don¡¯t get to experience this.¡± Deloise looked sour. ¡± Now I taste like vomit. I need to freshen up.¡± She got up on her feet, this time around, walking slowly to avoid getting hazy.

    ¡± Alright. By the time you¡¯re done, the special soup will be ready.¡±

    Deloise headed on to freshen up as quickly as possible. In a few minutes, she was out and as per La¡¯s words, there was some hangover soup ready for her consumption alongside other mouth watering dishes.

    By the time she was done with the soup, she felt a tad bit better and indulged in a friendly conversation with her friend and roommate.

    ¡± You went crazy! The whole school is probably still talking aboutst night¡¯s events. I knew you had it in you! ¡± La chatted excitedly.

    During her little jog out, she¡¯d overheard multiple conversations about Aaron and ¡®some girl ¡® who lit up the party the night before.

    Of course she stayed back and listened for as much as she could before returning home. She felt like a proud mom, having been the sole reason Deloise made it to the party, talk more of dancing so closely with the industry¡¯s prince.

    ¡± It¡¯s not that serious. I danced with multiple guys, you¡¯re taking this to another level.¡± Deloise said, downying the hype.

    ¡± The whole school is taking it to another level! You needed to have seen yourselfst night. Took over the damned party!¡±

    Truthfully, Deloise had an inkling of the fact that she probably lost it the night before. What was she thinking to actually dance and grind on the jerk?! He was probably thinking she was mesmerized by his alluring orbs, sensual voice and gorgeous body.

    Focus Deloise, focus!This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    What was she even thinking? She couldn¡¯t let herself be swayed by the little hup experienced between them the night before. At least not until he was decent enough to actually pen out an apology.

    Until then, he¡¯s still an arrogant and evil jerk who insulted and beat her at her lowest point. Not to talk of the person who went out of his way to insult her mother.

    Yeah right, he was still that guy.

    ¡± Honestly, I don¡¯t really care. They can talk all they want. It¡¯ll die down eventually.¡±

    Meanwhile, on the other side of things, Tony and Aaron were seated in the living area. They had just finished eating some brunch as a result of their night out which prompted their sleeping in.

    They were both knackered from the night before and figured it was best to return to Aaron¡¯s to pass the remainder of the night. A decision that led to Tony being a pest about what happened the night before.

    ¡± Look me in the eye and tell me you didn¡¯t enjoy it! Heck, even if you did that, I still wouldn¡¯t believe you.¡± Tony geeked, milking him of every information.

    ¡± It was just a dance! I can¡¯t wrap my head on why you¡¯re being so overbearing about it. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s the first I¡¯ve danced with in a party.¡± He defended.

    ¡± But she¡¯s different from the rest! Don¡¯t even think about lying. That much was obvious from your rtions with her. Taking her away from her dance partner like some alpha wolf marking his territory? You can¡¯t downy this even if you tried.¡±

    ¡± Don¡¯t be delusional. This isn¡¯t a fairy tale or some movie script. I¡¯m only going to say this once so listen carefully; it was just a dance.¡± He said, enunciating every syble as though trying to be as clear as possible.

    ¡± A meaningful dance. One that we are all gushing about. Don¡¯t get me started on the news on campus. Have you seen the videos? Apparently, beautiful stole Ste¡¯s ce and honestly speaking, I don¡¯t mind having her instead. ¡± Tony said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively

    Aaron felt at loss for words. He knew the night before was intense but he wasn¡¯t about to humour his friend or anyone else.

    Heck he wasn¡¯t even about to humour himself that there was something there. And so, he opted for doing what he knew best.

    Heughed. So loud that Tony felt he¡¯s gone berserk.

    ¡± Okay, listen to me. I¡¯d rather have a mentally impaired person than have her alright. Don¡¯t forget she¡¯s a crazy woman. And no amount of dancing can change that.¡± He said offhandedly while the jaws of Tony dropped open.

    How could he be so insensitive?!

    At that moment, Ste walked into the home, looking especially sweetened as she had overheard Aaron¡¯s words. Contrary to her former disposition uponing, she felt a lot better!

    ¡± Good morning guys! What¡¯s up?¡± She said as soon as her presence was made known.

    ¡± Great! Just discussing Aaron¡¯s little gossip fromst night.¡± Tony chirped, gunning for Ste¡¯s reaction.

    ¡± It¡¯s just gossip. It¡¯ll die in due time.¡± She replied offhandedly and sat close to Aaron. ¡± I¡¯m hungry! Let¡¯s cook something.¡±

    ¡± I¡¯m really not cut out for it. Maybeter. ¡± Aaron said, stifling a yawn.

    ¡± You know that there¡¯s a meeting tomorrow though, thest before filming. ¡± Ste Informed, desperate to continue the conversation. ¡± I can¡¯t wait to finally get the formal reading. It¡¯s all getting real.¡± She said excitedly.

    Aaron nodded at the news and like nature, he picked up his phone and texted Deloise, informing her of thetest development, not forgetting to highlight the fact that she shouldn¡¯t bete.

    Ste droned on, talking about everything and anything while the boys supported, addingments here and there.

    ****

    Deloise was in her room, ying on her phone when the message popped in. She couldn¡¯t help a natural smile that broke out upon seeing its content and immediately fired back an even craftier message, indicating her happiness to be actually informed and her expectancy of an apology for thest time.

    Aaron was surprised to see she sent a reply but before he could open it, a call came in, cutting him off and removing every trace of smile from his countenance.

    He picked up the call after excusing himself and before he could utter a greeting, he heard words that took breath out of his lungs.

    ¡± Grandma copsed.¡±

 DDD 37

    ¡± I won¡¯t stop until you talk to me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make this harder than it needs to be.¡±

    ¡°Esther!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it! I¡¯ming over.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡± You still aren¡¯t going to respond? ¡±

    Esther was seated in her study while her phone beeps continuously. She asionally stopped taking her records to update herself on the next string of messages from Daniel.

    Somehow, he got hold of her number and made it a habit to torture her with multiple strings of messages all demanding for her to talk.

    At some point, the whole thing became funny, she couldn¡¯t deny that the attention was something and she unconsciously found herself looking forward to the next string of messages.

    Today, she wasn¡¯t in the mood. She was having some setbacks in business which made her wound up in her little study, calcting the profits and losses of the past month. So far, results proved she¡¯s been cking and it wasn¡¯t good news.

    Daniel¡¯s unrelenting messages weren¡¯t helping either. At least at the moment.

    She read thest batch of messages, wondering if she was stalling the inevitable or just didn¡¯t want to see him. Her mind reminded her of the fact she was supposed to get him off her case as quickly as possible but she shut off that side of her.

    Deloise wasn¡¯t returning for the breaks and there was still ample time to get him permanently out of the way. Right now, she just had to focus on doing the needful and reeling in more customers in order to maintain a good living.

    Meanwhile, Daniel was at Elvis¡¯s office. Since his travel to the state, the friends duo had grown closer than ever. Whenever they met, there was always a bottomless pit of conversations ready to be had.

    It was like they were on a mission to cover every bit of action the other missed while away. Time and time again, they went out for drinks and hung out. They were their own boss and could afford the extra time.

    Today, Daniel¡¯s schedule was cleared up as a result of some alleged unforeseen circumstances. He decided to visit his friend¡¯s office once again.

    ¡± I know I said I needed a minute but you¡¯ve been on your phone the whole time. Are you sure you aren¡¯t the busy one? ¡± Elvis spoke after watching his friend type furiously on his phone for over two minutes.

    He was done with the document he was working on for sometime and realized maybe Daniel wasn¡¯t actually as free as he¡¯d announced upon entry.

    ¡± What? Are you looking for my attention now?¡± Daniel replied without bothering to look up. ¡± You didn¡¯t expect me to mope around waiting for your busy ass when the world¡¯s at my fingertips, right? I¡¯m a world star. I¡¯m busy even when I¡¯m not busy.¡± He said with faux arrogance.

    ¡± Easy, airhead. What are you doing though? Where are we headed today?¡± Elvis shut hisptop and stretched his limbs.

    ¡± I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t really feel like going out right now. The weather isn¡¯t so pleasant.¡±

    Daniel kept checking his phone which didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Elvis.

    ¡± I know right? The weather¡¯s been fluctuating recently. Whatever¡¯s keeping you in the state must be serious.¡± He said , ¡°There¡¯s nothing I wouldn¡¯t give to be in New York right now. ¡±

    ¡± I¡¯m done with the most important things I have to do here. I just like the feel of this state. I¡¯m thinking of getting myself a ce. Somewhere I could call my own instead of living off a hotel. ¡±

    ¡± Living off a five star hotel you mean?¡± Elvis interjected with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t get it though. What¡¯s with the sudden desire to have a ce here? Does it have something to do with the fact that a certain someone may or may not be living in the city?¡± He asked with a knowing smirk.

    ¡± I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying man. I¡¯mfortable with the calm here and that¡¯s it. You can imagine whatever you like but that¡¯s on you.¡±

    Daniel didn¡¯t feel like entertaining his friend¡¯s suggestive questions. Heck, he was beginning to get angry himself. He kept on checking his phone to see if maybe, just maybe he lucked out but still¡­ nothing.

    She ignored him as usual.

    The most hurtful part of it was the fact that he was sure she¡¯d read them. She just chooses to ignore them ¨C to ignore him. He was beginning to lose it. He wasn¡¯t a patient man. He¡¯d been so patient that now, he thought of taking matters into his own hands.

    Maybe make do on one of his promises. Make her understand that he wasn¡¯t bluffing after all.

    Daniel jolted up and Elvis wondered if he lost his mind.

    ¡± I suddenly have something to do. I¡¯ll call you!¡± He said and immediately left the office in fast strides. He was going to confront her. He was going to be heard. He¡¯d make sure of that.

    Elvis watched his friend with fascinated eyes as he muttered to himself while leaving his office. His mind could onlye up with one fact. Whatever¡¯s got him still in the city, got a choke hold on him.

    *****

    Esther was done with the tedious side of her business. She wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of the calctive side of it and was honestly happy to be done with it.

    She enjoyed baking from a very young age and when she decided to try out her hand as a professional baker, she never looked back since.

    Baking was second nature to her. At a very young age, she realized her love for the kitchen and the process of creating delicious meals. Her mother was a great cook too and sometimes, she led herself to believe it was from her.

    Esther walked out of her home with a key in hand. She needed to quickly grab some things for the chocte cake order she received. An order which came with a strict deadline and good money.

    She was born for it.

    The moment she stalked out her door steps, she was met with the very familiar and hovering presence of a delicious smelling man.

    The scent of his masculine assemge was one capable of bringing every woman down to a feverish convulsion of attraction. An Attraction she so fiercely felt but determined not to allow him the joy of seeing her whither in immense attraction to him.

    ¡± What do you want?¡±

    Her tone was razor sharp and her eyes morphed into an icy cold re. She needed to get this over with as quickly as possible. She wondered just how long she could keep off the facade of being irritated before he finally decided he was going to leave.

    ¡± You.¡±

    Daniel said in a sensual tone, his lips tilted to the right in ax smirk. He stood still, unaffected by her not so joyful reception and happy to finally hear something from her. It¡¯s been a while.

    ¡± Don¡¯t mock yourself, Daniel. I¡¯m in no mood for your childish behavior. Don¡¯t you have something to do? ¡± She asked with exasperation.

    ¡± I have nothing else to do. Not to be a perv but you have refused to reply to my messages and calls, what else can I do?¡±

    ¡± Leave me alone.¡±

    She said it like it was simple math.

    ¡± No. Where are you off to? I can give you a lift. We can talk on the way, just¡­ Please don¡¯t walk away. ¡±

    Before Daniel could finish his rant, Esther was off and in her car. She threw him a nce which clearly warned him not to follow after her and started her car to life and left him standing on her front porch.

    Daniel stood for a while. A million and one thoughts ran through his mind. He was losing hope on ever getting to talk to her. With slumped shoulders, he beelined for his car and immediately headed for his hotel.

    He needed some alone time.

 DDD 38

    Deloise got up with a broad smile. she somehow managed to beat time in itself and woke up before her rm could do its job.

    It was surprising as she wasn¡¯t a morning person, but at the same time, it was expected. Today was thest get together before the filming of the movie and she was determined not to show upte.

    The meeting was scheduled for nine but she took it upon herself to be up at least two hours before. She wasn¡¯t taking chances. With happy steps, Deloise got to preparing for the day.

    As usual, La wasn¡¯t her biggest fan and grumbled ceaselessly of how she needed some quiet as it was still too early in the morning. Deloise dulled her humming, something she didn¡¯t realize she was doing at the time.

    One would think she hit the lottery with how good she was feeling. She wondered if it was a dopamine rush and took intentional steps to control herself in order to avoid getting moody in theter times.

    She learned the hard way that too much of everything wasn¡¯t good.

    Soon enough, Deloise was ready to hit the streets. This time around, she got her breakfast order to go and headed to the venue of the meeting. Due to the size of the people expected, the meeting was moved to the very hall where she did her first live audition.

    She couldn¡¯t predict if it was a good or bad thing but she leaned to the former. It was in this very hall she got the role so she figured today was going to be a good day.

    So far, she managed to rewrite her history with this meeting. She wasn¡¯tte, neither was she being screamed at or threatened. Yeah, it was a good day.

    In due time, people poured into the ce. No doubt ready to meet their colleagues for the filming. Deloise greeted as many that would have her and subconsciously waited for the arrival of a certain person with eager eyes.

    Not that there was anything special about him but she couldn¡¯t help checking the doors at the entrance of a new person. Call it an instinctive reaction.

    When everyone else got into the hall, she was left wondering if he was about to miss a meeting he¡¯d so graciously and personally invited her to. In the congregation of people were the entirety of the production personnel. Every single detail was represented by the adequate person as nned.

    It was like a sea of people gathered together to make the script a reality and Deloise couldn¡¯t be anymore happier.

    She was finally doing this!

    While Deloise made mental notes of the personalities gathered, the door suddenly swung open. The force of it drew the attention of so many, If not everyone to the door area, momentarily stopping every sort ofmunication.

    Aaron walked in, looking a shadow of himself and sporting a stormy weather countenance. Noticing the big ck cloud over his head, they all watched him enter and take a seat away from the chaos and wandering eyes.

    Aaron¡¯s dramatic entrance was cut short by the arrival of Mr Austin. With sharpened senses, he began the meeting, exining why the main director was yet to be seen and the fact that they would bemencing filming without him for the meantime.

    Deloise listened with rapt attention, making sure to grasp as much as she could while somehow giving attention to the grumpy guy seated far behind in solitude.

    You know who that grumpy guy was.

    After about an hour and thirty minutes, the meeting was done with and everyone was more enlightened on the different roles they were to y for the sess of the filming. All they had to do was prepare themselves for the job which was set tomence in a week¡¯s time.

    The meeting hall was crowded and noisy after the meeting and everyone familiarized themselves, wanting to create a good working rtionship with as many people as possible.

    Deloise wasn¡¯t left out. She spoke with some people and soon enough, she was tearing her way towards the direction of Aaron. Somehow, she felt something was up with him and the fact that he remained unmoving even after the meeting only told her she wasn¡¯t far from the truth.

    When she got to him, she took a stance without a word in front of him. Almost urging him to break the silence and say something.

    A grueling minute passed and there was still no word. The only difference was the whispers going around with eyes trained on them. Two of which Aaron didn¡¯t care about but that wasn¡¯t the case of Deloise.

    ¡± So what? You¡¯re just going to ignore me even when I¡¯m right in front of you?¡± She spoke, her tone almost daring.

    Still¡­ nothing.

    ¡± For someone who told me the actual time this meeting was taking ce, why were youte?¡± Deloise spoke again after a sharp minute.

    She was talking to a brick wall. Aaron didn¡¯t say anything and after a few seconds, he got up with a huff and made to leave his spot but Deloise caught him by his arm.

    It was an involuntary reaction which caused her face to redden at the sudden contact with his oh so masculine arm.

    The almost euphoric reaction of Deloise was cut off when Aaron yanked his arm like one touched by a scalding hot iron.

    ¡± What is wrong with you?! Can¡¯t you read the fucking room?! Oh damn it! Don¡¯t tell me you are getting all over me because of one stupid Dance!¡± Aaron bellowed to the hearing of everyone and the bewilderment of Deloise.

    ¡± NNo¡­ I j-just¡±

    ¡± Just listen to me, girl.¡± Aaron interrupted her attempts at exining. ¡± Whatever happened then was meaningless. Get that into your head and leave me the fuck alone! The rest of you too!¡±

    Upon hearing thest statement, the many people who were spectators of the drama averted their eyes, no one wanted to get snapped at.

    Aaron proceeded walking out but was once again caught by Deloise. This time around, by his shirt. Her face portrayed the humiliation and embarrassment she felt at his little stunt.

    ¡± Apologize.¡±

    It was the only word she was able to get out. This time around, she wasn¡¯t going to let him walk all over her in front of an audience. Her stance was determined and resilient.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

    With one swift and effective pull, Aaron¡¯s shirt was out of the hands of Deloise and without as much of a nce back, he left the hall, leaving her to hang dry in front of the colleagues.

    Deloise couldn¡¯t exin what had transpired and struggled to keep her tears at bay. She had somehow managed to make a fool of herself once again.

    The bitter taste of regret immediately engulfed her. Why did she have to talk to him in the first ce? Thanks to another mistake on her part, she had be an object of ridicule.

    Meanwhile, Aaron headed straight to his car from the meeting hall. He was supposed to head over to his grandma¡¯s when he realized that he needed to attend that meeting.

    It killed him not knowing how she was at every passing second which made him distracted and temperamental. Inside his car, he ced a call to the family doctor asking about her predicament and was told she was discharged and relegated to some home treatments.

    A news that didn¡¯t quite go down well with him but there was only much he could do when it came to his Ma¡¯s decisions. Mrs ckman was always a woman of herself.

    Barely escaping being ticketed, Aaron finally got to his ma¡¯s home. He dashed into the house calling out to know where she was as he headed into her room.

    Upon entry, he was met with arge muscr back in a ck suit. The presence of the familiar yet unfamiliar person filled the room and simultaneously worsened Aaron¡¯s countenance.

    ¡± Hello, Brother.¡±

    The bass voice of the supposed intruder said with an arrogant smile. One that wasn¡¯t visible as a result of the fact he didn¡¯t bother to reveal himself to Aaron.

    ¡± Where is ma?¡± Aaron replied, cutting straight to the point. His tone grotusque and curt.

    ¡± Now that¡¯s no way to talk to your brother, is it, Aaron?¡± He asked, turning around with his hands deep in his suit pants.

    ¡± Moses.¡± Aaron said in acknowledgement, his hands firmly ced by his sides as a result of the sport shorts he had on. He never anticipated meeting him, else he would have dressed the part.

    ¡± How is it going with whatever you¡¯re doing? Still enjoy selling your pretty face to indulgent girls? ¡± He asked with a mockingugh.

    ¡± How about you? Still sucking the frail dick of ¡±

    Before Aaron could finish his statement, Moses headed for his throat, strangling him with anger.

    ¡± Don¡¯t you dare use that bastard mouth of yours to¡±

    ¡± ENOUGH! ¡± The frail voice of Mrs ckman bellowed, causing the men duo to fall apart from the other with eyes focused on her. ¡°Both of you, Leave.¡± She ordered, her hand ced on her head.

    ¡± Ma ¡±

    ¡± Grandma¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t want to hear it! ¡±

    Knowing that Mrs ckman wasn¡¯t one to be taken lightly, they both headed out of the room, suppressing emotions and ring at the other.

    After a while, Aaron headed back into the room and met his Grandma fast asleep. He couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d been robbed of an opportunity because of him! The most infuriating part of it was that he¡¯d let him have thest words.

    Like an unending cycle, the words of his step brother kept running in his headspace.

    ¡± You¡¯ll surelye begging, boy. Like the mistake you are, you¡¯d realize you made a big mistake. ¡°

 DDD 39

    Aaron returned to campus seething. The fact that his grandma didn¡¯t give him the time of the day brought a bitter taste to his mouth.

    The worst part was he couldn¡¯t seem to get his brother¡¯s words out of his head. The words of Moses kept ringing in his head while he navigated the way to his apartment.

    On getting inside, he shut the door and after two seconds of standing aloofly, all hell broke loose. He pushed down themp stand in his living room.

    Still not pacified, Aaron walked through the chards of ss and threw down the television, he used his legs to finish up the Job, grunting and panting all the way.

    After about thirty minutes of venting his anger on his properties, the entire living room was in Chaos. The entire floor was covered in broken sses and his palm dripped blood.

    Aaron didn¡¯t seem to notice he was hurt. The pain he felt in his heart overpowered every other feeling. No matter how much he tried to block out the words from his head, or how much he talked to himself, his mind would in turn whisper the very words that always lit fire in his heart.

    ¡± You¡¯ll surelye begging, boy. Like the mistake you are, you¡¯d realize you made a big mistake. ¡±

    Every single time he relived the mocking voice of Aaron, the urge to strangle him grew unbearable. At this point, the only thing that pacified his anger was the thought of watching him struggle for air underneath him.

    His murderous intent was sessfully tripled. Something that somehow managed to happen whenever he got to a five feet radius from him.

    Aaron wanted to shut off his bizarre thoughts but to no avail. He immediately headed on to the kitchen, grabbed some alcohol and made way to his bedroom.

    His chaotic mind screamed in chastisement, reminding him that he was supposed to be on set early the following day but he ignored it and without a second thought, opened the drink and gulped directly from the bottle.

    After about five mouthfuls, he felt the buzz hit him and his senses dulled. For the first time ever, he experienced an unusual calm. Call it the calm after the storm.

    Aaron continued in that pace till well into the night, not thinking of anything as he drank the sweet poison to stupor, unable to help himself.

    ******

    It was filming day and Deloise woke up early and excited! She immediately prepared herself and stepped out of her room to meet up with the car supposed to take them off campus for the shoot.

    Soon enough, she joined some of her colleagues in a minivan chartered to convey them to the shooting scene. As expected, everyone was in a ball of nerves but somehow managed to chat all through the short ride, getting acquainted and sharing thoughts.

    Deloise didn¡¯t talk during the entire ride but instead, attempted rereading her lines which didn¡¯t work out as a result of her bundle of nerves. She felt intimidated as she watched some of her colleagues discuss how they hacked into their character¡¯s personality and couldn¡¯t wait to perform.

    Meanwhile, she was just there, observing everyone and nursing cold feet. She so dearly prayed that she wouldn¡¯t fold up when it was time to get her shit together and instead focused on bing calm and confident enough.

    Thirty minutes into the drive, Deloise¡¯ ringtone red into the air. Not expecting a call, she was taken by surprise while the others took a nce at her direction before resuming their conversations.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Happy to be rid of all their attention, Deloise swiped to the right and the call connected. It was Amanda.

    ¡± Hey sweetie! How are you doing?¡± The cherry voice of Amanda sauntered into her ears, propelling a smile from Deloise.

    ¡± I¡¯m alright, just trying to make it to the filming in one piece.¡± She joked, some part of her serious about that fact.

    ¡± Oh dear! Forgive me, I almost forgot today was your first day.¡± Amanda said with a dramatic apologetic tone.

    Deloise chuckled at her friend¡¯s words, ¡± You didn¡¯t almost forget, You forgot.¡± She corrected with a smile, every residual feeling of uncertainty melted away.

    ¡± Same thing. You know I love you though.¡± She quickly replied, ¡± That reminds me, I found out why Anna has been such a ray of sunshely.¡± She said with a sarcastic voice. ¡± Apparently, a pretty boy dumped her ass. I tried asking her about it and she went wild on me. Never returned after that.¡± Amanda managed to exin in one breath.

    Deloise felt her heart prick at the notion of Anna being dumped by some boy but at the same time, she couldn¡¯t really do anything about it. She was well aware that her input wasn¡¯t needed anymore and she stood the risk of being bitten if she got herself involved like Amanda.

    You know the saying; Once bitten, twice shy.

    ¡± Maybe that¡¯s why she¡¯s been a mean girl to me recently. She probably needs space to hash things out. Whenever she feels ready, she knows where to find me.¡± Deloise said thoughtfully.

    ¡± Don¡¯t mind her darling. As much as she is being very annoying right now, she wille to her senses. I¡¯m sorry about her, don¡¯t dwell on her current episode, with time, I believe she¡¯lle to her senses.¡±

    ¡± I hope so.¡±

    ¡± Focus on your filming. Don¡¯t let these things bother you and make sure to kill it out there. Show that haughty man that you are the ish, okay?¡± She said with a prepped voice.

    ¡± Definitely.¡± Deloise replied with a smile. Amanda always had a way around words. She felt lucky to have her support.

    ¡± Good. Have a great day then, I have to go. Call meter and fill me in on how it went!¡±

    Without another word, two beeps were heard on the line, signaling the end of the call. Deloise looked up and realized they were pulling up to a clearing.

    It¡¯s showtime.

    Deloise walked out of the van feeling more confident than she felt through the ride. It was like she was possessed and felt there was nothing she couldn¡¯t do.

    On sighting the setup of the shooting area, she felt a full circle moment in the depth of her heart. For the first time ever, she actually got to be in a real life production setting.

    What God cannot do, does not exist!

    With a smile, she walked through the area, drinking everything in while feeling excited to get in character. She could feel her role wing the walls of her mind frame, itching to be let out with the live-in set-up she saw.

    After fifteen minutes, an announcement was made for the actors to be gathered. With a general address, the stand in manager requested they all head to prepare themselves. Spaces were allocated for dress up and make up and they all dispersed.

    Deloise was given a pod to herself as the female lead alongside one of the best make up artists in the industry. She felt positive that her day could only get better from here on.

    Inside the private pod, Deloise was getting prepared. She shared little talk with the artist in an attempt to fill the silence.

    ¡± I bet you¡¯ve done this a thousand times, how was your first time doing make up for a clientele?¡± Deloise asked while brushes mmed her face.

    ¡± Terrible.¡± The artist said with a cringe.¡± I almost glued shut the eyes of my sister.¡± She said with a littleugh.

    ¡± Thank goodness it was your sister.¡± Deloise joined in theugh.

    ¡± More like thank goodness she let me continue practicing on her.¡±

    ¡± Ha, that too!¡±

    The atmosphere was easy going until the door suddenly flew open and Ste walked in with an air of arrogance. Her formidable eyes hidden behind big ck rimmed sses.

    ¡± Get out.¡± She said Icily. Her eyes fixated on Deloise with a disgruntled look.

 DDD 40

    ¡± I believe you¡¯re not deaf, girl. I asked you to leave.¡± Ste reiterated while Deloise stared in confusion.

    ¡± Uh sorry butst I checked, this is my allocated¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t want to hear it! I came in here first so you can head over to themunal area to finish up whatever you have going.¡± Ste interrupted, snapping her feet as she ordered.

    ¡± This pod was designated for the female lead. Which happens to be me. I don¡¯t have an issue with you, take it up with the manager if there¡¯s a problem.¡± Deloise snapped. There was only so much she could tolerate so early in the job.

    ¡± You must be feeling like some queen. Let me burst your bubble hunny, in this game, I¡¯m your senior. Hell, I¡¯m your mother in this industry, so you better watch your tone when speaking with me because I sure as hell could end you before you even begin.¡± She threatened, her eyes shooting daggers.

    Deloise got on her feet, unable to y the role of a bigger person anymore. This witch was asking for it this time around.

    ¡± What the hell is your problem? Are you here to pick a bone with me or something because I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on with you. If I¡¯ve done something then speak clearly and stop hiding behind cowardly words.¡±

    ¡± So she speaks! The crybaby speaks! Haha, I don¡¯t have time to waste with you, darling. Get out of my spot so I can get ready, or are you trying to sabotage me? Scared that everyone would realize that you aren¡¯t female lead material after all?¡±

    Ste taunted and with every word got even closer to Deloise personal space, trying to elicit some sort of reaction.

    ¡± You are crazy.¡± Deloise said with conviction. She turned towards the make-up artist who stood beside her and said again. ¡± She¡¯s gone bananas. Someone pleasee get their child.¡±

    ¡± I¡¯m crazy? I¡¯m crazy, right? I will show you crazy! ¡±

    Ste reached for Deloise¡¯ hair and in no time, she was screaming in pain and trying to free herself from the irond hold on her hair.

    ¡± Get the fuck out of my world! Do you hear me?! Take your shit and get out!¡± Ste screamed into her ears, tightening her grip.

    ¡± Oh my goodness ma¡¯am, let her go!¡± Said the make updy who was stunned at the esction of things.

    ¡± Get out! Out! Out!! Out!!! ¡±

    Upon seeing the murderous intent on Ste¡¯s face, the makeup artist dashed out of the pod, she scoured the vicinity in search of the manager hoping to diffuse the situation.

    Deloise on the other hand grew angry the more Ste assaulted her. She couldn¡¯t believe she had once idolized such a maniac. In that moment, she took back every single respect she orded her and vehemently pulled her hair in retaliation.

    Two could y this game.

    It wasn¡¯t up to a minute of Ste screaming like a goat inbour before the pod crowded.

    ¡± What in heaven¡¯s name is going on here, Ladies?! ¡±

    A voice that belonged to ady screeched, causing the duo to momentarily disengage and look up at the owner.

    ¡± Everyone! Nothing to see here. Go back to your designated roles.¡± The middle aged woman ordered with a stern voice while the little crowd dispersed to their spots with murmurs on what they witnessed.

    Everyone else left sans the makeup artist, Ste, Deloise and the woman who they recognized as the interim manager in charge of the production.

    ¡± I am going to excuse you for your irrational actions today. You may leave.¡±

    The middle aged woman said with a stern voice, looking pointedly at Ste.

    ¡± But¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t want to hear it. Leave or I will take it up with the board.¡± She threatened.

    ¡± Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve won. Consider yourself lucky. This ce stinks anyways.¡±

    Ste strutted out of the pod with her nose in the air, happy to have thest word. Upon joining the others at themunal make up area, the whole ce goes quiet while watchful eyes traced her in hindsight.

    ¡± Nothing to see here! Focus on your business.¡± She bellowed angrily and after a while, everything resumed as normal.

    Meanwhile, inside the make up pod, Deloise felt disappointed in herself. How could she have stooped so low as to get in a physical altercation on her first day? It wasn¡¯t news that something was after her life but on her first day?!

    With a somber expression she said, ¡± I¡¯m so sorry, I honestly didn¡¯t know what came over me, I just¡±

    ¡± Nonsense! You shouldn¡¯t apologize, Betty here already informed me on what transpired. This is more of a rescue mission on your side.¡± The woman¡¯s countenance was better than before. She even had a little smile. ¡± I¡¯ve heard rumours on how Ste could be but I wasn¡¯t expecting to see her live in action.¡± She said with a tut.

    ¡± Um thank you?¡± Deloise said in an awkward tone.

    How else could she react to this better turn of events? She was so used to being screamed at ¨C she didn¡¯t expect anything different.

    ¡± Oh don¡¯t be shy! You can go now, Betty. I¡¯ll finish up with her. ¡± She said to the makeup artist who nodded in return and wandered out of the pod.

    ¡± Now that¡¯s settled, I hope you don¡¯t mind me filling in for her..¡±

    ¡± Deloise. Deloise Tanner. And I¡¯d be honored to have you do my make up.¡± Deloise replied with a smile, so far this woman was one of nicest people she¡¯d met and she sought out the best way to nicely ask for her name.

    ¡± Beautiful. Let¡¯s get to it then. I¡¯m Doris, by the way. Doris Sylvester, a manager at Evolve.¡± She introduced and picked up some brushes, effectively beginning the job.

    ¡± Nice to meet you, Doris. Evolve, you said?¡±

    ¡± Yeah. I was sent over here to scout the area. You know, put my eyes out for any hidden gems on the production.¡±

    ¡± Um I think you lost me. Hidden gems how? What is Evolve?¡±

    Deloise was confused while Ms Doris looked at her like she grew a second head.

    ¡± You¡¯re kidding.¡± Ms Doris said but upon seeing the genuine nk look from Deloise, her eyes literally popped out from her sockets.

    ¡± You really mean that?! You don¡¯t know about Evolve Management?! How are you even here?¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t help but grow red. Apparently it was clear to everybody just how new she was to the entertainment scene.

    ¡± Well, sort of bagged a schrship and got transferred here two weeks ago.¡± She exined.

    ¡± Where do you mean here?¡±

    It took a moment for Deloise to realize that they weren¡¯t actually in Royal arts at the moment.

    ¡± Royal Arts Academy.¡± She affirmed.

    ¡± Okay.. so how did yound a role as the female lead of a production such as this? You even beat Ste Davis to it! No offense.¡±

    ¡± None taken. It¡¯s just beginner¡¯s luck, I think?¡±

    Deloise went ahead to fill her in on how she got to Royal Arts andnded her first gig. After hearing her story, Ms Doris gauged her with a different look. There was something about her and she was ready to see ite to y.

    ¡± Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m a lot more interested in you after all of that. Since it¡¯s literally your first time navigating these waters, I¡¯ll help you settle in as much as I can. But first you need some vital information so let me be your intel.¡±

    Deloise nodded in agreement. She needed all the help and information she could get and felt grateful to be given such attention by a high profile woman.

    ¡± First, Evolve.¡± She began like a teacher introducing the topic of the day. ¡± Evolve talent management International is the leading talent managementpany in New York. As the name entails, we manage the talents and creative gifts of people and groom them into world ss stars from a young age. Every year we recruit people with credible achievements and abilities and help push their craft into the world¡¯s view where every creative belongs. Be it musicians, writers, artists, actors, you name it. There¡¯s a ce for you.¡±

    ¡± Wow.. it¡¯s like another Royal Arts Academy. Just¡­bigger.¡± Deloise sported a dumbfounded look. It was a lot to take in. At that moment, she knew she needed to get more educated.

    ¡°Bigger is right. But most importantly, we house the best talent managers which give each of our worthy clients the best we have to offer. You know, making money from that God given talent.¡± She added.

    Ms Doris looked at the time, it was almost time for the filming. She dropped the brushes and spoke with a smile. ¡± I think our lesson ends for now. You look beautiful, Deloise. See youter.¡±

    Deloise could only nod and watch Ms Doris head out of the ce. Shaking off the overwhelming feeling, she reached out for her costume and with a sigh, began the process of undressing.

    After a few minutes of dressing, Deloisees out looking nothing short of stunning. Her beautiful white dress perfectly suited her and brought out the brown orbs that were her eyes.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    She was to y the role of a docile wife for the first scene who was being mistreated by a cheating husband and Mistress. She looked wless and looked forward to actually shooting the first scene which entailed her getting verbally abused by her husband.

    When Deloise got out of her pod, she received nces and a sprinkle ofpliments beforeing face to face with the devil himself ¨C Aaron.

    She took in a sharp breath while the monster of a man silently sized her up with no reaction. Other than the slight opening of his lips which was immediately rectified, he walked away without allowing her ample time to gauge the possible causes of his beaten up face.

    She definitely saw a bruising or two on his face. Someone was apparently finally getting the job done. Such a pity his pretty face had to suffer along with him.

    The moment the thought entered her mind space, she kicked it out with all her might wondering what the heck she was spewing.

    Pretty face? Yeah right. He¡¯s more of a brooding multteral asshole.

    Deloise felt satisfied after that little but needed correction, she continued her walk to a bench and for the nth time practiced her lines.

    A few minutester, she was stunned to see a well polished Aaroning out of a shade and walking purposefully towards the set. She couldn¡¯t lie, he was beautiful.

    ¡± Everyone! Come together! It¡¯s time! ¡°

 DDD 41

    The atmosphere was tense as the barking of a man filled the air.

    ¡± Why did you go near my things?! Did I not warn you to stay away from this room?!¡±

    The little voice of a scared woman followed. ¡± I¡¯m s-so sorry, I just wanted to h-help wash t-them.¡±

    ¡± Wash?! For what? You suddenly want to y the role of the maid, right? So be it! You¡¯ll be assigned some domestic duties around the house. After all, you need to earn your keep for living here.¡± The man said in a cynical tone.

    ¡± N-no that¡¯s n-not it. I¡¯m your wife, Hughes. It¡¯s my duty to c-care for your needs.¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    In response to that, a huge breathyughter ensued. ¡± W-wife? ¡± Heughed again, this time around, much longer. ¡± Don¡¯t joke around, woman. You lost that right the moment you choose to frolic with my brother.¡± He said Icily. ¡± If you want to be a wife, you can head over to him like you¡¯ve always done. Leave my stuff alone!¡± He bellowed, grabbed the shirt in her hand and stormed out of the room.

    The woman, visibly hurt, headed to the king sized bed in the middle of the room in deep thought.

    ¡± You can take it, it¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± She muttered to herself in constion, focusing on her five year old son with a determination to make it work.

    ¡± CUT! ¡±

    The director yelled and the first scene was finalized. It took a second before people began breathing again.

    ¡± Phew, that was intense! ¡± A videographer said the minds of everyone which resulted in affirmative nods from almost everyone in the room.

    ¡± That was gold. I have a good feeling about this. Good job guys! Especially Ms Deloise and Aaron. We are wrapped for today so you can take the remnants of the day off. You deserve it.¡± The film director said with a smile, obviously happy with the results of the first scene.

    Deloise and Aaron were all smiles. Perfunctory smiles. People threwments,plimenting just how real the scene felt and their acting prowess which they could only appreciate.

    Deloise was on cloud nine. She couldn¡¯t believe she actually did that! Her first shooting as an actress. With the manypliments being thrown at her, she felt a surge of confidence rise from within her.

    She could do it after all. That fact washed away the previous insecurities and disaster stories her mind conjured to her torment.

    Now, she felt free. The liberal feeling she got from actually nailing the first scene in one-take as opposed to her usual self and thoughts caused an ecstatic reaction from within.

    One that couldn¡¯t be dulled by anyone ¨C not even Aaron.

    Speaking of Aaron. He was walking a few meters ahead of her while they made their way to the makeup area to change.

    She wondered just how bad of an idea it was to reach out to him again. They were going to be working closely throughout the job duration and as much as she envied how rxed,fortable and dope he seemed while they worked, she figured it wouldn¡¯t be too terrible to reach out to him with an olive branch.

    She¡¯d love to have a good working rtionship with him, so as to allow them work effectively. Knowing how dedicated he seemed to his work, she figured he wouldn¡¯t mind being civil with her. At least for the duration of the project.

    With that thought, she decided to act when they were close to the dressing area.

    ¡± Hey! That was intense, huh? ¡± She said with a soft smile which was reciprocated by a look of disdain. Notwithstanding, she continued. ¡± Listen, I know we didn¡¯t quite get off on a good start but things are a lot different now. Like it or not, we are in this project together and we need to be somewhat civil in order to work perfectly.¡±

    Aaron scoffed. ¡± I am doing just fine on my own, thanks.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? It¡¯s not about whether you¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it about? You? If you are so needy then maybe take some acting courses by the side or better still, forfeit the gig. There are thousands of people who are more than ready to take your spot.¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t help but feel aggravated. ¡± What is your problem? Would it kill you to be friends with me? To be nice for once?! Hell, I¡¯m giving an olive branch here and you couldn¡¯t just reel in your arrogance for a moment and think without your dick?¡±

    There was a moment of intense silence between the two who had somehow gotten even closer to the other. With eyes boiling rage, they red at each other. They took deep and intense breaths while at it and within a twinkle of an eye, they were kissing.

    Aaron captured her lips in a possessive kiss, not knowing what the hell came over him, while Deloise could only struggle to catch her breath. The kiss felt punishing, every shade of hot and sensual.

    Pressed against each other, the duo stumbled into Deloise¡¯ pod, tongue deep in each other¡¯s throats as Aaron dominated the kiss with hands groping her body.

    After what felt like forever, Aaron jolted away from Deloise as one burned by a scalding hot Iron. Deloise was a confused mess and before she could conjure something reasonable, Aaronshed out.

    ¡± I don¡¯t need friendship. Stay the fuck away from me and do your job properly!¡±

    With that, he stumbled out of the pod, wondering what the hell just happened and leaving behind a breathlessly stunned Deloise.

    After two seconds of immobility, Deloise stumbled out of the pod and surprisingly, found Aaron standing outside, backing her. She immediately grabbed his palm, which she noticed felt a bit too full. Bandaged?

    Not letting that deter her, she pulled him into the pod and in contrast to the multiple strings of word choices she¡¯d anticipated, her voice spoke in a small tone.

    ¡± What happened?¡± She asked, her eyes trained on his palm which was engulfed in a white bandage. He was hurt.

    Aaron¡¯s walls grew higher and with a stoic countenance, heughed. Heughed so mockingly that Deloise felt somewhat ufortable. Stupid even.

    ¡± What? One meaningless kiss and you think you are important?¡± His tone turned icy. ¡± Don¡¯t you ever grab me or ask stupid questions ever again. Like I said, mind your fucking business!¡± He yelled in her face and smirked when he noticed her jumpy reaction.

    He walked out the second time, leaving Deloise feeling more stupid than the first. Her eyes watered but she held strong, determined not to shed a tear for him.

    Meanwhile, Aaron headed straight to campus needing to be alone. His conscience wed at him and everytime he remembered how he destroyed her with his words, he grew resentment for himself.

    He shouldn¡¯t have kissed her. That was a terrible mistake. He didn¡¯t understand why he also deemed it necessary to rip her into shreds afterwards. After a while of self judgment, Aaron decided he was going to take responsibility and man up.

    She deserved an apology.

 DDD 42

    Deloise headed back to Royal Arts with a dark cloud over her head. She was unusually quiet and her colleagues felt an odd aura around her.

    Some people interpreted it as pride resulting from her sessful filming and snuck disdainful looks at her while others couldn¡¯t be bothered to care. Deloise was part of the crew who couldn¡¯t be bothered

    As the van drove out of the area, her mind returned to the moment she felt the soft lips of Aaron covering hers in a dominating kiss. No matter how many times she reyed the scene in her head, she managed to feel a flutter in her navel which gave her sensations she was apprehensive to figure out.

    The interesting thing was that every single time, she would rey the events after the kiss and she would feel tears threatening to break out of her eyes. After countlessly going through the unending ritual, one thing was clear to Deloise.

    She was not okay.

    She wanted to scream, w, and wreak havoc on everything around her. She needed to let out the strangling feeling in her chest and wanted Aaron to feel just how terrible she felt at the moment.

    As though she wasn¡¯t going through enough already, her mind subconsciously drew up a scene of Aaron being unaffected and going about his business like usual. While she remained confused, furious and hurt.

    It was at that point she figured she needed a distraction. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about why he kissed her. Why did he look so beat up and bandaged? Why was he so arrogant and overbearing? Why did she like the kiss of someone so arrogant and overbearing? Why she couldn¡¯t stop these useless strings of thoughts that only brought one dominant feeling.

    Hurt.

    Deloise felt she let herself down. She betrayed herself. She set herself up for this emotional turmoil by even speaking to him. What possessed her into thinking he was a decent man anyway? That he could actually be civil with her?

    Hmph! Ultimately, the joke was on her. She had once again messed up. No surprise there.

    With every thought string, a beautiful day gradually turned into a dark one. She wanted to retire to her bed and talk to her mother. She so terribly needed someone to ground her. Tell her she wasn¡¯t at fault for all the misfortunes that managed to create a web around her.

    In no time, she was out of the van and on her way to the room. She returned at noon and luckily for her, the room was empty. La was probably in ss and looking at the time, she had at least two hours to kill in solitude.

    Deloise picked her phone to call her mother but the moment she saw it, she felt discouraged. She wanted to talk to her mother about what was going on but something told her she was going to feel worse afterwards.

    Why wouldn¡¯t she? She¡¯s been lying through her teeth all these while and she didn¡¯t have the strength or mental capacity to handle a conversation with her mother.

    Knowing her mother, just a word from her was enough to tell she wasn¡¯t in a great mood and would in turn be forced to spill her guts on what the matter was.

    This was a matter she couldn¡¯t spill her guts on because she¡¯s been lying the whole time. She was far too deep to back out now. You know something about telling a lie? One lie would require a thousand others to keep it afloat.

    Deloise wasn¡¯t in the mood of telling anymore lies, so she opted to sleep. Of course her mind never shut off but this time around, she let herself rx into the bed.

    It was a matter of time before fatigue caught up with her and she slept off. Hoping to feel better afterwards.

    At the other side of town, Ste was seated in the office of Mr Austin, her countenance sour as she met the icy eyes of the director

    ¡± Whatever that was, let it never repeat itself. You hear me? ¡± He said in a reprimanding tone.

    ¡± You don¡¯t know what happened! She attacked me first! What do you propose I do? Let her walk over me because she is the main lead? The hell?!¡±

    ¡± Don¡¯t you dare raise your voice at me, Ste Davis! Do you know the embarrassment you caused me? The dent to your name? Whatever unresolved feelings you have towards Deloise, I advise to get it sorted out. Because I will not, I repeat! I will not condone any sort of misbehavior from you or anyone. No matter who they are.¡±

    Mr Austin stood on his feet, his arms ced firmly on his desk while he bellowed at an unrelenting Ste.

    ¡± What¡¯s with the girl anyway? I don¡¯t recall her auditioning for the film so how on earth did she be the female lead? ¡± She asked, her tone usatory.

    ¡± I¡¯ve warned you about this. There are lines that should not be crossed. The selection process credibility is one of those. Tost in this industry, you need to learn your ce.¡± Mr Austin was getting tired of Ste¡¯s stubbornness.

    ¡± Is that your slick way of putting me off? Because it¡¯s not working.¡± She deadpanned. ¡± I deserved that role. You know it. When did I be a second choice?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡± When you didn¡¯t make the cut. And oh ! maybe when you started acting like a spoiled brat. This conversation is over. I will not receive any other report concerning you or the filming or so help me God, I will kick you out of the set.¡± He said, the threat in his voice was clear.

    ¡± Okay, okay! I get it. No need to be so hostile.¡± Ste was stubborn but she wasn¡¯t stupid enough to take his threats unseriously. He was the director for a reason. ¡± But please do me a favour, reconsider the casting. There¡¯s still time. I¡¯m ready to go par to par with her, just please do something.¡± She pleaded.

    ¡± I believe we are done here, Ste Davis. Leave.¡± He said, having had enough of her. He was sporting a terrible headache thanks to her little stunt at the set. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to babysit.

    Ste stood up with a huff, deciding to leave but not giving up on her goal. She was going to get her way. One way or the other. She stalked out of the office, mming the door behind her much to the director¡¯s displeasure.

    *****

    On the other side of things, Esther was having a conversation with Karen via video call. Karen had been gone for a while now, spending some time with her husband who lived in a European country.

    ¡± Oh gosh, you look so beautiful! Europe looks good on you, Kare.¡± Esther gushed, taking note of her healthy skin and general outlook as she skedaddled around the huge bedroom, picking out outfits for a supposed date night.

    ¡± I know right. Sometimes, all I need is a cozy night in with my husband and it¡¯s like I¡¯m pregnant again.¡± Karen mused with a smile.

    ¡± Pregnant? Oh please! Who looks this good during pregnancy? Not me.¡± She said sarcastically, eliciting a heartyugh from Karen.

    ¡± Don¡¯t be so antsy. I still believe I was the prettiest during my pregnancy with Anna.¡±

    Esther groaned. She knew the story wasing. Karen had said that particr story a million times.

    ¡± I was so pretty that my husband couldn¡¯t get off me until I gave birth.¡± Karen said with a smile.

    ¡± Yeah, and like I said a million times , too. Much. Information.¡±

    ¡± Don¡¯t be such a killjoy! I¡¯m with my husband and you are my friend. You have to listen to the details.¡± Karen chided.

    ¡± Debatable. But definitely not a million times over.¡± Esther reiterated.

    ¡± Okay, whatever. What¡¯s going on over there? Any man? You know, now that I think of it, you¡¯ve never actually told me anything with regards to any man. I think I need to set you up. You need to get back out there.¡±

    ¡± Yeah.. I think I¡¯ll pass.¡± Esther said, not wanting to dive into that topic. She also couldn¡¯t help the thought of a certain handsome man who recently bulldozed his way into her life.

    She thought of sharing with Karen but on second thought, she decided it was best kept to herself. It wasn¡¯t anything special after all.

    ¡± Alright then, what do you think of this?¡± Karen said, disying a purple jumpsuit which screamed luxury.

    ¡± That looks so beautiful. It¡¯s a Yes.¡± Esther said with a smile.

    Happy to finally get a yes, Karen dropped the outfit and drew closer to theptop ced on the bed.

    ¡± You¡¯ve been so helpful! Thank you so much.¡± She said but was interrupted by a ding sound. ¡± Oops! I¡¯ve got to go, he¡¯s leaving work now. Talk to you soon! ¡± She said and immediately ended the call.

    Esther felt a tinge of jealousy at her obvious happiness and rtionship. Not the bad kind of jealousy, the good kind. She coveted falling in love, getting married and having the whole fairytale package.

    Life wasn¡¯t fair. She¡¯s grown to understand that. Instead of hopelessly trying to turn around the cards she was dealt with, she chose the part of solitude.

    Not everyone was a princess after all.

    ***

    Deloise woke up at about five pm. She was alone in the room but upon taking a nce, she saw the stationed boots of La which told her she had returned at some point while she slept.

    Not dwelling on that, she got up feeling hunger. Her stomach growled and she felt a prick of pain by her navel which spoke lengths of how hungry she was.

    There, she realized she hadn¡¯t eaten anything throughout the day. She was too excited for the shoot to eat anything and when she finished shooting, she was too upset to think about eating.

    She was paying the price now though. She needed food and needed it quickly.

    Without a second thought, she threw on some casual clothes, picked up some money, and headed out to get some food. Within minutes, Deloise was in a fast food spot where she had a sumptuous meal.

    She ordered some to-go tes and headed out of the ce, looking for a quiet spot around campus to rx a bit before heading back.

    On a stroll around campus, Deloise saw an empty park with some molded bench and instinctively headed towards it. The evening air was cool and one to clear your mind with.

    As she got closer, she saw a mop of hair seated in one of the benches. She wondered who he was but wasn¡¯t deterred from approaching as there was more than enough space to be in solitude.

    She headed for a bench of her own with her to-go bag, and suddenly, the head turned around to her surprise. She met with familiar brown orbs belonging to Aaron.

    After a second of recognition, Deloise turned around, not in the mood for another dysfunctional conversation or insults from him.

    ¡® I guess I¡¯ll have to make do with my room.¡¯ She thought and immediately changed her ns for the evening.

    Aaron saw her leaving and before he could stop himself, he said the words that struck her still.

    ¡± I¡¯m sorry.¡±

 DDD 43

    ¡± I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t make out what he meant by that. Something told her it was just another attempt at making a joke of her but the words in itself kept her rooted in spot.

    ¡± Listen, you don¡¯t need to leave. I understand you can¡¯t stand me right now so I¡¯ll do you a favour and leave.¡± Aaron added solemnly, getting up.

    Surprised, Deloise took a sharp turn, loss for words, and gauged the genuineness of the scene ying out before her. She wasn¡¯t sure how to approach the unsolicited apology dished out to her.

    Wearing his heart on a sleeve, Aaron got up, tired of the back and forth between them and awakened to reality. Things were way too broken to be fixed by a mere apology- no matter how sincere.

    ¡± No! There¡¯s enough room for us both.¡± She spoke hurriedly when he made to leave, only noticing how needy she sounded after it was out. ¡± That is, if you are up for that.¡± She rectified, avoiding the intensity that was his eyes.

    Meanwhile, Aaron was stunned. He couldn¡¯t help a ghost of a smile and a sudden rush of relief flooded his nerves.

    ¡± Okay.¡± He managed to say, still watching the mystery that was Deloise. He was d she didn¡¯t turn him away, she didn¡¯t throw his words at his face despite the wickedness he undoubtedly showed her ever since their first encounter.

    Now, more than anything, they were curious; How does one navigate this uncharted territory?

    Deloise threw a hidden nce at him but got caught red handed. Heat rushed to her face in seconds, turning her the shade of a juicy tomato. Aaron fought a smile and lost the battle, it was clear they both had something to say.

    He headed back to the bench and took a seat, she sat a few meters away from him. Deloise had a lot going in her head, first off, she was embarrassed to the core and felt like a child caught stealing from a candy jar

    Only God knew what went through his arrogant mind!

    In their moment of silence, she convinced herself it wasn¡¯t a crime. It was easier to convince herself of that fact as she wasn¡¯t the only one stealing looks. Afterall, the fact that he caught her, and the burning of his gaze, proved her assumptions to be true.

    They were both guilty of the same crime. Why she was having a whole conversation revolving around that single act was what she found too disturbing to unearth.

    The atmosphere mirrored the coolness of the evening and the growing silence between them stuck between overbearing andfortable. The duo held an overwhelming amount of awareness of the other and pondered their next line of speech alongside their hidden thoughts of each other.

    ¡± You weren¡¯t so bad.¡± Aaron broke the silence, and a secondter, wondered if he should have kept his mouth shut.

    Deloise did a double take, ¡± Is that your nice way of calling me bad?¡± She retorted,

    ¡± No. That is apliment.¡± He exined, his tone light and friendly.

    ¡± Why am I not shocked?¡± She faced him with a raised eyebrow, ¡± Scratch that, I¡¯m mildly shocked. A second ago you apologized to me, and now you evenpliment me? Careful, cause I might think you are trying to be my friend.¡± She remarked, surprised at the boldness she disyed, looking into his eyes and saying every word.

    Aaron was submerged in the moment, suddenly, that didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea, matter-of-fact, he wanted that, craved it, more than he¡¯d like to admit. ¡± And is that bad?¡± he purred,

    ¡± W-what?¡± Not expecting such a direct answer, Deloise felt at loss for words. What does one say to that?

    ¡± It isn¡¯t a taboo to befriend you, is it?¡± He pushed, fully facing her, and enjoying her obvious difort much more than he should.

    Deloise squirmed under his gaze, she wasn¡¯t strong enough for this side of Aaron, ¡± Seeing how often you get your periods..¡± She shrugged,

    ¡± P-periods? Har-har-har, not funny.¡± Aaron felt gobsmacked, here he was, thinking he was on top of the situation, only for her to deliver one of her infinite punchlines. He had to give it to her, she could make a mean ass dialogue. She didn¡¯t even need to try.

    ¡± You know what I mean.¡±

    ¡± Whatever. That¡¯s besides the point.¡± He spoke dismissively, ¡± Don¡¯t run away from the matter at hand.¡±

    ¡± There¡¯s nothing to say, Aaron. This isn¡¯t pre-school where we go around asking people to be our best friends. And even if it was, I think we aren¡¯t the best fit for that. Right now, I¡¯m only trying to be civil with you because of the project. That¡¯s all I can say.¡±

    Aaron sucked in a breath, he couldn¡¯t say he hadn¡¯t seen thating, neither did it sting less. It was clear the reason she epted his apology and that only made him feel shittier than when he set off for this journey. Apparently, she felt they¡¯d ruin the project if they left things unhandled. ¡± I understand.¡±

    Deloise maintained an ufortable silence; wondering if she was being unreasonable.

    ¡± Listen, I know you aren¡¯t trying to be best friends with me, hell, I don¡¯t even think that¡¯s possible with me, but we have to start somewhere if we are going to be civil.¡± Aaron struggled to make sense of his words.

    ¡± Okay?¡± She urged, trying to see where he was headed.

    ¡± To be civil, we need to be able to tolerate each other. I mean, we are going to be on set more frequently and need a lot more than tolerance if the shooting is to go wless. Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± he skipped a breath, ¡± You are doing awesome but we can either make this awesome or we can give them an unforgettable experience.¡±

    ¡± What are you getting at?¡±

    Aaron snapped his fingers, ¡± Exactly my point. I don¡¯t subscribe to giving anything but the best, this career didn¡¯t build itself.¡±

    Deloise maintained a bored look.

    ¡± We have something great going on, we can make it phenomenal with more work.¡±

    With the dyed gratification, Deloise lost patience. ¡± I¡¯m yet to understand what you are proposing. It¡¯s getting dark.¡±

    Sucking in a breath, he proposed, ¡± Let¡¯s meet. Once or twice a week. Get through the lines before we have to give them a show.¡±

    Deloise watched with keen eyes, she couldn¡¯t tell what he was up to and honestly worried about his motives. ¡± You want to work with me?¡± She asked again, half expecting he corrected her.

    ¡± If you put it that way, Yes.¡± He replied, shocking her the more.

    ¡± Is this your way of telling me you weren¡¯t satisfied with my job today?¡± She asked, growing ufortable as she continued, ¡± You don¡¯t need to walk me through my job, if there¡¯s something you think I¡¯m not doing properly, you are within your rights to point me in the right direction.¡±

    Aaron shook his head, ¡± How on earth did you- Is that all you got from all I said.¡± He deadpanned, surprised at her conclusion. ¡± I¡¯m just trying to build some sort of originality with our characters. If you don¡¯t feelfortable spending time revising the script with me, it¡¯s fine.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡± I didn¡¯t say that. Don¡¯t put words in my mouth.¡± She quickly corrected, ¡± I¡¯m down with revising the script.¡±

    ¡± Great. I¡¯ll get back to you on that,¡± He stood up, ¡± It¡¯s gettingte,¡±

    Deloise kept her eyes on the sunset, ¡± I¡¯m sorry about earlier.¡±

    Aaron scrunched his eyebrows, ¡± What?¡±

    ¡± I had no business disturbing you, especially knowing you weren¡¯t in the best of moods.

    ¡± I was being an asshole, don¡¯t make me feel shittier than I already do.¡± He said, cringing at the memory of theirst meeting.

    Nodding, Deloise opened her mouth, struggling to speak her mind.

    ¡± Say it. We might as well thrash it out now.¡±

    She cleared her throat, ¡± About that kiss, I know you may have seen that as something to joke about but I¡¯d appreciate it if you keep your lips to yourself now onwards.¡±

    Aaron cringed at the insinuated message, he saw that from a mile away but it didn¡¯t stop the shame and the feeling of wanting the earth to swallow him whole. ¡± There¡¯s no excuse for my actions. I was being stupid and I¡¯m so sorry for being so- I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡± He finished, his tone resolute.

    Deloise got on her feet, she felt bad seeing how hard he struggled to speak, a sharp contrast from his usual confident persona.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just thought to clear that up for transparency.¡± She said hurriedly, looking at the darkened sky. ¡± It¡¯s gettingte, I expect further directions about the exercise.¡±

    ¡± I¡¯ll send a text-and a follow up call, just to ensure you see it.¡± He said, regaining hisposure. ¡± I¡¯ll walk you.¡±

    Aaron escorted her to her dorm, relieved to have cleared things up and looking forward to being civil with her; code for being less of an asshole towards her.

    While he proceeded to his apartment back to his apartment, he hoped he didn¡¯t end up fucking things up again.

 DDD 44

    Esther was in her living room,te in the cool evening, and leisurely watching a program with the lights dimmed. Ever since Karen travelled, she found herself having more nights where she lounged alone, chasing some level of entertainment before she bowed out of the fight in retirement to bed.

    This night was no different, she rxed into her chair, at the brink of letting go but was jolted by three sessive bangs from the front door. Her eyes flickered to the time, not expecting anyone. She warily stared at the door, wondering what and who was behind it.

    ¡± I know you are in there! Open up!¡± A loud, angry and unfamiliar voice came from the door.

    Esther felt chilled to the bones. Was she being robbed? She scanned the room for the nearest weapon she could utilize- which ended up being an old flower vase she doubted could inflict a reasonable amount of pain.

    The door frame rattled at the amount of force exerted on the bangs that followed, her heart fell into the abyss that was her guts.

    She couldn¡¯t do it, she needed help. Only then did she remember the police and her phone; But of course, at the moment she needed it most, her phone went out of power, leaving with it her supposedst resort.

    Consumed by fear, she turned off the television, hoping to somehow delude him into believing her absence. Mere secondster, she realized she might as well just yell her presence to all and sundry.

    ¡± Boy, you better get up or I¡¯ll call the police.¡± The voice gritted out, not as loudly as he¡¯d been before. ¡± Hey! I can see you! Open up or I¡¯ll call the police on both you and your drunken husband!¡±

    Esther realized, a second toote, that she unconsciously walked into the view of the angry, old man. As she stood by the TV switch, she came face to face with the man, stood akimbo in her window with a frightening countenance.

    ¡± Coming!¡± She retorted, her mind frantically trying to make sense of what he meant by ¡®drunken husband¡¯. On getting to the door, she mentally prepared to educate him on his mistake, while having ample weapons by the side- in cases of an unforeseen circumstance.

    ¡± Finally answered the damn door, huh?¡± The man said, just when the door opened. ¡± That would be fifty dors.¡± He charged, taking out a pack of cigarettes and helping himself.

    ¡± What? Fifty-¡± Esther was cut off by the sight of the man doubled over by the door, a very familiar looking man who rendered her speechless at the reveal of his face. She took a close look at him, then the man, and forward to the taxi parked by the streets. It suddenly made sense.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    The driver let out a puff of smoke from his nostril, ¡± Tell me, does he make a habit out of this?¡± His voice was gritty and his tone usatory

    Esther cleared her throat, ¡± Give me a minute.¡± She headed inside and a minuteter, returned with a fifty dor note. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll take it from here.¡± She said, actively helping a drunk ¡®Daniel Greenwood¡¯ from the floor.

    ¡± Get out before he drains you of all you¡¯ve got. My sister¡¯s been in that situation. Shit didn¡¯t end pretty.¡± The man said with a snort, giving her a pitiful look which didn¡¯t go down well with her.

    Who gave him the right to make such rash assumptions?

    In reply, she set loose a faux smile, helped them inside the house, and kicked the door behind her. It took her a second to realize she wasn¡¯t feeling his weight so heavily.

    He was walking, reducing the audacious task of taking him inside. Other than that, she realized they were alone, a fact that sent her self awareness and nerves out the roof.

    Esther grew hot when she thought back on how natural and normal it felt to have him in her space. What frightened her was how perfectly he blended into her world, how perfectly he fit in and made her supposed sce wholesome.

    By now, Daniel was doused in sobriety. How could he remain hazy when he¡¯d been taken in by his queen? The silence that engulfed them felt loud.

    The otherwise cool atmosphere was charged with an inexplicable amount of suppressed energy and sparks. During their brief walk to the couch, they reeled of self awareness and the parts where they connected sizzled with electricity.

    He couldn¡¯t help but submerge himself in the feeling of having her this close to him; her familiar deep and slow breath patterns, the soft flesh that was her skin and the all consuming, breath taking scent and aura she exuded.

    She was just as he remembered, she aged like fine wine, curved in all the right ces. Daniel gulped, feeling like a fish out of water and unconsciously breathed the air that was her. If it took his getting wasted to be afforded such a divine encounter, then he didn¡¯t mind getting inebriated and hazy all the days of his life.

    Esther felt antsy, winded and in need of space. She could feel her body awaken at his presence and her knowledge of the fact that they were alone didn¡¯t help matters.

    Her heart, in its smartestposition, chose to skip so frequently she wondered if it was normal. Daniel was assisted to the couch in barely one minute but somehow, it felt like the longest walk she¡¯d ever participated in.

    He was able to invoke feelings she killed a decade ago in barely two minutes of proximity. She dropped him on the couch and when their gaze connected, her heartbeat went wild and warning bells went off in her brains.

    ¡± I¡¯ll get y-you some water.¡± She managed to say, and rushed out of his presence like one burned by a scalding hot pot.

    Esther headed to the kitchen behind the living room. After making sure she was out of sight, she fell like a pack of cards by the kitchen wall. She heaved, trying to normalize her erratic heartbeat and wrap her head around the fact that Daniel was in her living room, supposedly inebriated and waiting for a ss of water.

    She took the infamous breathing exercises, hoping to calm down enough to know how to function around him- an attempt that proved futile, much to her disappointment.

    Like a wounded lion, she got up, angered at her natural reaction to him.

    The fact she couldn¡¯t get a hold of herself was an insult to the years she invested in building a mental and emotional fort around her. Who did he think he was, walking in here and disarming her?

    Esther straightened up, tested her wavering steps, poured out a ss of water, and talked herself to reasoning ¨C using the one person she¡¯s always used to curtail whatever semnce of emotions seeping out of her.

    Deloise.

    She couldn¡¯t afford any slip up now, she was out of that web, and would do everything possible to clean up whatever was left of the situation. Esther walked into the living room like a woman with a purpose, upon seeing him, her steps faltered and she felt a familiar prick in her heart.

    She remained undeterred, refusing to bow to the pressure and kept her walls even more guarded as she contemted the best way to clean things up. Once and for all.

    Daniel felt Esther approach before he saw her. When she entered his line of sight, he didn¡¯t believe he could fall any deeper in love with her than he already was, but once again, she disputed that possibility. As she approached him, even in his tipsy state, he knew if she touched him again, he¡¯d be putty in her hands.

    ¡± Here.¡± She said, handing over a filled ss while trying her best to avoid any kind of contact. Only then did he notice the aura around her. It pained him to think she found him a nuisance to her when everything else faded to the background when she stepped into the room.

    The words were out before he could stop them, ¡± I¡¯m sorry to be a bother, I¡¯ll be on my way if that¡¯s what you need.¡±

 DDD 45

    The words were out before he could stop them, ¡± I¡¯m sorry to be a bother, I¡¯ll be on my way if that¡¯s what you need.¡±

    Esther couldn¡¯t speak, with one sentence, Daniel rendered her speechless. Taking note of what her silence implied, He picked up the ss and in one shot gulped down its contents.

    He felt his throat constrict in pain but it was nothingpared to the pain he felt in his chest. He never believed a time woulde when he¡¯d be considered a nuisance to the one he cherished for the major parts of his life.

    No matter how stubborn and determined he was to get things back the way they used to be, there was only so much he could do at a time.

    With that, he stood up, so quick that he wobbled a bit, ¡± Thank you.¡± He said, after seconds of contemting his parting words.

    ¡± You can stay the night!¡± Esther piqued, her tone desperate. ¡± I mean, it¡¯s already night, and you aren¡¯t quite sober.¡± She excused, and felt the room suddenly grow hotter.

    ¡± You don¡¯t need to do that, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He said curtly, rejecting to be pitied.

    ¡± No. You lost that right when you were dropped here in a taxi, drunk out of your mind.¡± Her tone mirrored his own.

    ¡± Listen, I was in a pretty bad state at the time, but trust me, I¡¯m able to handle myself.¡± He pointed out, ¡± I¡¯ve been doing it for the past two decades.¡±

    ¡± Don¡¯t care. It¡¯ste.¡± She argued, daring him to defy her.

    Daniel palmed his face, and heaved a breath of resignation. ¡± I can¡¯t with you.¡± He muttered under his breath, still deciding if he meant that in a positive or negative way.

    Esther took a seat, opposite him, her eyesmunicated her wordlessmand. He returned to his seat. The seconds following were filled with silence. After securing her undivided attention, it seemed like the right words eluded him.

    What could he possibly say that would be enough to cover all the things he hoped to tell her? Where and when could he start from?

    ¡± How have you been?¡± He asked and afterwards realized how stupid he sounded. Before he coulde up with something redeeming, her unchanging voice seeped into his ears.

    ¡± Alive.¡±

    Esther didn¡¯t know what came over her but that was the only answer she felt befitting for that question. In the weirdest possible way, when she looked over at him, she found him nodding, like he understood her, he always did.

    Daniel held an awry smile, ¡± You must think I¡¯m a joke. Coming back here like some stupid child, refusing to let go.¡±

    ¡± Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t even go there.¡± She warned, her countenance serious.

    He held his hand up in mock surrender, ¡± Tell me though, how have you been these past years?¡±

    ¡± I could ask you the same.¡±

    Daniel smirked, he recognized the patterns. ¡± You¡¯re deflecting. Why?¡±

    ¡± Maybe because I don¡¯t see any reason to share.¡±

    ¡± I¡¯ll give you a reason,¡± He proposed, taking his lower lip into his mouth. ¡± Because we are in your home,te in the night, alone, and with nothing else to do.¡±

    Esther ground her teeth, ¡± d to know you are in your right mind. Did the water sober you up?¡±

    ¡± You know perfectly well what sobered me up,¡± His eyes rolled over her. ¡± You¡¯re yet to spill your guts.¡±

    ¡± While I may not be in the mood to share anything about my past, I¡¯m itching to understand something.¡± Her eyes were discerning, calctive.

    ¡± What?¡± He asked after what felt like an hour of silence.

    ¡± I thought you¡¯d never ask.¡± Esther rxed into her couch, since they were already talking, she may as well pick his brains out. ¡± What in the world is Daniel Greenwood doing in my city?¡±

    Daniel had a faraway look, and then a confused one, ¡± Last I checked, I was in Chicago, Didn¡¯t realize you owned the ce.¡± He pushed back, unsettled by her words.

    ¡± Despite how huge the city is, you still-somehow-managed tond on my couch.¡± She stated pointedly.

    Daniel felt ruffled, he leaned into the couch, ¡± Because a certain someone wouldn¡¯t let me go.¡±

    ¡± Maybe that someone wanted to get through to the root of the problem and make a mess of it once and for all!¡± She fired back, not missing a beat. A secondter, she stood up, her fists tightening beside her, ¡± Excuse me.¡± She hissed and left the room.

    Esther returned to the kitchen, in dire need of a ss of water, and some space. She raised her voice earlier, an act she didn¡¯t set out to do but the mind does what it wants.

    There was only so much she could filter when around him. It didn¡¯t help that he made it too easy to be unfiltered around him. Few minutes with him and her old self rose from its ashes, making a grand appearance after so long.

    She returned, hydrated and noticeably calm. ¡± I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡± For what?¡±

    If he was offended, she couldn¡¯t tell, damn the good and seasoned actor he was!This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡± How about¡­ going off on you for absolutely no reason?¡± She rattled, now ufortable.

    Daniel bit back a smile, ¡± I can live with that.¡±

    ¡± It¡¯ste.¡±

    ¡± I know.¡± He replied with hooded eyes,

    They both locked eyes for a second, having nothing else to say, they silently called it a night, knowing they were at their wits end.

    ******

    ¡± Shit..¡± Daniel woke up with a drum rolls in his head. He twisted his neck, and sighed at the pain that followed his snapping bones. His eyes fluttered open, it took slow seconds before his hazy brains cleared out and he noticed his surroundings.

    His memories from the night before returned and suddenly, everything was twice as alluring and interesting. He stood up-too quickly-and pain shot up his forehead. ¡± Shit!¡±

    One would think he banged his head a million times over a wall with the amount of pain that he felt after one night of drinking.

    For the hundredth time, he made a pact against touching anything that contained alcohol, not even with a five feet pole. A pact he knew would be broken the moment an opportunity presented itself, but who cared?

    On the other hand, Esther couldn¡¯t sleep. All through the night, she twisted and turned, at every point, wondering what the hell she was doing by having him sleep over at her ce.

    It wasn¡¯t news she was treading on dangerous grounds, but at this point, each time she thought of what to do the next time they met, all her mind produced was a big-fat-nothing.

    As a result, she woke up pretty much earlier than usual, checked on his sleeping form enough times she could be branded a stalker, before heading into the kitchen to work.

    For someone who found baking therapeutic, it was startling when she couldn¡¯t find ease as she dug into the job. It didn¡¯t help that she tried to be reasonably quiet while she went at it-courtesy-the man asleep on her couch.

    It wasn¡¯t surprising how soundly he slept through the night despite a couple unsessful attempts at maintaining the quiet.

    He slept like a log whenever he had that much to drink. The fact that he hadn¡¯t changed after so long made her wonder just how many things about him remained unchanged- a thought that ended up leaving a bittersweet taste in her tongue.

    Esther vehemently shook her head, maybe if she shook her head just the right amount of time-these horrible thoughts would be expelled from her.

    ¡± How are you even standing?¡± Daniel asked, leaning his head on the door for support.

    He still did that; Her brains, in its all knowing glory, supplied another unsolicited information.

    She groaned, ¡± I wasn¡¯t out all night drinking my ass off.¡±

    Her body moved of its own will, drew open one of the drawers, got a pack of ibuprofen, then a ss of water: A string of actions that felt too familiar, almost rehearsed. His next words caught her like a deer in headlights,

    ¡± You still keep them in the kitchen drawers? Always my saviour.¡± Daniel took the drug, taking his precious time savoring it.

    Damn that Adam¡¯s apple!

    Esther swallowed, ying it cool. ¡± It¡¯s only normal. Can¡¯t have you dying in my house.¡± She inwardly prayed to the one above that he didn¡¯t remember her motive behind it, or at least pretended she didn¡¯t start that ritual on someone¡¯s ount.

    ¡± Top left drawer.¡± He got up, ¡± You didn¡¯t change. I love that.¡± Daniel pointed out, drifting closer to her.

    The air grew thick and her voice lowered, ¡± Changed it,¡± She muttered, ¡± just had it out for emergencies.¡± she quipped, trying and failing to provide a believable lie. ¡± Can¡¯t have you dying in my house.¡±

    ¡± Dying is a big word, Esther.¡± He stepped even closer, she felt his body heat seep into her. He took note of the cake¡¯s aroma, ¡± Strawberry. Was that an emergency too? Because¡­ I¡¯m dying to have a taste of my favourite cake.¡±

 DDD 46

    Esther watched Daniel reach over for a spoon, dip it into the batter, then into his mouth. She felt stupefied as he made an open show of how thoroughly he enjoyed licking the batter, forbidden thoughts shed into her mind-frame.

    ¡± oomph..¡± He groaned and she just might have gone nuts. ¡± Still my favourite, so fucking perfect.¡± He cooed, staring her dead in the eye.

    Was he still talking about the cake? Scratch that, the batter. She blinked and watched him take a couple spoonfuls- THE BATTER!

    Esther¡¯s eyes widened and she smacked his hands away mid way into the bowl, ¡°Get your filthy hands off my cake!¡±

    Daniel stopped for a second, wore a mock-thinking pose, looked her over, then said, ¡± No.¡±

    He took up the bowl from her unsuspecting figure and in one second, took anotherrge spoon of the sweet batter.

    ¡± Hey! Drop that!¡± She yelled, getting offended.

    ¡± You know the drill. Come get it.¡± He responded with a grin.

    Esther let out an exasperated huff. ¡± We¡¯re too old for this. Give it back.¡± She said, enunciating every word.

    ¡± No.¡±

    ¡± Give it.¡±

    ¡± You can do better than that, I know you can.¡± His words held hope, then faith, like he was trying to convince her, or himself.

    ¡± Daniel!¡± Esther yelled, having reached for it but got dribbled. ¡± I don¡¯t have time for this, I¡¯m a grown ass woman for crying out loud, give it back.¡±

    ¡± Nope.¡± He returned to his stool, holding back a smile. Esther¡¯s face morphed into one of intense irritation, then anger. She stomped towards him and he could see the steaming off her head.

    ¡± I allowed you into my home, let you spend the night and this is the first thing you do?¡±

    ¡± Enjoy something I¡¯ve been craving for God knows how long? Yeah.¡±

    His words caught her by surprise, rendering her momentarily speechless. Her oven goes off and she snagged the batter with steaming eyes, muttering something of how impossible he could be.

    *****

    After breakfast, it became evident there was an elephant in the room. She wasn¡¯t sure how they¡¯d managed to avoid the topic and hoped they¡¯d just part ways without revisiting the past.

    Apparently, that was a request too big to be granted.

    ¡± We need to talk.¡± Daniel spoke first, his eyes conveyed his seriousness.

    ¡± There¡¯s nothing to talk about. It¡¯s best we part ways here.¡± Esther got up from the dining, making to clear the table when a strong palm covered her wrist.

    ¡± You know that¡¯s a lie.¡±

    ¡± Let me go, Daniel. I have nothing to say to you, what happened, happened. Move on already.¡± She struggled to free her wrist, already frustrated.

    ¡± I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡± That sounds like a ¡®you¡¯ problem,¡± she pointed out, ¡± Let me go, matter-of-fact, you¡¯ve overstayed your wee. I can¡¯t be kinder than this.¡±

    Daniel wasn¡¯t prepared for the amount of spiteced on her words; his hand ckened and she got out of his hold. ¡± What¡¯s going on with you? We have something good going on. Why are you so desperate to sabotage us? Is there something I need to know?¡±

    His tone was both confusing and usatory, each of which didn¡¯t sit well with her, ¡± We HAD something, Daniel.¡± She fumed, ¡± and unless you realize that it¡¯s all in the past, I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡±

    ¡± We HAVE something.¡± He asserted, already on his feet and in her face. ¡± See? See this? You can deny all you want but you can¡¯t hide the truth. This electricity, this chemistry, this spark, you only get them with me.¡± He muttered in the most sensual tone, not touching her but close enough that he was all she could breathe and think of.

    Esther¡¯s heart elerated, painfully aware of the presence that shook her to the marrow every single time. ¡± I-I don¡¯t have time for this, Leave.¡±

    A frustrated sound escaped his throat, he reached for her face, desperate to close the gap but stopped mid-way when he saw her flinch.

    Was she repulsed by him? Did he read things wrongly? Has he been mistaken?

    ¡± Why are you doing this?¡± Daniel lost his confidence, ¡± What went wrong?¡± He asked, physically in pain that he¡¯d somehow adjusted to the fact that something might have gone wrong.

    Esther¡¯s eyes opened, and she felt a bit embarrassed to have expected something, everything washed down the drain when she heard his words. ¡± I gave you a choice. You picked wrong.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    The hostility in her tone affirmed his nightmare. Something was terribly wrong, at that instant, he remembered a news he was told the day before. His face lost colour. ¡± Tell me? Is it because of him?¡±

    Esther stilled, shocked to the core, ¡± W-what do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡± It¡¯s true¡­ Isn¡¯t it?¡± Daniel asked, writhing in pain as he already got her answer from her reactions. ¡± Tell me, Where is he? You must have really seen me as a nuisance.¡± He said, beyond ashamed.

    ¡± He?¡± Esther felt confused, she gauged him with a double take. What on earth was he talking about?

    ¡± Don¡¯t give me that shit!¡± He bellowed, losing his mind. ¡± I heard you might have someone warming your bed, but for some sick reason I was ready to overlook that..¡± Daniel chuckled, he couldn¡¯t believe how stupid he¡¯d been to assume she¡¯d take him back the moment he showed up, it¡¯s clear how mistaken he was, how receable he¡¯d been.

    Esther didn¡¯t let him finish before her palm connected with his face in a thunderous p. ¡± How dare you?¡± She asked, seething. ¡± Who do you think you are, insulting me like that?¡±

    Daniel felt dumbfounded.

    ¡± I¡¯ve had enough of your nonsense and insults! Get out!¡±

    For some reason, despite the amount of hate hurled at him, Daniel remained, carefully sorting out his thoughts on everything. Why did he feel like he¡¯d hurt the one he cherished the most with the truth?

    Was it the truth?

    Esther wasn¡¯t having it, so she resorted to extreme measures, roughly pushing him out of her dining area and towards the door while he let her. Her reaction felt familiar. Oddly familiar. When was it?

    Just halfway towards the door, by the couch, Esther missed a step which destabilized her momentum and sent her crashing down the floor ¨C Except it didn¡¯t happen ¨C a strong arm held her by the waist.

    ¡± I¡¯m sorry.¡± He spoke so softly that she almost didn¡¯t hear it. Their lower half remained connected as he stabilized her, hours flew by in seconds while the moment dragged out.

    ¡± For what?¡±

    ¡± Everything.¡± He replied, surprised that she hadn¡¯t left him like one burned by a scalding hot iron. ¡± Let¡¯s start afresh. Put everything behind us.¡± He proposed, holding her eyes with a pleading look.

    Esther didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, she didn¡¯t have an answer and when their connection was broken by the sound of a ringing tone, she felt relieved. Daniel, on the other hand, was far from relieved. He shook his head, refusing to give attention to anything else.

    Noticing he wasn¡¯t letting go anytime soon, she cleared her throat and stepped out of his hold. ¡± Thanks.¡±

    ¡± Answer me. I need to kno-¡± The ringtone of his phone red into the air once again. He groaned at the sound, still refusing to pick it up.

    ¡± Go on. Answer it. It might be important.¡± Esther gave her one cent, urging him to pick it up.

    ¡± This conversation is far from over.¡± He said, flickering between her and his phone. Finally, he let out a frustrated sigh and stepped aside to answer his phone.

    Esther heaved a sigh when he finally got out of sight. Being around him felt intense and sometimes, not the good kind. Her heart didn¡¯t need all of that and the farther she was away from him, the faster her breathing slowed and eventually evened.

    Knowing his persistent nature, she knew it was only a matter of time before he returned, demanding a response, or worse- an exnation. It was hard to remain grounded around him so she seized the opportunity to properly articte what their starting over meant.

    At least for her.

    She knew he needed to remain at arms length and with time, totally out of her life. Her heart pricked at the thought but she pushed that reaction at the back of her mind- asionally reminding herself the reason why it couldn¡¯t be otherwise.

    Daniel wasn¡¯t a person she could brush off. She thought of the best and most restricting way she could kick off their supposed new beginning but found none. How could they build up something away from such history? They¡¯d be deceiving themselves.

    She allowed herself to return to the very beginning. When they¡¯d just met and how they interacted. They¡¯d kicked things off being acquaintances.

    Esther didn¡¯t need a vision to tell her the impossibility of starting at such a point so she went for the next best thing, while having a ploy in her sleeve.

    Daniel returned, looking disgruntled. Whatever that was didn¡¯t seem to be good news. He struggled to regain hisposure as he spoke.

    ¡± How do we fix this?¡± He asked, certain that she¡¯de to a decision from the glint in her eyes. ¡± What do I have to do?¡±

    ¡± Nothing. You don¡¯t have to do anything. We are going to be friends.¡± She said, assertively.

    His face scrunched in disapproval, with a bitter taste in his mouth, he asked, ¡± F-friends?¡±

    Esther nearly smiled at his abrasiveness towards the word but maintained her posture. ¡± That¡¯s all I can give. Nothing more, and nothing else.¡±

    ¡± We can¡¯t be friends, Esther. You should know that by now.¡± He stated and she remained silent. ¡± I can¡¯t just be your friend. I¡¯m physically incapable of being just -that- to you.¡± He ascertained, frustrated by the resolute look she held.

    ¡± That would be all.¡± She turned to leave and he held her back with a mad look on his face.

    His phone chooses at that moment to ring and he bes more aggravated. She continued on her way and he felt distraught. Noting her resolution, he epted with an icy look on.

    ¡± Friendship, huh? Fine. I¡¯ll be your best fucking friend.¡±

    Esther didn¡¯t know if she should be grateful or disappointed. An odd feeling washed over her and she could feel a build-up in her guts. What in the world did she get herself into?

 DDD 47

    Deloise walked into the restaurant wearing a beautiful smile. Her smile grew when she spotted Doris, who didn¡¯t miss a beat to point out her tardiness.

    ¡± Look at that, I was kept waiting by a newbie in the business, maybe this is a sign.¡± She stated, matching Deloise¡¯ smile. ¡± Take a seat, sweetheart.¡±

    ¡± I apologize for myteness.¡± She sat down, ¡± I was supposed to spend five minutes with my lines and somehow, five minutes turned into ten. I promise this isn¡¯t a habit.¡±

    ¡± Oh don¡¯t worry, I know how submerging the job can be. Believe me, it took everything to stop acting but I still can¡¯t get over reading and interpreting a good script.¡± She buzzed, ¡± If it makes you feel any better, I just got here myself.¡±

    ¡± You used to act?¡± Deloise eyes turned the size of saucers, ¡± What happened? Why did you stop?¡±

    Doris smiled at her curiosity, ¡± That¡¯s a story for another day. Today is all about you,¡± she brought out an envelope and pushed it across the table, ¡± have a look.¡±

    ¡± What¡¯s this about?¡±

    ¡± Remember thest time we spoke? When I told you about this magnificent talent managementpany in charge of the greats?¡±

    ¡± Evolve?¡±

    ¡± Bingo.¡± Doris could sense her confusion, so she continued. ¡± I also happen to be a talent scout and the very first day I saw you, I put in your name to be considered.¡±

    ¡± You what-¡±

    ¡± I know. This is sudden and probably weird to you, but hear me out.¡± Deloise stilled, the case ying before her felt familiar. ¡± I know you have the potential, believe me, I know when I see someone destined for greatness. Just please, give it a shot.¡±

    Deloise swallowed, ¡± Can I have some time to think about this?¡±

    ¡± Sure! Take the time you need. I¡¯ll be with you every step of the way and just ¨C please consider it.¡±

    ¡± Thank you. I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± Doris heard the finality in her tone, and nodded. ¡± I have to go.¡±

    Without waiting for a reply, Deloise sauntered her way out of the ce, her stomach grumbled and she realized her failure to get lunch but continued anyway. She picked up some burgers on her way home, having a lot on her te and a decision to make.

    *****

    Outside Aaron¡¯s condo, stood a ck coloured vehicle that held Ste. Earlier that morning, she received a bunch of pictures from her people, detailing the progress of their job so far and she couldn¡¯t be more pissed.

    Her eyes narrowed at the unclear picture of Aaron and Deloise, on set clothes and kissing in her tent. The quality of the pictures said it was gotten from CCTV but that wasn¡¯t her deal.

    She was yet to get an intimate hug from Aaron, neither was she able to garner a peck in the lip, and yet, that wench got to suck his face? Deloise was tethering in dangerous territory and couldn¡¯t seem to take a hint.

    With a loud hiss, she tore apart the picture and struggled to reel in the anger that knitted her heart. That wench would pay for touching what¡¯s hers and she swore with her life.

    Before that, she resolved to speak with Aaron regarding the matter. If he was doing it to spite her or get her attention, he surely had it now.

    Ste opened the door after donning a beautiful countenance and crossed over the front door. Without knocking, she found her way in with a smile, swaying her hips as she sought him out.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡± Aaron?¡± Her voice squeaked, surprised to see him packing a bag. ¡± What¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡± You could have walked in on me dressing up, Stell.¡± He deadpanned, and picked up his shoe.

    ¡± That isn¡¯t a problem. At least not to me.¡± She defended, and he rolled his eyes. ¡± Where are you off to anyway?¡±

    ¡± I have to do something in town. I¡¯ll probably be back tomorrow. What do you need?¡± He answered without meeting her face.

    Ste felt deted, but mustered up excitement in her tone, ¡± Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to see a girlfriend? Tell me, are you seeing someone?¡±

    It pained her to ask aloud and her breath stilled in wait for his answer. Aaron wore his backpack, then turned to her, ¡± Stop listening to rumours. I¡¯ll see you some other time.¡±

    With that, he left her in the middle of his bedroom and made way into his car, leaving her without context.

    Momentster, her countenance soured. She stomped her way out the house, got into her own car and zoomed off thinking the many ways she would make that wench pay.

    *****

    Aaron pulled to his Grandma¡¯s with a smile. One look in the driveway and his smile withered, his grip on his backpack tightened. He couldn¡¯t go in.

    Not when they were in there, not when they yed family.

    A two hour journey was wasted by the presence of those people. Aaron watched their physique move around the house, loud howls ofughter made way into his ears.

    That was thest straw, he turned on his engine and piloted his way back to campus incognito. Aaron arrived at Royal Arts at dusk, he parked his car and took a walk down the school park. His heart gripped and he swallowed hard, refusing to let the pain get one up on him.

    He brought out his phone, mindlessly scrolled through the inte and somehow found his way to Deloise¡¯ contact. His thumb hovered as he contemted dailing her.

    ¡± Fuck it.¡± He breathed and immediately fired a text with his breath seized. Two secondster, his phone beeped with a reply from said person. He didn¡¯t bother sending a reply and directly called her. She picked immediately.

    ¡± Why do I feel like you¡¯ve been waiting for my call all these while?¡± He spoke haughtily, but she could sense an edge of yfulness in his words.

    ¡± Yeah right. Says the person who sends a text in the middle of the night. Admit it Aaron, you missed me.¡±

    ¡± Such a smart mouth,¡± The evening wind whooshed over him and he slid his palm into his pockets. ¡± Maybe. I sent a text first, but let¡¯s not forget how quickly you responded. Who knows, maybe you wanted to, I just beat you to it.¡±

    ¡± Whatever floats your boat, Aaron.¡± Deloise rolled to her back, refusing to ept or refute his ims. ¡± To what do I owe this unconventional call?¡±

    ¡± Such a smart mouth.¡± He tutted, ¡± I thought we were supposed to be friends¡­ cordial. I thought it normal to check on my very good friend, Deloise. Who knows? Maybe she might be in need ofpany.¡±

    He sounded too sweet, sugary. ¡± Yeah right.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡± Tell that to someone stupid.¡±

    That brought a genuineugh out Aaron¡¯s mouth. ¡± I didn¡¯t know you to be so¡­raw.¡± He managed to say, ¡± what are you doing? Care for an evening walk?¡± He proposed.

    ¡± I knew it. Someone¡¯s out there feeling lonely.¡± She quipped, thoroughly enjoying his perceived embarrassment. ¡± You¡¯re lucky I have nothing else to do.¡±

    ¡± I¡¯m at the park.¡±

    ¡± Be there soon.¡±

    Donned in sweatpants, Deloise hurried to the park, surprised at her eagerness. She pushed everything to the side when she saw Aaron, and took a seat beside him.

    He took a moment to acknowledge her presence. ¡°One minute.¡± He said,

    ¡± What?¡±

    ¡± You are one minutete,¡± he turned towards her, and her heart raced at his sight.

    ¡± What are you? The tardy p-police?¡± Deloise felt her confidence simmer at the intensity of his gaze.

    ¡± Whatever floats your boat.¡± Aaron got up with a stretch. ¡± Come with me.¡±

    ¡± What? Where are we headed?¡± He shook his head at her apprehensive tone, then took hold of her palm. Sizzling electricity buzzed at their connected hands.

    ¡± I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m hungry.¡± He pulled her along with a smile while she feigned anger. Together, they drove in her car, speaking about everything and anything.

    Safe to say, both returned to bed feeling a bit closer and better.

    ****

    Daniel sat in his private jet, en-route to New York.

    ¡± I need everything set before I return to Chicago, and I expect prompt feedback on the situation.¡± He spoke on the phone, his tone- business as usual.

    ¡± Yes sir.¡±

    Without wasting any more time, he ended the conversation, and took a sip from his ss, pondering his next string of action.

    Having been dethroned to the position of a friend, he needed to get his acts straight and break through the facade she was pulling. Knowing Esther, it was a taunt to push him off, but he took everything as a challenge.

    He was going to get her back, and nothing could stand in his way.

    After the little escapades with the love of his life, he inevitably had to leave town to offset the pilling duty back in New York.

    Daniel believed It was only a matter of time before she fell into hisps, but between that time frame, he knew, was a very long season of hardwork and convincing.

    Two things that took the time he didn¡¯t have.

 DDD 48

    After a night at the club, Anna stood by the sidewalk, waiting for a cab back to the hotel. Her satin-thigh-split dress left little to the imagination on a Monday morning.

    Somehow, despite how blurred her night was, she managed to get out of the club house intact. Unlike people who lost their belongings while in a haze, she got lucky.

    Grumbling about the chilly weather, she spotted her hotel across the road and mindlessly dashed towards it. Unknown to her, the lights turned red. A ck SUV screeched to a stop in front of her.

    Before the assant could step out, her sight was spotted and she fell unconscious. In that state, Anna got bundled into the car, headed to the nearest hospital.

    She felt herself in motion after a few minutes and immediately sat up, eyes aghast. ¡± Who are you? Let me go!¡±

    ¡± Sit tight. We¡¯re going to the hospital. Do you have a contact? Maybe your mother?¡± Her abductor said, and she couldn¡¯t help but notice his tightened grip.

    Suddenly, everything returned to her. She gasped, ¡± You almost killed me!¡±

    ¡± Correction. You crashed into my car, what are you? Blind?¡± Anna didn¡¯t expect suchshing from him, at least not in the moment.

    ¡± Drop me off.¡± She hissed,This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    ¡± dly. Unfortunately, I need to be sure you are in good condition. Smile through the pain and next time, look both sides before you fucking cross.¡±

    ¡± Don¡¯t raise your voice at me, Mr..¡±

    ¡± Moses. The name¡¯s Moses. This is my car and I¡¯ll talk to you however the hell I want.¡±

    Anna didn¡¯t notice the car stop.

    ¡± Get down, I¡¯m alreadyte as is.¡± Moses walked around the car, while she watched dumbfoundedly. He pulled the door open and raised an impatient brow.

    Soon, they were in the hospital and arguing for the nth time.

    ¡± I need your parents number. Somebody has to be responsible for you and I¡¯m done doing that.¡± He ruffled his hair. ¡± Don¡¯t be a brat.¡±

    ¡± Can I go now? I¡¯m not dead yet. Isn¡¯t that enough proof?¡± This time, she didn¡¯t wait for an answer and walked out the examination room.

    ¡± Fucking childish.¡± Moses muttered and followed suit, leaving the medical professional who gauged them with an amused smile.

    *****

    For the first time in a while, Deloise arrived ten minutes early. She took a spot by the set, rehearsing her lines in preparation for the day¡¯s shoot. Unlike other days, she felt pressured to be at an immortal level with her craft.

    It wasn¡¯t news ¨C the rivalry between the top female leads of the production. A rivalry that somehow managed to spread through the set, creating apetitive air around the two women.

    It grew to a point where her skills were always measured to that of Ste ¨C who was more than happy to be in the toxic judgemental cycle. Deloise prepped her mind for the day¡¯s job, with all her scenes involving Ste, she armoured herself for the judgment that undoubtedly followed their interaction.

    ¡± Hello there,¡± Ste¡¯s unpleasantly sharp voice jolted her from the brewing thoughts. ¡± I see you¡¯re still learning the lines.¡±

    ¡± Revising.¡± Deloise¡¯s voice was taut. She nced over the clock,¡± there¡¯s still extra five minutes.¡± She informed, praying the little devil walked away, but no such luck.

    ¡± Great! That would be enough time for me to brush you up ¨C I mean- brush over the lines with you.¡± She suggested, and without waiting for a reply, plummeted beside her, script in hand.

    ¡°Yeah..¡± Deloise muttered underneath her breath. Apparently, she couldn¡¯t take a hint.

    ¡± Where do we start?¡± Ste tutted, ¡± Surely, you should know how to take demeaning words, it¡¯s going to be very easy seeing how simple you are. What do you think?¡± She taunted,

    ¡± Not interested.¡±

    The coldness in Deloise¡¯ voice struck a surprise chord.

    ¡± Why? Scared I¡¯ll best you? It¡¯s only a rehearsal, no need to be upright.¡±

    Deloise didn¡¯t speak. She resolved to keep Ste at arms length until the need be. A decision that prepared her for the day she knew would be filled with poorly hidden jabs.

    Towards the end of the five hour shoot, Ms. Ema stepped on set, causing a ruckus with her presence. Deloise stiffened at her presence but continued her shoot nheless.

    This time, she gave twice as much as she did. With every eye on her performance, it gradually became clear where their loyalty lied.

    It didn¡¯t surprise her though, what surprised her was the sharp attacks at her performance afterwards.

    ¡± What is this?¡± Came the piercing voice of Ms Ema. ¡± This scene is supposed to portray the scorn of a woman who lost her child. All I see is a disy of forced acting.¡± She sneered, ¡± If you got this role by underhanded means, you should at least try to do a good job at it.¡±

    Deloise retained her peace, which didn¡¯t seem to go well with Ms Ema- who immediately called her out.

    ¡± Don¡¯t just stand there like you didn¡¯t hear me, Deloise! Get back out there and redo these shots. You make the others look terrible with your poor acting!¡±

    Heads were turned, and the atmosphere was riddled with bad electricity. Deloise could feel all eyes on her, expecting to see her lose her cool or do something.

    Deloise returned to the set, redoing the shots alone while more jabs and insults got thrown her way. Unknown to her, Mr. Daniel arrived at the scene, just in time to see the entire drama unfold with Mr Austin in tow.

    ¡± What is going on here?¡± His voice thundered his displeasure. ¡± Both of you, in my office, now.¡±

    Deloise tiredly made her way towards Daniel. She refused to slouch or bow as she passed Ms. Ema who couldn¡¯t stand her presence.

    Moments after Deloise was gone, Daniel remained in his ce, waiting for her to oblige. ¡± I believe I made myself clear, Ms. Ema.¡± His tone signaled his warning.

    With a huff, Ema sashayed her way into the building, muttering how disrespectful he was along the way. Inside the office, Daniel took a seat behind the table, facing the two women.

    ¡± What happened back there?¡± He asked, controlling his anger.

    Deloise spoke first, ¡± I¡¯m sorry about that. It was a misunderstanding that wouldn¡¯t repeat itself-¡±

    ¡± I wasn¡¯t asking you.¡± He gritted, ¡± Ms. Ema, kindly exin to me why you decided to turn my set into stupid disy of power.¡±

    ¡± Excuse you! I demand an apology.¡± She hissed, ¡± I was only trying to do my job. This is my script for crying out loud, excuse me for demanding the best.¡± She fumed, ¡± infact, I want her out of the set. Ste is more fit for the position. I want her out.¡±

    ¡± Let me make this clear.¡± Daniel started, ¡± this is my show, and if you still want to be a part of it, I suggest you know your ce and quit disrupting my set or actors.¡± He hissed, ¡± let this be my first andst warning.¡±

    ¡± I see you brought me in here to insult me.¡± She picked up her bag, ¡± I¡¯ll see myself out.¡±

    With that, Ms Ema walked out of the office, brimming with anger at the disrespect dished out to her in the presence of the swine.

 DDD 49

    ¡± What¡¯s wrong?¡± Aaron asked as soon as they finished their lines.

    She met his gaze across the table, ¡± What do you mean?¡±

    ¡± You know what I mean.¡± His eyes narrowed, ¡± What¡¯s got you bothered?¡±

    Deloise let out a humorlessugh, ¡± Didn¡¯t know you cared.¡±

    ¡± Stop avoiding the question. You¡¯ve been absent minded- much more than usual. If we are going to get things done, we need to fix whatever¡¯s got you in a mood.¡±

    Deloise wasn¡¯t having a solid day, more so with Aaron¡¯s intent to get her speaking. ¡± What? Looking for another w to use against me?¡±

    She chuckled but Aaron maintained a in face. He didn¡¯t find her funny.

    ¡± Just a bit tired, okay?¡± She said, ready to leave the school diner.

    ¡± Let¡¯s y a game.¡± Aaron leaned into his chair, ¡± Tell me what¡¯s up and I get to tell you anything you want. No secrets, No lies.¡±

    That caught her attention. Deloise gauged him with an inquisitive look, ¡± Why?¡±

    ¡± Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m a bit too curious.¡± Aaron ced his elbows on the diner table, right on top of his script. ¡± Let it be our secret.¡±

    The atmosphere felt ten times hotter. Deloise searched his face for telltales of deceit or jokes but found none. Instead, her appreciation towards his wonderfully sculpted face increased by the second.

    She cleared her throat, ¡± You will answer anything if I tell you what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t like repeating myself, sunshine.¡±

    ¡± Whatever. Don¡¯t back out when you find out it wasn¡¯t worth your time.¡± She warned, then began.

    ¡± It¡¯s about the production. It feels like everyone prefers Ste as the female lead. Although I respect the fact she is a great actress and wonderfully embodies her role; it¡¯s just unfair that I don¡¯t even get a chance to prove my abilities. Everyone¡¯s rooting for me to fail, they are all waiting for me to do something stupid to prove they were right about me.¡± She grew agitated, ¡± Left to me, I don¡¯t care. But even that bes hard when the ywright wants you out.¡±

    Aaron felt stupefied. He didn¡¯t expect such an earful but she was far from done.

    ¡± At this point, I just want this to be over. I¡¯m tired of consistently trying to prove myself to people who have made up their minds on who and what they think I am. Its so pitiful that Ms. Ema didn¡¯t even give herself an opportunity to form an opinion for herself. She just went through with what was thrown at her.¡± She hissed.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Only after did Deloise notice the abrasive look on Aaron¡¯s face.

    ¡®Oh shit.¡¯

    She thought, of course he¡¯d be offended, she was nit-picking on his friend.

    ¡± I have to go.¡± Deloise announced, already feeling a migraine. ¡± You owe me one.¡± She announced and silently exited the diner, cursing herself for even opening her mouth to speak on the case.

    Aaron watched her leave with a gob-smacked expression.

    *****

    Karen took a surprise visit to her daughter, hoping to spend some time with her. She walked into her daughter¡¯s room, and what she saw nearly had her coughing blood.

    ¡± Is this what you¡¯ve been up to?!¡± Karen screamed in her daughter¡¯s face, but she remained nonchnt. ¡± I¡¯m talking to you!¡±

    ¡± Can you please keep it down, mom?¡± Ann winced and dropped her cigarette. ¡± What were you thinkinging here without informing me?¡±

    ¡± Informing you?¡± Karen let out a humorlessugh, ¡± So you can hide the obnoxious life you now lead? Oh my goodness, where on earth is Deloise?¡± She looked around the room, ¡± How did you be so unrecognizable? Is this why you stopped picking my calls?¡±

    ¡± Enough!¡± Karen stiffened at the anger behind her daughter¡¯s voice. ¡± If you came here to yap about how unrecognizable and imperfect I¡¯ve be, I suggest you take it out to someone that actually cares!¡±

    ¡± Anna¡­¡± She breached the space between them, ¡± what happened to you? This isn¡¯t you. What the hell went wrong?¡± She asked, frantically looking her over.

    ¡± Stop acting like there¡¯s something wrong with me, mom. I¡¯m fine. Different, but fine.¡± She insisted, resisting the urge tosh out. Karen wasn¡¯t having it.

    ¡± How can you say you are fine? Of course something is wrong! Look at you- this isn¡¯t you, I need to speak with Deloise, she must have an exnation, where is she?¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t know, mom.¡± She gritted, ¡± Maybe if you call miss perfect, she¡¯ll exin why your child looks so unrecognizable.¡± The sarcasm in her tone was unmistakable.

    ¡± Listen to me youngdy! I will not stand here and watch you insult me.¡± She scolded, brimming with anger, ¡± It¡¯s clear you¡¯ve lost your way, but that¡¯s no excuse to be a brat.¡±

    ¡± Lost my- tsk- what the hell are you on?¡±

    ¡± That¡¯s it.¡± Karen stomped her feet, ¡± You¡¯re going home. Pack up your things. I¡¯ll reach out to Deloiseter.¡± She ordered, and Annughed.

    ¡± You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Karen wasn¡¯t hearing it and immediately took to her room, Ann followed behind her.

    ¡± Don¡¯t touch anything! I¡¯m an adult! You don¡¯t get to order me around.¡±

    ¡± I do when I pay the bills.¡± Karen picked up straps of her daughter¡¯s clothing around the room with an upturned nose. ¡± I sent you to college and you turn around and do this? I am so disappointed, who are you?¡±

    She dragged her box and threw it open.

    ¡± Hey! Don¡¯t-

    ¡± REALLY ANN?! This is what you do now?¡± Karen couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡± Tell me, how long has this been going on? Huh? How long have you been doing this!¡± she screamed, throwing the whitish substance to the ground.

    ¡± Don¡¯t open my box.¡± Anna muttered, but Karen wasn¡¯t done.

    ¡± Tell me, what else do you do? I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you dropped out of school even. Are you an addict? Is that what this phase is all about? Where on earth is Deloise.¡±

    At the mention of Deloise¡¯ name, Ann grew bonkers. ¡± Enough already! All I ever hear is Deloise!¡±

    ¡± Shut your mouth! When did you have a problem with her? I know she wouldn¡¯t sit here and watch you waste your life in partying, doing drugs and fraudulent acts.¡±

    ¡± Of course she isn¡¯t. You know why? Because she isn¡¯t even a student.¡± She revealed, then snatched the clothes in her mother¡¯s hand. ¡± Your princess dropped out of school six months ago, she didn¡¯t even sit for one exam! So if you are looking topare me with a goody two shoes, I suggest you rethink your options and get your facts straight.¡± She sneered. ¡± I might be anything, but not a fraud. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t say the same about you.¡±

    ¡± What hase over you? Why on earth will you lie against your friend?¡±

    ¡± Lie against my friend?¡± She guffawed. ¡± I think the real question should be why the hell did you lie to your child.¡±

    ¡± What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡± Stop it already. Stop trying to y dumb, mom! You know this isn¡¯t about Deloise.¡±

    ¡± Yes. It¡¯s about the fact that I came in here, met you smoking, and found out you¡¯ve been wasting time and engaging in illicit activities.¡± Karen listed as she returned to packing her daughter¡¯s things.

    ¡± Who is my father?¡±

    Anna¡¯s words froze the air in the room. Their eyes connected and Karen knew it was over.

 DDD 50

    ¡± Congrattions! Wee to Evolve.¡± Doris chorused with a sped hand. ¡± I knew you wouldn¡¯t disappoint.¡±

    Deloise heaved a sigh of relief. It was finally done. She was finally on her way to bing something decent. She could sense it.

    ¡± Thank you very much. I appreciate your trust and this opportunity.¡±

    ¡± No, thank you.¡± Doris insisted, ¡± I¡¯llmunicate the details to you at ater time. I¡¯m guessing you have a shoot this morning?¡±

    ¡± Yes.¡±

    ¡± Great. I¡¯ll catch up with youter. I need to process your contract.¡± She informed, ¡± Wee once again. I promise you won¡¯t regret it.¡± Doris spoke enthusiastically, waving as she left the dinner.

    Deloise had a residual smile on her face. She felt excited, the same way she felt when she firstnded in New York. One thing was apparent, it felt good to feel wanted, to achieve set goals, to live the life she¡¯s always dreamed of, to see it slowly but surely being manifested. It didn¡¯t take long before she got to the set.

    Today, she had one scene to shoot. An intimate scene with the male lead. As opposed to her earlier feelings of dread towards this scene, she felt ease. Every previous fear and reservations were nowhere to be found. So much that she wondered if her current state of underwhelmed-ness has something to do with the deal she signed.

    ¡± All done! You look beautiful.¡± Her make up artist said, dropping her brushes, ¡± I just hope you don¡¯t break a sweat. I heard you have a spicy scene with the hot shot.¡± She added, ready to gossip.

    ¡± Thank you.¡± Deloise took a long look at her face. All made up, it gave the illusion of being wless, beautiful and perfect. All three adjectives needed for the appeal of today¡¯s scene.

    ¡± I almost feel unreal.¡± She muttered, long after the artist left to attend to others.

    ¡± Action!¡±

    The footage started and Aaron walked into the set room.

    He carelessly threw his shirt to the floor. ¡± Is this what you want? Huh? Isn¡¯t this what you want?!¡± He barked at a docile Deloise whoid on the bed, looking confused.

    ¡°I-I-¡± She tried to speak, only to get interrupted.

    ¡± Shut up! You don¡¯t get to talk when I¡¯m speaking!¡± He barked, ¡± Since you so desperately need it, I¡¯ll give it to you. But I must forewarn you.¡± He found his way towards her and roughly pulled her jaw. ¡± I won¡¯t go easy.¡±

    The room grew ten shades hotter when their lips collided in a familiar rough kiss. The audience watched helplessly as Aaron dominated the kiss, flexing his muscles as he went. The atmosphere electrified as the smooch went on. Meanwhile, Deloise struggled to keep unwarranted thoughts from her mind.

    ¡® It¡¯s acting! Get your head together!¡¯Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    She yelled within herself, so much so that for a moment, the kiss lost the concentration it needed.

    Being a mastermind in the art, Aaron slowed his tempo, leaving writhing kisses on her wake- that was enough to draw her attention.

    Their eyes connected and suddenly, everything else fizzled out. Their worlds united and in that moment, the kiss felt different ¨C Meaningful, whispering and intimate.

    As the time progressed, their interaction felt less acting and more instinctive. The boggling side of it was that she fell into it. Sparks danced in reaction to every turn, touch and groan.

    ¡± Don¡¯t scream. I¡¯m getting in.¡± Aaron gritted his lines, the base of his tone sent females to a swooning mess.

    Mounted above her, bare chested and in motion, the director screamed the word every other person seemed to forget.

    ¡± Cut!¡±

    Aaron stilled at themand of the director, he briefly closed his eyes then made his way down the bed. Deloise sat up, still heavily breathing and trying to maintain her coherency.

    ¡± That was awesome! Peculiar! Wonderful!¡± Daniel showered praises, alerting everyone of his presence in the room. ¡± Dare I say, that connection- its either you both are great actors or there¡¯s something in there.¡± He joked with wiggling eyebrows.

    ¡± Thank you.¡± Aaron spoke first. ¡± We give nothing but the best.¡± He added, smartly navigating the waters.

    ¡± The best is all I expect.¡± Daniel shook hands with him, ¡± Great job, Deloise. Care to join me for lunch?¡±

    Deloise nodded, ¡± Of course. I¡¯m done for the day.¡± She said with a frigid smile.

    ¡± How about you?¡± he asked Aaron- who was well on his way out.

    ¡± I-

    ¡± Great! I¡¯ll be in the office. Join me in ten.¡± He said, then walked over to the director in charge, leaving them no room for refusal.

    ****

    Inside the office, Daniel sat behind the table while Aaron and Deloise sat side by side.

    ¡± That was a great performance. The more I think about it, I just know it¡¯s going to be the fans¡¯ favourite scene.¡± He appraised and Deloise blushed.

    Aaron was unmoved, ¡± Not yours?¡±

    ¡± It¡¯s my movie. You can¡¯t ask me to pick favourites, that¡¯s just wrong.¡± He stated, ¡± But yes, maybe it is. Which takes us to the reason I called you here.¡± Aaron responded with an eye roll. He sensed the motive but remained calm. ¡± I want you two in a rtionship.¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t believe her ears.

    ¡± You what?¡±

    ¡± Not happening.¡±

    ¡± Everyone. Calm your horses.¡± Daniel was unsurprised by their reaction. ¡± I want to do a stunt, think of it as a promotional act for the movie.¡± He exined, ¡± You both have a very strong on screen connection and I feel it would strengthen the movie¡¯s poprity if it is perceived that you are both involved.¡±

    Silence. Total silence.

    ¡± Come on! It¡¯s not a big deal. Just treat it as a business transaction. You don¡¯t need to do anything tedious, all I need is to fuel the rumours concerning your rtions with each other.¡±

    ¡± How much are we talking about?¡± Aaron piped and Deloise eyes grew the size of saucers.

    ¡± Are you really considering this?¡± she asked, gobsmacked by his nonchnce.

    ¡± Quick money, and I don¡¯t need to do anything.¡± She felt the heat of his gaze, ¡± seems perfect to me.¡±

    ¡± That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Daniel inserted, ¡± How about you, dear?¡±

    ¡± I guess we could do it.¡± She muttered, still unsure about it.

    ¡± Great. Let¡¯s talk business.¡±

    *****

    ¡± What was that about?¡± Deloise asked as they walked down the road.

    ¡± What was what?¡± He replied, feigning oblivion.

    Deloise gritted, ¡± You know what I¡¯m talking about. How could you ept that?¡±

    ¡± Why did you ept it?¡±

    ¡± Because you did!¡± She bellowed, nearly throwing a punch his way. ¡± I expected you to refuse, make a scene.. not go with it! You left me unable to wriggle out.¡±

    ¡± Still don¡¯t see how that¡¯s my problem, sunshine.¡± He said in a sing-song voice, ¡± I¡¯m hungry. Up for some snack?¡±

    Aaron hastened his feet towards the food court. No doubt, running away from the conversation; she rolled her eyes, then followed behind him. In no time, the duo dug into a pepperoni pizza, moaning at each bite.

    ¡± Seeing it¡¯s only a matter of time before we get introduced as couples, we should probably get to know each other.¡± Deloise spoke first, gauging his reaction.

    ¡± What else do you want to know? I think we know enough to sessfully pivot this situationship.¡± His gaze burned her skin, ¡± Don¡¯t be weird and we¡¯ll be fine.¡± He added but she wasn¡¯t having it.

    ¡± If we are going to do this, we need to know more than our ticks, Aaron.¡± She dead-panned, ¡± We are supposed to sell an actual rtionship-¡±

    ¡± And we will.¡± He assured, ¡± Chill out. We haven¡¯t even started and we¡¯re already arguing.¡±

    Deloise dropped her slice, ¡± Okay, I don¡¯t think this is going to work, I¡¯ll just-¡±

    ¡± Jesus, what do you want to know?¡± Aaron felt exasperated, ¡± Tell me, let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

    Smiling, she began. ¡± First. I need the basics. Your full name, family, everything.¡±

    ¡± No.¡± The coldness in his voice unnerved her. ¡± Anything else but my personal life.¡±

    ¡± You don¡¯t get it- I need to know everything about you in order to properly answer questions when the time is right. This is important-¡±

    ¡± And I said NO.¡± He got up from his chair, ¡± I suggest you focus on the script, y dutiful girlfriend and stop putting your nose in other people¡¯s business!¡±

    Aaron walked out and Deloise couldn¡¯t fathom how and where she went wrong. Again, he was being a total jerk.

    No surprise there.

    ****

    ¡± What do you mean she was the best fit? That person hasn¡¯t been in a single movie. This is her first gig, one I believe she got via underhanded means.¡± Ste said to the Director of Evolve, Mr. Hart Ambrose.

    ¡± Just check things out, you will see I¡¯m not lying. That contract should rightly be mine.¡±

    ¡± I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding, Miss-¡±

    ¡± Ste, Ste Davis.¡± She supplied.

    ¡± Yes. I don¡¯t sign off on the people we recruit into thepany, I have people for that. And if they choose some newbie in the industry, I trust them enough to go with it.¡± He stressed, ¡± Whereas, I don¡¯t look too kindly on being harassed and chased up by some entitled actress.¡± His tone was hard, ¡± I¡¯ll ept your mistake today, but let it be thest.¡±

    Mr Ambrose left an embarrassed and seething Ste on the sidewalks, made his way into the car and drove off.

 DDD 51

    ¡± You are one lucky girl! Wee to the family, definitely looking forward to seeing your abilities up close.¡±

    One of the top Actresses under Evolve Management said through the mic. Deloise smiled on her seat.

    It was her reveal day at the Evolve Managementpany. In honour of theirtest addition, thepany deemed it fit to throw a luncheon.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    Diverse calibers of people were invited to the event. Part of which included but weren¡¯t restricted to A-lister celebrities, influencers and artists.

    Nothing screamed the word  intimate, but she wasn¡¯tining. Deloise felt bothered by the calibers of people attending the luncheon because of the publicity she knew it would garner. Despite the fact that she needed it, especially to kick-start her career, she felt a sense of fear.

    She was a newbie in the sphere and knew how fast and vast news could fly. Just one click and her mother could be looking at her, watching her, and seeing just how much of a coward and liar she¡¯s been these few months.

    Deloise ached toe clean with her mother, firmly address the situation- but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it.

    Not when things were going smooth, not when she was about to make a solid name for herself in the industry. It was toote toe clean- toote to blow things off without solid proof that she¡¯d been right to do what she did.

    The end, they say, justified the means. Despite how intense and frustrating it felt keeping her secret, she could only move forward and pray things didn¡¯t get bad.

    ¡± Congrattions.¡± A familiar voice said behind her. ¡± I knew you had something in you.¡±

    ¡± Mr. Daniel! Thank you so much.¡± She said with a genuine smile. ¡± I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d make it.¡±

    ¡± To the reveal of my female lead? No way. It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t stay longer though.¡± He said, ¡°You see those wolves waiting out there?¡± Daniel gestured behind him, reporters waited around the event, no doubt searching for the next big story.

    ¡± It¡¯s just a matter of time before they pounce on me, and I have to leave before it bes impossible.¡± He smiled, ¡± Have a splendid time.¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t help her smile as she watched him slip into the crowd of alike celebrities and made it out unscathed. Oh the terrors of being the people¡¯s favorite! She thought amusedly, and turned around to a brick wall.

    ¡± Always so clumsy, sunshine.¡± His scent intoxicated her, a deep embracing sandalwood scent. ¡± You look breathtaking.¡±

    Deloise put some space between them, ¡± Didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡± Her tone was far from friendly.

    ¡± That¡¯s because someone forgot to send me an invite.¡± His tone was usatory. ¡± Being a generous person, I decided to show up and support my soon-to-be girlfriend.¡±

    ¡± Yeah, whatever.¡± She turned around, done with the conversation.

    ¡± Wait!¡± Aaron pulled her by the waist, ¡± I¡¯m sorry. I know I messed upst time but please forgive me.¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t think. For some weird reason, her brain decided to heighten her awareness of the buff arm around her waist.

    Her senses went on an overdrive when she noticed his breath on her earlobe. ¡± Please, I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡± It¡¯s a-alright.¡± She stuttered, tempted to pull her hair at the nerves that wrecked her. ¡± Have an awesome time¡­¡±

    Even that soundedme to her. At that point, she felt desperate to exit the calctive gazes of people. This is not the time and ce to push that narrative!

    ¡± Wait a second.¡± She felt his arm tighten around her. ¡± Did I tell you how breathtaking you look?¡± He threw a wink, and she felt her body quiver. What the hell was that about?

    ¡± Congrattions, you deserve it.¡± He hinted at the entire asion and she felt her heart still.

    She deserved this. One line that meant more than he could imagine.

    ****

    Esther busied in the kitchen, churning outyers uponyers of cake. Recently, business was looking good and she couldn¡¯t stop her reckless mind from pinning it down to the recent appearance of a certain someone in her life.

    Ever since their unforeseen reconnection, she made sure to block every possible means of nurturing anything more than friendship.

    As though God heard the meditations of her heart, she got swarmed with so many orders in such a short time she wondered if someone gave out her number or she was finally getting the rewards of her hard-work.

    Her heart leaned to thetter.

    ¡± Esther!¡± A familiar voice called from the entrance.

    ¡± Karen? Is that you?¡± Esther called from the kitchen, beaming when she heard the definite steps of her friend. ¡± When did you get back?¡± She pulled off her apron and headed on to the sitting room.

    ¡± A few minutes ago. I wanted to surprise you.¡± She muttered. ¡± How about you? You are glowing! What have I missed?¡±

    ¡± Other than the fact that I am baking more cakes than usual, nothing.¡±

    ¡± I went on vacation yet you seem to be the glowing one. What were you really up to?¡± She taunted, ¡± Who¡¯s the secret man?¡±

    That was a joke, but due to recent events, Esther looked like a deer in headlights.

    ¡± There is a man!¡± Karen reiterated, this time, more curious. ¡± Who is he and why am I just hearing it now?!¡±

    ¡± Don¡¯t be silly. You know me.¡±

    ¡± Exactly how I know something¡¯s up.¡± Karen narrowed her eyes, ¡± What are you hiding?¡±

    Esther¡¯s phone beeped and the message she saw sent her to a panic mode;

    ¡®Touched down. Be there soon.¡¯- Daniel

    ¡± Okay! I can see you¡¯re tired from the journey. You need to rest it out.¡± Esther helped Karen to her feet  to her friend¡¯s confusion  and led her to the door. ¡± I¡¯ll join you at home soon. I need to finish my job.¡± She excused.

    Before Karen could figure out the right words, the door was shut.

    Phew!

    Esther dropped behind the door and heaved a sigh of relief. Her relief got cut by the startling fact that he was on his way. Of all days to show up, Daniel- freaking- Greenwood chose today?! She thought, already losing her shit.

    It didn¡¯t take long before said person showed up in front of her door with takeouts. ¡± What are you doing here?¡±

    Daniel pushed his way in, ¡± Here to see my favorite person in the world,¡± he raised his hand, ¡± I got us dinner.¡±

    ¡± You don¡¯t get it,¡± Esther quickly shut the door. ¡± This isn¡¯t what we agreed, you don¡¯t get to do this.¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t get to do what exactly?¡± Daniel feigned confusion, to her exasperation.

    ¡± This!¡± she gestured at him, ¡± Showing up unannounced and- are you even paying attention?¡±

    Daniel busied himself setting up the table, ¡± You caught me. Listen, we can either eat, or you continueining while I eat. I¡¯m really hungry.¡±

    ¡± This is thest time you show up here like this.¡± She warned, arms crossed below her breasts.

    ¡± Fair enough. Can we eat now?¡± he spoke like a child, eager to eat. ¡± I hope you still like Chinese.¡±

    Esther suddenly didn¡¯t feel like eating. Of course she still loved Chinese food, despite her eighteen years of avoiding the said food, one nce at it still had her salivating.

    ¡± It¡¯s alright. What are you up to?¡± her tone was curt.

    The change of mood didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Daniel, ¡± I have something going on in this city, meaning, I¡¯ll be here more often.¡± He said, and gauged her reactions. ¡± Getting a befitting home is much work.¡±

    ¡± You never really liked staying alone.¡± The words were out before she could stop it, ¡± I mean, you¡¯re probably dreading getting a ce because it would be a waste spending that much money.¡± Esther diverted, praying he didn¡¯t catch up to her.

    ¡± I still don¡¯t like staying alone, nothing¡¯s changed.¡±

    Esther felt the deeper meaning in his words. She took a bite from her steak, ¡± Some people change, while some don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡± How about you? Are you the same person or-¡±

    ¡± I might be everything else, but not the same girl I was eighteen years ago.¡±

    Esther spoke, looking directly into his eyes. At that moment, they knew the topic¡¯s changed by the electricity that charged through them.

 DDD 52

    ¡°Are we still going to act like everything¡¯s alright?¡± Daniel struggled to swallow. ¡°You know we need to talk about it at some point, right?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about. Why can¡¯t you get that into your head?¡± Esther hissed, ¡°We are adults with separate individual lives, let¡¯s keep what¡¯s past in the past.¡±

    The desperation in her tone burned Daniel¡¯s heart, ¡°What? Scared you¡¯d return to being obsessed with me?¡±

    His tone held an unfamiliar arrogance, he was baiting her.

    ¡°Ob- Are you kidding me?¡± She dropped her spoon, ¡°What on earth is there to be obsessed with? Give yourself a break, if I want to get hurt, I¡¯ll be fine slicing my fingers. Just to set facts straight, I wasn¡¯t obsessed about you, I was-

    ¡°In love with me.¡± Daniel sufficed and she rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Infatuated. I was a stupid little girl who didn¡¯t know shit even if it stared her in the face. And for that, I paid dearly.¡±

    His eyes turned furious, ¡°Don¡¯t insult what we shared, I will take everything else but please- don¡¯t say that.¡±

    Daniel sounded so broken, she almost relented in her words.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to insult. There was nothing between us, and there wouldn¡¯t be anything either.¡± She spoke firmly and got on her feet. ¡°I don¡¯t know what your mission is, but I need some space right now, and you need to respect my decision.¡±

    Esther wanted him gone. She could feel him tug at her heartstrings and it was only a matter of time before things escted.

    He didn¡¯t know that though, or maybe he did, because his next words both shocked and silenced her.

    ¡°You liar. Eighteen years and you are still the same.¡± Daniel drew close to her. ¡°Look me in the eyes and tell me we had nothing. Tell me it was all a bluff to you, tell me you don¡¯t feel this,¡± his pointer finger lingered the sculpt of her face, ¡°Tell me you don¡¯t want this.¡±

    The air charged with electricity and Esther struggled to breathe. Who was she kidding? This man had her curled on his finger, one touch and she was gasping for more. She wondered what his lips tasted like, how many lips had kissed it, if it was still the same, if it was still hers.

    Locked in a tight gaze, they naturally drew closer, about to seal a kiss when the front door flew open.

    Shocked at the unforeseen entrance, Esther stilled and with a curse, turned around to see the very person she thought it would be.

    Karen.

    ¡°Did Ie in at the wrong time? I¡¯ll be on my-¡± Karen made to leave but was stopped by Daniel.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I was just leaving.¡± He picked up his things and made for the door. ¡°Call me.¡± He said to Esther and left the house.

    Esther palmed her face, anticipating the endless questions from her friend.

    ¡°Why is a celebrity in your house and kissing you?¡± Karen blurted as soon as the front door closed. Esther released a sigh, There was really no way out of this.

    Meanwhile, unknown to Daniel, he was followed and photographed on his way out. Things were definitely getting interesting for them both.

    *****

    Deloise walked around her party with a half-emptied ss of wine. People casually introduced themselves to her and she tried her best to be as weing as possible. She took pictures with supposed big shots in the industry, kudos to Doris, but she grew tired and worried as time passed.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    She found her way to the balcony for some air, only to meet Aaron, standing by the railing with a ss of his own. Subtly, she turned around, but was stopped by his voice.

    ¡°Tired already?¡± He turned around, ¡°It¡¯s written all over your face.¡±

    She walked towards him, ¡°What are you doing out here, and alone?¡±

    ¡°I could ask you the same.¡± He remarked with raised brows and took a sip of his drink. ¡°I don¡¯t feel too weing, whereas, you have no excuse.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t stay out too long.¡± Deloise made her way back, and Aaron smiled.

    ¡°A penny for your thoughts?¡±

    Deloise stilled at his words. She wondered if everyone saw through her act.

    ¡°You can talk to me. I might be generous and let you in on a secret too.¡±

    Aaron sat on a bench and Deloise took a seat beside him. The wind blew past them as they overlooked the city.

    ¡°You go first.¡±

    Aaron couldn¡¯t help a smile. She was smart.

    ¡°My birth parents regard me as a mistake.¡±

    Nothing prepared her for his words.

    ¡°Hey-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so sad, good thing I don¡¯t care what they think.¡± He held a cynic smile. ¡°Can you imagine how disastrous it¡¯d be if I still regarded them?¡±

    Deloise could tell it was a rhetoric question. What was she supposed to say to that?

    ¡°Your turn.¡± He turned to her, ¡°What¡¯s got your panties in a twist?¡±

    ¡°I do not have my panties in a twist.¡± She corrected with an eye roll,

    ¡°Whatever. You can¡¯t hold out now I¡¯ve spilled my guts.¡± He said, ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±

    ¡°This has been my dream forever.¡± She began,

    ¡°Holding a party?¡±

    ¡°No silly, having a part of this world.¡± She exined, ¡°believe it or not, this has been a figment of my imagination for so long, everything happened so fast.¡±

    ¡°For a newbie, you¡¯re taking it like a champ.¡± He remarked, ¡°You should enjoy it, you worked for it.¡±

    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s hard to do that when the only person I want to share it with is the one I need to hide from.¡± She let out a huff, ¡°It¡¯s so daunting trying to keep things sane with the publicity. I¡¯m not handling it as great as you think. I can¡¯t even enjoy the party without thinking of the news spreading.

    ¡°And why is that a problem?¡± Aaron inquired,

    ¡°Because if my mom finds out I¡¯m doing this, I might as well pack up and leave.¡±

    ¡± Here I was, thinking you had the whole thing figured out.¡± He gauged her with raised eyebrows, ¡± It always feels like everyone got their shit figured out.¡±

    Deloise let a simple sigh of agreement fall out her lips. She was grateful he didn¡¯t ask more intrusive questions. They were both grateful to maintain silence.

    One thing was certain, they had an underlying understanding of themselves. Maybe one day, one good day, they¡¯ll open up on the intricacies of the journey they embarked on.

    For the meantime, knowing they both had skeletons in the closet was enough. There¡¯s no such thing as a perfect life after all.

 DDD 53

    ¡°You can¡¯t convince me otherwise. There¡¯s something going on between you both, the whole school¡¯s talking about it.¡± La pushed, ¡± Tell me, when did it start?¡±

    Deloise was exhausted, ¡°There is nothing between us! I don¡¯t know where you are getting all this information but they are all wrong.¡± She iterated yet again but La wasn¡¯t having it.

    ¡°Really? Tell me then, what were you doing at the terrace with him?¡± She plopped to her bed. ¡°There are very suggestive pictures of you guys running rampant.¡±

    ¡°We were just talking, La. You are going to give me a headache at this point.¡± Deloise hissed, and finally dropped her script.

    There was no way she could get any work done with the incessant questions from her roommate.

    ¡°Talking about what?¡±

    ¡°The script? The weather? Think up something.¡± She said dismissively.

    ¡°You¡¯re no fun.¡± La headed to her side with a pout, ¡°What good is it if we are roommates if I don¡¯t get the inside scoop?¡± she pondered aloud and Deloise almost lost it.

    ¡°There is no- you know what, think whatever. There¡¯s no stopping you anyway.¡± Deloise checked the time and packed up a tote bag. ¡°I should be on my way, better earlier thanter.¡± She remarked as she moved around.

    In no time, Deloise was on her way to the shoot site. Much to her irritation, the shoot was taking ce on campus. As she walked towards their site, she couldn¡¯t help but notice the unusual and excessive nces thrown her way ¨C a result directly credited to the rumour making waves around the inte and campus.

    Ever since her little reveal, she racked up some publicity and with the news flying around, her name was on the mouths of a lot of people. She could feel their stares, and sometimes, res hit her like an arrow but she kept her countenance rigid and refused to be intimidated.

    ¡°Hey.¡± A familiar voice said from the doorway, casting a shadow and alerting her of his presence.

    ¡°Aaron.¡± She said without looking back, his deep voice couldn¡¯t be mocked.

    He walked in and the tent felt ten times crowded. What was this aura?

    ¡°I see you are getting ready. Need some help?¡± Aaron gestured to the open script in front of her, ¡°I could help you get it right.¡± He added patronizingly.

    ¡°Thanks, but no thanks. I¡¯m doing beautifully on my own.¡± She said with a tone that elicitedughter from his bowels.

    Thest thing she needed was another reason to insinuate they were having something other than they did. People were peeking for goodness sake!

    ¡°What if I need help? You know, get myself on par..¡± he shrugged, clearly enjoying her frustration.

    Fed up, Deloise cut to the chase, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard the news?¡± She whispered. ¡°They all think there¡¯s something going on between us. The longer you stay in here, the wilder their imaginations grow.¡± She hissed.

    ¡°And that¡¯s my problem because?¡±

    She was a foot away from hitting him. Her eyes narrow as she asks, ¡°Did you do this? Are you really-¡±

    The door burst open and Ste walked in with a smile on her face.

    ¡°Aaron! There you are! I¡¯ve been searching for you the whole time.¡± She announced, sessfully cutting off Deloise. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re here too. Congrattions on your deal, I¡¯m so proud of you!¡±

    Ste shocked Deloise with a kiss on both cheeks. What the heck was happening?

    ¡°Thank y-you?¡± she stuttered, unable to believe her eyes.

    ¡°You totally deserve it. Don¡¯t you think so, Ronnie?¡±

    Ste¡¯s voice were ws on a chalkboard and Deloise almost puked at the fauxness of her tone. Aaron didn¡¯t humour her with a reply.

    ¡°Get prepared, we shoot in twenty.¡± He said to no one in particr and made his way out. Not before connecting eyes with Deloise via the mirror.

    Did her heart just skip or was it a hup?

    Ste wasn¡¯t oblivious to their silentmunication. Matter-of-fact, her grip tightened at the sight of even the littlest interaction between them.

    Why else did she find her way in after she heard the news of their presence alone in the pod?

    ¡°Oh yeah, your assistant is here! I better get going.¡± Ste left with her jaws clenched, while Deloise returned to her preparations for the shoot, unconvinced by her little show.

    The shoot went on beautifully and Deloise was free for the rest of the day. On her way out, a car suddenly pulls up in front of her, bringing her to a halt. Her eyes narrowed at the elegant ck vehicle and Doris jumped out of it.

    ¡°Get in! Quick! We don¡¯t have much time!¡±

    Doris pushed her into the car with an urgency she couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where are we headed?¡± She manages to ask while Doris hits the road behind the wheels.

    ¡°There¡¯s an audition. Your next movie role if everything goes perfectly.¡±

    Her words knocked air from Deloise¡¯ lungs.

    ¡°What? What are you saying?!¡± She asked, panic ridden.

    ¡°You heard me. Don¡¯t blow a vein, I¡¯m your manager, remember? I¡¯ve also seen you perform. This is going to be a walk in the park.¡± She assured but Deloise was far from convinced.

    Doris sped up, muttering something along the lines of needing to be there on time. Meanwhile, Deloise struggled to stay afloat. They soon got to the venue of the audition and headed into the building.

    ¡°Just a heads up, an actress from Preston is here, so there¡¯s a high chance of meeting them.¡± Doris announced as they crossed the door.

    ¡°Should I be worried?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! No one should intimidate you, not even those darned Prestons.¡±

    Deloise brows were drawn in confusion.

    ¡°Wait a second, tell me you have an idea on what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Doris said after noticing her deer in headlights look. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t.¡± she deadpanned and wondered how she¡¯s gone so far managing to know nothing about this world.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time so I¡¯m going to be brief. I¡¯ll download the whole lesson at ater time,¡± Doris began, ¡°Preston Talent Management is a rivalpany to Evolve. They are headed by a former rut manager from Evolve who betrayed thepany and started another with poached artists from this end. Ever since, there¡¯s been an unspoken rivalry between our artists due to their slimy ways of getting hold of gigs.¡± She hissed, ¡°I won¡¯t be surprised if they bought their way into getting this too.¡±

    ¡°Meaning I should be worried.¡± Deloise deadpanned, not loving the idea of having yet another factor to deal with.

    They soon took their seat in the hall, only then did she realize they had a whole two hours to kill before the exercise. A news that was both bad and good to Deloise who needed some time to prepare but not so much she overthought the situation.

    A whileter, Deloise sights Ste strutting towards her with a less than friendly countenance. She couldn¡¯t get a break from it all.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Her tone told of her displeasure. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize you attended auditions, seeing how you snagged the other role. Why bother this time?¡±

    Deloise could sense the hidden jabs at her person. Thest thing she wanted was to get used wrongly. Especially in front of an audience.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this, whatever trouble you have up your sleeves, take it to someone willing.¡± She bit back with as much sass and attitude.

    Just when Ste made to take their exchange a bit further, Doris returned from her bathroom break.

    ¡± I suggest you walk away youngdy.¡± Her tone was firm, settling the case once and for all.

    With a huff, Ste walked towards her seat, gearing up for the face off that would happen between them. No matter the cost, she was determined to beat Deloise in the audition and make proof of the fraud she was.

    Meanwhile, unknown to them, during their unfriendly exchange, a n hatched in the mind of their enemy, gunning to utilize their feud to their advantage.

    ******

    After the auditions, Doris brought them to the mall.

    ¡°Seeing you exceeded our expectations, it¡¯s only right we treat you to a makeover!¡± She announced to the surprise of Deloise.

    ¡°I think I¡¯d prefer a quick lunch.¡± She opined but Doris wasn¡¯t having it.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get to lunch. But first, we shop.¡±

    Doris dragged Deloise around the mall, picking up clothes, shoes, bags and eventually snacks. Deloise couldn¡¯t deny she was having a good time, the stress from the day faded away as they lounged around, talking about anything and everything.

    ¡°Are you sure we still have time for that?¡± Deloise asked when Doris demanded they head on for a makeover.

    ¡°I already paid for it, and time¡¯s ticking.¡± She replied, urging her along.

    The duo headed for their appointment, which waster revealed to be Deloise¡¯ appointment. One hourter, she was perfect. Doris couldn¡¯t help but gush.

    ¡°I knew you were beautiful, but this is ethereal.¡± Deloise blushed profusely, she wasn¡¯t used to suchpliments, especially one so genuine.

    ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s a pity I don¡¯t get to wear it out. The look is wasted on just our eyes.¡± She retorted with a shrug.

    ¡°And who says you don¡¯t have an appearance?¡± Doris asked with a smirk, she looked over her watch, then continued. ¡°We should get going. Or we¡¯ll bete.¡±

    Again, Deloise thoughts were worked up on what she had up her sleeves. This time, she didn¡¯t even have an opportunity to ask, following her quick steps to the car.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    The car ride was spent with endless questions and zero answers. Later, they arrived in front of the school¡¯s event hall.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on in there?¡± Deloise asked for the nth time, noticing the blinking party lights from within. ¡°Is that a party?¡± She got out of the car, and followed Doris towards the entrance.

    ¡°No darling, it¡¯s a funeral.¡± Her words dripped sarcasm, ¡°Don¡¯t ask stupid questions.¡±

    Deloise thought to be offended but she wasn¡¯t. Matter-of-fact, she thought it was a stupid question after it rolled off her tongue but she couldn¡¯t say that. She opted for a careless smile instead.

    ¡°Open the door, sunshine.¡± Doris said when they got to the door and despite how weird it felt, she did it anyway.

    ¡°Surprise!¡±

    The entire school chorused, startling the hell out of an unsuspecting Deloise. It took a moment before she understood it was her party. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t as hated as she thought if they were out here throwing a congrattory party in her honour.

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± She squeaked, moved to tears by their thoughtfulness.

    ¡°My job here is done.¡± Doris announced and engulfed her in a hug. ¡°Have fun, but not too much.¡± she admonished with raised eyebrows, ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±

    She nodded and they parted ways. La took over and together they breezed through the party, exchanging pleasantries and having a good time.

    After a while, Deloise spots Aaron and Mr. Austin walking through the door. Her body freezes and she was moments away from escaping before Aaron pointed her out.

    ¡°Congrattions.¡± He mouthed, and she stood entranced till they came to her.

    ¡°Congrattions Deloise. I knew you had it in you.¡± Mr. Austin said with a smile, easing off her worries.

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± She smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but could we perhaps see for a moment?¡± Mr. Austin¡¯s voice was direct. Of course there was something, Deloise thought fearfully.

    ¡°No problem, do we speak out or-¡±

    ¡± He wants to see us.¡± Aaron cut off her rambling with just the information that sent her panicked heart to a still.

    ¡± Yes, I¡¯d like to speak to both of you. Outside perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

 DDD 54

    ¡°I¡¯ll make this brief. We need you both to pull a couple stunts for the promotion of the movie.¡± Mr. Austin addressed them, ¡± I was made to believe this isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯re hearing this, but I need a definite answer from you both. The contract has been drawn up.¡±

    ¡°Where do we sign?¡± Came the bored response of Aaron. Deloise couldn¡¯t form words, things were happening too fast.

    ¡°We are on the same page. When do we officially start, how do we go around it?¡± She asked worriedly, but signed nheless.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave that to Aaron to fill you in. Trust me, he knows all there is about the entire exercise. I look forward to hearing and seeing more from your end.¡± Mr. Austin said and took hold of the documents. ¡°How would you like to be the earliest graduates in the history of Royal Arts?¡±

    ¡°No shit.¡± Aaron reacted first, ¡°Are you for real?!¡±

    Deloise bit her lip, wondering what the hell they were talking about.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s been approved. Seeing how much you¡¯ve grown,¡± he looked between them, ¡°we¡¯ve decided to quicken the process and make you both graduates before the summer break.¡±

    ¡°I only just started here.¡± Deloise piped, and Aaron rolled his eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s a problem, you¡¯ve managed to surpass our expectations and I doubt keeping you at Royal Arts would be to your benefit. You have to get out there and build your career, Royal Arts would only slow you down at this point.¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Could her day get any better than this? She tethered at the brink of tears as she digested the meaning behind the director¡¯s words.

    Not only did they give her an opportunity to be seen, they also figured out a way to cheat the system and elerate her speed towards achieving her dreams.

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± she muttered, and the director sent a genuine smile towards her.

    ¡°It should be the other way around. You¡¯ve given me an opportunity to witness the rising of another star.¡± He watched her turn red with his words, ¡°As long as you avoid being tardy, you will achieve great things.¡±

    That brought a smile on Aaron¡¯s lips, and it was Deloise¡¯ turn to roll her eyes. Typical of him to find amusement in others misfortunes.

    ¡°Thank you. I assure you,teness is a thing of the past.¡±

    ¡°Awesome.¡± Mr. Austin nced at his watch and sucked in a sharp breath, ¡°I think I¡¯ve outstayed my wee, I¡¯ll leave you both to it, my job here is done. Congrattions once again.¡± He rounded off and with a nod at Aaron, made his way towards his car.

    Deloise watched the car drive up before letting out a breath she didn¡¯t know she held.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that just happened.¡± She said to no one in particr.

    ¡°Best believe. I¡¯ve been waiting for this opportunity for a while now. I guess youring to Royal Arts isn¡¯t entirely bad news.¡± Aaron said with a smug look.

    ¡°Whatever.¡± She couldn¡¯t be bothered with engaging in frivolous exchanges, ¡°About the deal, how do we go about it? We need an actual game n, Aaron.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we do. Like he said, I¡¯d take care of it.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t assure me. How about we take the evening and actually get to know each other?¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes widened slightly at her boldness. ¡°What do you say?¡± She urged, refusing to let up.

    ¡°Fine. What do you suggest?¡±

    Deloise smiled. A real smile that nearly took him off his feet. What in the world was that?

    ¡°Great! We set up time to meet up, and take highly suggestive pictures. Coupled with the rumors, it won¡¯t be long before our ¡®rtionship¡¯ gets authentified.¡±

    One could tell she was pleased by her n, Aaron nodded in agreement, finding amusement from her enthusiasm and looking forward to their time ahead.

    *****

    Daniel sat in his hotel room, thinking about the onlydy that never seemed to leave his mind. Ever since theirst meeting, he was yet to reach out to her.

    For the first time ever, he didn¡¯t know how to approach matters. The fact he was caught by a person, two seconds from kissing the shit out of her wasn¡¯t an easy pill to swallow.

    Add in the fact that she might have not expressly stated her consent added to the conflict brewing in his heart. ording to his conclusion, there were two ways to go about the case ¨C to apologize and call his need to fulfill his greatest heart desire a mistake or to ignore the details and move on like nothing happened.

    Something told him she wouldn¡¯t appreciate thetter and that kept him at a tight end. He was losing his mind from staying away from her and he needed to be close to her. To make her want him as much as he did her.

    Not that it was possible but he¡¯d take the chance.

    Biting the bullet, Daniel called her for the nth time, and this time around, allowed it to go through as he prepared his mind for any reception, or no reception.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Her Alto voice spoke into his ears and he froze. Literally.

    ¡°Daniel? Are you still there?¡±

    That revived him and he remembered he needed to say something. Anything!

    ¡°E-Esther.¡± He breathed, trying to control his heartbeat.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Esther was getting impatient, she didn¡¯t leave her job and raced to the room to listen to him say nothing. She refused to acknowledge the little voice behind her head that said she¡¯d been waiting all along.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know you told me you weren¡¯t open to being anything more than friends and I stepped out of line, so please, forgive me.¡±

    There it was, he bit the bullet. Despite his head saying he did the right thing, his heart felt betrayed.

    The apology threw Esther off her game as she didn¡¯t expect him to apologize for trying to kiss her. No matter how she looked at it, it felt like he regretted trying to kiss her ¨C and despite how mature he was about the situation, she couldn¡¯t wave off the pain that followed that thought.

    ¡°I-It¡¯s alright.¡± She squeaked out, ready to end the call, ¡°Is that all?¡±

    By this time, Daniel was convinced he fucked up. The curtness of her tone told she wasn¡¯t appeased by his apology and that threw his confidence down some notches.

    Nevertheless, he was a believer of getting things done or die trying, his next choice of words threw her into a confused frenzy.

    ¡°Great. Let me take you out on a date- just two friends going out, purely tonic.¡± He stressed out when she remained silent, ¡°give me an opportunity to redeem myself.¡±

    *****

    The next day, Daniel and Esther got on their way to the beach. You guessed it, in some parallel universe, she epted to go out with him. Reeling from her Yes to him, Daniel didn¡¯t sleep a wink through the night.

    In a nervous frenzy, he rented an entire beach for his business and hoped with all his heart she still found rxing on the beach interesting. A little side of him called him out on his intent to get her undivided attention but he shut it down before it gained footing.

    ¡°You can tell me now, I already know where we¡¯re headed.¡± Esther spoke, clearly in a good mood.

    Daniel made it a point to hide the location of their date, and despite every attempt at getting him to disclose said information, he managed to maneuver his way out without spilling anything noteworthy.

    The case was different now though, she had a hunch on exactly where they were going. She couldn¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t catch on earlier.

    ¡°Great. Now you can sit still while I get us there.¡± He said, eyes focused on the road.

    Esther could sense his reluctance to meet her eyes. A lot of thought brewed from that pot but she decided to forget hermon sense, and for the first time ever, enjoy whatever he had in store for them.

    It didn¡¯t take time before they got to the beach. One fact stood out to her, there wasn¡¯t a single person in sight. Two things ¨C either a lion just gave birth, thereby producing such great luck which was at work in their lives or he bought the damned beach.

    Her mind leaned towards thetter, seeing he was a filthy rich world star and in serious need of privacy. It didn¡¯t make it less astronomical to her for a simple friendly day out though.

    Yes, that was what she termed it. She couldn¡¯t afford losing sight of that. For both their sakes.

    ¡°You bought the beach?¡±

    Her eyes were the size of saucers and Daniel withheld a smile.

    ¡°Rented. I may be rich, but not that rich.¡± He said,

    ¡°You mean not that stupid.¡± Esther said, knowing he could buy a darned ind if he wished. It was just a matter of choice.

    ¡°You know me so well.¡± He murmured, and just like that, the woman he knew for eighteen years made an appearance.

    ¡°Whatever the case, it¡¯s great to have a one day rest from the shackles of my kitchen.¡± She proimed, and picked up her pace in the white sand. ¡°This feels so good!¡±

    Esther yelled as she ran with the wind. She felt like a child all over again, seated in the sand and having takeouts. This man had a way of bringing out the best of her.

    And also the worst- a voice in her mind added to her annoyance.

    Their day at the beach was immersive. For the first time since they reconnected, Daniel felt ease in their interactions. She wasn¡¯t holding back, he could feel it. Their friendship was always better than their rtionship- he wouldn¡¯t admit it aloud though.

    Mid sentence, Esther¡¯s phone red, and she picked it up. Her face scrunched as she took in information from the other end. Within a matter of seconds, she appeared rmed.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± She said and ended the call.

    Esther regarded Daniel with a deer in headlights look. ¡°I need your help.¡±

    *****

    ¡°Thank you so much! I¡¯ll be out before you know it.¡± Esther said and breezed out of the car.

    Only she could turn him into an unpaid Uber driver and stay beautiful while at it. Apparently, she received an important work call that she¡¯d been expecting for weeks and couldn¡¯t afford to miss.

    Daniel knew their date was over when he saw her panicked look and doe eyes upon requesting a lift. After that, he found himself here, waiting for her to return.

    Minutes turned into hours but he remained in the car, careful not to be seen by people around. When she finally returned, she wore a weary smile.

    Whatever went in there, he sensed it was sessful and that was information enough to deem his stay worth it. Daniel drove them back to her house in silence, she gave him a hug and with strained good-byes, they parted ways.

 DDD 55

    ¡± I love you so much, mom! You¡¯re the best!¡±

    Deloise listened to her roommate¡¯s conversation and felt shame well up her system. It was mother¡¯s day and she was yet to put a call across to her mother.

    Matter of fact, she dreaded the pending inevitable conversation with her mother. Since her little adventure, the fact she hasn¡¯t been the closest to her mother wasn¡¯t news.

    For some reason, her mother hadn¡¯t picked offense at their waning rtionship since her move to Royal Arts. Sometimes, she felt her mother was having the time of her life with her away from home.

    A thought that brought a bittersweet taste to her mouth.

    Deciding to get things over with, Deloise pulled her phone from underneath her bed,id on her back and dialed her mother¡¯s line.

    ¡°Baby! What a pleasant surprise!¡±

    The warmth in her mother¡¯s voice brought a fresh wave of shame on her conscience.

    ¡°Hey mom, how are you doing?¡± She squeaked, ¡°Happy mother¡¯s day!¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much darling! I feel like it¡¯s been ages since we spoke. I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve not been present sweetie, I hope you are holding up well.¡±

    Esther felt she was at fault for their withering rtionship. Due to the storm that breezed into her personal life, she kept her daughter at an arm¡¯s length, an attempt to get things handled without hups.

    ¡°Sure! Just here, doing my best and staying happy while at it.¡± Her voice wavered as she approached dangerous waters, ¡°I apologize for staying away too, I should do better.¡± She said remorsefully, ¡°what have you been up totely?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Esther froze at her words, but expertly recovered herself.

    ¡°Ah! I didn¡¯t tell you, I got a deal to cater for a hugepany event. This is my first time working with a brand that big and I¡¯m loving the thrill of it.¡±

    That was news to Deloise.

    ¡°Oh my gosh, mom! Congrattions! Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± She said, feeling excited and proud of her mother.

    Deloise loved the idea of her mother getting stipends from her love of baking, despite the slow years experienced at the start of the business.

    Having grown with the business, she knew firsthand how happy her mother would be at the breakthrough and felt bad not being able to witness it.

    ¡°Thank you so much. Again, I¡¯m sorry. It all happened so fast, I didn¡¯t have time to fill you in.¡± Esther said with a smile, happy to know her daughter still cared about her. ¡°Enough about me, tell me, what has school been like for you. Isw school as hard as they say?¡±

    It was Deloise¡¯ turn to freeze. How on earth was she supposed to answer that question?!

    ¡°Great! Just great! I¡¯m having a great time.¡± She chuckled nervously, wondering what the hell she was talking about.

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear. I knew you were made for it, thank goodness I didn¡¯t let up on it.¡± Esther felt genuinely happy, ¡°tell me, what is it like? I¡¯ve always wanted to be awyer but I couldn¡¯t do that. Now you¡¯re there, I¡¯m permitted to live vicariously through you.¡±

    Deloise didn¡¯t like where the conversation was headed. She hated having to lie and if they kept up with this conversation, more lies shall be told.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to tell, just out here, focusing on what¡¯s important.¡± She shrugged, counting the seconds that followed.

    ¡°Deloise. I want to believe you aren¡¯t holed up in school, talk to me like you would Anna. Is there any boy I need to know about?¡± She asked, wiggling her eyebrows in expectation for the tea.

    Deloise nearly peed her pants at the mention of Anna. Where was her mother and who was this chattydy? For the first time ever, Deloise considered feigning a badwork.

    Esther made to pester her daughter for details when her door flew open, revealing the unyielding face of Karen.

    ¡°Why was a man in your house, Esther?¡± Karen hounded without missing a beat.

    Esther¡¯s eyes widened as she remembered her child was on the line.

    ¡± I¡¯ll call you a bitter, okay baby? Have a good day.¡± She rounded off in a second.

    A stunned Deloise looked down at her phone in wonder at the way she was dismissed. Nevertheless, she knew how to take small wins and appreciated whatever helped her out of that corner.

    Meanwhile, in Esther¡¯s house, Karen sat on the chair, refusing to move an inch until everything was downloaded to her.

    ¡°I promise you, there¡¯s nothing going on between us. That was just-¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t buy it. You were seconds from eating each other. Even a blind person could see the tension between you both. You don¡¯t call that nothing.¡± She pushed, refusing to back down.

    Esther felt a headacheing. She knew it was going to be tough trying to convince her friend but she didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this tough.

    ¡°Okay fine. Yes, we had something. But that¡¯s past.¡± She admitted and Karen¡¯s curiosity piqued.

    ¡°I knew it! Tell me, what happened between you guys? Are you in a rtionship with him? Wait! Is this some sort of rekindled first love?¡±

    ¡°Karen! Now you¡¯re pushing it.¡± Esther said to her fawning friend.

    ¡°You said it yourself. You¡¯re both in love with each other. Is that why he refused to get married and take his rtionships seriously? Oh my goodness, it¡¯s like a movie in here.¡±

    Esther remained silent, tired of her friend¡¯s assumptions. This was just the beginning, and she was already tired. Only God knew what the future held.

    ¡°I had something to do with him, but that¡¯s long over. We may have held something as kids, but that¡¯s all it is. And I need you to respect that.¡±

    ¡°What was he doing so close to you? How did he even know where you live? It¡¯s a world ss star we are talking about here. Excuse me, but I can¡¯t unsee that even if I tried.¡±

    Esther let out an exasperated sigh and Karen held back a sheepish smile.

    ¡°We met at the grocery store. Somehow he was in town and we shed at the grocery store.¡± She reiterated, ¡°Are you satisfied?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so miserable. You must be the only one in the world ashamed of being with Daniel Greenwood. If I had such an experience, I would make his underwear into a que and hang it in my living room for proof when I retell the story a thousand times.¡±

    Karen¡¯s words sounded all shades of wrong to Esther. Nevertheless, she held her peace and pushed down the irritation that boiled in her guts.

    ¡°Whatever, keep this between us and I might give you the glorious details of our interactionster.¡±

    ¡°You got yourself a deal.¡± She agreed, happy to hear more. ¡°Tell me, how did it feel?¡±

    She urged but was left with an eye roll that prompted a roll ofughter. ¡°C¡¯mon!¡±

    *****

    Aaron was having a terrible day. He couldn¡¯t leave campus due to his car refusal to start upon trying this morning.

    As a result, he couldn¡¯t visit his grandma. A fact that added to the awful mood and countenance he wore.

    ¡°Pick up the darned phone, man. I will go crazy if I hear that tune one more time.¡± Tony spoke up, his tone spoke of his irritation.

    Apparently, he wasn¡¯t having a great day himself. But that was the least of Aaron¡¯s worries. He lived by a policy- his house, his rules. No one was going to encroach on that. Not even his friend.

    His ringtone red into the air once again and with a loud sigh, Tony made his way out of the house, unable to bear it anymore.

    Since the early hours of the day, An unknown number consistently rang Aaron¡¯s phone. That wasn¡¯t the problem, his refusal to pick it up and appease whatever desperate weirdo behind the calls was the problem.

    On the outside, he seemed like a jerk but only Aaron knew his reasoning behind leaving his phone unanswered. He knew that number too well but refused to give the person at the other end the satisfaction of getting a reaction from him.

    The phone stopped ringing for sometime and just when he thought it was over, it began for the millionth time. Aaron grabbed his phone with a blinding swiftness and his anger simmered at the name that starred boldly on his screen.

    Deloise.

    Thoughts on how terrible her timing was filled his mind as he swiped green.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± His tone was taut and unfriendly.

    Deloise wasn¡¯t having it, and replied with as much attitude she could muster.

    ¡°Speak to me when you don¡¯t have a stick up your ass.¡± She said and ended the call.

    Leaving Aaron baffled at what just happened.

 DDD 56

    La stood by the opened door, shocked to see Aaron behind it.

    ¡°Erm, sorry about this but can I see Deloise?¡±

    Aaron shuffled his clothes, ufortable with her stare.

    ¡°D-deloise?¡± She let out, still star struck at his presence.

    Aaron was stung by regret. Of course she lives with someone! Who the fuck shows up with dinner without putting a call across to the said person? Now he looked stupid.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just be on my way¡­¡± he managed to say and her eyes went wide.

    ¡°No! I mean- Deloise! She¡¯s in,e on in.¡±

    La opened the door and he entered the living area.

    ¡°Dee! You have a visitor!¡± She yelled and he almost cringed at her loudness.

    Yeah, he was never doing this again.

    ¡°Who is that?¡±

    Her voice told him she wasn¡¯t in her best mood. What was it with him today?

    ¡°You?¡± Deloise was surprised at the sight of Aaron. Her countenance grew poor at the remembrance of theirst interaction. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Aaron wore a cringed smile as he raised his takeouts. ¡°I brought dinner.¡± He stated, hoping she¡¯d take it to mean his apology for his prior rudeness.

    ¡°Take it home.¡± Deloise opined, refusing to let him off easily.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m just going to take a stroll in the gym.¡± La said, threw a wink at her friend, then exited the house.

    They were left alone.

    Aaron let out a breath he didn¡¯t know he held, ¡°I could, but then I¡¯ll be eating alone.¡± He remarked yfully, ¡°where¡¯s the fun in that?¡±

    ¡°I want no part of your games if the end result is me getting insulted.¡± Aaron deted at her words, but she didn¡¯t stop. ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to apologize, then I don¡¯t want to spend any more time with you.¡±

    A moment of silence passed and Deloise let out a huff. ¡°Goodnight.¡± She said and made her way back, silently discharging him.

    ¡± I¡¯m sorry, okay? Are you going to sit?¡± He said and she turned around. She could tell he wasn¡¯t the leastfortable.

    ¡°Maybe, depends if you are willing to do what it takes.¡± She said with a smile that eased Aaron¡¯s uneasiness.

    Returning to his boyish smirks, he yed along. ¡°Oh really? Pray tell, what do I do to get you to dinner with me?¡±

    ¡°Nothing much. Just admit to being a rude asshat and everything would be fine.¡± She said with a smile of her own.

    ¡°Now why would I do that?¡± His brows raised in an inquisitive arc, ¡°you seem quite convinced.¡±

    ¡°My convictions aren¡¯t the problem dearest, I just need the gratification of hearing you say it aloud.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. But I¡¯d rather go on to have my oh so delicious dinner alone than marr my lips with such pronouncements.¡±

    ¡°So be it.¡± Deloise turned around, unable to hide her smile. This man never seemed to amaze her.

    ¡°I¡¯m a rude asshat.¡±

    Aaron¡¯s words stopped her for the second time. She couldn¡¯t say she hadn¡¯t seen iting, but again, everything about this man was different.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so pleased. Savor it because that¡¯s the first andst you¡¯ll hear of it.¡± He raised the takeouts, ¡°I¡¯ll need tes.¡±

    Deloiseughs and heads over to the kitchen. In no time, they were eating infortable silence. After dinner, the duo lounged in the living room, counting the seconds before they spoke to each other.

    ¡°I think we made a mistake.¡± Aaron broke the silence with a faraway look. ¡°Seeing we are supposed to be a couple, don¡¯t you think the world needs to see our delightful dinner date?¡±

    Deloise met his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re a bit toote, seeing the oh so delightful dinner is now in the abyss of our stomach. I doubt they¡¯d want to see the empty table we now have.¡±

    Aaron¡¯s eyes perked. ¡°Who says they needed to see the table before assuming we had a dinner date?¡±

    ¡°Except you are about to order a new set of takeout, I don¡¯t see where this is going.¡± Deloise remarked, and he retained a calctive look.

    ¡°Watch and learn, baby.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t understand how one word could make her heart skip so fervently. Aaron drew close and her heart might have stopped beating entirely.

    His enclosing scent infiltrated her senses, and left her a wobbly mess of silent pants. His proximity ridded her of the ability to make use of her senses. Before she could figure out what was going on, her eyes fluttered to a shut, expecting something from his proximity to her face.

    ¡°Beautiful.¡± Aaron spoke to her ears instead and a click sound followed.

    Deloise¡¯ eyes flew open, wondering what the hell happened, while he put some much needed space between them.

    He took a picture of her. Of them!

    ¡°Let me see it.¡± She demanded after a moment of silence. She couldn¡¯t meet his eyes, knowing he saw through her. The fact she lost her senses at his presence was pretty much in the open now.

    ¡°No.¡±

    That forced her to meet his eyes. ¡°Why? Did it turn out bad?¡±

    She held the actual question she had at the tip of her tongue. If the picture was bad, she was probably a foundational reason. She didn¡¯t even pose.

    ¡°To be fair, I think it¡¯s perfect. You¡¯re perfect.¡± He spoke and her heart skipped again. Typical.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to be sweet. It doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± She said with red cheeks.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    The heat in her cheeks rose at his words. Leave it to Aaron to take a supposed insult for appreciation.

    He wasn¡¯t wrong though. The picture came out superb. Stunning!

    Her eyes fluttered close but not entirely. His buff arm made an appearance and it was ring that they had been close. Painstakingly close that it left a lot to the imagination on exactly what went on during the picture.

    It was an open secret between them. But to the others, the affirmation of a rumor. This picture was enough to get tongues wagging on the stats of their rtionship.

    Exactly what they needed. Exactly what he went for. Nothing more, nothing less.

    She was stupid to have thought more.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± His voice held a twinge of surprise. He couldn¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t like it. How could she not?

    ¡°Of course not! It¡¯s perfect.¡± She threw his initial word back at him and he smiled.

    It wasn¡¯t intentional, but who cares? There wasn¡¯t a better adjective in describing its beauty.

    ¡°You might need to try your hands at photography.¡± She shrugged, ¡°Who knows, you might find it a fulfilling experience.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine without it.¡± He shut it down immediately, and that surprises her. ¡°I enjoy acting way too much to consider it.¡± He supplied a reason but she was far from convinced.

    She wasn¡¯t going to drag it further though. At least not yet.

    ¡°Whatever, up for a game?¡± She proposed, hoping to lighten their interaction.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The duo engaged in a game of ¡®guess-the- scene¡¯. Of course Aaron found a way to make their game worthwhile to their ongoing project!

    At some point, Deloise believed it was an attempt to flex his muscles on how much he¡¯s learned, interpreted and memorized the lines of the script.

    She didn¡¯tin though. Towards the end of their game, she realized something different. In retrospect, she figured it¡¯d been there since he walked through her doors but she was too distracted to pick on it.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± She asked, and Aaron felt caught.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± He replied without meeting her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears if you ever want to talk.¡± She said, keeping the door open just in case.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    With the prolonged silence, she was starting to wane in the belief he¡¯d eventually share what sagged his mind.

    ¡°Today¡¯s mother¡¯s day¡­¡±

    Deloise wasn¡¯t expecting that. At the implication of his words, she found herself needing to be close to him. But fought the urge nheless.

    ¡°And somehow, instead of celebrating mine, I resent her the most.¡± He caught her gaze. ¡°Does that make me an awful person?¡±

    Deloise shook her head and heughed. A far from genuineugh. She knew it so well because she¡¯d seen his real one.

    ¡°The fact that you think it makes you awful tells me you are far from one.¡± She supplied. ¡°There are many reasons why we celebrate our mothers. Many reasons why they are to be celebrated. And if you find yourself in the other direction, then maybe you need to revisit the foundational reason.¡±

    ¡°And if I don¡¯t? What if I don¡¯t feel like meeting the one who made such a grave mistake as bringing me into this world?¡± His tone was sharp and cutting.

    Despite the w in his words, Deloise only saw one thing. His pain. It was so palpable she didn¡¯t realize when she enveloped him in a hug.

    Aaron stilled, unsure of how to react to that. Of everything he expected, he never imagined this. As time went by, his tensed muscles softened and he leaned into her embrace. Enjoying the warmth of her arms around him.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± He breathed into her hair, and in that moment, a striking thought came to him.

    Not just a thought, but a realization that she might be his undoing.

 DDD 57

    ¡°We are sorry but you weren¡¯t selected for the position, however, we are pleased to-¡±

    Ste didn¡¯t let them finish their sentence before she threw hers.

    ¡°Who got it? Tell me, who got the role?¡± she hissed,

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but we are not at-¡±

    ¡°Tell me who got the fucking role! Who was it? Huh?!¡±

    It took a moment before she realized they¡¯d gone off the phone. Whoever was the receiving end of her tantrum probably realized they didn¡¯t have to be.

    ¡°Shit!¡± Ste screamed and threw her phone to the wall. A crack nted itself on her screen.

    Why couldn¡¯t that wench let her be? Of course the process was rigged! There was no way she didn¡¯t get the role except that wench and the stupidpany backing her cheated!

    Rage coursed through her system and she made aplete mess of her room. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯s done it and most certainly wouldn¡¯t be thest. She couldn¡¯t stomach the idea of failing, not when it had to do with that wench.

    After a while, Ste made her way towards her phone and picked it up. She needed to do something and fast. But what could she do? She fought tooth and nail to be awarded an opportunity in such a high profile production, that wench probably didn¡¯t know the horrid nights she spent, twisted with a smelly old man in exchange for the information.

    All her efforts couldn¡¯t wash down the drain. Not now, not ever.

    Ste followed her instincts and logged into her socialwork, hoping to inform her provider on the recent strings of events. What she met not only sent her to a coughing fit but rendered her speechless for some seconds.

    Aaron and Deloise. Tangled together in a ce she couldn¡¯t recognize.

    Her anger rose to an all time high as she saw the heart under the caption, a bold statement of their rtionship. Refusing to believe her eyes, she took another hard look at the picture, which only solidified her worst nightmare.

    Not only was her position taken away by that slut, but she snagged her man underneath her nose. Ste logged off the inte, more furious than she entered and headed to her closet. In record time, she was ready and stomping off the building.

    Next stop, Aaron¡¯s house.

    *****

    Ste arrived at Aaron¡¯s ce in twenty minutes. Half of which she took time to get her emotions under control but failed woefully. The pitiful stares she got on campus didn¡¯t help the cause either but she hoped with all her being there was an exnation.

    She wanted to believe there was a valid exnation for her misconception, the world¡¯s misconception, his misconceptions.

    ¡°Come in.¡± Aaron said from his couch, and Ste walked in. ¡°So you do know how to knock?¡± He remarked with a raised eyebrow but she wasn¡¯t in the mood,

    ¡°Are you dating her?¡± She cuts to the chase and Aaron does a double take. ¡°Tell me, are you dating Deloise?¡±

    Saying her name aloud sent a bitter taste to her mouth,

    ¡°Yes. Is there a problem?¡± Aaron replied curtly, not a fan of her tone.

    Ste felt her heart shatter. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly be dating her.¡± She squeaked and drew close to him. ¡°You don¡¯t even know her.¡±

    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be your concern. Just trust me and stop being a child.¡± Aaron stood up, ¡°How did that audition go? Do I need to get cooking?¡± He asked, thinking she got the deal.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    That stirred up her anger. ¡°I lost the role. Someone with apparently more convincing skills snagged it from me.¡±

    Aaron was on the way to the kitchen when he heard that. ¡°Don¡¯t throw a fit. That¡¯s the market of things these days. You win some, you lose some. Don¡¯t let it hurt you too much.¡± He admonished, went into the kitchen, and returned with a ss of juice. ¡°Here you go.¡±

    Ste took the drink with a grudge. ¡°Are you really going out with her?¡± She asked again and he sighed.

    ¡°What do you have against her? Is there something you want to say to me?¡±

    Aaron was getting tired of people feeling entitled to his business. Ever since the picture went live, a lot of people made it their business and took to calling him with opinions he didn¡¯t need.

    ¡°Nothing¡­ Just shocked, that¡¯s all.¡±

    With the prolonged silence, she knew they were done with the conversation and also ran out of things to say. How did they get here?

    ¡°I have a meeting.¡± Aaron announced after some time. ¡°There¡¯s enough food in the kitchen if you want some, keep the key around when you leave.¡± He instructed and headed inside the room; no doubt to prepare for a date with her.

    Ste suddenly didn¡¯t feelfortable seated there. Who knew if she left her slutty juices around the house, she couldn¡¯t put it past her. Ugly thoughts of them together flickered into her mind and without a second thought, she made her way out.

    The ride back home was painful more than anything. Her heart stung in anger and her head devised the many ways she could get her life back on track. On getting down from her car, she met a suited man standing by the frontier.

    With one look, she knew he wasn¡¯t an ordinary man and stered a charming smile on her face. Her smile waned when he spoke first.

    ¡°Ste Davis. Good to see you, although I can¡¯t say it¡¯s a coincidence.¡± The man said with an outstretched arm. ¡± Mr. Gates, representing Preston Talent Management.¡± He produced aplimentary card which she took a nce at.

    ¡°Can we go somewhere else?¡± She asked after verifying he was from Preston afterall. ¡°I¡¯m notfortable holding meetings in my home.¡± She lied easily.

    ¡°Sure. I apologize foring here. We were desperate.¡±

    Ste followed him to a ck Porsche parked by the road. Together, they began their journey, and within ten minutes, they were seated across from each other in a ssy restaurant away from Royal Arts.

    ¡°So what do you say? Are you ready to join thepany and get the much needed backing you deserve?¡± Mr. Gates rounded off with a striking offer.

    ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± Ste asked, still unconvinced at the motive behind their sudden offer.

    Preston Management was a hugepany that amassed huge influence in the industry over the years. Theirpetency in managing artists was second to the Evolve management which produced the now CEO of thepany.

    Other than their impressive ability, they were also known for their exploitative tendencies. A fact she couldn¡¯t overlook no matter how desperate she was.

    ¡°Think about it this way.¡± Mr. Gates ced his elbows on the table as he leaned closer. ¡°We are looking for the next movie queen to bring under our wing, and just when we thought we missed out on the best there is, we realized how wrong we were with our selection.¡±

    Ste was confused, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I am an agent/scout for the Preston Talent group. I also happen to be a top manager and director in the saidpany. I know talent when I see one.¡± Her eyes narrowed at his words. ¡°I originally sought to get the infamous Deloise Tanner. Matter of fact, when I saw her performance the other day at the auditions, I was ready to do everything to get her as an artist under Preston.¡±

    Ste¡¯s face morphed into one of displeasure, ¡°I think you are talking to the wrong person.¡± She started and picked up her bag, ready to leave.

    ¡°Patience my dear. Patience.¡± He tuts but she was far from convinced. ¡°All of those things were thrown out at the moment I saw you perform. I knew I wasn¡¯t losing out when I saw you perform and my decision was final.¡±

    Ste couldn¡¯t help the pride that soured through her at his next words.

    ¡°No one could stand you in that room. Not even Deloise Tanner.¡± He stressed, buttering her up. ¡°You must know that by now, seeing you should have got your call for the lead role in the production.¡±

    Her face fell like a pack of cards. Then the anger revived. Even an onlooker believed the role to be hers! That wench probably did something fishy to get her rid of the job.

    ¡°Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t picked.¡± She said in a taut tone.

    ¡°I can¡¯tprehend how that happened, but either way, it¡¯s their loss, not yours.¡± He said, gauging her countenance.

    ¡°About this deal, what makes it a fit for my brand as an actress?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you asked.¡±

    By the time they were done, Ste was ready to sign the contract and go head to head with the rivalpany¡¯stest intake who she believed stole her spot in the limelight.

    Doing exactly what they gunned for upon approaching her.

 DDD 58

    ¡°You got the job! You got it! I knew you had it in you.¡± Doris called in excitement and Deloise couldn¡¯t help the smile that blossomed on her face.

    ¡°Really?! That¡¯s awesome news!¡± She replied with as much enthusiasm. ¡°Wait- since I¡¯ve been selected, when does the filming start? I¡¯m still quite upied with the shooting. Do you think I¡¯d make it in time to prepare?¡±

    The overthinking Deloise managed to make an appearance and Doris rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Calm your tits down, the shooting is not until the movie premier. You have all the time in the world.¡± She assured her. ¡°For now, get prepared. I¡¯ll be with you shortly. We have to take some shots for the media.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Deloise dropped the phone and made her way towards the closet, searching for something decent. In no time, she was on her way with Doris, headed for a photo-shoot.

    The shoot went by without problems and soon, they were headed out, satisfied with how the pictures came out. They entered the car and Doris spoke first.

    ¡°I forgot to tell you. You finally have your first paid appearance. It¡¯s happening next week.¡± She informed her with a smile.

    ¡± Really? What is the asion? Where will it be?¡±

    Deloise felt excited, curious and nervous. A lot of feelings coursed through her veins at an intense speed, she figured that was normal with the sort of life she was given to lead.

    ¡°It¡¯s apany asion. At Chicago.¡±

    Every prior feeling she had vanished. All that was left was a sinking feeling of hollowness and dread. She couldn¡¯t do an appearance there. She couldn¡¯t go back there.

    ¡°Cancel it. I can¡¯t go there.¡± She said and Doris did a double take.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to do that. Besides, like I said, it¡¯s a paid appearance and the management decided it was an event fit for you to attend.¡± Deloise countenance grew poor at the implications of her words, ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged. It¡¯s going to be a fun experience.¡± Doris said with an encouraging smile.

    Deloise wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we can still do something? Think about it, it¡¯s a whole new city. Can¡¯t we decline this once?¡± she begged at this point.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you don¡¯t like it. But there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± She stated to her devastation, ¡°There are some things we don¡¯t have control over, and this is one of those things. This isn¡¯t an offer, it¡¯s an instruction; and it¡¯s way too early to be picky.¡±

    *****

    Deloise went into anxiety after the conversation with Doris. She couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of dread as the days drew near. So much that she felt her game drop in acting due to her perceivedck of concentration.

    Like every other work day, Deloise was at the shooting scene. Waiting out the time till she had to go on. The ringing of her phone jolted her from the thoughts that distracted her.

    ¡°Amanda.¡± She said with a lot less excitement than usual.

    ¡°Hey girl! Fix your tone or I might think you are getting tired of me.¡± Amanda was quick to call her out, ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡±

    Deloise sighed, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry babes, I¡¯ve just had a lot going on and¡­¡± she breathes, ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°Does it happen to have something to do with a certain Aaron?¡± she asked in a sing-song voice, and Deloise¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Deloise whisper-yelled. ¡°How did you know about that?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re famous hunny.¡± She stated off-handedly, ¡°The question should be, when were you nning on telling me about him?¡±

    ¡°Never. Because it¡¯s not what it seems like.¡± Deloise looked around, careful not to let anyone hear her, ¡°I¡¯m at a shoot right now. I have to go.¡±

    ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t. You are yet to give me some much needed information about the pretty boy.¡± She whined.

    ¡°I told you already, there is no such thing.¡± Deloise stressed, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter. I need to go now.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Amanda piped and Deloise was running out of patience. ¡°What does he smell like?¡±

    That did it. She ended the call and dropped her phone with a huff.

    She wasn¡¯t going to hear the end of this now. Her anxiety rose a notch at the thought of just how far and fast news spreads. During her little moment, she failed to take cognisance of the fact she wasn¡¯t alone.

    ¡°Who am I to you then?¡± Aaron approached her space, right in the eyes of the people preparing for their next shot.

    Caught in the heart, she turned around. ¡°Did you eavesdrop on me?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± He drew dangerously close to her. ¡°Tell me inly, did I hear you correctly? Who am I to you?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡­ W-What are you trying to do?¡± She stuttered, eyes flickering between him and their forming audience.

    ¡°You are yet to answer me, firecracker.¡± Her eyes drew in recognition. It¡¯s been a while since he addressed her via that nickname. Apparently, someone missed it. ¡°Did I just hear you deny me?¡±

    ¡°Aaron¡­ we¡¯re in public.¡± She reminded him, shuffling ufortably on her seat.

    ¡°And?¡±

    Her eyes drew to a close as he was mere inches from her face.

    ¡°You¡¯re yet to answer me, Deloise.¡± Aaron called in a teasing tone.

    Her eyes flickered open in aggravation, ¡°I don¡¯t-¡±

    This time around, she was cut short by a kiss. Yes, he actually connected lips with her. Watching eyes widened at their disy and cheers/coos were heard.

    That distracted Deloise but she was way too upied to do anything about it. After one hell of a kiss, Aaron drew back with a satisfied smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s officially our first day as a couple.¡± He whispered, ¡°So stop hiding our rtionship.¡± He tuts and makes a mess of her hair.

    Deloise watched him walk away while in a haze. Safe to say the rumours intensified at Royal Arts and beyond. She was officially Aaron Steele¡¯s girl. Or something like that.

    ******This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    ¡°It¡¯s been so long, man. Almost feels like you disappeared off the face of the earth.¡± Elvis struck a conversation with Daniel as they waited on their order.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who runs apany, I¡¯ve just been waiting for a spot to open up in your schedule.¡± Daniel retorts and he almost spits out his water.

    ¡°Asif! You¡¯re the hotshot with a busy schedule. I honestly can¡¯t keep up with your appearances these days.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s funny, seeing I¡¯ve been in the city for the past week.¡±

    His friend¡¯s jaws dropped at his words.

    ¡°What? Do you have a shoot here or something?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something more important than that.¡± Daniel gave him the look. ¡°You know that.¡±

    His brows narrowed in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t get it¡­¡± he muttered before a light bulb went off his head. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± He said, refusing to believe.

    Daniel couldn¡¯t help the shit-eating grin that made its way to his face. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m lying?¡±

    ¡°Oh my goodness! You found her?!¡± Elvis felt bewildered. ¡°How on earth did you manage that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d loved to say I have my ways but that would be a lie.¡± He started, ¡°I didn¡¯t have to do the searching because she appeared before me. God sent her my way after so long.¡±

    Daniel proceeded to recount how he met Esther to a more than willing Elvis.

    ¡°She¡¯s been underneath your nose this whole time!¡± Elvis heard the usation in his friend¡¯s tone.

    ¡°Hey, It¡¯s a big city, you know? And I sort of have apany and family to run.¡± He defended, ¡°Maybe you were destined to find her yourself, and get your happy ending.¡±

    ¡°I wish¡­ She¡¯s been a tough nut to crack.¡± Daniel sported a faraway look. ¡°I¡¯m getting there though. It¡¯s just a matter of time before I get in.¡±

    Elvis sat up, ¡°What¡¯s there to crack? Unless she is genuinely uninterested in you, has a significant other, or changed her sexual orientation, I don¡¯t see why she wouldn¡¯t take you with both arms.¡±

    His words rubbed Daniel off the wrong way, ¡°What are you getting at?¡±

    ¡°Do I need to spell it out? No one in their right mind would reject a world star except there¡¯s something fishy going on.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong.¡± Daniel defended, ¡°Esther has never been moved by material things. Not then and definitely not now.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing. With everything that you¡¯ve said, it¡¯s clear she isn¡¯t that person. But then, I can¡¯t really tell..¡± He shrugged.

    ¡°Yeah. I have this thing nned where I made her the caterer. I want you to spearhead the preparations.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just the beginning and you¡¯re already ying games? She must be a tough one.¡± Elvis shook his head in amusement.

    ¡°Shut up and do as I say.¡± Daniel was aggravated, causing a full blownughter from Elvis,

    ¡°Whatever. What¡¯s the time frame of this event?¡±

    ¡°One week.¡±

    Elvis did a double take. ¡°One week?!¡± he asked incredulously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have much time, so get it done already.¡±

 DDD 59

    ¡°What¡¯s got you in a shit mood?¡± La couldn¡¯t stop herself this time around. ¡°Is there trouble in paradise or is this some weird mood swing?¡± She asked and sipped her tea.

    Deloise was by the door, ready to leave the house when she heard her roommate.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Exactly what you heard. You¡¯ve been a stormy cloud all week.¡± She reiterated, ready to churn up proofs to her allegations.

    Deloise couldn¡¯t defend herself. She knew she had been a kill-joy in recent times but could you really me her? With the appearanceing, she lost sleep, strength and courage to move on.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel too good.¡± She replied to an unconvinced La. ¡°And no, there isn¡¯t trouble in paradise.¡± She added, hoping to alleviate whatever thought brewing concerning her rtionship with Aron.

    Matter of fact, that was her first time admitting the believed open-secret aloud.

    Colour returned to La¡¯s face. ¡°As much as I¡¯m pleased you finally found the balls to admit to your romance with Aaron Steele, I still don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡±

    Her eyes narrowed at her roommate, ¡°There¡¯s something, something I can¡¯t put my hands on, giving the envious life you lead.¡±

    Deloise almostughed at her statement, envious? Ha! She doubted anyone would want to be in her position. They didn¡¯t know that though, the only thing they saw was the glitz and m of her new identity as a rising star.

    No one saw the pains and sacrifices she had to pay, and was still paying. Her eyes were suddenly opened to the wisdom attainable only from experience.

    A few months back, before the craziness began, if she saw someone living the life she so coveted, she wouldn¡¯tprehend why they¡¯d be anything but happy and grinning from ear to ear at all times.

    But the reality dawned on her. The painful but true reality.

    ¡°I¡¯m just a bit tired. Shooting these days is a lot more hectic with the moody weather.¡± She sported a far from convincing smile, hoping to ward off any more questions or suspicions.

    ¡°Get over it, take a break or something. You aren¡¯t doing anyone any good by stressing yourself like that.¡±

    She nodded and La watched her leave their apartment with a worried look on her face. It was clear her roommate was at her wits end and any more push might lead to getting past the cliff.

    On the other hand, Deloise walked towards the van scheduled to take them to the shooting site. They had to shoot a scene at an outdoor area and while everyone else was looking forward to it, she couldn¡¯t wait until they were done and back from the entire exercise.

    She got on the vehicle and moments after taking a seat, her phone rang.

    ¡°Doris..¡± She said with a less than exciting tone.

    ¡°Hey! How are you doing? By my guess, you should be on your way for today¡¯s shoot.¡±

    Deloise never got used to the idea of having a manager. She never got used to the surprise she got whenever Doris told or read her supposed engagement every morning.

    ¡°I¡¯d tell you yes, but you already knew that.¡± Her voice hinted at the slight curve of her lips.

    ¡°Whatever. I have news for you.¡± Doris said on a serious note.

    Chills crawled up her arms, whenever Doris spoke with that tone, it always resulted in two things. Bad news or good news. Whichever it was, it was always very serious. This time, she prayed it was thetter.

    ¡°Good or bad?¡± she asked, and for a moment, the line went still.

    ¡°It depends.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears, let me have it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about the event. It¡¯s going to be aunch event for a new line of business for a tycoon in Chicago. The event will be littered with stars as the host is impressive.¡±

    Deloise¡¯ heart plummeted, more public figures meant more publicity. Two things she didn¡¯t need during her stay in Chicago.

    ¡°Other than that, I got news that we wouldn¡¯t be alone. Ste happens to be the youngest contracted star under Preston Management. They are still trying to keep it under wraps but we got the intel. My guess is that they¡¯ll make her try to rile you up, so be prepared.¡±

    If there was any momentum Deloise had going prior to their talk, it vanished. Not only did she have to sit through the event without getting too much attention, she also had to sit through the endless taunts of Ste who would do everything to make her look stupid for fun¡¯s sake.

    Despite feeling grateful for the heads up, she couldn¡¯t stop the discouragement that overtook her. She couldn¡¯t even do anything about it. There was no going around it.

    *****

    Aaron had an emergency meeting with Mr. Austin. By now, it was clear he assumed the role of his manager until he was fully set to be scouted by an agency.

    ¡°Why do I have to go? It has nothing to do with me.¡± Aaron said as he went through the invite handed to him.

    ¡°No. That¡¯s where you are wrong. You have to go. You have a reputation to uphold. It¡¯s Deloise¡¯s first outing, and not just that, it will give you a great opportunity to socialize the industry. It¡¯s going to be a star studded event.¡±

    Aaron¡¯s attention perked at the mention of Deloise.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯ll be dumb to follow after her just because we are supposed to be a couple. This isn¡¯t a promotional event, this is business. I doubt she would want me following her around when she¡¯s trying to build a name.¡±

    Mr. Austin felt confused at the state of his reasoning. ¡°Are you looking out for her or is this your way of trying to evade the situation? Whatever it is, that¡¯s beside the point. Like you said, this is business, and we are all trying to get ourselves out there. You both signed a contract, so might as well treat it as business. You are going, and that¡¯s final.¡±

    ¡°Why was I invited if my choice wouldn¡¯t matter anyway?¡± Aaron rxes into the chair, ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°I appreciate your maturity on this topic, so far you¡¯ve been impable and that¡¯smendable.¡± He said, referring to the project they had going on. ¡°You¡¯ve both seeded in painting a picture of having rtions, what is the n going forward? You do know the shoot ising to an end and we need to keep people talking.¡±

    ¡°I know that. I¡¯m currently working on it. The next news will blow your mind.¡± Aaron assured with a mysterious glint.

    ¡°Whatever it is you have in mind, make it bigger.¡±

    Aaron smirked at the implication of his words. Not just to him, but to the girl involved.

    So far, his favourite pass-time included thinking up ways to get his girlfriend¡¯s face a permanent shade of red. And he was doing a great job at it. It was only up from here.

    ¡°Have a good day.¡±

    Aaron waved a finger on his way out, definitely in a good mood and ready to pack up for his impending journey to Chicago.

    Aaron crossed the hallways of the building, headed outside when his phone rang. He took a nce and was shocked at the name disyed. Hell had to be freezing for him to receive such a call.

    He kept walking. Refusing to pick it up until the third ring. Knowing the nature of the one at the other end, it was clear he wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. A frost covered his face as he picked it with a sense of urgency.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    His tone was cutthroat, rid of respect.

    ¡°That¡¯s no way to talk to your father, young man.¡± An equally firm voice said.

    ¡°Perhaps the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree.¡±

    Aaron bore a cynic look, there was only so much he could take. He wasn¡¯t only running out of patience, but his anger built at a sickening rate.

    ¡°Let¡¯s meet. I need to speak to you.¡±

    The voice spoke in a tone he knew so well. It wasn¡¯t a request.

    ¡°We are speaking.¡± Aaron pointed out, ¡°I doubt we¡¯ll still be in the next one minute,¡± he added sarcastically but meant every word.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make things harder than it needs to be-¡±

    ¡°Oops! Your minute expired. Have a terrific day.¡± Aaron didn¡¯t wait for a reply before hanging up the phone.

    He went ahead to turn it off, his countenance was grave as he proceeded out of the building. Upon stepping out the doors, he caught sight of two shy ck cars situated in front of his car.

    The covered te number told him everything he needed to know. Aaron jaws clenched as he watched the windows wind down, revealing the very person he despised with all his might.

    ¡°You¡¯ve always been the impatient one, son.¡± The elder Mr. Steele said, ¡°Get in.¡±

 DDD 60

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Aaron sneered after what he described to be the most painful three minutes of his life.

    ¡°Fix your tone, boy.¡± Mr. Steele said, casually flipping through a newspaper. ¡°I hear you¡¯ve been busytely.¡±

    Aaron was baffled at the nerve of his father. ¡°Apparently not busy enough to stop you from showing up in my life whenever you please.¡± He seethed, ¡°Driver, stop the car.¡±

    ¡°Keep going.¡± The elder Steele instructed, as they continued the journey. ¡°You¡¯ve always been the impatient one. Seeing you don¡¯t have time to see your father, I figured I¡¯de have lunch with you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so funny hearing you address me like that. Keep the theatrics for an audience, there¡¯s no one here.¡± He snapped and his fatherughed.

    ¡°I see myself in you. A younger version of myself. All that anger gave me the tenacity, but careful artiction gave me the wealth I have today. Abination you refuse to possess.¡±

    ¡°d I disappointed your expectations of me, I reckon Moses is filling that void perfectly. Can you let me go now?¡±

    ¡°I will. After we have lunch.¡±

    Mr. Steele didn¡¯t say another word after that. Despite Aaron¡¯s more than vocal refusal to be anywhere close to him. After the longest twenty minutes drive, Aaron and his father walked into a high end restaurant where he booked lunch.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have my usual.¡± Mr Steele ordered, ¡°What will you have?¡± He asked after the prolonged silence from Aaron¡¯s end.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°He just ate so it¡¯s fine.¡± His father yed it off with a smile, and the waiter excused them.

    ¡°What was that about? You think putting on a show would disgrace me? I own this ce, boy,¡±

    Aaron smirked at his father¡¯s words. He knew his father¡¯s phobia for getting mud on his name. If there was one thing he knew about the man across from him, it was the fact he saved face and protected his name above all things.

    Not even a son, talk less of an illegitimate one.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have all day. What do you want?¡± Aaron returned to the focal point,

    ¡°Seeing you aren¡¯t in the mood to get together, I¡¯ll make this quick.¡± He said as they set up his meal. ¡°Who is Deloise Tanner?¡±

    Aaron was both shocked and mad. ¡°I don¡¯t answer to you.¡± He seethed, ¡°You lost the right to ask me such questions a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°For as long as you have my blood running through your veins, you will always answer to me.¡± Mr Steele started, ¡°Get rid of her and clean up the press or I¡¯ll do it myself. And best believe, if I do it myself, a lot more things will be corrected than a measly whore looking to climb thedder through you.¡±

    The hatred and anger in his father¡¯s voice was palpable. Thest time he saw his father this angry was when he took on the decision to bear his granny¡¯s name. His reaction to pursuing the dirty life of an actor, which he perfectly termed a public gigolo was a close second. It wasn¡¯t news the grudge he held for his now booming career in the film industry.

    All of which gave life to Aaron who thrived to do things backwards his intent or instruction. ¡°Is that a threat?¡±

    ¡°More of an advice. Clean up your mess and do away with her. If you are looking to get serious with your life, thepany is open to receive you. As long as you are ready to y by the rules.¡±

    ¡°Thanks but no thanks.¡± Aaron said as he got up. ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, he left the table leaving his father to enjoy his lunch alone. Mr Steele¡¯s jaws tightened at the disrespect but maintained a calm disposition as he finished the rest of his meal alone.

    Outside, Aaron gged down a cab back to campus. During his ride, he couldn¡¯t help but get amused at the effrontery of his father to seek him out on such grounds. His smirk turned wicked as he mapped out ns he believed would eventually make him cough blood.

    This gave him yet another reason to be thankful to Deloise. With every intention to go against his father, he knew he was just getting started.

    *****

    Esther sat in her kitchen with thest batch of pastries in the oven. She was having dinner to celebrate her new contract, and invited both Daniel and Karen to dine with her. The decision wasn¡¯t her best but with the growing nags from Karen for an opportunity to meet Daniel Greenwood, she decided to bite the bullet.

    Other than Karen, Daniel also wanted to see her. With their growing friendship, she lost confidence in her ability to meet him alone. She postponed their meetings so much that he outrightly asked why she was avoiding him.

    With this, she was able to kill both birds with one stone; and hopefullye out unscathed.

    Esther dialed her daughter¡¯s line, hoping to get a bit of mother-daughter time before the guests arrived, but unfortunately, it didn¡¯t go through. She opted for a text instead, asking to callter.

    As soon as the text was delivered, A knock came from the front door. The firmness of the knock told her it was Daniel¡¯s. He was always in a hurry to get out of sight due to his public profile. Sometimes, she wondered how he was able to frequent her home without getting sshed in the news.

    ¡°Hey! Wee.¡± She greeted as he walked through the door, and took up the entire space once the door was shut.

    ¡°Esther.¡± He called fondly, ¡°Congrattions on your contract!¡±

    A smile pitched on her face. ¡°Thank you so much. I couldn¡¯t have done it without your help thest time.¡± She casually replied, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°d to know I helped get you there, but we both know you¡¯ll be here anyways. Whether I drove or not.¡± He piped and sheughed.

    ¡°Why would you say that?¡±

    ¡°I have my reasons. The contract was made for you, they couldn¡¯t have chosen anyone better. I just happened to be there at the right time.¡±

    Daniel¡¯s words caused her heart to flutter. He showed that part of him that made her long to do all the wrong things. Somehow, he always knew what to say, he was a perfect wordsmith and she was all about that.

    You know the funny thing? He knew. He knew what a sucker she was for flowery words and somehow made it a natural charm in his wake. Just when the silence became too intimate, another knock came from the door.

    Esther released a breath and fixed her face, knowing Karen would being any minute now. In no minute, the door flung open, revealing Karen

    ¡°Esther! Where are-¡± she stopped mid-shout as she came face-to-face with aposed Daniel.

    ¡°Hello.¡± He smiled, ¡°I believe we¡¯ve met.¡±

    Karen cut him off with a hug. ¡°Daniel Greenwood! Oh my goodness! You are real! I¡¯m Karen, a very huge fan of yours,¡± She introduced herself, reached for his palm and shook in excitement.

    Used to such reactions, Daniel reciprocated the energy. ¡°Awesome. It¡¯s always a delight meeting any one of my supporters. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Can we all sit now? This is supposed to be my congrattory dinner. Not his meet and greet.¡± Esther intervened, throwing daggers at Karen who was too busy to notice.

    The thrio dug into their meal, discussing as long lost friends. Karen never seemed to shut up, she carried the conversation, eliciting responses from the duo and sometimes opinions.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always been on the fence about children from a young age. I believed they were too messy and when my little sister came along, I thought she stole all the love away and was sulking for way longer than normal.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡± Daniel asked, interested in her story.

    ¡°17 years. I held a grudge for my sister for 17 years and when I finally went to therapy, I discovered I wasn¡¯t the least normal, at least not at the time.¡± She said to the shock of Esther and Daniel.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so startled. I¡¯m a better person now, with one beautiful child. In Fact, two. De-¡±

    ¡°Karen! You have some grease on your clothes.¡± Esther said in urgency, giving her the look.

    ¡°No I don¡¯t.¡± Karen answered after a nce at her outfit. ¡°As I said, I have two daughters, one belonging to-¡±

    ¡°Karen!¡± Esther got to her feet. ¡°You need a change of outfit. In my room, Now.¡±

    Daniel looked between the women, calcting what could be wrong.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Just give us a few minutes. My friend here happens to be a messy eater.¡± Esther said and dragged her along with her towards the room.

    Behind closed doors, Esther spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°Do not mention our children. What¡¯s gotten over you?¡±

    ¡°And why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want a man knowing I got knocked up by someone who wasn¡¯t responsible enough to stay.¡± She said and Karen withdrew.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°No problem. I know you are excited but please, let¡¯s reduce the word vomit, okay?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    The two walked out like nothing happened and the rest of the dinner went on without mishaps. Karen and Daniel were almost inseparable at the end of the night.

    Esther didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry about it.

 DDD 61

    Deloise watched her mother throw down her table, eyes aze. ¡°Is this what you¡¯ve been up to all along?¡± she broke into a cynicalugh, ¡°Someone tell me this is a joke!¡±

    Esther threw her arms as she looked round the room. No one moved.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, mom. I just¡­ I-I got an opportunity and I couldn¡¯t sit still,¡± she reached for her mother¡¯s hand, ¡°You said I should be happy, you wanted me to be sessful. I¡¯m both, can¡¯t you see?¡± She gulped, searching her mother¡¯s eyes.

    What she saw stomped on the little hope she held out, ¡°No child of mine will be an actress, I thought we settled this? Why would you ruin your life like this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not ruining my life! You are ruining my life with your unrealistic hopes of what I will be. I am nowyer, mom! Look at me! I¡¯m an actress, I managed to make it through the odds..¡± her voice broke towards the end of her sentence. ¡°why can¡¯t you just support me?¡±

    ¡°You are no daughter of mine.¡±

    Her heart fell, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Exactly what you heard. We had a deal Deloise, we had a n. You chose to go through this path without my consent. You deceived me, you made a fool of my love. No daughter of mine will disregard me in such a manner. Hence you¡¯ve gone your way, let¡¯s sever ties.¡±

    Deloise choked, ¡°No¡­ you don¡¯t mean that. Take it back right now.¡±

    ¡°Find me when you¡¯ve cleaned up this mess. I am utterly disappointed in you.¡±

    A mix of emotions filled her heart. Most of which she couldn¡¯t confidently exin, one stood out to her. Anger- one that ate at her senses.

    ¡°What? You want to walk away because things didn¡¯t go your way this once?! This isn¡¯t a mess, it¡¯s my life! How many times will I concede to you? Do you hate me this much?¡± She bellowed to the back of a woman who didn¡¯t care to hear her speak.

    ¡°Mom!¡± She fell to the ground, ¡°Please, just.. please¡­ turn around..¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Deloise gripped her heart and watched her mother walk away from her life. Tears pooled her eyes and on-lookers threw sympathetic looks her way. The reality of things hit her, she was caught. It was the end of her games.

    A ringing phone jolted a sweating Deloise from her sleep. The hairs in her arm stood as she saw the name of the caller, It was her mother. Still bound by the effects of the dream, she lingered, hesistant to take the call.

    ¡°Hello?¡± She picked after the third ring.

    ¡°Hey! Are you asleep?¡± Her mother¡¯s tone was rtively low. ¡°Sorry I called a bitte.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I always have time for you..¡± she muttered,

    ¡°I love you darling.¡± Her mother cooed, ¡°I want to quickly update you on the state of my job, since it¡¯ste, I¡¯ll just give you the basis.¡±

    Deloise¡¯s attention perked at her words, ¡°I have to cater for a big event happening this weekend, apparently, it¡¯s a big show that would be star studded. Which also goes on to mean I¡¯ll have to impress a lot of potential customers. I¡¯m so excited and nervous.¡±

    Esther downloaded the details to her daughter, her countenance grew poor with the information thrown her way. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears.

    ¡°Did you say a businessunch?¡± Deloise asked, praying she was somehow mistaken and they weren¡¯t preparing for the same event this weekend.

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a huge one.¡± Esther affirmed to her daughter¡¯s horror. ¡°I honestly can¡¯t exin how I bagged such a high profile event myself.¡±

    ¡°Wow..¡± Deloise suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Usually, when her mother made such derrogatory remarks, she was quick to set her straight. This time around, she couldn¡¯t even react. Not with her impending doom.

    *****

    They were finally leaving Royal Arts. Deloise was d in a sweatshirt and joggers, her luggage stood beside her, while Doris and Mr. Austin addressed them.

    ¡°.. seeing you are both in a rtionship, we thought it natural that you travel together.¡± The director said his piece, ¡°Please try your best to maintain the act, especially in the public¡¯s eye. Believe it or not, people are watching. Regardless of your level in the industry, there are always people trying to be nosy and sometimes, they be deadly to your growth in the business.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Doris supported, ¡°Despite your state as rising stars, there are people seeking the littlest thing to rid you of a career before it even starts. You have to be careful, both of you.¡± Her gaze alternated between them both. ¡°It¡¯s such a pity I can¡¯t be on the ne from the get go. But I¡¯ll join you in Chicago as soon as I can.¡±

    Deloise let out a breath from her nostrils. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.¡± She wasn¡¯t quite convinced herself.

    ¡°We will be fine, it¡¯s just a party. What could possibly go wrong?¡± Aaron huffed, ¡°Our flights will soon leave at this point.¡± he muttered, ncing at his watch.

    They were running out of time, and thest thing he needed was getting left behind or breathless from running around, trying to save time.

    Soon, the duo were on a ne, seated side by side and headed to Chicago.

    ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± Deloise asked, looking between their intertwined hands and his smirk.

    ¡°We are a couple.¡± He said it like it fixed everything. ¡°It¡¯s only normal if we give them something to look at, right?¡±

    Aaron took a pic of their hands together.

    No doubt, it was headed to the inte, their rtionship was bing a lot more popr with Aaron¡¯s strategic and well nned out pictures of them. She could count on both hands the amount of times her face or body parts made an appearance in his shots.

    Yeah, he was ying the script of one so obsessed with his woman, he barely took pictures of himself. It was always something sensitive, suggestive with intimate gestures. Several minutes after the shot, she couldn¡¯t help but be painfully aware of their enjoined hands. That and the fact he was a lot more touchy in recent times.

    Their trip was seamless and they were soon notified of their arrival in Chicago. Aaron and Deloise came down the ne, hand in hand. Her grip tightened and before he could speak about it, a reason showed up before their eyes.

    ¡°Aaron!¡± Ste greeted in an overly cheerful tone, and Deloise resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

    They were in public. What was she doing here?

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Aaron voiced the mind of Deloise.

    ¡°Easy there, if I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think you weren¡¯t happy to see me,¡± She said in a yful tone. Deloise knew better.

    ¡°Of course not, just curious, how are you here?¡± He yed along with her.

    ¡°Guess..¡± Ste said, dangerously close to Aaron with a pout on her lips.

    ¡°Theunch.¡± A voice said, and Aaron did a double take at Deloise.

    ¡°How?¡± He murmured while the women threw looks at each other.

    Of course Ste happened to be here the exact moment they stepped foot in Chicago. If this wasn¡¯t a bad sign, she didn¡¯t know what it was.

    ¡°Yeah, tell us, how did you know?¡± Ste picked up, arms akimbo.

    Deloise felt stuck, she didn¡¯t know if it was the right time to expose her deal with the Prestons. She walked into that herself.

    ¡°You are an actress, a popr one. It¡¯s only natural you get invited too.¡± Aaronpleted his thought process.

    ¡°Yeah..¡± Ste said, fawning on every word. ¡°Where are you guys off to? It¡¯s still early on and I¡¯ve been here before, would you like a little tour round the state?¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t help but notice how direct her offer was. She could tell she wasn¡¯t invited. It was Aaron¡¯s time to tighten his grip on her hand.

    ¡°We¡¯ll like to rest. Maybe some other time.¡± He dismissed her in a firm tone. Deloise felt there was something more to it but didn¡¯t speak a word as they walked into their rented vehicle.

    Things were getting interesting.

    ******

    What on earth?

    Deloise and Aaron stood in the room, staring at the king sized bed before them.

    ¡°I think we are in the wrong room.¡± Deloise spoke first.

    ¡°I doubt that.¡± Aaron hissed, ¡°This is obviously nned.¡±

    ¡°What do we do?¡± She looked around, ¡°The floor-¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll sleep on the bed.¡± Aaron said, and Deloise stilled.

    ¡°There¡¯s no one here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make this weird.¡± He ced his hand on his forehead, ¡°Except you want to catch a cold before your appearance, the bed is big enough for us both.¡±

    Deloise swallowed and watched his muscles flex as he opened his bag. It seemed like everything was after her sanity. It was going to be a rough weekend. She could sense it.

    The duo lounged in their hotel room, doing everything and anything to keep out the other¡¯s way. Aaron watched Deloise without her knowledge. It was the first time he observed her so closely, and being the observative person he was, he picked up on her anxiety.

    At first, he boiled it down to her difort with their living arrangements but as time progressed, he figured it was something else. Something that kept her on her toes always.

    Dinner came and they dug in. Deloise felt his eyes on her but made no move to acknowledge it. She was having a mental breakdown and it was eating at her sanity.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Her eyes caught his own, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so¡­ disturbed?¡± He finally let out, unable to hold it anymore.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± She said and took another bite of her food.

    ¡°Yeah. About as normal as a flying fish.¡±

    That brought a smile to her face. ¡°Why do you care?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m your boyfriend,¡± He pointed out, ¡± and you are my responsibility. At least till Doris gets here.¡±

    ¡°Too bad I¡¯m not in a sharing mood.¡± She got up, ¡°Have a great night.¡±

    Deloise washed her te, took a bottle of wine and proceeded to the balcony. Aaron joined her a few minutester, she smelt his aftershave before she saw him.

    ¡°Still not in a sharing mood?¡± Aaron inquired as he poured himself a drink. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be drinking.¡±

    ¡± There¡¯s a lot of things I shouldn¡¯t be doing.¡± She murmured. ¡°For starters, I shouldn¡¯t be back here. I shouldn¡¯t be this scared of my hometown.¡±

    Aaron didn¡¯t expect that. ¡°You lived here?¡±

    ¡°I live here.¡± She corrected with a cynicugh, ¡°There¡¯s a chance I even get to meet my mother.¡±

    There. She said it.

    ¡°And why is that a bad thing?¡± he asked after a big sip from his drink.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m supposed to be awyer. I¡¯m supposed to be the pretty little daughter who does her bidding.¡±

    The animosity in her tone was palpable, and her smile was unreal. Aaron could piece the gist of things from their interactions.

    ¡°Maybe I could help you. Point me in the right direction and I¡¯ll be your shield.¡± Aaron said as their eyes connected. ¡°As long as you¡¯refortable with that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long day.¡± She let out a sigh and headed inside. Signaling her unwillingness to dive anymore into the topic.

    That night, she twisted and turned, worried about what the day would bring. Of course Aaron was nice enough to offer his help with navigating her situation, but she remained unconvinced of its sess.

    That kept her up for most of the night, until she finally gave up and slept off, tangled on the bed with him.

 DDD 62

    ¡°You look awful.¡± Karen poured out two cups of tea and Esther took one.

    ¡°Gee.. thanks.¡± she replied after taking a sip.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. You look so terrible, maybe you should cancel the event and have some rest. I could handle it, you don¡¯t need to be present.¡±

    ¡°Of course I need to be present. It¡¯s my first job with such a high profile event and if it means I get to sit beside my cake, and smile while you do the work, so be it.¡±

    ¡°True, but your body is saying something else. I still can¡¯t get used to seeing you in pain over the pinkdy.¡±

    Esther attempted a smile that ended up a gnash. Yeah, she was in pain.

    ¡°I¡¯ve taken something. Hopefully, before the evening, I¡¯ll feel better enough to do my job.¡±

    Karen tutted and picked up her phone. Her friend¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I think the question should be who am I calling.¡±

    A groan left Esther as she got up, tired of her tea at this point. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±

    ¡°Toote.¡± Karen ced her phone by her ears and immediately broke into a grin. ¡°Hello!¡± She said as the line connected.

    ¡°Karen. How are you doing?¡± Daniel felt a bit weird getting calls from Karen, but following Esther¡¯s refusal to pick up his calls at times, Karen became his willful informant.

    ¡°Fine. Awesome.¡± She smiled at a wide eyed Esther, ¡°Could you please convince her against leaving the house?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Esther isn¡¯t feeling her best but she¡¯s hell bent on attending the event despite telling her I¡¯ve got it covered.¡± She reported to her dismay.

    Esther clenched her fists. Was she regretting introducing them both? Hell yeah!

    ¡°Karen.¡± Her voice warned.

    ¡°Where are you? Is she with you right now?¡± He asked and she let out an affirmative noise. ¡°Hand over the phone to her.¡± He ordered and she was happy to do so.

    ¡°Here you go.¡± She passed along the phone to a seething Esther.

    ¡°Daniel.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go. I¡¯ll have things handled. Take a rest.¡± He urged as soon as he heard her, but she shook her head.

    ¡°I won¡¯t. Don¡¯t mind Karen, she¡¯s being a bit dramatic.¡± She let out with an eye roll.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s that time, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Hairs stood on Esther¡¯s arm. He remembered. He actually remembered?

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re avoiding the question. So I¡¯ll take that as a yes. Get some sleep and choctes. We¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±

    ¡°That will be highly unprofessional,¡± She stated, angry at this point, ¡°Who are you guys to police my affairs? I¡¯m a grown woman for goodness sake,¡± she gritted, ¡± I am done with this conversation.¡±

    Esther passed along the phone without waiting for a response.

    ¡°Uh-oh, I think we pushed it.¡± Karen said, and earned a malicious look.

    Daniel felt at loss for words, apparently, she was still the stubborn woman he knew.

    ¡°Just, don¡¯t leave her, okay?¡± He managed to say, ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    Karen did a mock salute after she dropped the phone. She was off work today and it only made sense for her to be with her sick friend. Getting to speak with a world star was just an added bonus.

    ******

    ¡°I¡¯ll understand if you don¡¯t want to be in the same room as him, but please, think about the fullness of things.¡± Mr Austin said over the phone, ¡°this is the best opportunity to mingle with top people and erge your coasts.¡±

    Aaron swept his fingers through his hair. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯sing? Last I checked, he was too busy to attend frivolous events.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a matter of if he¡¯sing. He¡¯s going to be there. I need to know you can handle it and not throw a fit like thest time.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t throw a fit.¡±

    Mr Austin rolled his eyes at his statement, ¡°Of course that¡¯s the only thing you got from my entire sentence. There¡¯s no time, make up your mind.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. We¡¯ll be good as long as he stays away from my path.¡± His eyes zed as he thought back on theirst encounter. ¡± And he better be ready.¡± Aaron held a cynic smile after the call, the night was going to be interesting, after all.

    Time flew and evening came. Doris sent a decent team to get Deloise ready for her appearance at the event. She was supposed to oversee the preparations but due to her flight getting dyed and eventually cancelled, she was arriving a lotter than expected, but the show must go on.

    ¡°You look so gorgeous.¡± One of thedies said, and Deloise blushed.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said, looking at her reflection from a full length mirror. Her heart fluttered at the sight that looked back at her.

    She felt utterly beautiful in the dress. She loved how it wrapped her form, and brought out the colour in her eyes.

    ¡°Our work here is done. I hope you have a beautiful night, ma¡¯am.¡± One of thedies said and led the way out of her hotel room.

    Aaron was adorned in a tux. His aura was unapproachable and upied arger portion of the room when he came in.

    ¡°You look breathtaking.¡± He ended up saying after every other word fell short to describe her beauty.

    She shyly bowed her head, revealing the crown braid on her hair. ¡°Thank you.¡± She squeaked and took in his grandiose look. ¡°You clean up nicely too.¡±

    ¡°Yeah right.¡± Aaron walked up to her with a bent arm, ¡°shall we?¡±

    She ced her arm between his, ¡°Don¡¯t you think we might be a bit too early?¡± She said, having cold feet.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get scared now.¡± He tutted, ¡°I already promised to keep an eye out for you. This event will be seamless, trust me.¡± He said, all the while looking into her eyes. ¡°Besides, we are the star of the show. Whenever we show up, we¡¯ll be right on time. The car is here.¡± He added arrogantly and a smile threatened to break on Deloise¡¯ face.

    ¡°We shall.¡± She replied coquettishly in answer to his previous question. There and then, she felt painfully aware of his presence and everything else.

    She somehow managed to match colors with him. It was either purely a coincidence or Doris had something to do with it ¨C a matter she didn¡¯t feel like unearthing at the moment. First things first, she needed to make it out of the event unscathed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a picture.¡± Aaron took out his phone and captured the moment on his phone. ¡°Again.¡± He said and they took more than she kept track of.

    ¡°I wonder how the shippers will feel when they get to know it¡¯s all scripted.¡± Deloise broke the silence as they were driven to the event.

    Aaron was on his phone, no doubt uploading the pictures on his socials. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t. That¡¯s the whole point of it right?¡±

    ¡°What if it leaked out, what if they caught on?¡±

    At this point, Aaron perceived she was doing everything and anything to hide her fear of getting caught by her mother. He was yet to know the details but knew it took a major toll on her.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s make it official. Would you like to be my girlfriend, Deloise Tanner?¡±

    Aaron didn¡¯t skip a beat and his eyes were fixed on hers. Deloise couldn¡¯t grasp a hold of her elerated heartbeat. What on earth was going on and why did she feel like a fish out of water?

    ¡°You joke too much¡­¡± she said in a haze.

    ¡°You should know me by now.¡± His eyes sliced in a wink, ¡°we¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Only then did she realize the car had stopped. He managed to put her in a trance with his words. Her heart seized at the amount of press outside, waiting to get a picture of the guests.

    ¡°Calm down. Just breathe through it. I¡¯ll be by your side all the way.¡± Aaron said through her panic, and took hold of her hand. ¡°Are you ready to get out there?¡±

    Her grip on his hand tightened. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±

    ******

    Through their stay at the event, Deloise was on her toes, scanning through the area in search of any familiar face as she greeted others. On the other hand, Daniel was present and kept his eyes focused on the entrance.

    Despite his warning against their showing up, he got a text stating they were on their way ¨C that was an hour ago. He was beginning to worry when they weren¡¯t forting or picking his calls.

    Just when he decided to leave the event, he got a text stating they got a hup with their car and are back on their way to the said event. He breathed out a sigh of relief, d it was the car and not her.

    Meanwhile, Anna got wind of the party and for some reason decided to show up. Dressed in a tight ck corset gown, she maneuvered her way into the event in search of her target.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± She bumped into a guy,

    ¡°What¡¯s got a hot thing so distracted?¡± A smug voice said, eating her look with a starved expression.

    Her face turned sour as she remembered him. ¡°Maybe if you had a sense of direction, we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.¡± Sass dripped from her tone.

    ¡°I will not -¡± he said, but was cut off by the appearance of two people.

    His lips turned into a smirk, ¡°What an unpleasant surprise.¡±

    Aaron and Deloise stood, each sporting a disbelieving then frosty look, as the room fell a few degrees lower.

 DDD 63

    ¡°What¡¯s got your panties in a twist?¡± Elvis brought back the wandering mind of Daniel. ¡°And why isn¡¯t she here already? I paid quite arge sum getting her to be one of the caterers to this event.¡±

    ¡°She should be here anytime soon.¡± He didn¡¯t spare him a nce, too upied with watching out for when they finally arrived.

    Elvis snorted, ¡°Don¡¯t be a killjoy and put a call across to her.¡± with a low voice, he added, ¡°You look like a creep with that desperation written all over your face.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m two seconds away from decking the shit out of you. Where¡¯s your wife?¡±

    ¡°None of your business, you should be more worried about when yourdy will show up.¡± he took a nce at his watch, ¡°for someone who has a job to do, this is a bit toote.¡±

    ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know,¡± he gritted, fighting the urge to put another call across to them.

    Elvis brought out his phone, ¡°Since you can¡¯t find the guts, I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± Daniel¡¯s eyes widened as he dialed a number.

    ¡°How the fuck did you-¡±

    ¡°Am I on to Miss Esther?¡± he asked in his most professional tone.

    ¡°Who are you and how may I help you?¡±

    ¡°This is from J&S. Where are you? It¡¯s about time for the cake cutting and there seems to be no signs of you.¡±

    ¡°Ah-yes! I¡¯m so sorry sir! I¡¯ll meet you in the shortest possible time.¡±

    ¡°You should.¡± he looked over to Daniel, ¡°people are getting antsy.¡±

    On the other side of the line, Esther was freaking out.

    ¡°We need to go faster! Karen, step on it. Drive like your life depends on it.¡± Esther hollered and she did just that.

    Elvis smirked. ¡°You see, it wasn¡¯t that hard now, was it?¡±

    ¡°What did she say?¡±

    ¡°That she loves you so much and can¡¯t wait to start having babies with you.¡± he snorted, ¡°Marry her already.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to do that, but she¡¯s giving me a hard time.¡± A waiter stopped by and he took a ss from her tray. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to keep up with her.¡±

    Elvis didn¡¯t expect such an answer. ¡°Daniel Greenwood is in love! Never thought I¡¯d see the day.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Daniel!¡± Ste called with a smile, and silence followed. ¡°It¡¯s such a pleasure meeting you here.¡±

    ¡°Always looking so beautiful, Ste.¡± Heplimented with a smile, Elvis cleared his throat, earning an eye roll. ¡°This is Elvis, my good friend. Elvis, Ste.¡±

    They exchanged handshakes. ¡°Nice meeting you. I hope you are having a great night.¡±

    Ste smiled, ¡°Awesome night. Just trying to find my ce, there¡¯s a lot going on.¡±

    ¡°Why do I doubt that? She happens to be one of the rising stars of the industry. I¡¯m honoured to have her on my set as a supporting female role. She¡¯s nothing short of spectacr.¡± Daniel said and she smiled abashedly.

    Elvis¡¯ eyes perked at the introduction. ¡°With that record, I reckon you¡¯ll be settling in more sooner thanter.¡±

    She smiled at Elvis¡¯ words, ¡°I guess so.¡± she shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you both to it then.¡±

    Ste made her way into the star studded crowd. Her thoughts lingered on the mysterydy that got Daniel in a twist. She wondered if they caught the fact she listened in to their conversation.

    *****

    On the other side of the event, Anna made to leave but was held back by Moses¡¯ hard grip.

    ¡°I thought this event was for important individuals, why would they let a dog in?¡± Moses asked no one in particr, ¡°Is this your sorry attempt at maintaining relevance or is this credited to the security¡¯s ipetence?¡±

    ¡°I should be asking you that question. Why on earth will they let a deadbeat inside the event?¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Oh I know! They probably couldn¡¯t refuse letting daddy¡¯s boy in.¡±

    ¡°Daddy¡¯s boy?¡± Moses let out a dryugh, ¡°At least I¡¯m not a bastard.¡±

    That did it. Aaron¡¯s re turned icy as he made to hit him.

    ¡°Hey! Hey! Hey! You will not hit him, okay?¡± Deloise stood in his face. ¡°That¡¯s what he wants, he clearly wants to make you lose your shit. You are bigger than this, Aaron. Walk away.¡±

    ¡°Listen to the girl, boy! Run along.¡± A wicked smile sat on Moses face as he watched him struggle to keep his cool.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Moses didn¡¯t expect Deloise¡¯s words. ¡°You should be ashamed of yourself. Both of you.¡± She said, backing Aaron. ¡°If you are looking for a cheap high, go get it somewhere else. It¡¯s pathetic how low you are willing to descend in showing the sorry excuse of a person you are.¡±

    ¡°Hey-¡± Anna said, but Deloise continued.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, they aren¡¯t worth this anyway.¡±

    Deloise dragged Aaron towards their seat with zing eyes. No matter the animosity, she drew a line when it came to matters concerning family. It was clear there was a deeper story between them, but what she couldn¡¯t stand was seeing them take jabs on something evidently painful.

    ¡°Deloise¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin. He was being a jerk and I just-¡±

    ¡°Erm-¡±

    ¡°Aaron, we meet again.¡± An older voice said, and Aaron swallowed his words.

    Deloise searched for the owner of the voice, and connected eyes with a rich, elder-looking man. ¡°And who do we have here?¡± he said, drinking her in.

    She couldn¡¯t help but notice the unfriendliness in his tone. With the prolonged silence and nerves racking between them, Deloise figured they knew each other to some point.

    ¡°Deloise Tanner, nice to meet you.¡± her smile was tight and her arm stretched for a handshake.

    Aaron watched with clenched teeth as his father took a seat with them, tantly ignoring Deloise who felt ufortable heat rush up her face.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°So you are the one.¡± the elder connected eyes with Deloise, he didn¡¯t skip a beat as he said, ¡°I hear you are in a rtionship with him, why is that?¡±

    ¡°Father.¡± Aaron called in warning, it took everything to address him like that, ¡°Know you ce.¡± he gritted.

    ¡°You actually recognize who I am.¡± the elder Steele remarked, and to Deloise, he said, ¡°You are yet to answer my question, what exactly is your mission? Money? Fame?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be funny.¡± he interrupted in a curt tone. ¡°State your price while I¡¯m being nice, woman. We all know you want something. State your price and leave him alone.¡±

    ¡°Hello!¡± Ste joins the table with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been searching for you everywhere, sir.¡± she said to the elder Steele.

    Aaron and Deloise thought the same thing upon seeing their friendly banter. Before he could voice out his thoughts, his phone rang and it was Mr. Austin.

    ¡°Pick it up, maybe they¡¯re here.¡± Deloise said when he ignored.

    He stood up, ¡°You don¡¯t need to sit through this, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going? I wasn¡¯t done.¡± his father said with eyes that threatened him to defy his orders. ¡°If it¡¯s that bad you can leave, but I am not done with her.¡±

    It took everything for Aaron to keep his mouth shut. They were racking up an audience and thest thing he wanted was to put her in a tight position because of his drama.

    ¡°I can take it, just go.¡± She whispered and Ste rolled her eyes.

    ¡°You heard her, big guy. Don¡¯t be such a caveman, she¡¯ll be fine.¡± she opined with a sickening sweet voice.

    Aaron makes it a point to leave a kiss very close to her mouth. His eyes wavered, asking if she was indeed able to hold her own. Her nudge sent him on his way.

    Ste snickered, ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes-¡±

    ¡°Excuse me please,¡± Deloise interrupted before she could finish her sentence. ¡°I need to visit the restroom.¡±

    With a bow, she got up and away from them. She wasn¡¯t feeling the urge to go but she needed to grasp a hold of herself before she sat through another torturous conversation with them.

    She walked into the bathroom and came face-to-face with Anna.

    ¡°What is your mission here?¡± Deloise asked in a tone that didn¡¯t go down well with Anna.

    ¡°Who do you think you are to question me?¡± she scoffed, ¡°I hate to break it to you but the world does not revolve around you.¡±

    It was Anna¡¯s turn to stomp out before she could get a word out. Deloise watched her leave with her mouth slightly opened. There was something about her that called to her, something different.

    Meanwhile, Anna held an icy look as she returned to the main event. She catches a glimpse of Esther headed towards the restroom and warning bells go off in her mind.

    She turned around and ran for it, sessfully cing an out of sorts sign on the entryway of the restroom and heading out just in time.

 DDD 64

    Karen and Esther arrived just in time. Elvis saw them first, handing over slices of cake to the waiters who took them round to interested persons.

    ¡°I hope they like it..¡± Esther wrapped her arms around her body, ¡°There¡¯s enough desert tost a lifetime.¡± she observed, looking around.

    ¡°There you are! Esther I presume.¡± Elvis said when he got to earshot.

    ¡°Yeah¡­?¡± she answered, unsure of what was going on.

    ¡°Good to see you,e along now, we¡¯ve been waiting for quite a long time.¡±

    Elvis dragged her towards the VIP area with a smug on his face. He couldn¡¯t wait to see the look on his friend¡¯s face after seeing them together. Daniel and his family were seated together, waiting for him to get the ¡®drink¡¯ he needed.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± He announced to them, then to Esther, he urged, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, have a seat.¡±

    Daniel¡¯s eyes connected with Esther and he couldn¡¯t make out words to describe what he saw. His eyes roamed through her form, looking for signs of imperfection to no avail. She was effortlessly beautiful.

    Esther on the other hand didn¡¯t expect to see Daniel. At least not this soon. She grew red under his gaze and tried her best to appear unaffected.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger, have your seat.¡± Elvis drew out a chair beside Daniel. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you the whole time.¡±

    She pushed a loft of hair behind her ear, ¡°No problem.¡± She turned to Daniel and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be here.¡±

    Daniel couldn¡¯t tell whether she was angry or happy to see him. Did he hide the little piece of information that he was going to be here? Yes. Was it geared at getting her farther from the fact he may have been the one behind the scenes? Maybe.

    Was he going to admit to it? Never.

    ¡°There you are! I¡¯ve been looking for you this entire time.¡± Karen announced upon sighting Esther at the table, ¡°Where-¡± she stilled at the sight of Elvis.

    ¡°Karen..¡±

    ¡°You know each other?¡± Daniel asked, looking between them.

    ¡°Y-yes?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    They chorused, earning suspicious nces from the rest.

    ¡°Which is it?¡± Daniel studied them with a calctive gaze.

    ¡°I knew him, but that was in time past, so not really.¡± Karen finally said,

    ¡°If you knew each other, why the animosity? Was he an ex?¡± Elvis¡¯ wife jokes, sporting a smile.

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Elvis was quick to react, ¡°You can have a seat,¡± he offered with a smile.

    Karen took a vacant seat and they all got talking. Deloise couldn¡¯t help but notice the quietness of her friend. Daniel also, but he spoke nothing of it. With his hands full, he wasn¡¯t looking to unearth whatever drama that lurked between them.

    ¡°Where are the twins? They sound so lovely.¡± Deloise asked after hearing all about Elvis¡¯s children.

    ¡°They are in the children¡¯s section.¡± Elvis said with a smile.

    Karen¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of her daughter. Anna could barely walk straight, as she made way to their table.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± she tried to stop her but was a second toote.

    ¡°Daddy?¡± Anna drawled upon getting to the table.

    Silence engulfed the table, and Daniel swallowed.

    ¡°It¡¯s you! My dad! I¡¯ve been searching for you this whole time.¡± She pointed at Elvis, and said in a drunken slur, ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like me? Am I not what you expected? Are you going to reject us?¡±

    The smell of alcohol was heavy on her breath, ¡°Anna! Let¡¯s go!¡± Karen caught her by the arm, beclouded with shame. ¡°She¡¯s drunk. Just ignore her.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! Don¡¯t you dare touch me, you liar!¡± Anna screamed, making a scene. ¡°You may be my mother but you aren¡¯t my father. Let me speak to him, I promise I¡¯ll be of good behaviour. Just let me speak to him.¡±

    Elvis watched in horror as Karen dragged her daughter out the room with a sorry look on her face. He caught his wife¡¯s face and her silence was scary.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I can exin,¡± he implored, ¡°It isn¡¯t what it looks like, I swear I don¡¯t know who that girl is! Trust me!¡±

    Daniel didn¡¯t know what to think, and Esther was abnormally still.

    ¡°I have to go.¡± his wife finally spoke, getting up on her feet. ¡°Don¡¯t. Just.. don¡¯t.¡± she said when he touched her. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon. I need a little space.¡±

    Esther watched Elvis break as his wife walked away from the table. Everything suddenly made sense; their knowing each other, Karen¡¯s unusual silence, Anna¡¯s appearance.

    Just how many things did Karen keep from her?

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± she picked up her purse, and Daniel regarded her with a concerned look. ¡°I need to use the restroom.¡± She lied and went on her way.

    Esther felt cold. The thought of how Karen and Elvis got caught in the middle of a secret she knew nothing about brought a sense of foreboding as regards her secret.

    No matter how she tried, she couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of getting caught by her daughter in the middle of it all.

    How long did she have before things blew up in her face too?

    *****

    Aaron ended his call and made his way back inside the hall. He found his way to the table but met Ste and his father. ¡°Where is she?¡± he hissed,

    ¡°On a restroom break.¡± Ste answered, then looked at her watch. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± she added, but he was already gone.

    Aaron searched the area leading up to the female restroom. He knew he made a mistake leaving her in the arms of his father, and wondered what other cruel thing was said in his absence.

    He owed her an apology.

    By the entrance of the hallway, he caught sight of her standing by a door with her face buried in her phone. ¡°Loise?¡±

    She raised her head at the mention of her name. ¡°There you are! I was just about calling you.¡±

    He approached her with a seriousness that felt foreign. Did she do something wrong?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left you to the wolves.¡± He took her into his arms and her senses were eroded by him. She was convinced her heart could give up at the rate it went.

    ¡°It¡¯ll take a lot more than that to take me out.¡± She murmured, ¡°Besides, I left before they could get at me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± He pinched her cheeks, ¡°Next time, just follow me when I say so.¡±

    That brought a smile to her face. ¡°Easy there, I¡¯m almost convinced you might care about me.¡± she joked.

    ¡°Is that so wrong?¡± he stood straight, ying with her hair loft, ¡°Is it so wrong to care about you?¡± he asked with a sincerity that choked her.

    She didn¡¯t have a reply for him, so she left things at that. Sometimes, silence was the best answer. The duo maintained afortable silence as they walked through the hallways.

    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± Deloise said after a while.

    ¡°Will you not if I refuse?¡± he retorted, earning an eyeroll.

    ¡°What is your rtionship with them?¡±

    Aaron stilled, knowing fully well who she referred to as ¡®them¡¯.

    He asked anyway, ¡°Which of them?¡±

    ¡°Both?¡± she answered, unsure if she crossed over a line.

    Aaron sighed, and palmed his face. ¡°Might as well get it over with.¡± he murmured, ¡°long answer or short one?¡±

    ¡°Both?¡± she shrugged and he held back a smile.

    ¡°Short form, my half brother and Father. Long story- people I don¡¯t give a fuck about but can¡¯t seem to rid myself of them.¡± he smirked, ¡°Is that answer clear enough?¡±

    ¡°Crystal.¡± She said with a yful tone that took the edge off the conversation. ¡°Just so you know, I think they are both terrible and you¡¯re better off without them.¡±

    Aaron held his chest in mock surprise, ¡°Did we just agree on something?¡± He gasped, ¡°Who are you and what have you done to her?¡±

    Before Deloise coulde up with something crafty, she saw her mothere through the hallway.

    Her eyes widened, and the next second, she took a step forward and caught his lips in a hiding kiss.

 DDD 65

    ¡°She isn¡¯t picking up,¡± Esther groaned, having called Karen a total hundred times. ¡°She was my ride here, how could she do this?¡±

    ¡°Maybe she had a little bit of an emergency.¡± Daniel suggested,

    ¡°How do I get home? It¡¯s alreadyte, I can¡¯t believe she did this.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s any constion, I was abandoned here too.¡± he shrugged, ¡°Let¡¯s get a taxi and we¡¯ll go from there.¡±

    Esther nodded and he got to work on it. Within thirty minutes, they were behind a taxi headed to her ce. Throughout the ride, Esther¡¯s mind was all over the ce. She couldn¡¯t un-see how broken Elvis seemed when his wife walked away.

    How Karen bowed her head in shame, looking like a deer in headlights. She ached to know the story behind it but with miles separating them, she couldn¡¯t get home fast enough.

    Weird sounds erupted from the engine and the car slowed to a stop.

    ¡°Not again..¡± she muttered, and they watched the driver walk out the car to check his vehicle. All said and done, they were stranded with nowhere to go.

    ¡°I¡¯ll quickly book another-¡±

    Esther saw his phone go off mid-sentence and almost lost her shit.

    With her phone dead too, she figured they wouldn¡¯t be getting home anytime soon. They watched the cars whoosh past them in silence. Everyone, too busy with their lives to care.

    ¡°What do we do now? How do we get home?¡± She asked after a while, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte.¡±

    Daniel stepped out of the car and she followed. The icy wind spotted her translucent skin with goosebumps, ¡°We¡¯ll have to stay the night somewhere. Let¡¯s pray there¡¯s a decent hotel nearby.¡±

    The duo walked down the road, and Daniel made an effort to keep his face out of sight until they got to a decent hotel. However, there was only one room avable.

    Daniel managed to go unrecognized by an older woman receptionist who ogled him so much Esther tethered at the brink of wing her eyes out.

    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem for you and your sister, right?¡± The woman slurred, showing off her sunken tits.

    ¡°I am not his sister, but I guess you knew that already.¡± Esther snapped, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here, there¡¯s no ce for us anyway.¡± she said to Daniel, pulling him as she went.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing for miles, but thugs and rapists.¡± The woman announced, ¡°Unless you want to be walking till dawn or get ambushed by the gentlemen out there, I suggest you take it.¡±

    Esther may be mad, but she wasn¡¯t stupid. It waste and she wasn¡¯t about to risk her life out there. At the same time, she didn¡¯t like the idea of rooming alone with him or even staying in the darned hotel.

    ¡°This is it.¡± Daniel said, revealing the little room and closing the door behind them.

    They took the room. They didn¡¯t have a choice.

    ¡°Are you bathing first?¡± He asked, ¡°I need a shower from all that walking.¡±

    ¡°You go first.¡± Esther gave her consent,

    Why did this feel so familiar? Almost natural.

    She couldn¡¯t remove her eyes from the bed as she listened to him shower, her shoulders tensed as the water went off.

    She heard hime out, and chose to wonder what he was wearing. She immediately shut off the thought and swallowed nervously.

    Without a word, Esther headed into the shower, feeling his gaze on her but refusing to acknowledge it. Soon enough, she was showered and ready to retire for the night. But she didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Did you know they had something to do with each other?¡± she asked with an using tone.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know her before you.¡± Daniel said, ¡°I¡¯m as shocked as you are. Elvis never told me anything. I¡¯m aching to know the details as much as you are, if not more.¡±

    Esther couldn¡¯t help but feel he was lying, ¡°Did you really not know? He was your childhood friend, how could you not know Karen?¡±

    ¡°He is my friend.¡± He corrected her, ¡°The fact that he may or may not have hidden something personal from me changes nothing.¡±

    ¡°And his wife? How do you think his wife feels hearing someone elsey im on her husband?¡± She huffed, ¡°Men are unbelievable.¡±

    Daniel let out a humourlessugh. ¡°Did you ever think maybe he wasn¡¯t aware? Maybe Karen kept it a secret? You didn¡¯t even know and you are her best friend, for crying out loud. Don¡¯t be in a haste to judge when you don¡¯t know the full story.¡±

    That shut her mouth.

    They were in the same situation and he didn¡¯t even know. Her eyes connected to his and for a moment, she contemted telling him the truth.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you choose me?¡±

    Daniel stilled at her words. The air was riddled with unspoken words.

    ¡°I did. I was willing to give up everything for you, I chose you but it was toote.¡± he exined, holding her gaze.

    ¡°Don¡¯t sell me that bullshit. Do you know what you cost me? Do you know what I had to give up?¡± her anger built as she continued, ¡°I left everything for you, Daniel, and I forever regret that foolishness.¡±

    ¡°I came back. I came back and you were gone! You overthought the situation without giving me the benefit of doubt!¡± Daniel moved closer, filled with anger, ¡°You have no right to say that because you didn¡¯t even trust that I loved you enough to choose you. You didn¡¯t trust me¡­¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t trust you? You open your mouth to say I didn¡¯t trust you?!¡± she got in his face, ¡°My parents disowned me because of you! I was left with nothing because of that selfish dream of yours!¡± she took a deep breath then whispered distastefully, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to do with you.¡±

    The hate in her eyes was raw and threatening to eat him alive.

    Daniel sucked in a breath. ¡°I never stopped loving you, Esther.¡± her breath caught at his deration. ¡°And I never will.¡±

    *******

    Deloise returned to work the next day, happy to be done with Chicago and its shadows. A smile lit up her face as Doris shared the news.

    ¡°You got the job! I knew you could do it, I¡¯ll get back to you on the details, and you have the rest of the day off.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±

    ¡°Have a great day, take yourself out. You deserve it.¡± The call ended on a light note and Deloise couldn¡¯t be happier.

    She thought on how to spend the rest of her day, and turned up nk. With her roommate going about her day, there posed a threat of living an uneventful day if she returned home.

    Just when she decided to go, her phone rang. It was Aaron.

    ¡°Hello boyfriend.¡± she teased, they were a lot morefortable and understanding with each other.

    ¡°Hey girlfriend, what are you up to?¡± he replied, and she smiled,

    ¡°Nothing, just thinking on how to spend the rest of my day.¡±

    ¡°Hold that thought, where are you?¡±

    ¡°Outside.¡± she replied with her eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°Close to the main gates.¡±

    ¡°Give me a second.¡±

    Deloise waited for some seconds, unsure of what she was expecting. Her thoughts were silenced by the revv of a familiar ck vehicle that halted in front of her.

    ¡°That was quick,¡± she remarked and he shrugged,

    ¡°Get in already, we¡¯re runningte.¡± Aaron said, and she joined him in the car.

    ¡°Okay¡­ where are we headed?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± he stepped on the pedal, ¡°Since you are my girlfriend, it¡¯s only right you meet the rtive I actually give a shit about, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t believe her eyes, this guy was actually smiling. Not a smug, not a smirk, but an actual smile. ¡°If you put it that way,¡± she shrugged, ¡°Let¡¯s hope the third time¡¯s the charm.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    They continued their journey chuckling about anything and everything. Somehow, she didn¡¯t feel pressured to see this new and significant rtive in his life. She figured if he liked the said person enough to be this happy to see them, they were definitely one hell of a person.

    Best believe, she wasn¡¯t wrong on her assumptions, and boy was she d.

 DDD 66

    ¡°Gran?!¡± Aaron put off his shoes at the door, Deloise did the same. ¡°I¡¯m here! And I brought a guest!¡±

    ¡°Keep your voice down, will you? Are you trying to make me deaf, boy?¡±

    Mrs. ck came out of the hallway, d in a Grey dress, white socks and supporting her steps with a walking stick.

    ¡°Ma!¡± Deloise watched his smile transform into a grin. He rushed towards her and enveloped her in a hug.

    ¡°Easy,¡± Mrs ck said betweenughs, ¡°Who do we have here?¡± her eyes narrowed at Deloise.

    ¡°Meet Deloise, My girlfriend.¡± His voice was smooth and sulent. ¡°She got a deal so I brought her here to celebrate.¡±

    ¡°Good day ma¡¯am,¡± she greeted politely, ¡°It¡¯s such a pleasure to meet you, I hope you are doing well.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! We hug in this family, don¡¯t be shy, bring it in.¡±

    Deloise smiled at the warm wee and joined what could best be described as a group hug. It got a bit too tight, but she wasn¡¯tining.

    The thrio disengaged, and went into the kitchen at Mrs cks¡¯ instruction. Soon enough, they were whooping out meals and making jokes.

    ¡°Thest time we made some macaroni, Aaron thought it wise to add some vinegar as his special touch.¡± Mrs. ck said and Deloise lost it.

    ¡°I was five!¡± He defended, but she wasn¡¯t having it.

    ¡°Smart child! He always thought himself to be smarter than his peers.¡±

    Deloiseughed, as she stirred the pot, ¡°I can imagine little Aaron trying to be smart. Serves him right.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s just wrong, is this a coup against me?¡± he turned to Deloise, ¡°Easy or I might think you are after my only surviving family.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s got a long trail of family he¡¯s refused to care about.¡±

    Aaron hollered as he headed to the living room, ¡°I heard that! And she already knows!¡±

    Deloise took the tes into the living room, Gran took a seat as she served lunch.

    ¡°I feel so terrible making you do this, you are supposed to be the celebrant.¡± she said to Aaron from across the table, ¡°Go help her out.¡±

    Aaron got up from his chair with a groan, and helped serve himself. A few minutester they dug into the meal, sending jokes across themselves. After the meal, Deloise heads over to the sink to clear the tes.

    Mrs ckman pulls Aaron by the arm, ¡°She¡¯s a keeper.¡± she said, gesturing towards an unsuspecting Deloise.

    Aaron didn¡¯t know what to make of it. He opted for an understanding smile as he regarded the said person, did his ma see through his act or was she seeing ahead?

    ¡°She¡¯s already mydy.¡± he said, and at that moment, Deloise turned around.

    He sent a wink her way and she felt dizzy. ¡°We need to get going.¡± he announced, looking at his watch. ¡°I¡¯lle see you as quickly as I can, please take care of yourself.¡±

    Mrs. ckman huffed, ¡°Don¡¯t get all soft on me. I can hold my own, just remember what I said.¡±

    Deloise picked up her bag and soon joined them in the living room. Mrs. ck regarded her with a smile, ¡°Come here,¡±

    They embraced one more time and Aaron held back a smile, his ma was smitten. His attention was called to them when he heard chuckles from the women.

    ¡°Gossiping again?¡± his perfectly arched brow demanded an answer.

    ¡°None of your business,¡± the old woman said with a sass, ¡°get going already, you don¡¯t want to bete.¡±

    That settled it. They exchanged hugs and got on the road back to Royal Arts. While Aaron drove, he pondered on his gran¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t realize he was staring until she called him out on it.

    ¡°Take a picture, it¡¯llst longer.¡±

    ¡°As much as I¡¯d loved to, my hands are upied.¡± he replied, unashamed of himself.

    She felt his gaze on her yet another time, ¡°It¡¯s rude to stare; you know that right?¡± They slowed down as they approached the College gates. ¡°Your grandma is amazing.¡±

    Deloise didn¡¯t know when she voiced the contents of her thoughts.

    ¡°I know right,¡± Aaron bit back a smile.

    Apparently, they loved each other.

    ¡°She reminds me so much of my mom. You can¡¯t separate them from the kitchen.¡± sheughed.

    More than anything, at that moment, she terribly missed her mother.

    ¡°Maybe we should go see her.¡± Aaron offered, half joking, ¡°I presume she¡¯ll want to know the person rocking her daughter¡¯s world.¡±

    ¡°Funny. She¡¯ll chase you down with a spat if she knew I was having anything to do with someone like you.¡±

    Aaron struggled to keep his smile, ¡°Well that¡¯s a rather very specific reaction.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± she saw through his words, ¡°My mother seems to have a personal vendetta against anyone five feet from a camera. Talkless of an established actor.¡±

    ¡°Do you have an idea why?¡±

    Deloise smiled, a bittersweet smile, ¡°I wish I did, maybe I¡¯d be able to fix it.¡±

    The car stopped, and Aaron turned towards her, ¡°Have you contemted telling her? Do you n to?¡±

    A chill air graced the atmosphere from the open windows.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. One part of me wants to tell her right now, convince her that I can do them both.¡± her eyes connected to his and all he saw was her pain. ¡°Convince her I can be both her daughter and an actress.¡±

    *****

    The set returned to work the next day.

    Girded in a beautiful smile, Ste sought out Deloise as soon as she arrived. Upon seeing her, Deloise put up her walls.

    ¡°If you are here for any more games, I suggest you take it elsewhere. I¡¯m scarcely in the mood for your games.¡±

    Her hostility was received with a smile, ¡°Contrary to popr belief, I do know where to stop.¡± she rxed on the vanity, showing off her expensive string of bracelets, ¡°Believe it or not, I have nothing against you. What happened at the party was a mere coincidence. Was I being petty? Yes. But I¡¯m over it,¡± she shrugged, ¡°The sky is big enough for us both.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Ste couldn¡¯t believe she said that. Talkless of Deloise.

    ¡°I appreciate that.¡± Deloise said, and turned away, willing her to leave in her mind.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s out of the way,¡± Ste began, ¡± I¡¯m curious, how did you guys hit it off? I know Aaron, I¡¯ve known him for a while and even after your ¡®rtionship¡¯ was announced, he doesn¡¯t seem to have anything to say about you or how you connected,¡± she snickers, ¡°I mean, you guys were enemies five minutes ago.¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t shake off the smugness of her tone when she said the word, rtionship. She wondered if there was something she knew, or found out. Ste was way too bouncy and happy to be up to any good.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I needed to exin my rtionship to you, Ste.¡± Aaron said from the doorway, far from pleased.

    ¡°Oh hey Aaron,¡± she greeted with a tight smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t see you there? What? You enter thedies room without knocking now? She could have been naked.¡±

    ¡°I entered my girlfriend¡¯s room.¡± he was swift to correct, ¡°Why are you still here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just talk to youter,¡± Ste headed out of the room with a gloomy face. She believed she was making a headway towards finding out the deal between them before he came in.

    Ste stormed off to get prepared, while she plotted new ways to prate them. The shoot goes on beautifully and afterwards, Deloise gets taken for a photoshoot by Doris.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± the photographer said to Doris, ¡°Ellen suddenly showed up to get her photo taken. Her session will be over in no time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s not like I have anything else doing.¡± Deloise said, ¡°Besides, she¡¯s a senior. Let it go.¡±

    Doris was unwilling. ¡°This wasn¡¯t the n. Everyone knew you were getting your shots taken today, is she trying to bully us?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you are being a little bit difficult?¡± she asked with a smile, ¡°They¡¯ll be done in no time.¡±

    One hourter, and they were running out of patience. Doris approached the set, but was cut short by Ellen¡¯s manager.

    ¡°You can¡¯t disturb the shoot. Our beautiful Ellen will be distracted if you show up at this time.¡± she spoke with evident smugness.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid she needs to be reminded that she is running on borrowed time. My client has been patient long enough, our ns are ruined because of you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too proud. She¡¯s merely an antpared to our Ellen.¡± Ellen¡¯s manager tsked, ¡°She should learn to be patient when her seniors are involved. Ellen could squash her entire career in a flick of hand.¡±

    Deloise noticed the grim expression on Doris¡¯s face, and knew something was off. She proceeded to join her.

    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± she asked and Doris kept her lips pursed.

    ¡°What? Have youe to pick a fight? Don¡¯t think because you are Evolve¡¯stest vour, you can disrespect our Ellen!¡± the manager huffed. ¡°Unlike others who climbed their way via dubious means, our Ellen got here with pure hard work and resilience!¡±

    ¡°What is going on here?¡± The fair actress asked with a soft voice, ¡°Is there a problem, Doris?¡± her eyes fixed on Deloise.

    ¡°You made use of our time, Ellen. This slot was priorly booked for my client and you¡¯ve used up our time.¡± Doris deadpanned, displeasure written all over her.

    ¡°Oh! Is that so?¡± she feigned surprise, and turned to Deloise, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize. I suppose you can tolerate me this once. I was sorely in need of some photographs, and you see, with my busy schedule, I finally had time to take some shots.¡± she smiled, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were waiting.¡±

    That was a lie. A big fat lie, Doris swallowed it anyways, refusing to bow at her menace.

    ¡°Do well to ask questions next time.¡± She seethed, ¡°Come on, Deloise, let¡¯s get you started.¡±

    The duo were ushered into the room, and she was prepared for her shots.

    ¡°Who was thatdy?¡± Deloise finally asked,

    ¡°Ellen Parker. Top actress at Evolve, and famed for her interest in younger actors.¡± she answered, ¡°Avoid her, with the look of things, she isn¡¯t your biggest fan.¡±

    Great. Another thing to watch out for. The list gets longer, doesn¡¯t it?

 DDD 67

    Esther was worried about Karen.

    For the past week, she hadn¡¯t set eyes or spoken to her. It seemed like she disappeared off the face of the earth ¨C herself and her daughter.

    As a result, she couldn¡¯t find it within herself to pick the calls of her daughter for fear she might have questions she didn¡¯t have answers to.

    The entire week was a torment. Living alone and void of human contact, she naturally gravitated towards the only avable option.

    This time around, Daniel was persistent. He showed up time and time again despite her outright hostility towards him. After that night, they came to a silent agreement never to dig into the matters of their past.

    Nothing good seemed toe out of it.

    Today, she was worried for an entire other reason. Daniel had returned to his role as a friend and in that position, demanded for what he described as a friendly day out. Something they both knew was an act to cover the real deal but no one cared enough to point that out.

    Or they didn¡¯t want to.

    Daniel arrived in a car she¡¯s never seen before. Esther touched up her face, feeling like a girl again. Something told her she was digging deep into a hole that would swallow her but she brushed the thought off, and walked out the door.

    ¡°You look beautiful.¡± Those were simple words, overused even, Buting out from his mouth, it took on another meaning, and caused the wings of her heart to flutter.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± She said in a small voice, eager to get out of his scrutinizing gaze. ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Good thingse to those who wait.¡± he tsked, and there was that smile that made her swoon.

    They got on their journey, and arrived at an exhibition. Esther lets herself enjoy their time out, something that wasn¡¯t hard with his charismatic personality. By the time they got to their final spot, she was convinced he was the same person.

    He didn¡¯t change.

    The way he spoke, joked, thought, they were still the same. His fire didn¡¯t dim, he became an inferno that threatened to willingly consume her.

    The couple sat at a park very close to her house, watching people enjoy their evening.

    His vision was darkened by the shades he wore ¨C an attempt to blend into the crowd without problems. There weren¡¯t a lot of people around but he still took measures ¨C Thest thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself and ruin what they had going on.

    ¡°Look at him,¡± Esther said, barely containing her smile as a little boy attempts running away from his mother, ¡°He thinks he¡¯s fast,¡±

    Daniel smiled, taking in the scene before them. ¡°Which do you prefer, a baby boy or a girl?¡±

    ¡°Boy.¡± her answer was instant. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to have a boy,¡± she smiled, ¡°they are such an energetic ray of sunshine.¡±

    ¡°True.¡± he agreed,

    She turned to face him, ¡°Why do I feel like you have more to say?¡±

    ¡°You know me too well.¡± he snickered, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I want to have children with anyone¡­¡±

    With anyone other than you. He added in his heart, aching to voice it but smart enough not to ruin the atmosphere with another one of his selfish thoughts.

    He continued, ¡°If I was to have one, I¡¯d want a little girl.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± her voice was still and pregnant.

    Daniel chuckled, ¡°Would you believe it if I said I don¡¯t know?¡± he took off his shades, ¡°I just know having a little girl in my arms will be perfect. She¡¯ll be a spoiled daddy¡¯s girl.¡±

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t that surprise me?¡± Esther¡¯s heart gripped, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, I need to go,¡± she announced, aching to get out of his sight.

    *****

    Aaron and Deloise grew inseparable.

    As the weeks passed, their poprity grew and so did their understanding of each other. They went on dates, crediting it to their need to keep up their act, but deep down, they knew it was more than that.

    They naturally fell into a routine, none felt the same without speaking or hearing from the other.

    Together, they built themselves, challenging the other to greater heights and levels of achievements. Their audience grew, and soon, they couldn¡¯t live on campus ¨C all of which drove Ste to an all time high, searching for the best time to strike and separate them.

    Deloise was in the bath when a realization dawned on her. She couldn¡¯t stomach the idea of not being with Aaron. As they drew towards the end of their filming, the thought of what happened afterwards posed a huge question mark she didn¡¯t want to explore.

    Or she couldn¡¯t stomach exploring.

    She decided it best to avoid him, and gradually cut him off until she got a hold of her feelings- but it was easier said than done. Every n to avoid him failed and she was angry at herself. It seemed like he was unaffected and happy while she embattled these feelings.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    It didn¡¯t take long before Aaron noticed her withdrawal. He had a hunch about what was going on and thought of the best way to reassure her.

    One day, he showed up in front of her door, and Deloise felt caught with nowhere to hide.

    ¡°Aaron,¡± she blinked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°You are avoiding me.¡± he cut to the chase, ¡°You¡¯ve been for a while. Is there something I did?¡±

    Deloise opened the door and he stepped in. ¡°Where¡¯s thising from?¡± she feigned ignorance,

    He corked his eyebrows, ¡°I should be asking you.¡± he circled her like a cat to his prey, ¡°I¡¯ve wrecked my head, thinking on what could cause such disconnect in our rtionship, and came up with a couple theories, but I figured I might as well ask you directly.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re getting at.¡± she said softly, tingly from his proximity.

    ¡°We both know that¡¯s a lie.¡± his eyes fixated on hers, ¡°I want to take you out.¡±

    Soon enough, the duo were on their way to God knows where. They stole nces at each other, catching themselves every single time. Deloise couldn¡¯t help the feelings that overwhelmed her senses at his proximity. In times like these, she was led to believe there was something more between them.

    Something more than they had admitted to.

    His gaze embraced her and she fought the urge to acknowledge him, surely, she wasn¡¯t the only one feeling it. Surely, he was as breathless as she was in his presence.

    Why else did he seek her out? Why else will he notice her withdrawal? He had to feel something or she might as well be crazy.

    Through their dinner date, Aaron showered her with attention, seizing every opportunity to be handsy and connected with her.

    She saw herself falling deeper into the abyss of immense attraction and willingly so. They finished eating and Aaron drove to their final destination. He parked his car by a cliff, and they sat in the hoof of his car.

    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡± Deloise smiled at the twinkling skyline, she turned to him, impressed, ¡°How did you find it?¡±

    ¡°My mother.¡± he smiled, ¡°She brought me here as a child to meet my father.¡±

    Deloise didn¡¯t know what to say to that, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to speak about it.¡± she said, knowing it wasn¡¯t an easy conversation for him.

    ¡°I want to speak about it.¡± he held a cynical smile, ¡°Ms. Ema happens to be my mother.¡±

    He searched her face for a reaction, calcting her thoughts.

    ¡°Why?¡± Deloise replied with a question that wed her senses, ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±

    ¡°You should know that by now..¡± Aaron jumped off the hoof of his car, his height bnced with hers, ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep anything away from you. No more secrets.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± she pressured, searching his eyes, looking for something else, something they both knew, ¡°I need to hear it, Aaron. Please..¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m crazy about you.¡± He held his head, ¡°Because I can¡¯t seem to think straight when I am around you, because my every waking moment is littered with thoughts of our next meeting, our next date, our next kiss.¡± He let out a breath, ¡°Believe it or not, somewhere in the middle of this mess, I fell totally in love with you. I get it if this is too soon, and you don¡¯t see me in that light, but-¡±

    Deloise shut him up with a kiss. The longer itsted, the rougher and deeper it became. By the time they disconnected, they were both out of breath and sporting messy smiles.

    ¡°I love you too.¡± She said, and his eyes glowered, ¡°I love you so much it hurts.¡±

 DDD 68

    Mr. Austin was seated in his office, addressing Aaron and Deloise.

    ¡°So far, your job has been impressive,¡± he looked between them, ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d say you are the best couple I¡¯vee across in my 40 years of life.¡±

    Aaron took Deloise hand in in sight, ¡°I¡¯m d we exceeded your expectations,¡±

    ¡°Wipe that smug off your face, boy. Great or not, it¡¯s all an act.¡± Mr. Austin took a sip from his mug. ¡°A very convincing act.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, I forget that¡¯s what it is.¡± Deloise mumbled, eyes fixed on their interlocked hands.

    ¡°Whatever, let¡¯s get to the business of the day.¡± Mr. Austin said and brought out a file from his drawer. He ced it on the desk when a sound came from the door. ¡± Who¡¯s there?¡± he asked aloud, and headed towards the door when he got no reply.

    ¡°Are you expecting someone?¡± Deloise asked as he made his way back to his seat.

    ¡°None that I¡¯m aware of.¡± He replied with a huff, ¡°Where was I?¡±

    Mr Austin continued the conversation on the business that brought them to his office, unknown to them, a little news had gone viral in the schoolmunity and beyond.

    ****

    Time passed and soon, it was the final shoot for the movie. The set was unusually joyful that day, and the good mood was contagious. After the final shoot, the set prepared for a celebratory dinner to mark the close of their job after three months.

    What was supposed to be a dinner somehow turned into a house party held by Ste. Aaron and Deloise arrived together, and were weed by a cheerful Ste who made it a point to announce their entry to all and sundry.

    ¡°Come on! I prepared a special spot for us!¡± She said and dragged them towards the staircase, up to her room.

    Deloise wasn¡¯tfortable with the way things were headed but she held her peace as they were led to the room.

    ¡°Why are we here?¡± Aaron spoke as soon as they got into the room that held a few cast members, including Tony.

    ¡°Hello gorgeous!¡± Tony called and Aaron rolled his eyes. ¡°It feels like you disappeared off the face of the earth.¡±

    Deloise smiled at his warm address, ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± she said as they hugged. Two seconds into the embrace, Aaron guided her over to sit beside him.

    ¡°Way to be a caveman, bro.¡± Tony said and the group burst into a fit ofughter.

    Aaron couldn¡¯t be bothered about his friend¡¯s remark, Ste on the other hand couldn¡¯t wait to take the light off them, and she did just that.

    ¡°We areplete. Let¡¯s y a game.¡± she pped, ¡°Any suggestions?¡±

    ¡°Truth or dare?¡± Tony remarked with a bored expression, ¡°We might as well get drunk and say shit about each other.¡±

    ¡°Sold! That¡¯s the best game for tonight.¡± she said and pulled an empty bottle from under her seat, evidently prepared. ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡±

    The room was silent as the bottle spinned to a stop, facing Flora, Ste¡¯s roommate.

    ¡°Truth or Dare.¡± Ste asked with a grin, already knowing her choice and the perfect task.

    ¡°Dare,¡± Came the little voice of Flora.

    ¡°I dare you to sit on hisp for the rest of the night.¡± she pointed to Tony and Flora went fifty shades red. ¡°Quick! We don¡¯t have all night.¡±

    Flora made her way to Tony while they cheered her on. Noting her wavering confidence, Tony tapped his leg, encouraging her to sit.

    ¡°Spin the bottle, Flora.¡± Ste handed the bottle over to her. One spinter, it was Flora¡¯s turn to ask the question. Itnded on Ste.

    ¡°Truth or Dare.¡±

    Ste didn¡¯t skip a beat, ¡°Dare.¡±

    ¡°I dare you to kiss Aaron.¡± Flora¡¯s words came as a shock to others who didn¡¯t see iting.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s wise..¡± Tony said, gauging the look on Aaron and Deloise¡¯s face alike.

    ¡°What? It¡¯s just a game.¡± One of the set members opined and others concurred.

    Aaron didn¡¯t move an inch, his gaze crossed that of Deloise- who maintained silence. Soon enough, Ste stood in front of Aaron, seeking consent with her eyes.

    ¡°Do it already-¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    To the surprise of everyone, Aaron closed the gap between them, giving her a swift kiss. Hoots erupted from the others and Deloise stomped out of the room.

    Aaron smirked, happy to have elicited a reaction. He gets up and Ste holds him back, ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± He pulled his arm away and went after Deloise.

    Aaron watched Deloise enter into a cab and drove off. He made way to his car and a message came into his phone.

    ¡°Grandma is dead.¡±

    Aaron re-read the message, trying and failing to make out anything other than what was said. For the first time ever, he dialed his father- who picked in one ring.

    ¡°Is it true?¡± he asked, praying it was a sick joke.

    ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± the Elder Steele affirmed in a miserable voice.

    Aaron didn¡¯t need to say anything as two beeps signaled the end of the call. There in the car lot, memories of his childhood filled his senses, he saw her everywhere. He couldn¡¯t believe she was gone.

    He got into his car and drove recklessly to his Gran¡¯s house. It was a miracle he didn¡¯t get ticketed. What he saw made him regret seeking her out. He walked through the open doors and nostalgia washed over him. He was here a few days ago, cooking and having lunch with her.

    They¡¯d cooked an excessive amount of macaroni which got ced in the fridge alongside several others. She was having the same meal tonight.

    How did he know? Because itid on the floor, mixed with broken shards from the ceramic te she used to dish it.

    She copsed seconds before dinner. A blind person could tell by the set dinner table and the now-wasted food. Aaron ran out of the house with his head hot. This couldn¡¯t be happening. He needed an escape.

    Aaron mindlessly drove to the city, bought packets of drinks and headed back to Ste¡¯s. He parked his car outside and consumed alcohol till his mind was a haze. Unable to think, he staggered to the front door and knocked incessantly, waiting till the door opened.

    Ste ushered him in with a confused look. After sitting him in her room, she opened her hidden stash and helped herself with some liquid courage to aid the sess of the ns that formed in her heart.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d be back.¡± Ste giggled as she drank out of her ss. ¡°Watching you with her sucked life out of me because I knew you deserved better. Fake or not.¡± she slurred, and her hands caressed his chest and torso. ¡°I¡¯ll just get you prepared and show the world exactly whom you belong to.¡±

    Steid Aaron on her bed and took care of her clothes. It was finally the moment she¡¯s been waiting for. She picked up her phone tomemorate the moment before sealing the deal. Just when she nted herself on top of him, Aaron wriggled in his sleeping state, causing her to lose her bnce and hit her drunken head on the bed-post. Knocking her out cold.

    *****

    Days passed with no word from Aaron¡¯s end. Deloise was at her wits end with thoughts on what his attitude meant. Ever since his kiss with Ste, things weren¡¯t the same. With the growing rumors of their fake rtionship, it was harder to carry out their jobs with the unresolved conflict that brewed between them.

    Their rtionship was reduced to mere acting for the audience/cameras ¨C a sharp contrast from what it used to be. Had she taken their eptance of feelings to mean they were something other than what they were?

    The weeks following that night was torture to be around Aaron. With the gloomy countenance he wore, she believed if she approached him, things would get out of hand. She opted to avoid him for as long as possible, but even that wasn¡¯t working out well for her.

    After much thought, Deloise made up her mind to call quits on whatever it is between them. It was evident she couldn¡¯t handle things and that was grounds enough to bring the nightmare to an end.

 DDD 69

    It was finally the first showing of the movie. Over the span of time, intense marketing efforts were made to promote the film; ranging from media adverts, to billboard cements and promotional appearances.

    With everything else going on regarding the authenticity of Aaron and Deloise¡¯s rtionship, ample publicity and anticipation for the movie was garnered.

    ¡°It¡¯s your first movie, how do you feel right now?¡± Doris asked with a big grin, holding out her phone as she recorded the moment.

    Deloise was d in a robe with her hair and make-up done to perfection. She managed a smile as she said, ¡°It feels so unreal,¡± her eyes watered, ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s happening, I¡¯m getting ready to watch my own film after-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry! You¡¯ll ruin your make-up. This is supposed to be a happy day.¡± Doris dropped the phone and covered her in an embrace, ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you.¡±

    That was enough to set the waterworks flowing. She didn¡¯t realize how much she was pining to hear those words. With the current drama that was her life, she found herself feeling much lonelier than ever. Although work also helped alleivate the loneliness, she couldn¡¯t help but feel like something¡¯s missing.

    Soon enough, the duo were ready and on their way to the theatres to watch the first showing of her movie- Scorned. With her new status as a young and rising star, she racked up a following wherever she went. Today was no different.

    Deloise walked into the theatres after taking pictures with fans littered in the area. She saw a poster of the movie and couldn¡¯t get over the feeling of seeing herself on a poster. Cast members also made an appearance for the showing, including Aaron, Ste and some others.

    She found her seat, with Doris by her side and soon, they were lost in the magic of the world before them. Deloise watched herself and a sense of achievement filled her heart. She did that, she was able to immerse the audience with her passion and above all things, her hardwork paid off.

    ¡°We need to leave,¡± Doris whispered a few minutes into the movie, ¡°Now.¡±

    Concern clouded her features, ¡°Is everything alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll exinter. We need to leave now before it bes impossible.¡± Doris picked up her bag and led the way, while she followed behind.

    Due to the ongoing movie, many people weren¡¯t distracted by their movement but they caught the eye of Ste who immediately got on her phone with a cynic smile, one textter, she dropped her phone and proceeded to enjoy the rest of the night.

    On the other side of things, Deloise was losing her mind. Getting out of the theatre was no easy feat as reporters swarmed the area.

    ¡°I¡¯ve called for security, we¡¯ll be leaving through the emergency exit.¡± Doris took her by the arm and led the way to the exit where two suited manid in wait, ¡°Where¡¯s the car?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we have to go through them, the car is parked by the gates.¡± One of the security men answered.

    Doris lost it, ¡°How do we get through the mob?! These people will pounce on us at the slightest opportunity! This was supposed to be a smooth transition.¡±

    ¡°What the hell is going on? Please tell me, what do they want with me?¡± Deloise pestered, and fear filled her heart.

    ¡°There¡¯s a scandal. I¡¯ll get into it as soon as we leave this ce. The longer we remain here, the harder it bes to leave.¡± she turned to the men, ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±

    Doris threw a scarf at her. ¡°You¡¯ll need to cover your face. There will be a lot of pictures.¡±

    She grimaced and covered her hair, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The men nodded and led the way out of the building. It didn¡¯t take time before they were recognized by the press. Immediately , the lights began.

    ¡°Stay back!¡± one of the men ordered as they swarmed the women, taking non-stop snapshots.

    ¡°Is it true you are a fraud?!¡±

    ¡°Are you Daniel Greenwood¡¯s daughter?¡±

    ¡°Did you take advantage of your father to snag the lead role from Ste Davis?!¡±

    ¡°What is your rtionship with Aaron?!¡±

    ¡°Did you get into a fake rtionship with Aaron for fame?!¡±

    With each question, Deloise felt more confused. What the hell was going on?

    ¡°Here! Look here! Deloise! Deloise!¡±

    The car was shut but the reporters swarmed them.

    ¡°Go!¡± Doris screamed and the driver zoomed off.

    The car stood in front of Doris home, and the driver left them per request.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Doris said but she didn¡¯t respond.

    After a while, Deloise looked up, ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on or hand over my phone.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long day. We can discuss this tomorrow-¡±

    ¡°Stop stalling!¡± She sat up with zing eyes, ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on already! Please¡­¡±

    With one look at her, Doris pulled up an article on her phone and handed it over with an apologetic look. It read;

    _______________

    YOUNG AND BUDDING NEW ACTRESS EXPOSED AS DANIEL GREENWOOD¡¯S DAUGHTER!

    Deloise Tanner, thetest addition to the Evolve Talent Management group has been exposed to be the daughter of Veteran actor Daniel Greenwood!

    ording to reports, the young star, who starred as the lead actress for the first project led by the Veteran actor, shot to fame after snagging the role from Ste Davis without taking part in the screening exercise.

    After thorough investigation, it was revealed that the veteran actor single handedly brought her in as the lead actress with a schrship into The Royal Arts Academy. The reason and motive behind his actions remain unclear.

    Furthermore, it was brought to our notice the public rtionship between Deloise Tanner and Aaron was contracted and holds no iota of sincerity. More news shall bemunicated after¡­

    __________________

    ¡°This isn¡¯t true¡­¡± Deloise muttered in shock, ¡°This can¡¯t be true, don¡¯t tell me you believe in the crap they¡¯re saying.¡±

    ¡°Calm down.¡± Doris took her phone, and sighed, ¡°Wee to the industry.¡±

    She shook her head, ¡°No. I need to do something.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll release a press release soon. I believe Daniel¡¯s team are preparing something. For now, you just have to stay silent and out of sight.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand! I don¡¯t have a father, Doris! Never did! If they have something to say about my father¡¯s identity- whoever it may be, I need to be sure.¡±

    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±

    ¡°I need to go home. I need to see my mom.¡± she meant every word.

    ¡°That¡¯s funny. Do you think these vultures aren¡¯t on the lookout for you?¡±

    Doris¡¯s tone was stern, Deloise could sense her authoritying off strongly.

    ¡°Please¡­¡± she stuttered, ¡°My mother has no idea what¡¯s going on. She thinks I¡¯m in somew school in Chicago. She can¡¯t hear this before I tell her. Please.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t travel. The reporters would be lurking around the airport. This scandal doesn¡¯t just involve you, Daniel is also getting hounded and ording to reports, he isn¡¯t in the state. Going to the airport is an ident waiting to happen.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take the bus. By dawn I¡¯ll be there and everything will be settled.¡± Deloise sped her hands together, ¡°Please. Help me this once.¡±

    *******

    Esther and Daniel were on another one of their friendly hang outs. This time around, they were having dinner at a light house in a rented beach.

    ¡°All my years as an Actor, I¡¯ve never met a fan so crazy, I mean, she almost raped me.¡±

    Esther let out a howl ofughter, ¡°No way! You are making things up.¡±

    ¡°Made that up? Shesh! Look at me, I feel traumatized remembering how scared I felt. I was an inexperienced 20 year old on a strangend.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t me the women, you were a snack at 20.¡±

    Daniel did a double take, ¡°Did you justpliment me?¡±

    ¡°Take it as whatever you will,¡± She took a sip from her ss. ¡°Your continued stay in Chicago is concerning. Did you fall off your career or is this one of those vacations celebrities take.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know why I¡¯m here.¡± He remarked, slicing a piece of meat.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been through this.¡± Esther said and their eyes connected.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°And we came to an agreement.¡±

    Daniel perked at her words, ¡°We didn¡¯te to an agreement. I can never be your friend, and you know that.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no chance of us getting back together. I thought we established that.¡± she sighed, ¡°I might have to end this friendship if you refuse to ept it.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just- You know I can¡¯t let what¡¯s between us die,¡± he grabbed her hand across the table, sweet sensations sparked within her, ¡°not when I can feel its intensity, even right now, you can¡¯t deny it, you feel it too.¡±

    His phone rang, and he silenced it.

    ¡°What do I have to do for this to be over?¡±

    Daniel scrunched his nose, ¡°This can¡¯t be over. Eighteen years apart is proof of that.¡± He said in a surly tone.

    ¡°Daniel¡­¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Hearing her say his name in such a needy manner evoked his most primal instincts, ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to trust me after everything. But please, give me a chance to set things straight, to get it right.¡±

    Esther dropped her spoon, ¡°I need to go, we aren¡¯t getting anywhere with this.¡± She got up and he followed her.

    ¡°Why are you fighting this? Huh? Why are you fighting us?¡±

    he held her arm, preventing her from picking her phone.

    ¡°Because there is no US!¡± she seethed, ¡°Let me go or I will file aint.¡±

    ¡°Just one night. One night is all I need.¡± He begged, ¡°One night and if you decide you don¡¯t want me anymore, I¡¯ll disappear from your life.¡±

    Esther couldn¡¯t believe her ears, ¡°Is that what this is about? Getting inside my pants?¡± She scoffed, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you.¡±

    ¡°You know very well how I feel about you.¡± he dragged her close to him, so close she could feel his body parts. ¡°You just need to remember what you feel about me. And if one night with me isn¡¯t enough to remind you, then I wasn¡¯t worthy of you to begin with.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll grant you one night.¡± she pushed close to him, baring her fangs. ¡°One night and this is over.¡± She gestured between them, ¡°10 pm, my house.¡±

 DDD 70

    The journey back to Esther¡¯s ce was silent and riddled in tension. They got inside the house and the door was snapped shut. One look and they were pressed against the hard wall, wrapped in a breathtaking kiss.

    Daniel groaned, overwhelmed by the feeling of her hotly pressed against him. They battled with their tongues and soon realized they might not make it to the room.

    ¡°Jump.¡± he whispered and she did just that. ¡°Good girl,¡± he appraised and supported her weight with his arms.

    With her legs wrapped around his torso, their intimacy brushed and he gritted, feeling so close, yet not close enough. Esther felt his bulge and a gasp escaped her, she shuddered at the thought of how huge he was and how long it¡¯s been.

    Reading her thought, Daniel grunted, ¡°You can handle it¡­ I just need to get you prepared.¡±

    Without a second thought, he walked them to the dining and sets her up on the table. Esther held her breath as he peppered kisses from her neck downwards. He knew her weak points, he knew her so well that within a few minutes, she was dripping, ready and writhing underneath him.

    All through the night, they rekindled their love, each professing their wildest desires as they chased their most coveted high. Their garments littered the living room, alongside telltales of their rendeavous.

    That night, they didn¡¯t make it to the room.

    ******

    Deloise got on a train to Chicago that night.

    Throughout the night, she didn¡¯t sleep a wink. It didn¡¯t help that her mother wasn¡¯t picking up despite the countless unanswered calls left in her wake.

    She could feel a sense of dread loom over her as she got closer to her destination. What if her mother heard the news?

    Despite getting professionally disguised by Doris, whenever someone stared longer than one second, she lost herfort. Thest thing she needed was to direct the reporters to her mother- whom they have been on the lookout for since the scandal broke out.

    Weirdly, she couldn¡¯t understand why she felt so eager to get to the root of things. A part of herid it on the fact that she wanted to reach her mother before the news of her deceit reaches her but another part of her was curious.

    For the major part of her life, she learned not to ask silly questions- some of which included the identity of her father. With time, she pinned it on the fact that her father was dead or not worth mentioning for some reason.

    It didn¡¯t bother her much, seeing she didn¡¯t know him, but there was a part of her that yearned to know something- anything about her father.

    Deloise didn¡¯t believe the news making rounds. After careful thought on the possibility of Daniel being her father, she felt crazed to have considered such stupidity.

    It was clear they were looking for anything and everything to support the ims of her being undeserving of her life since she stepped foot in Royal Arts.

    Dusk came in Chicago and she took a cab to her mother¡¯s house. With every mile forward, she tasted the paralyzing chill of fear. Great fear for the unknown overpowered and consumed her when she saw a poster of her movie on a billboard on the way to her house.

    Who was she kidding? Of course her mother knew! It was stupid to think she wouldn¡¯t get caught.

    Meanwhile, Daniel carried a tired Esther into her bedroom bridal style. The air was light as she fought back a smile, painfully aware of his erect nakedness but too tired to do anything about it. They mauled themselves through the night and it was a mystery he still had such energy.

    Dipped in the softness of her mattress, Daniel made to leave her but she drew him to bed beside her. A natural smile pitched up his face. ¡°I thought we were tired?¡± he mumbled, peppering kisses on her neck.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± Esther let out, knowing she might regret her words soon but too happy to care about it now, ¡°Stay right here, on my bed.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t be anywhere else..¡±

    ¡°What the hell?¡± A voice said from the doorway, a voice that sounded too familiar.

    Esther perked up her bed and instinctively covered her body with the duvet. Her eyes turned the size of saucers when she took in the shocked state of Deloise by the door.

    She was caught.

    ¡°I c-can exin.¡± she muttered while Daniel dressed up with the speed of light, confusion boldly written as he witnessed their exchange.

    ¡°Exin? Exin what exactly, mom?¡± She let out a dryugh, bewildered at the case before her. ¡°You. Did you know all along?¡± she asked Daniel, ¡°Is this a sick joke?¡±

    ¡°Deloise!¡± Esther screamed in fear, ¡°Listen to me, there¡¯s an exnation to all of this.¡±

    ¡°Pray tell mum, what exactly are you doing in bed with-¡±

    Karen walked into the room, surprising everyone.

    ¡°You knew,¡± Deloise stated after sometime, ¡°You aren¡¯t surprised, tell me, how long have you known about them? A few years? My whole life?¡±

    ¡°Listen to your mother, Deloise.¡± Karen said, ¡°Calm down and we¡¯ll figure things out.¡±

    ¡°Figure what out?!¡± she lost it, ¡°Can¡¯t you see? Are you blind? They are seeing each other! They¡¯ve been seeing each other my whole life!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that¡­¡± Esther cried, drawing close to her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it! Is this why you were against my entry into the movie world? To keep me from the truth?¡± Her voice broke as she spoke, ¡°Everything you did, everything! To keep me far from the truth?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Esther was full on tears now, ¡°I swear it¡¯s not what it looks like.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Tell me then, look me in the eyes and tell me he isn¡¯t the reason. Tell me he isn¡¯t my father!¡±

    ¡°DELOISE!¡± Karen yells and Daniel¡¯s jaw hits the ground. ¡°Control yourself.¡±

    ¡°Stay out of this, Karen.¡± Her tone was curt and disrespectful, ¡°It¡¯s a family reunion.¡± she cackled and Karen turned furious.

    ¡°Who are you to judge her? You are no better than she is and you know that. Don¡¯te up here acting high and mighty when you have dust in your cupboard too.¡±

    ¡°Dust in my cupboard? She¡¯s been lying to me my whole life! Every single decision she made was to hide the truth from me! She manipted me into doing her bidding and gaslighted me to think it was okay, what kind of mother is that?¡±

    ¡°How are you any better?¡± Karen came to her defense, ¡°You dropped out fromw school one month in to pursue the same bloody career she forbade you to do.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡± Esther piqued, hearing it for the first time, ¡°She did what?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I dropped out of school and followed my dream! Today, I am an actress-¡±

    ¡°You did no such thing, Deloise.¡± Her mother said and sheughed.

    ¡°Get used to it, mom. I am an actress and that¡¯s it.¡±

    Esther turned around with pursed lips, trying but failing to hide her anger.

    ¡°You¡¯re done.¡± Her tone was grave. ¡°You will return home, and you are grounded, no phones, no friends, no nothing!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you will. Or-¡±

    ¡°Or what? You disown me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me or acting. We¡¯ve been through this,¡± She faced her daughter. ¡°Make a choice.¡±

    ¡°I already did.¡± Deloise didn¡¯t miss a beat, ¡°Have a nice time with my director- oops- father.¡±

    Without another word, she headed for the door while Esther held a disbelieving look.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry..¡± Karen spoke minutester, her eyes flickering between her friend and Daniel. ¡°I¡¯ll just give you a minute,¡± she said to no one in particr and made her way out.

    ¡°Tell me.¡± Daniel spoke with his face to the ground. ¡°I want to hear it from you,¡± his eyes connected to her own, ¡°Tell me if what I heard is true.¡±

    ¡°Yes, okay?¡± Her tone was flippant, ¡°Yes, she is your daughter. Yes, you got me pregnant and left on your way to ¡®pursue your dreams¡¯. And yes, I hid it from you, her, and the world!¡± Esther felt bitter as she drew close to him, ¡°Why are you still here, Huh? Won¡¯t you also walk away?¡±

    Daniel picked up his properties with a clipped face. On his way out, he said, ¡°You didn¡¯t leave me an option.¡±

 DDD 71

    Aaron arrived the burial of Mrs. ck, d in a ck suit. Other than the pain that gripped his heart, and the dark circles underneath his eyes, he looked breathtaking.

    Having arrivedte, he slipped in the midst of the crowd and watched his grandma¡¯s corpse get lowered to the ground. His eyes watered as they covered her with earth until he couldn¡¯t see her anymore.

    Just like that, she was gone. Forever.

    Aaron turned around, hoping to slip away before they caught sight of him but was a second toote. His father¡¯s voice stops him.

    ¡°Have lunch with me.¡± It wasn¡¯t a request.

    ¡°I have to go.¡± He gritted, in no mood to get into another squabble with his father or his delightful family.

    ¡°News reporters are everywhere. Except you don¡¯t want to leave this ce, I¡¯m your best shot.¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Aaron couldn¡¯t believe the nerve of his father. ¡°You set me up?¡± He let out an icyugh, ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t need to, boy. You did it yourself.¡± One of the guards whispered to the Elder Steele. ¡°Get in the car.¡± He ordered and headed towards a group of men waiting for him.

    Aaron contemted ignoring his father but soon realized it wasn¡¯t an option when a guard approached him and directed him towards the car. While waiting for his father, Aaron dialed Deloise for the nth time.

    Ever since that dreadful night, they hadn¡¯t spoken to each other, much less nced at each other. Preupied by the loss of his grandmother, he couldn¡¯t be bothered about whatever it was they held until the first showing.

    He remembered attending the private showing-mildly inebriated, seeking opportunities to steal short nces while managing the pain that ate him alive.

    He didn¡¯t think his life could get any more shittier until the news broke. That night, he remembered calling non-stop, and sending endless messages that received no response.

    As the days passed, the scandal and hate on her rose to a startling high, he worried about her general well being and its effects on her career. In retrospect, the scandal fueled the viewership of their movie and it only grew as time progressed.

    Naturally, he wasn¡¯t left unscathed. He had a fair share of reporters chasing him down for a word on the topic. The car door opened and his father joined him in the back-seat.

    ¡°Fix your face, we¡¯ll havepany.¡± Mr. Steele said as they hit the roads.

    Aaron remained silent till they pulled up at a five star restaurant owned by his father. The eyeroll that exuded him was natural and he made way into the building, his father walking behind.

    ¡°Aaron! Over here!¡± A feminine voice interrupted his stroll, beckoning him over to her table- a shared table with an elderly man.

    ¡°I see we are a bit tardy.¡± His father said behind him, and walked to their table. ¡°Mr. Parker,¡± he greeted and they took their seats. ¡°I apologize for ourteness.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! I came a bit too early myself.¡± Mr. Parker said with a smile. ¡°This is my daughter, Ellen Parker.¡± He introduced and she smiled,

    ¡°Good day Mr. Steele,¡± she greeted with a bow, ¡°Sincere condolences on your loss.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much, my dear.¡± A waiter came around and took their orders. ¡°I must say you have a well mannered and beautiful daughter.¡±

    Mr. Parker smiled, ¡°Of course, and you, a delightful son.¡±

    Aaron dug into his meal, counting the seconds till he had to leave,

    ¡°Forgive him.¡± Mr. Steele let out a tautugh, ¡°A little sore from his mama¡¯s passing. This one always clung to her.¡±

    ¡°Oh my! Pardon my insensitivity. I¡¯m honestly sorry for your loss.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Parker.¡± Aaron replied, shutting down the conversation once again.

    Mr. Steele took over smoothly, ¡°I was made to understand our Ellen is an actress, and a sessful one,¡±

    ¡°Of course! My Ellen is on the way to bing the best actress on the globe!¡± Mr. Parker bragged, ¡°I couldn¡¯t be more proud of her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great news!¡± His father said with a smile, ¡°Aaron here is starting out in that direction, it¡¯ll be great if you could give him some pointers from your experience.¡±

    Ellen smiled, ¡°I doubt he needs any help. So far, he¡¯s doing great on his own, safe for his not so favorable image at the moment.¡±

    That caught Aaron¡¯s attention. For the first time ever, he took a good and long look at the woman before him. He remembered her beckoning on him, and suddenly, she seemed familiar. Too familiar.

    His eyes narrowed, ¡°Have we met?¡±

    ¡°I should ask you that, Aaron. Or dare I say, Junior?¡± Ellen tried to hide her displeasure at his poor regard for her, no one had treated her with such a level of disrespect.

    ¡°Ellen-Ellen Parker.¡± Aaron tested and his eyes went wide. ¡°Senior Ellen Parker.¡±

    ¡°You recognize her? Good! Maybe she can help with your career.¡± Elder Steele said to Mr. Parker- who nodded encouragingly, loving the twist of things.

    Aaron fought the urge to state his contentment of the state of his career. ¡°I think they¡¯d be a good fit.¡± Mr. Parker said, ¡°He¡¯s the first one she didn¡¯t reject upon first sight.¡± heughed, and Mr. Steele joined him. ¡°That counts for something in my books.¡±

    Ellen held up a coy smile, while Aaron¡¯s eyes narrowed at her father¡¯s words. Everything suddenly made sense; this wasn¡¯t an ordinary meeting, it was a set up, the nerve of his father to set him up with somedy made his blood boil.

    Mr. Parker¡¯s phone rang and he picked it up. After a moment of listening, he ends the call and restarts the conversation. ¡°I need to go.¡± He announced, and got to his feet.

    Aaron and his father followed suit but he kicked against it. ¡°Don¡¯t let me stop you, go on with your food.¡± He said, and kissed his daughter¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll leave first. We can discuss the details of the deal at ater time.¡± He said to Elder Steele and they shared a handshake.

    As soon as he got out of sight, Aaron got on his feet.

    ¡°Sit down.¡± The hard voice of his father came. Ellen ate quietly, watching their exchange with fascination.

    ¡°I¡¯m done eating.¡±

    ¡°Do not be disrespectful. Sit down.¡± Aaron had other ns as he left the table to his father¡¯s exasperation.

    ¡°One moment.¡± Elder Steele followed him with a hard face. On getting to the door, he caught him by the arm. ¡°Cross that door and you might as well be dead to me.¡±

    Aaron froze, and turned around.

    ¡°You will return to that table, apologize, and clean up your dirty image.¡± He ordered and left the building.

    Aaron contemted defying his father, but returned to the table.

    ¡°Not on the best terms with your father, I presume?¡±

    ¡°I apologize.¡± He said and sheughed.

    ¡°For what? Disrespecting me or your father?¡± She sipped from her ss, ¡°I am in a forgiving mood so I¡¯ll let it go.¡±

    Aaron had nothing to say to that. He called Deloise again, but it was switched off.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± Ellen began, ¡°What is your deal with her?¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± He asked, knowing who she spoke about.

    ¡°You know who.¡± his eyes widened, ¡°You are yet to tell your side of the story.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you listened to gossip, Ellen.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunately a major side of our work. You¡¯ll learn in due time.¡± She waved her hand, ¡°The vultures aren¡¯t always mistaken. I advise you to get out while you still can, take it from an experienced senior, that girl isn¡¯t as innocent as she looks.¡±

    ¡°And what does that mean?¡± Aaron¡¯s voice was low, dangerously low.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make things clear.¡± she cleared her throat, and reached for his hand on the table. ¡°I like you. A lot more than I anticipated,¡± she smiled, ¡°But in order for this to work, you¡¯ll need to cut ties with that thing.¡±

    He pulled his hand away from hers, and hissed. ¡°You will not speak of her in such a manner.¡±

    ¡°Protective, are we?¡± she leaned across the table. ¡°We can both agree that her character is a bit questionable, but that¡¯s besides the point. I can help you build the remains of what she¡¯s ruined of your career. Be with me, it¡¯s a win for you.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t see you as one to throw themselves at me, Ellen Parker.¡± he tsked, ¡°Let me set things straight, I don¡¯t need help with anything, and I¡¯ll ept this as a mistake on your part.¡±

    He got on his feet, ¡°You dare not walk away from me, Aaron. I could set your career on mes with a snap of my fingers.¡± she hissed,

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try. Have a great day.¡± he winked, ¡°Or not.¡±

    Aaron left the restaurant without a nce back. He called a cab and left the area while Ellen remained seated with a cynic smile. Unknown to him, photos from their meeting were taken by a news journalist.

 DDD 72

    Two weeks and there was still no word from Deloise. Aaron was losing his mind, worried about her well-being. Ste on the other hand was losing it, trying to get Aaron to care about her.

    Ever since the scandal, and Deloise disappearance from their lives, all efforts to get close to him failed miserably. She felt him slipping from her hands and it wasn¡¯t a pleasant feeling. They were irreparably out of sync and she made her mission to get back the former closeness and friendship they¡¯d once shared.

    To follow up her determination, Ste prepared herself in the sluttiest outfit and made her way to Aaron¡¯s house. She didn¡¯t call him, believing it would only doom her mission to failure.

    She got to his house and it was locked. Knowing him, she looked into a nt beside his door and found a copy of his key hidden inside. Her face brightened as she unlocked the door and made her way inside the house.

    As expected, the house looked prim and bare. It was hard to tell it was lived in other than the warmness of the apartment. An idea suddenly gripped her, and with a mischievous smile, she headed into his room and shut the door behind her.

    Few hourster, Aaron gets home and feels surprised to see his lights on. Wary, he walked into his house, ready to take a swing at whatever burr invading his property. The first thing that caught his sight was an awfully pink bag and coat hung in his living room.

    Deloise?

    He thought, and hastened towards his bedroom, half-expecting to see her. One push, and the door opened, the first thing he saw were clothesid on the floor. His eyes followed the trail to meet the eyes of an und Ste, curled on his bed and reading what was supposed to be his next project.

    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± She said and sat up. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for so long.¡±

    Her nakedness ate at his eyes, ¡°What the hell has gotten over you?¡± he roared and she pouted,

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I felt a little puffy and took some clothes off.¡±

    ¡°Get up, and get lost.¡± Aaron answered with a nce at the air conditioning.

    Ste was unfazed. She took slow steps towards him with a mouthwatering smile, ¡°Ron¡­¡± she called, reaching out to him. ¡°Look at me, you know you want me. We are so perfect for each other, I¡¯m perfect for you. Give me a chance to prove it, I could make you feel better than she ever did.¡±

    He held her arm in a tight grip, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. I can¡¯t believe you stooped so low¡­ Get out.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ Can¡¯t you see? Can¡¯t you see how crazy I am about you..¡± She breathed andtched onto him, ¡°tell me you don¡¯t feel the same, tell me you don¡¯t feel this too.¡±

    ¡°All I see is a crazy woman who can¡¯t seem to take a hint.¡± he gritted, ¡°I won¡¯t repeat myself- pack up your shit and leave.¡±

    He pushed her aside and she lost it.

    ¡°What is wrong with you? Huh?! What the hell is your problem?!¡± she caught his arm, ¡°Is it about that wench? Is it about that slut?¡±

    Aaron saw red, ¡°Talk about her in a disrespectful way one more time and you¡¯ll be doing the walk of shame out of my apartment.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± A feminine voice said from the door.

    Ste¡¯s eyes narrowed, and shame clouded her face, ¡°E-Ellen?¡± she stuttered and grabbed her clothes from the floor.

    Aaron held his head in exhaustion, ¡°Just great..¡± he muttered, unable to find the nerve to be nice, ¡°how did you get here? Is there some get together I wasn¡¯t invited to or-¡±

    ¡°I see you are busy.¡± Ellen said with a frown, ¡°I¡¯ll be outside while you sort yourselves out.¡±

    ¡°No need for that, I was on my way out.¡± Ste gritted, now dressed, but Ellen was already out. ¡°You are such a whore,¡± she said to Aaron, scorned. ¡°Didn¡¯t wait a second before you hopped on the next woman, did you?¡±

    Aaron slipped his hands into his pockets, ¡°Get out.¡±

    ¡°Get over yourself.¡± she hissed. ¡±You will regret this. I promise.¡±

    Ste stomped out of the house without a look at Ellen who sat on the cushion, ying on her phone. She gritted at the thought of another woman having eyes on what¡¯s hers and vowed to ruin him for everyone else if she couldn¡¯t have him.

    Aarones out of his room, and meets Ellen in his living room. ¡°I thought we agreed never to see each other again?¡± His tone was hard and clear.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    He didn¡¯t see thating.

    ¡°I apologize for thest time. I admit to being a little bit¡­ snarky.¡± she finished, ¡°I¡¯ll get out of your hair now. Have a great day.¡±

    Ellen leaves without a nce back, while he watches her with curiosity on what she had up her sleeves.

    *****

    ¡°I want them up before nighttime.¡± Ste ordered over the phone.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to do this ma¡¯am? Your face is well in view.¡±

    ¡°The more reason you need to do it. Don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡± She hung up after speaking and let her phone drop to herp.

    Three secondster, she got notified of an article published by a top grossed celebrity gossip site. She smirked at the pictures of her and Aaron cuddled up in bed and the apanying news of his identity as an illegitimate son.

    She knew it was a bit too far but she meant it when she decided to ruin him for every other person if she couldn¡¯t have him. This move was smart as well as devious.

    It was an open show of the rtionship they shared, aimed at warding off any bimbo who had eyes on her man- alongside a card to get back at him for making her go through this lengths.

    Before the close of the day, Aaron took the spotlight in the news. His identity as the illegitimate son of Mr. Steele took the stage as people threw their opinions on the revtion.

    Much more than that, the subject of the identity of his mother kicked off, and everyone wanted to know the woman who shared a child with his billionaire father outside wedlock.

    The days following were hell to Aaron. With his business out in the open, he couldn¡¯t leave his house and continually subjected himself to reading, hearing and watching out for what the world had to say about him and his family.

    Whoever did this had it out for him. Linking him to the very people he avoided in such a scandalous way didn¡¯t go down well with him. In his days of istion, he pondered on who could have hated him so much to do such damage to his person.

    Two people- Deloise and Ste.

    With Ste¡¯s nudity making the frontpage, he leaned more towards Deloise- who refused to pick his call, or reach out to him in well over a month. She also happened to be the only person he slipped up to about his identity.

    It was clear how stupid it was to have done that now.

    Aaron prepared himself for Mr. Austin¡¯s arrival. They were supposed to discuss ¡®matters¡¯ and he was nted in front of his television when the knocks came. He got up with a sigh and opened the door.

    ¡°Wee.¡± He said in a bored tone.

    ¡°I feel very weed, Aaron.¡± Mr Austin walked in with a smile. ¡°And you look like shit.¡±

    ¡°Great to know I look exactly the way I feel.¡± he returned to his seat, ¡°How do we fix this? I want my name off the.¡±

    ¡°Slow down. It¡¯s been what? Three days?¡±

    ¡°It feels like years. I can be on the news for everything else, everything but this.¡±

    ¡°I can understand that, but we don¡¯t get to pick on what they talk about.¡±

    ¡°Then let me be the first.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Give them something else to talk about. Something more interesting than my fucked up family tree.¡± he pointed, ¡°Anything- anything but this will be fine.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get this straight. You are willing to offer yourself on a tter of gold to get the public to stop talking about this. Like, willingly giving yourself to another scandal to get this over with?¡±

    ¡°Damn right.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Weird, but reasonable.¡± Mr. Austin chuckled, ¡°You have perfect timing.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Coincidentally, I got an offer that would do just that.¡± He exined, ¡°Ellen Parker wants a contract rtionship with you for two years. Her people reached out to me a few days back. I didn¡¯t bother telling you, seeing it isn¡¯t on your list of taking over the world, but in retrospect, I don¡¯t see a more perfect distraction.¡±

    ¡°How about Deloise?¡±

    ¡°What about her?¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    ¡°We signed a contract.¡± He reminded pointedly,

    ¡°That ended with the scandal. You are free to do whatever.¡±

    ¡°Where do I sign

 DDD 73

    In a detached house, far from the city, Deloise spent her time reading, strolling the little town, and thinking of her next port of action.

    She remembered that day. How she called Doris with snot running down her face, and her life scattered beyond repair. She was sent here to get herself together.

    The first few days were spent crying and wallowing in everything that had befallen her. While the following days were spent thinking of the multiple ways her life could have been if she did things differently.

    As time progressed, she became empty. Nothing seemed to matter anymore and she couldn¡¯t tell if it was a good or bad thing.

    Regardless, she went about her life, doing mundane things and hoping to find the will to live again. With her progress, she doubted she was anywhere near ready.

    Doris called with news on her visit and she didn¡¯t know what to expect. Other than the regr check-ins, they hadn¡¯t seen each other since that awful night. It was their first time meeting after shit went down with her mother.

    Deloise mentally prepared to see her, Doris¡¯ing was a tell-tale that she needed to get her shit together, and return to work. That is, if she still had one.

    Three knocks signaled Doris¡¯ arrival.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Deloise greeted with what she hoped to be a decent smile. ¡°Come on in.¡±

    Doris walked in with a smile, her eyes took in her form and Deloise held her breath. ¡°You look decent, thank God.¡± Doris remarked and took her in a hug. ¡°I was so worried you¡¯ll be miserable- I mean- you are. No offense, but it¡¯s better than I ever imagined.¡±

    The smile that bloomed on her face couldn¡¯t be hidden, ¡°I¡¯m d I don¡¯t look as bad as you imagined, Doris.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that- you make me sound bad.¡± she remarked and headed straight to the kitchen, ¡°I hope the house is to your taste.¡± She took a ss of water and Deloise was reminded the property was hers.

    ¡°Awesome, it¡¯s so rxing. I feel like I¡¯m on a vacation.¡±

    ¡°Great to hear that you are doing good,¡± she sat down, ¡°Tell me, how do you feel?¡±

    Of course she saw thating. Suddenly she didn¡¯t feel as confident in her answer, ¡°I¡¯m alive. That should count for something.¡±

    Doris spoke with narrowed eyes, ¡°Have you seen the news?¡±

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t feel like knowing what terrible things they are saying about me, thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°How long has it been since you saw the news? Oh God, I¡¯m guessing you aren¡¯t updated on thetest events.¡±

    That caught her attention. ¡°Whattest events?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so interested, it isn¡¯t anything exciting.¡± she sighed, ¡°The good news is, at least it isn¡¯t about you. Not directly.¡±

    ¡°Okay, can we get to the point where you actually say something about it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about Aaron.¡±

    Deloise suddenly lost words. ¡°That¡¯s interesting..¡±

    ¡°Interesting is right.¡± Doris said and pulled up her phone, ¡°He has been on the news for the past few weeks. Apparently, someone deemed it interesting to tell the world he is an illegitimate son of his father.¡±

    She recoiled, ¡°That¡¯s not good¡­ how is he doing?¡± she dared to ask, debating reaching out to himter.

    ¡°Pity, that¡¯s not all.¡± She handed over her phone to Deloise. ¡°Apparently, he also gets down on Ste.¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t hide the displeasure that clouded her face on the picture of Ste and Aaron, coddled up in bed, scantily clothed. ¡°Where did you get this?¡±

    ¡°On the inte, amongst the many others. I guess there was some truth with the rumors, they definitely have something going on.¡±

    Her eyes didn¡¯t leave the picture, she suddenly felt like a fool. ¡°As far as I know, we were supposed to be in a rtionship when this picture was taken.¡± She said, recognizing the band on Ste¡¯s hair.

    It was from that night. She finally found the reason he didn¡¯t follow her, he didn¡¯t care because his hands were full. They were probably intimate while she stayed up all night wondering if she had overreacted to the kiss.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°It means we were supposed to be a couple, an exclusive couple.¡± She gritted and Doris¡¯ jaw dropped.

    ¡°I thought it was a stunt?¡± She retracted, ¡°You told me it was a stunt.¡±

    ¡°It was, and then, it wasn¡¯t. Long story short, he might have cheated on me, and that¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d work out anyway.¡±

    ¡°You know, at first, I sympathized with him. But now, I think it serves him right if he cheated on you.¡± Doris shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ve long learned that things are not always as it seems, There are always other factors that y behind a single picture. Believe it or not, sometimes, a picture isn¡¯t all there is.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, don¡¯t care. Whatever we had was doomed from the start.¡±

    Doris shrugged, ¡°That aside, News making waves is that he got into a rtionship with Ellen Parker.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Aaron. I¡¯m a bit skeptical on its authenticity, I mean, there¡¯s got to be some hups somewhere.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no hup.¡± Deloise said, ¡°It¡¯s clear he isn¡¯t a one woman man. And that¡¯s fine. Can we please not talk about him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Deloise sat up, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you something.¡± Doris nods, ¡°It¡¯s about my scandal. Do you perhaps have an idea who-¡±

    ¡°Did the dirty work? Yeah. It¡¯s that bitch Ste Davis. How she got the information, I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s her, I see a hand of the Preston¡¯s in it too.¡±

    Deloise leaned back, unsurprised at the information. If there was one person that hated her guts, it was Ste. At least someone is living up to expectations. She rolled her eyes at the thought of Aaron¡¯s double standard life.

    ¡°How are things with your mom?¡± Her breath caught at the mention of her mother. Of course she was going to ask. ¡°How did things go down? I know it didn¡¯t end prettily but-¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t give you the details.¡± She interrupted, ¡°Turns out they weren¡¯t far from the truth. Daniel is my father, it was hard to retain my disbelief when I met him on my mother¡¯s bed.¡±

    Her jaw fell to the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to find out like that.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be. It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t yours either. You didn¡¯t say anything about your mom, did she take it well? You being an actress, I mean.¡±

    Deloiseughed, ¡°You don¡¯t know her. She¡¯d rather disown me than ept me as an actress.¡± she huffed, ¡°It¡¯s such a funny situation seeing she¡¯s fucking the greatest of them all. I¡¯m done with her lies and maniption. We¡¯re better off this way.¡±

    ¡°How about Daniel? He¡¯s still your father, are you just going to cut him off?¡± Doris struck a nerve.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even want to think about that. I¡¯m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he is my father. Daniel Greenwood, the man I¡¯ve looked up to for a major part of my life actually has the same blood flowing through my veins.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Doris smiled, ¡°Well, that¡¯s a great way to look at it. The apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. You were made to be an actress.¡±

    ¡°I used to be so sure of that.¡± She muttered, ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t even know who I am.¡±

    ¡°It might not seem like it, but you will get through this.¡± She handed over a phone to her, ¡°Daniel has been calling.¡±

    Deloise perked at that,

    ¡°He¡¯s been trying to get a hold of you. He says wants to talk.¡± Doris smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve put in his number, alongside others. Call him whenever you feel like, and don¡¯t be pressured.¡±

    She took the phone, at a loss for words.

    ¡°I¡¯m handling everything with work so you can take your time. Find yourself again.¡± she held her hand, ¡°Take your time, but not too long. I¡¯ll be a call away.¡±

    Doris left and she returned to solitude. With the information and power in her hands, she decided to bite the bullet and put a call across to Daniel before she chickened out of it.

    It was long overdue anyway.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Daniel said in an impatient tone.

    Deloise was tempted to drop the call but she answered, ¡°Deloise¡­¡±

    ¡°Deloise?¡± his tone turned soft. ¡°Where have you been? I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere. Thank you for calling me.¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to ask one thing. One simple question.¡±

    ¡°Loise..¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Deloise to you. Are you going to answer me or is this a mistake?¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    She breathed, ¡°Why did you find her and not me?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why did you seek out my mother and not me? Did you even care-¡±

    ¡°I swear it¡¯s not what you think. I didn¡¯t ¨C I didn¡¯t even know I had a child. S-She didn¡¯t tell me¡­¡±

    Deloise let out a wryugh, ¡°She¡¯s really the epitome of evil, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°No she¡¯s not. She had every reason to believe I was a man unworthy of knowing you. J-just, Just don¡¯t take it out on her. She loves you too much and everything is my fault.¡±

    ¡°You realize you are defending a woman that lied to your face and hid your child..¡±

    ¡°I failed her, I failed you both.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Please! Please don¡¯t punish her for my sins. Don¡¯t punish yourself either.¡±

    Deloise ended the call feeling worse than she did.

 DDD 74

    Esther felt a world of pain the days following Daniel¡¯s departure.

    It¡¯s been one month. One month of pain, anger and nothingness. She lost the will to do anything, bing a ghost of the woman she used to be. More than anything, Esther felt confused about her Identity.

    Between the woman she used to be, the woman she became, and the woman after Daniel, she didn¡¯t know who she was. That was how damaged her encounter with him left her. She wasn¡¯t surprised in the least because she experienced it before.

    One would think- once bitten, twice shy- but whenever it came to that man, she lost every sense of reasoning. Again, he came into her life like a storm and left a wrecked version of her afterwards.

    Deloise hadn¡¯t called since that day, neither did he. Esther had ample time to stew over how things turned out and what she could have done better. The fact she couldn¡¯t find it in herself to regret any action she took made it hard to proceed with her self-damnation mission.

    Whatever she did, she did for her daughter. And if she refused to see that, then things were better as it is. But why did she feel a splinter press through her heart at the remembrance of her daughter and the hate she expressed that very day?

    She felt lonelier than ever. As the time proceeded, she was disoriented. Karen stopped by the house over the time to check on her and help in whichever way possible but even that wasn¡¯t effective.

    Today was no different.

    Karen stalked into the house after two knocks and joined Esther ¨C who was seated in the living room and watching documentaries. It was clear her mind was far away as she sported a dazed and faraway look.

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± Karen asked in a low voice.

    She nodded, ¡°I¡¯m doing alright, Karen.¡± A ghost of a smile appeared, ¡°If I got paid by the amount of times you¡¯ve asked me that question in the past few weeks, I¡¯d be a millionaire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you find my concern amusing,¡± Karen replied with an eyeroll. ¡°I see you did some baking today.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t be modest. Help yourself.¡± she gestured to the kitchen.

    Due to her inability to sleep, she spent the major part of the night baking- or as her daughter would term, stress-baking.

    Karen returned to the living room with a slice of cake. ¡°Have you reached Daniel?¡±

    A frown, ¡°Why should I do that?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s about time. Come on, Esther, you know he didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±

    ¡°And you are in the best ce to gauge that because?¡±

    Esther¡¯s frown deepened as Karen spoke, ¡°You know very well that this entire mess was created by you. If you were going to hide a man from his child, then you probably shouldn¡¯t have slept with him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying so hard not to walk you out of my home, Karen.¡±

    ¡°How long are you going to sulk and do nothing? One month? Two? A year? Get over yourself and apologize, don¡¯t let pride get in the way of what you share.¡± Karen continued, relentless.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where you¡¯re getting this information, but whatever it is we had is done with. Over.¡± She hissed, ¡°and I¡¯d love it if you¡¯d respect that.¡±

    ¡°So what¡¯s next?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s next for you? In case you don¡¯t realize, you are the only one left. Deloise doesn¡¯t seem to being back anytime soon.¡±

    Esther flinched, ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡°I know that if she hasn¡¯t reached out by now, it¡¯s either she never will or the other things going on are exhausting her.¡±

    Karen had her attention, ¡°What other things?¡± She asked,

    ¡°Something along the lines of her boyfriend dumping her for another hotshot actress.¡± She made a disimer, ¡°I don¡¯t know how true it is, but with the publicity about the news, it¡¯s pretty serious.¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you read celebrity gossip.¡±

    ¡°And I didn¡¯t know you had a child with one.¡± she huffed, ¡°All I¡¯m trying to say is¡­ get up and be a mother. Throw away your differences and y your role in her life. For all we know, she is going through a rough patch right now, coupled with everything else going on, she could do with a bit of support from her mother.¡±

    ¡°I warned her nothing goodes from taking that path..¡± she fumed, ¡°She knows where to find me if things get out of hand. Maybe she needs to experience these things in order to understand.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are going to keep this up.¡± Karen sighed, and joined her in the cushion, ¡°Don¡¯t make the same mistakes I did.¡± She let out a lengthy breath, ¡°If I had spoken to Anna earlier regarding what happened, things wouldn¡¯t have escted to the point I don¡¯t have a rtionship with her.¡±

    Esther locked eyes with her, ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    She waved the topic, ¡°That¡¯s beside the point. All I¡¯m saying is ¡­ swallow your pride and get things done while you can. End this madness before you end up without your man and child¡­ before you end up like me.¡±

    *****

    Ste was all smiles as they introduced her to the set as the Female lead instead of Deloise. Due to the scandal, the production made ast minute change in the selection process and a role formerly awarded to Deloise was usurped by Ste.

    ¡°Congrattions! Looking forward to working with you.¡± A junior colleague said and she smiled.

    Not only was she awarded the role, the fact that Deloise was dropped off the set made the win much more enjoyable. She was finally getting the des she deserved and that was enough to put her in a favorable mood.

    ¡°Wipe that smug off your face, pretty.¡± A taunting voice said behind her and she turned.

    Ste¡¯s brow arched as she took in the presence of Doris, ¡°To what do I owe this meeting?¡± she said, smug.

    ¡°You should be ashamed of yourself.¡± She scoffed, baring her fangs, ¡°Hiding behind the Preston¡¯s to carry out your evil deeds?¡±

    ¡°If you are looking for someone to me for your failures, I suggest you take a look at the one you manage.¡± She smiled, ¡°She¡¯s getting what she deserves.¡±

    ¡°You are one to talk.¡± Doris drew close in a whisper, ¡°You must think you¡¯re invincible, untouchable. I could bring you down, Ste. Two could y this dirty game.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She feigned ignorance, ¡°If you have a problem with me ying the female-lead, I suggest you take it up with the director.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± She held a wicked grin as she spoke, ¡°But I¡¯m not in the business of swallowing the dead seeds of 60 year old¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± The Director joined the conversation, noticing the hostility between the women. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Doris was quick to respond. ¡°I was just on my way out. Goodluck with the shooting.¡± She said to Ste, ¡°Break a leg.¡±

    Doris left the building with a scowl on her face. When she said to break a leg, she meant it- literally. She originally came to plead for more time for Deloise but when she met Ste¡¯s manager sharing a handshake, coupled with the resigned look on his face, she knew there was no point speaking.

    On her way out, she bumped into something- or someone, ¡°What the-¡±

    ¡°Doris.¡± Aaron held her from falling, ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    ¡°The nerve of you to appear before me.¡± She hissed, ¡°I was having a bad enough day¡­¡± She muttered, and continued on her way out.

    ¡°Wait!¡± The urgency in his voice stopped her, ¡°Can¡­ Can we please talk?¡±

    ¡°We are talking. I doubt we¡¯d still be talking in the next two minutes.¡±

    She nced at her wrist watch and he swallowed. ¡°I know this mighte off weird, bad even, but I need your help.¡±

    ¡°One minute.¡± She replied impatiently.

    ¡°I need to speak with Deloise.¡± He watched a frown marr her face. ¡°Please-¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡±

    Aaron saw thating. ¡°Please. I just need to know she¡¯s alright, I just need to- please let me speak to her.¡±

    At this point, he was begging. ¡°I don¡¯t think she wants to speak to you.¡±

    ¡°I know, just please, help me out here- her lines are not going through, I just need to know she¡¯s alright.¡±

    Doris gauged him, struggling between flipping him off and helping him. After a while of careful consideration. She brought out her phone and fired him a text with her number. ¡°There you go, clean up your mess and don¡¯t make me regret this.¡±

    Aaron couldn¡¯t be bothered to ask how she got his number. Saving the contact, he threw his phone into his pockets and proceeded into the building, making a mental note to speak to herter. After his meeting, he retired to his car with his phone heavy in his pocket.

    Throughout his meeting, all he thought about was getting some time to speak with Deloise, and immediately he settled into his car, he called her.

    As the phone rang, a sense of foreboding overwhelmed him. Something that made him second guess his decision but not enough to put him off.

    ¡°Hello?¡± Deloise¡¯s voice graced his ears and he realized just how long it¡¯s been. ¡°Who is this?¡±

    Her voice was rtively low. Other than that, she seemed fine. ¡°Aaron.¡±

    One word and Deloise was seething. The nerve of him to call her after everything he¡¯s done.

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± He started off slow but she wasn¡¯t having it.

    ¡°We¡¯re not doing this. You¡¯re not going to act like everything¡¯s alright Aaron.¡± She gritted,

    ¡°Where are you? Can we meet and talk? I cane to you-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it. I never want to do anything with someone like you.¡±

    Her words pierced through his heart and he let out a wry smile, ¡°What? Don¡¯t want to be seen with an illegitimate child huh?¡±

    His words fleeted to thin air as she already dropped the call.

 DDD 75

    Deloise and Amanda were finally having a video call after many failed attempts.

    ¡°How are you doing? Where are you?¡± Amanda asked, the worry on her face couldn¡¯t be hidden.

    Deloise pushed back a hair loft as she replied. ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡±

    ¡°I feel so terrible being unable to help. I¡¯ve replied to a tonne of hatements on the inte but that¡¯s barely enough.¡± She sulked, ¡°You don¡¯t deserve this. How were you meant to know he was your dad if your mom didn¡¯t say a thing about it? I can¡¯t believe how stupid people are, believing anything they see.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Deloise reassured her with a smile. ¡°I appreciate your efforts, but that¡¯s not necessary.¡±

    ¡°Still. I can¡¯t look past anyone badmouthing you when they don¡¯t even know you.¡± She hissed, ¡°If I can defend Anna- who isn¡¯t my biggest fan at the moment, best believe anyone who breathes wrongly about you will be getting a lot more than a few stitches.¡±

    That brought augh out of Deloise. More so because she meant every word. ¡°Don¡¯t get into trouble on my ount, Ams. There¡¯s literally nothing anyone can say that will affect me. I¡¯ve heard it all.¡± She said, ¡°Speaking of Anna¡­ How is she?¡±

    ¡°With everything going on, you still find time to care about others.¡± Amanda sighed, ¡°Anna is a bit more tolerable. I think she¡¯s seeing someone.¡±

    Amusement danced in Deloise¡¯ eyes, ¡°And how does that trante to seeing someone?¡± She asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s always a man. Think about it, there¡¯s got to be a reason she¡¯s a bit more tolerable. She¡¯s in a fight with her mother, and she isn¡¯t blowing a vein. So yeah, it¡¯s a man.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even want to know how you heard about that.¡±

    Amanda huffed, ¡°It¡¯s hard not to know when she spewed her thoughts in a drunken slur that night. I was tempted to let her wallow alone but that wasn¡¯t how my mama raised me.¡±

    ¡°Amanda¡­¡± Deloise muttered as Anna walked into her eyesight.

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t think my mama raised me well?¡± Amanda was oblivious to Anna¡¯s entry.

    Anna cleared her throat, ¡°Can we talk?¡±

    Amanda turned around, and with a skittish smile, she said, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Hey Ann.¡± Deloise said from the screen, ¡°How¡¯re you doing?¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Her hands nervously weaved through her hair, ¡°And you?¡±

    ¡°Great.¡±

    The room was silent. Awkwardly silent.

    ¡°Can I speak to you?¡± Anna spoke up, eyes trained on Deloise.

    ¡°Why?¡± Amanda asked without batting an eyelid. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you still-¡±

    ¡°Amanda.¡± Deloise warned, and to Anna, she replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Relief crossed Anna¡¯s face, ¡°I¡¯ll send you a text.¡± she said and sauntered out of sight.

    The eyes of bothdies widened, and she sauntered out of their sight.

    ¡°That¡¯s interesting..¡± Amanda said, earning an eye roll from Deloise.

    ******N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    Deloise couldn¡¯t exin how she was feeling. After the conversation with Anna a few days ago, they got around making ns to meet.

    When she informed Doris of her decision to meet Anna, Doris was quick to point out the fact that she wasn¡¯t a friend. Nevertheless, Deloise managed to convince her.

    Now, she was seated in a small diner, head bowed and contemting the possibilities of her being stood up. Her thoughts were brought to an end by the timely appearance of Anna in the diner.

    The doorbell chimed as she entered.

    ¡°Over here.¡± Deloise raised her hand in the scanty diner. That was enough to have her headed towards her.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Anna sat down opposite her.

    She swallowed nervously, feeling every word she rehearsed fade away from her consciousness.

    Deloise came to the rescue, ¡°How have you been? It¡¯s been- It¡¯s been a while we spoke,¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Anna cringed at the thought of theirst encounter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She said to her surprise, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for how everything panned out.¡±

    Deloise felt lost. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Everything. Everything I did to you, every single one of them.¡± She reached for Deloise¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was such a selfish jerk to you¡­ I can¡¯t live with myself knowing I might be a part of everything that¡¯s befallen you.¡± She was close to tears. ¡°I swear I wasn¡¯t trying to hurt you, I didn¡¯t know when it happened.¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Ann.¡± She covered her hand, ¡°There¡¯s nothing you do, or will do that can change the fact that I love you. Look at me,¡± She demanded, their eyes connected, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    A quiet understanding passed through them, ¡°I found out that night.¡±

    Deloise paid rapt attention, as she continued, ¡°On the night of the dinner, I found out my father¡¯s identity, and I bet my mother knew all this while.¡±

    ¡°Shit..¡±

    ¡°Shit is right.¡± She withdrew her hands in shame, ¡°I wanted to tell you but when you said you were leaving, I lost it.¡±

    Anna longed to know her father from a young age. She was made to believe her father was a personnel in the special forces and as a result, couldn¡¯t be an active part of her life. After fighting a couple times with her mother, Anna stopped demanding to see her father.

    Unknown to them, she decided to go solo in her pursuit.

    ¡°I thought if I could get you to stay, then we could seek him out together.¡± she said, ¡°When you refused, I resented you. I resented the fact that you were going off to be happy while my life was going to shit.¡± She bowed her head, ¡°And I was right, after you left, my life went to shit.¡±

    ¡°I started searching for answers I knew would hurt me and when they did, I fell back on things I¡¯m not very proud to say.¡± Deloise reached for her hand, offering thefort she could. ¡°I came that night, expecting to see my father and perhaps have a few words with him. I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d meet you, my mother or his entire family.¡± She breathed. ¡°I was stunned when I saw you, but nothing could prepare me for when I saw him with his daughter.¡± she smiled through the pain. ¡°Somehow, my stupid self didn¡¯t consider that he might be married with children. How fucked up is that?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not finished.¡± She interrupted, wiping away a tear that escaped her eyes. ¡°I was so stupid, I headed for the bar and ordered a drink.¡±

    Deloise could sense where things were going but she remained quiet. ¡°I met ady who listened to my sob story as I drank to stupor. With the liquid courage and encouragement, I thought it¡¯d be great to meet my dad in person. I mean, he was the sole reason I was there anyways.¡± She looked up to her, ¡°Before I left the bar that day, I might have shared a bit of your identity to thatdy.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember what she looks like and after a few days, I figured she wasn¡¯t anyone important, but when I saw the news, I knew I had betrayed you.¡±

    Deloise was stupefied. ¡°Y-You don¡¯t know that..¡± she said. They both knew that was a lie.

    She shook her head, ¡°I do. Believe it or not, I said things I shouldn¡¯t have uttered, much more to a stranger.¡±

    ¡°You were having a bad day.¡±

    ¡°Stop giving me excuses! I did what I did, regardless of the events,¡± her voice lowered, ¡°I caused you this pain¡­ I yed a role in it¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Deloise watched her with hooded eyes, trying to properly digest the meaning of her words. If she truly said something to someone that night, why would they wait till the premier before they released it? And even if she did say something, she didn¡¯t know her father.

    Unless her mother told her.

    ¡°When did you find out?¡± Deloise asked suddenly,

    ¡°Find out what?¡±

    ¡°About my dad¡­¡± It was a struggle to say his name, ¡°When did you find out he was my father?¡±

    ¡°On the news.¡±

    Relief covered her. She didn¡¯t know if she could handle the betrayal of knowing who her father was the entire time and hiding it from her. Every other thing, she could understand, but if it got to that, she didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d do.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too.¡±

    Thest thing Anna expected was an apology. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not being there for you when you needed me. Believe it or not, I should have kept trying, I should have reached out more when you started acting out,¡± Deloise pointed out, ¡°Despite knowing something was terribly wrong, I continued selfishly with my life. For that, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say¡­¡± she felt overwhelmed, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Deloise regarded her with a smile, ¡°Now that¡¯s over, let¡¯s eat.¡± She said and her stomach growled in unison.

    Halfway through their meal, Deloise remembered something.

    ¡°Can you recognize thedy you had that conversation with?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± she answered mid-chew,

    Deloise reached for her phone, trying not to react to the state of her mouth. She pulled up a picture of Ste and showed it to her, ¡°Is this her?¡±

    Her eyes squinted as she studied the picture, secondster, it widened, ¡°Oh my goodness! It¡¯s her! You know her?¡±

    Deloise smirked at her reaction. Of course she knew her. It was the one person that wanted her downfall. Ste Davis. Suddenly, everything made sense. She was there that night, she somehow managed to stumble upon her family secret before her and decided it was best revealed at the movie premier.

    Wicked. No surprise there.

    ¡°Just one of my colleagues.¡± She waved off the matter, but Anna wasn¡¯t having it,

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°Someone who¡¯ll do anything to bring me down.¡± She said in a taut tone, and proceeded to exin their rivalry. ¡°Regardless of what you told her, she¡¯ll always find a way to make up hell on my ount.¡±

    Anna couldn¡¯t believe her ears. For the longest period, she led herself to believe Deloise was having a great time while she suffered. Apparently, there was more to what meets the eye. She felt a fresh wave of respect and admiration for her friend.

    ¡°Congrattions on achieving your dreams Deloise,¡± She said with a sniff, ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you.¡±

    That was all it took for the waterworks to begin. Hours after their meeting, in the dead of the night, Deloise reached out to Doris in a text, asking for a press conference to be organized.

    It was about time she addressed the public.

 DDD 76

    Deloise woke up to a gloomy cloud. It was time to face everything. She had a press conferenceter today but before that, she had to meet her mother.

    It wasn¡¯t news that since that dreaded morning, they hadn¡¯t spoken a word to each other. Matter of fact, she made it a point to avoid her, and any rted conversation. Three days ago, that streak was broken by the visit of Ms. Karen who showed up unannounced.

    That very day, she remembered getting into it with the woman who thought it right to defend the evils of her mother and expose her in one breath. She was prepared to pay her no heed until she went her way but at the mention of the sorry state of her mother, she reconsidered.

    At the end of that meeting, she had an appointment with her mother, which happened to fall on the same day she was to formally address the world.

    As a result, she got up early and prepared to leave the house, pondering the future of the meeting with her mother. She didn¡¯t know if she was ready to look her in the eye, knowing she hid something so significant and deceived her for as long as she could remember.

    Karen appealed to the other side of her. The side that remembered what great a mother she¡¯s been to her. The side that argued if she did something that terrible, there should at least be an exnation ¨C something other than the need to deceive and control her.

    Deloise shook her head as she looked at her reflection. These past few months left asting impact on her. She wasn¡¯t the same girl she used to be. In that moment, she realized that her greatest fear had materialized. She had faced her greatest fear and somehow, she survived.

    Anna¡¯s words returned to her, and for the first time ever, she spoke to herself.

    ¡°Congrattions, Deloise. You achieved your dreams.¡± If someone saw her, they¡¯d think she was probably crazy. ¡°You did it, and you did it all on your own. No matter what happens today, you rest easy knowing you gave it your best shot.¡±

    ******

    Esther¡¯s House.

    Deloise and her mother were seated across from each other. This time around, Karen presided over them.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you both time to hash things out.¡± She said, looking between both women, ¡°Please, listen before you make conclusions and try to be civil, I¡¯ll be inside.¡± She got up, headed towards Esther¡¯s room. ¡°Remember to use your words.¡± she warned, ¡°No fighting!¡±

    The door closed and the room dropped a few degrees. When did it be so hard to look her mother in the face?

    ¡°Deloise.¡± Her mother said and she cringed. She never called her by her name. ¡°How have you been?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    It was hard to sit and pretend like everything was alright. Like the memory of them screaming their heads off each other hadn¡¯t happened in this same room.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She swallowed, ¡°How about you?¡±

    The atmosphere was taut. This wasn¡¯t how they interacted, when did things get so bad they couldn¡¯t hold a proper conversation?

    ¡°I¡¯m d you are alright.¡±

    Of course she didn¡¯t say how she felt. Deloise took a deep breath, willing herself to speak.

    ¡°Karen said there is an exnation.¡± She started, ¡°Something other than your need to police my life affairs,¡±

    ¡°If you havee to throw insults at me, I suggest you-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She immediately apologized. That was a cheap shot. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I met Daniel when I was about your age.¡± Esther started before she could chicken out. It was about time she told her story anyway. ¡°We were in love, so much that I gave up my family for him. How couldn¡¯t I? He was perfect, tastefully talented and with a determination like none other.¡±

    Esther held up a wry smile at the memory of her younger self. Deloise breath hitched as she continued,

    ¡°My parents believed it would end in tears, they warned me and threatened to throw me out if I continued seeing him.¡± A ghost of a smile made its way to her face. ¡°I didn¡¯t care. My stubbornness was over the roof, so I decided it was about time we lived together. Daniel was happy to have me, and we were so sure we¡¯ll get married, prove them all wrong and achieve our dreams.¡±

    She met her daughter¡¯s eye, ¡°We had dreams. I wanted to be awyer- and him, an actor. We fueled each other, went through everything our young lives brought to us and came up victorious as a team.¡±

    Deloise sat up, she could sense somethinging and eagerly waited for the shoe to drop. Her next statement came out with a hiss,

    ¡°Until his dream tore us apart. He got a deal to leave the country the same day I found out I was pregnant.¡± She held her daughter¡¯s gaze in mockughter. ¡°Can you imagine that? He got the opportunity to finally make a headway in his career and that same day, I found out I was five weeks pregnant. Long story short, I asked him to choose. To be with me, and together, we¡¯ll figure something out. We always did. That was who we were. But he left.¡±

    ¡°He knew you were pregnant.¡± Deloise was shocked. ¡°He knew and he still left?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where you are wrong. I demanded he make a choice and when he couldn¡¯t give me an answer, I left. I couldn¡¯t coddle him while he was leaving, and I couldn¡¯t trap him using my pregnancy either. I wanted him to choose me. Not because of my baby, or anything else. I wanted him to choose me because he loved me, I wanted him to choose me like I chose him, but he chose his career. He chose wrongly.¡±

    Esther felt breathless as soon as she finished. She couldn¡¯t tell what her daughter thought ¨C a fact that both worried and distressed her.

    ¡°Due to the pregnancy, I was disowned by my parents but I didn¡¯t care. For you, I forfeited my dreams to be awyer and found a job to keep us alive. Best decision I¡¯ve ever taken.¡± She sniffed, ¡°So yeah, I hid you from your father, and prevented you from going through that route because I knew first hand what it does to people.¡± With one look at Deloise, she added, ¡°And I was right.¡±

    An overwhelming feeling hit Deloise, this was a lot to take in. She didn¡¯t know what she was expecting, but it definitely wasn¡¯t this.

    ¡°You made him choose, just like you are making me.¡±

    ¡°Bingo. And like your father, you picked wrongly.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that¡­¡±

    ¡°I can see it. You¡¯re not ready to give it up.¡± She remarked, ¡°I doubt you ever will.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Deloise threw her hands, ¡°Why on earth do I have to give it up? I worked so hard, took a lot of things just so I could get to where I am. Do you even know what I went through in order to get here? I did everything and we were fine, why can¡¯t we put this behind us and move forward?¡±

    Deloise¡¯s voice broke towards the end of her rant. Her mother remained unmoved.

    ¡°I can be both your daughter and an actress, just like my father could have been both a lover and an actor. Why make things difficult?¡±

    ¡°I have nothing more to say to you.¡± Esther clenched her jaws, ¡°How did you go from a respectablew student to this?¡±

    A wry smile, ¡°I got a schrship. My talent was recognized, my potential was appreciated enough to earn me a spot.¡± She exined, ¡°And though I went about it in the wrong way, I don¡¯t regret a thing.¡±

    ¡°Good for you.¡± Esther said, done with the conversation.

    ¡°Does it have to be like this?¡± She was breaking, whatever strength she thought she had upon arriving was deted. ¡°I am your child¡­ If you love me, we should meet in the middle.¡±

    No reply.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    Deloise rushed out the house, holding back tears. For some reason, she felt a gaping hole in her heart. They were irreconcble, for as long as she remained an actress, she didn¡¯t have a mother.

    Inside, Karen rushed to a sobbing Esther. ¡°What did you do? I heard the door shut and.. oh my goodness.¡±

    Esther couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. ¡°S-She left¡­ S-she isn¡¯ting back¡­¡±

    Without a word, Karen rushed out to stop her, but arrived a moment toote. Deloise was gone.

 DDD 77

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Doris asked Deloise as they got prepared for her conference,

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She muttered, ¡°I just want things to go smoothly.¡±

    Deloise felt a hand sweep her back, ¡°Stick with the script and we¡¯ll be done in no time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the easy part.¡± She muttered, spraying a minimum amount of perfume, ¡°I¡¯m worried about whates after. The people were almost done with judging me, this will reopen that door.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, this is a world of constant judgment. Even the best actresses get a bit of it too.¡± She hands over the script, ¡°You¡¯ll get through this.¡±

    Deloise goes through her statement in silence, she was supposed to tender an apology, formally announce her separation with Aaron and affirm Daniel¡¯s identity as her father. It seemed like she was epting every allegations meted against her. She couldn¡¯t find it in her to care anymore, and nodded through the tips Doris gave her on public speaking and answering questions.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be on in five.¡± Doris said at the door of the room.

    Deloise felt her nerves rack as she took a deep breath. The conference was held in one of the hotel halls, and Doris¡¯ arrival signaled they had to be on their way. With a nod, she picked up an empty purse that matched her outfit, and they made their way out.

    They got to a double transparent door. They could see the reporters and news media officials, waiting for her appearance, with tailor made and probably intrusive questions. With an affirmative nod, Deloise walked through the doors, the shlights from camera¡¯s blinded her.

    She got to the podium made for her. Adorned with a smile, she began, ¡°Good day everyone. Thank you foring.¡± Her chin raised as she continued her statement, ¡°This conference is aimed at clearing the air on the many rumors concerning me and also answer some questions you may have.¡±

    ¡°My name is Deloise Tanner, a rookie actress under Evolve talent management. Some of you may know me as the main lead of the movie- Scorned, while others¡­ as Aaron¡¯s girlfriend.¡± The taste of his name left a sour taste in her mouth. ¡°First, I want to apologize to my management, supporters and the general public, all negative impacts are sorely regretted and reflected upon.¡±

    ¡°As a young child, I grew up with a love for acting and constantly yearned for an opportunity to make it out here. Despite the restrictions of my mother who didn¡¯t like the Idea, and convinced me into following the sacred path of awyer, I dropped out the moment I received a schrship offer from Royal Arts.¡±

    ¡°My arrival to Royal Arts changed everything for me, I was able to be the woman I am today by constant hard work, self improvement and unfortunately, deceit.¡± the atmosphere became taut, ¡°Contrary to popr belief, I did not go into Royal Arts knowing Daniel was my father, and if he knew, he did a poor job showing it.¡± She took a breath and continued, ¡°Immediately I got to Royal Arts, I was led to the audition room for Scorned, led by Daniel Greenwood and Mr. Austin.¡±

    ¡°Whatever role I was given, I got fair and square. The only person I deceived throughout this exercise happens to be my mother; who I led to believe I was on the way to bing awyer.¡±

    Murmurs were heard in the room. The entertainment world was in a frenzy, riddled with opinions on what she said.

    Deloise continued when silence returned, ¡°As regards my rtionship with Aaron, it was delightful while itsted, but for irreconcble events, we went our separate ways.¡± Murmurs resumed but she spoke anyway. ¡°I wish him the best in everything and assure there is no bad blood between us.¡±

    ¡°Lies!¡± One of the reporters said and the hall riddled with noise,

    ¡°I believe there will be time to throw in your questions and observations.¡± She said with a smile, and continued while he got escorted out by security. ¡°Lastly, I want to formally announce my retirement from Acting.¡± She bowed, ¡°I am deeply sorry.¡±

    ¡°Retirement? She casted in one movie!¡± A man yelled but she was already on her way down the podium. It¡¯d taken her a lot of effort to keep her tears at bay but any minute now, she knew she¡¯d be bawling, and she couldn¡¯t do it with an audience.

    She passed a wide eyed Doris as she headed for their car parked around the building.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Doris said, getting to step with her, ¡°Why would you say that! Oh my God, the director will have my head!¡±

    A secondter, her phone started ringing. The director of Evolve Management, having followed the live broadcast, was seething.

    ¡°Don¡¯t pick it up!¡± Deloise took the phone from her, ¡°We need to leave now, please.¡± She implored and they entered the car.

    ¡°You have a lot of exining to do.¡± She seethed and in no time, they were on their way out of the hotel, missing the raging press by a thread.

    *****

    They get to the house but Doris barely has enough time to sit before she is bombarded with calls and meetings from the management. Deloise sat in the living room, unable to process what she¡¯s done.

    Left alone to her devices, she went to her room, where she fell apart. For the first time ever, she cried, so much that she wondered if she had anymore tears left in her system. At that moment, she felt truly alone. She managed to hit rock bottom and couldn¡¯t see a way out.

    Everything was copsing on her, her phone rang non-stop but she kicked it to a corner, she needed to escape. She had to escape this misery. Her life, joy and will to live was gone, broken beyond repair. In a deste state, she slept off on the cold floor, with a thought that formed in her heart.

    She couldn¡¯t stay here. She had to leave. Fast.

    On the other side of things, Daniel was worried, he felt his heart break when she announced her retirement, and with her refusal to pick his calls, his anger at Esther rose to an all time high. For the first time ever, his anger ran as deep as his love for her.

    On the thousandth call, Deloise picked up. His breath hitched knowing she was at the other end of the call.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± He asked after a while.

    Deloise chuckled, ¡°Fucking great.¡±

    He¡¯s never heard her curse. Not when she was angry, not when things fell apart, and not even when she caught them naked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, I¡¯ll talk to Esther-¡±

    ¡°I made a decision.¡±

    ¡°No, just calm down, I¡¯ll make things right. Evolve will-¡±

    Deloise lost it, ¡°I said I made a decision, dad! I¡¯d like you to respect that!¡± She tethered at the brink of insanity, ¡°Please¡­¡±

    ¡°Why..? Is this because of her?¡±

    ¡°I did it for myself.¡± She breathed, and without another word, ended the call.

    Daniel swore underneath his breath, vowing to make things right. He was yet to speak with Esther- who made it clear she didn¡¯t feel an ounce of regret for all she¡¯s done.

    Hell would receive him if he didn¡¯t make her feel and understand the gravity of her actions and continued stubbornness.

    ******

    Esther was in her home when a knock came from the front door. She wasn¡¯t expecting anyone and honestly wasn¡¯t in the mood to entertain guests.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± She called from the couch, making no move to answer the door.

    Silence.

    Her eyes narrowed, ¡°Hello?¡± she said and made way to the door when no one answered. ¡°Daniel.¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Hello to you too.¡± He made his way inside, pacing while she closed the door.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    He shook his head, ¡°You don¡¯t get to ask questions this time around,¡± His eyes zed, ¡°How much are you willing to go? How long before you get over yourself and be a fucking mother?¡±

    She frowned, ¡°If you came here to insult me-¡±

    ¡°You earned it!¡± He bellowed, ¡°You had no right, no right to keep my child from me and treat her the way you did.¡±

    ¡°Treat her the way I did?¡± She scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t be funny, Daniel. At least I was there while you hopped countries, doing whatever the fuck you wanted. I was here, raising my child alone! And guess what, like always, you show up and destroy everything!¡±

    ¡°I destroyed everything?¡± Daniel couldn¡¯t believe his ears, ¡°Of course you find a way to get out of it, when are you going to own up to your mistakes? Yes, I left. Yes, I¡¯m a selfish prick that deserves every bout of hate thrown at me.¡± A frustrated sound left his lips, ¡°But must you bring that resentment into the raising of my child? Did she deserve to pay for my sins? Eighteen years! Eighteen years and you haven¡¯t changed. All you have is a mor to cover the disaster that is your life. I made it out, at least I made something of myself. What have you? Eighteen years of recycled pain and entitlement.¡±

    ¡°Get out of my house.¡±

    ¡°Deloise retired from acting.¡± He seethed, ¡°Because of you, my child is living hell on earth and I can¡¯t even do anything about it.¡± He held his head, frustrated, ¡°Why are you so persistent in making it hard to love you?!¡±

    Estherughed, a cynical and reverberatingugh. ¡°For all I know, your love is worth nothing, not even a tiny speck of dust. If she gave it up, it¡¯s because she is a better human than you will ever be! Get out of my house, Daniel. Get out before I lose it.¡±

    ¡°For years I¡¯ve pinned over you, I even came back for you! What else do you want, huh? What else do you want?¡±

    ¡°I want you to get out of my life. Do I need to get a restraining order?¡±

    ¡°You see this right here, that nasty character of yours, it¡¯ll buy you a long and lonely life.¡± He let out a wry smile, ¡°What the hell was I thinkinging here? You¡¯ll never change. This was a mistake.¡±

    Esther watched with a gaping heart as he left the house. Unable to help herself, she called Deloise, who picked immediately.

    ¡°Loise¡­ Where are you?¡± she asked, ¡°Just¡­e home so we can talk. Please..¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about.¡± coldness seeped from her tone, ¡°I¡¯ll really appreciate it if you stopped calling me.¡±

    Before she could get another word out, the call ended and after many attempts at reaching her, the fact that she may have lost her daughter was ring.

    All through that night, Esther sat on the floor, and wept till she couldn¡¯t anymore.

 DDD 78

    ¡°Just this morning, Evolve Talent Management has put out a statement regarding their newest intake¡¯s retirement from the movie industry. In a PR release, they expressed their surprise at her actions, citing how she has refused to retract her decision despite every effort, and as a result breaking the managerial contract signed with thepany.¡±

    ¡°Hours after the Press conference, an emergency board meeting was called and they came to the conclusion that the now-retired actress would be made to pay a fine (undisclosed) for breaking the contract, and shall be added to thepany¡¯s cklist, effective immediately¡­¡±

    The television was turned off by Doris after thest statement, she watched Deloise stare into the nk screen, worrying at the state of her mind. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I tried all I could to prevent this but-¡±

    ¡°How much am I required to pay?¡± Deloise asked, ¡°What¡¯s the fine?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no fine. We settled that using your payments from the appearance at Chicago. What is your next move?¡± Doris asked, searching her eyes.

    With her retirement from the movie industry and her name¡¯s addition into thepany¡¯s cklist, Doris worried there was nothing else on the line for Deloise. Everything was a big fat mess.

    It was hard to tell what went on in Deloise¡¯ head, ¡°You realize you are no longer my manager, right?¡± She said with a wry smile, ¡°Don¡¯t feel burdened by me¡­ I¡¯ll sort myself out.¡±

    Deloise got on her feet and Doris followed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Manager or not, I care about you, and I want to know you are alright. Before anything else, we are friends, and nothing¡¯s changed.¡± She pointed out.

    A thousand thoughts ran through Deloise¡¯ mind, there was only so much she could do, matter-of-fact, she knew what she wanted ¨C she settled that even before the press conference. She wondered how Doris would react to her decision, but nevertheless, she was undeterred.

    ¡°I have to leave.¡± She watched Doris face contort into confusion, ¡°I will be leaving the country.¡±

    Doris didn¡¯t expect that. ¡°W-what?¡±

    ¡°I have nothing left here. Don¡¯t try to convince me otherwise, because it won¡¯t work. I need to find myself, if I remain here, I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°What about your family? You¡¯ve barely gotten to know Daniel..¡± Deloise flinched at her words, ¡°If you leave..¡±

    ¡°I considered that. Staying back to know him, and see for myself what sort of person he is..¡± she paused, ¡°In the end, I found out I was once again putting other people¡¯s happiness ahead of mine. cing other people¡¯s welfare, emotions and sanity before my own. I am no longer the person I used to be¡­ I don¡¯t even know who I am anymore. It¡¯s not fair to either of us because even if I stayed, I wouldn¡¯t be giving him a chance, I¡¯ll be torturing us both.¡±

    ¡°Deloise¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t feel sorry for me. It was supposed to be like this, let¡¯s not make things harder than it needs to be.¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡±

    Doris nodded, blinking back tears, ¡°You seem to have everything figured out. How do I help?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t. Before the whole fiasco, I already applied to France. Interestingly, I got my replyst night. I guess I will be leaving sooner thanter.¡±

    Doris engulfed her in a hug, ¡°I hope you find happiness..¡± she muttered and in that moment, Deloise let a traitor tear roll down her face.

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    *****

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Daniel¡¯s tone was grave,

    ¡°This is business, regardless who she is to you, she broke the contract. It¡¯s only natural we act ordingly.¡± The director of Evolve said over the phone, ¡°Besides, she quit acting, I doubt it will make any difference to her.¡±

    ¡°That was a decision she made under tight circumstances,¡± he roared, ¡°You knew the situation, you all did, and that was all you coulde up with?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate your telling me how to run mypany, Daniel.¡± The director said, almost picking offense. ¡°Like I said, this is business, there are set rules that guide our actions. If she didn¡¯t deem it fit to consult us before dering her retirement on live TV, why should we be considerate of her? Evolve has a prestige to uphold, to avoid such from repeating itself, we had to take measures. It¡¯s nothing personal.¡±

    ¡°Have you considered how she will feel right now? With everything that¡¯s going on, you couldn¡¯t wait till everything¡¯s boiled over?¡± Pain dripped from his words, ¡°You open your mouth to say it¡¯s nothing personal?¡±

    ¡°Seeing she will soon be leaving the country, it¡¯s hard to say she¡¯s as bummed as you are.¡±

    Daniel did a double take, ¡°Leaving?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± He shook his head, ¡°Apparently, you aren¡¯t as close-¡±

    ¡°I asked a question.¡± Daniel interrupted with a hiss,

    ¡°She is leaving the country. That¡¯s about the little I know,¡±

    Daniel couldn¡¯t believe his ears. He ended the call and immediately called Doris, praying there was a mix-up somewhere. She picked at the second ring.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Is it true?¡± He asked without skipping a beat.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Tell me it¡¯s a lie, tell me she isn¡¯t really leaving.¡±

    Her breath caught, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I need to speak to her¡­ where is she?¡±

    *****

    Deloise was in her getaway home when knocks came from the front door. Thinking it was Doris, she opened the door and was shell-shocked.

    ¡°Deloise¡­¡± Daniel breathed and after a moment, she got out of the way, letting him in.

    They settled in the living room, seated opposite the other. The atmosphere felt strained.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just- get you some water.¡± Deloise made to leave but he stopped her.

    ¡°Why? Why are you leaving?¡±

    Her mouth curved in an- oh sound, ¡± You heard¡­¡±

    ¡°Stay. I¡¯ll figure everything out. Just stay here, trust me, in no time, everything will be settled.¡± He promised.

    She shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t want that. I need to go.¡±

    ¡°No. We can work around you getting back to work, no matter the problem, it¡¯s fixable,¡± he pushed, ¡°just¡­ don¡¯t leave.¡±

    She saw the desperation, and the pain, but her mind was decided. She had nothing here. Staying wasn¡¯t an option. She hoped he would in time understand that.

    ¡°I can¡¯t-¡±

    Just when she was speaking, another string of knocks came from the front door, her brows arched in wonder and she headed for the door.

    ¡°Mother?¡±

    Esther closed the space between them and held her in a tight hug. ¡°Please¡­ Don¡¯t leave.¡± she pleaded and Deloise stilled.

    ¡°Who told you?¡± she asked, although knowing the answer to her question.

    ¡°I texted her on my way here.¡± Daniel piqued, ¡°We are willing to put our differences aside¡­ so please, don¡¯t leave.¡±

    Deloise got out of her hold. A thousand and one emotions running through her. She could see the sincerity, the oneness of their decision. He even got through her mother¡­ something she was unable to do despite their years of living.

    They werete, toote.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± she managed to say, void of every emotion. ¡°My decision is final. You can see yourselves out.¡±

    ******

    Aaron was scheduled for dinner with Ellen, they were to meet at a top tier restaurant, have a couple bites, and take some pictures before they separated. That n was thrown out the window when Ellen called with ast minute change of ns that required an appearance with a male escort.

    Ruffled by their abrupt change of ns, he headed to the hotel where he was to prepare and hoped the night would be a blur. His check in to the exquisite hotel was smooth and he trudged towards his room, only to be stopped by Ste.

    ¡°Aaron!¡± She spoke in a high pitched voice.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder ¨C was she always that loud?

    ¡°Ste¡­¡± Aaron didn¡¯t care to be nice. He was having a whooping day so pardon him if he wasn¡¯t in the mood to entertain her antics.

    Especially not after the other day.

    ¡°Fancy seeing you here,¡± She drank him in, ¡°Let me guess, Ellen had youe over?¡±

    ¡°None of your business.¡± He hissed. Why were they even talking?

    ¡°Of course she did.¡± Ste scoffed, ¡°This is her usual spot. Didn¡¯t you do your homework? She brings all of them here, all her men.¡±

    Aaron couldn¡¯t care less, ¡°Like I said, none of your business.¡± He continued his journey, determined to end their interaction.

    ¡°Deloise¡¯s leaving.¡± She yelped, and he stilled. She smirked, knowing it got to him. ¡°Deloise is leaving the country.¡±

    He turned around, ¡°Should I be worried?¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t. But that¡¯s the problem, isn¡¯t it? You shouldn¡¯t but you are.¡± She hissed, challenging him to deny. ¡°Still in love with her?¡±

    Two steps back and Aaron was in her face. ¡°I¡¯ll say this once. I do not care for Deloise. Whatever we had is over, and I¡¯d appreciate it if you respected that.¡±

    ¡°You still didn¡¯t answer my question.¡± She smirked, ¡°I may charge you guilty-¡±

    ¡°She means nothing to me. Never did.¡± He spat, ¡°And neither will you. So get out of my face.¡±

    Aaron pushed past her and angrily located his room. Meanwhile, unknown to him, Ellen witnessed their exchange. Once he was out of sight, she appeared to Ste with an icy grin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a mistake on your path, the next time, I won¡¯t be forgiving.¡± She tutted, while Ste frowned, ¡°Thanks for clearing that up though, I needed that.¡±

    With that, She got out of sight with her manager trailing behind.

    *****

    Deloise, Anna and Amanda were having dinner together in her house, the air was light as they conversed.

    ¡°Thank God you escaped while you could. Law School is a bitch. I¡¯d trade it for your life anyday.¡± Amanda moaned and Deloise smiled.

    ¡°You could always drop out and be an actress, Amanda.¡± Anna suggested, rolling her spaghetti.

    ¡°I¡¯ll admit. Not everyone¡¯s got the balls she does.¡± She raised her hands in surrender, ¡°I mean, she is brilliant, multi-talented and absolutely adorable. I don¡¯t have shit on her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know that I am no longer an actress¡­ at least for now.¡± Deloise notified with a shrug, ¡°But I do have the connection. I¡¯ll be d to point you in the right direction.¡±

    ¡°Uh- no thanks, I¡¯ll rather stick with the devil I know. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m fit for that life anyway¡­ I¡¯ll definitely get cklisted from the industry faster than you did.¡±

    Anna¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Amanda!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She looked between them and Anna gave her the look, ¡°Oh-shit! I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t-¡±

    Deloise burst outughing, ¡°No offense. You look like a deer in headlights.¡± She said betweenughs. ¡°It¡¯s nice to know you haven¡¯t lost that side of you, these days, people seem to be walking on eggshells around me,¡± Her eyes focused on Anna who shrugged.

    ¡°You can¡¯t me us..¡± Amanda hissed, ¡°You just can¡¯t catch a break with these people.¡± She said, scrolling through her phone with gritted teeth.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Anna asked, concerned.

    ¡°There¡¯s a video making rounds online.¡± Deloise perked at that, ¡°Aaron has made it evidently clear he doesn¡¯t care about her.¡± She caught Deloise flinching and added, ¡°No offense.¡±

    Amanda handed over the phone to Anna who watched with a frown and handed it over to Deloise. In the video, Aaron was seen having a conversation with a woman, in which he strongly makes it clear he didn¡¯t care for her.

    Deloise clenched her jaws as she watched the video, much more than anything, she recognized the woman he was talking to. She knew that form anywhere.

    Once again, she was ridiculed on the inte. She needed to leave, and fast.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow.¡± Deloise announced to the shock of her friends.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I invited you over to break the news.¡± she exined, ¡°I can¡¯t live here anymore, I need to find myself. Don¡¯t try to convince me otherwise. It¡¯s decided.¡±

    Anna breathed, noting the resigned look on her face, there was no talking her out of it. ¡°Where?¡±

    Amanda wore a shit-eating grin, ¡°Damn! Did you just agree without throwing a fit?¡± She asked Anna who replied with an eyeroll. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d see the day.¡±

    To Deloise, Amanda continued, ¡°You know I¡¯ll support whatever decision you make, for as long as it works for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Deloise said, close to tears, ¡°Both of you.¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯ll make me cry¡­ group hug!¡± Amanda said and they got together in a group hug.

    That night, the girls packed up her things as they discussed her impending visit to France.

    The next day, Deloise left the country.

 DDD 79

    THREE YEARS LATER.

    Ady with fair skin and long wavy hair stepped out of the Airne with ck shades on. The nostalgic feel of the country hit her in the face with memories she¡¯s rather left unsaid.

    Dragging along her luggage, she walked out of the airport, checking the time for her designated driver. She might have to call a cab if they took any longer. She held that thought and like magic, a Mercedes appeared in front of her.

    The car revved and its windows rolled down, revealing a smiling and barely aged Doris who unlocked the door. ¡°I can¡¯t believe my eyes. Is that really you?¡± She gasped and got out of the car.

    ¡°Doris Gates. You haven¡¯t aged a day.¡± Deloise remarked with an equal smile on her face. ¡°You look way too good on that ride.¡±

    ¡°Hard work pays off, get into the car.¡± she said as she stored her luggage in the boots, ¡°We have a lot to talk about.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good that I¡¯m not in a hurry.¡± Doris got into the car and they sped off the road. As she drove, they conversed about anything and everything.

    ¡°Three years did you good,¡± Deloise tutted, ¡°I¡¯m almost jealous with how beautiful you look.¡±

    Doris threw her head back inughter, ¡°Stop pulling my legs, have you looked at yourself? I barely recognised you.¡±

    ¡°But you did.¡± She pushed back, ¡°Three years and there¡¯s so much change¡­ good change.¡± She remarked as they pushed past the familiar streets of New-York.

    Finally, they arrived at a secure estate, and drove into the neighborhood. The serenity of the posh vicinity, alongside the tastefully built mansions spoke volumes of the wealth ridden neighborhood.

    ¡°Wee to my humble abode.¡± Doris said as they walked into what was easily a luxury home.

    She looked around, marble floors, firm pirs, dazzling lights and interior decor. Yeah, it definitely costs a fortune.

    ¡°You forgot to mention that you own a mansion.¡± She spoke so calmly it was almost funny, ¡°This ce easily beats any hotel I could have lodged in.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m humbled you think so highly of my ce,¡± Doris led her upstairs, they got to a door and she stopped. ¡°This is your room. Freshen up and you¡¯ll have lunch shortly. I have a little business to get to, I presume you can help yourself till I¡¯m back?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± she said, stepping into her room, ¡°Thank you very much, Doris.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention. Make yourselffortable, rest if you need to. I¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡±

    With that Doris left the house, not before ordering her lunch. Doris ran her own managerial firm, after the event from thest three years, things got ugly and she left Evolve. After a month of cluelessness, a st of courage hit her in solitude and she started her managerial firm.

    Things got off to a rocky start as no one wanted to ce their careers in the hands of a start up firm with a record like hers. Believe it or not, nothing spoke louder than results. Something shecked at the time.

    Refusing to give up, Doris resolved to seek out newbies with potential. With her nose for talent, she hit the road ¨C in search of what she termed to be the next movie star. Her first signee was ady who had the dreams, talent, but not enoughmitment to put in the work.

    She didn¡¯t relent. Bit by bit, she was able to put her on the map and the rest was history. Now, she has a stablepany and a decent amount of actors/actresses they manage.

    Don Talentscouldn¡¯t rival Evolve Management, but it was hers.

    Doris bled her heart, body and soul into thepany, giving the artists under her nothing short of the best guidance and support towards their set goals. They could boast of B-listers at the moment, and it was only up from here. They had high prospects.

    After lunch, Deloise sat in front of her room window with an envelope in hand. Few months ago, she reached out to Doris, and in a few sentences, dered her interest in returning back to the entertainment sphere.

    It took three years fighting the desires that only grew as the days passed. She wanted to be on set, she ached to get back on the cameras. She thought that with the experiences she had, it was enough to permanently put her off acting, but in a weird way, it only drew her closer.

    The addictive lifestyle of an actress, embodying diverse personalities without looking crazy. The thrill of seeing herself on screen, yet seeing a totally different person- it didn¡¯t take long before she resolved to return.

    Knowing Doris started a managerialpany was a push in the right direction. It was a safety that promised help whenever she was ready, one that came with reminders during every call.

    Even after she decided to go back to acting, she couldn¡¯t muster the courage to return. She remembered how she constantly put off her return until something came in the mail ¨C An invite to an awards show. Surprisingly, she got nominated for one of the categories and was required to attend.

    That was the final push, thest sign before she made the call informing Doris of her return to the country. While she prepared for her return, she received contract papers from Don Talents, offering to manage her once she returned.

    She didn¡¯t skip a beat as she signed the deal.

    Today, she nned to hand over the papers to her new and improved manager. She took a quick nce at the clock, it was half past six. Doris apparently pulledte nights at work. She was still on that thought when she heard the gates open.

    Deloise hopped out her room, happy to be getting somepany. Loud voices screaming her name made her steps to stilt. What was going on?

    ¡°Deloise! I know you are in there! Come on out and exin why I was thest to know you are in town!¡±

    Amanda?

    ¡°Shut up, it¡¯s been three years, try to be a little less dramatic than usual.¡± Anna reprimanded as they made their way up.

    Of course Doris invited them over! Every thought of surprising them at their respective homes/workces was thrown out the window.

    ¡°There she is!¡± Amanda said, pointing at her.

    ¡°Anna, Amanda! Surprise?¡± Deloise gestured with a weird smile stered on her face.

    This one was on Doris.

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve met each other,¡± Doris spoke by the railing.

    ¡°Loise!¡± They chorused and in a jiffy, Deloise was sent tumbling over.

    ¡°Okay¡­ Maybe you need to tune down the excitement.¡± Doris said in a worried tone, ¡°I¡¯d hate for mytest actress to be wounded on her first day in the city.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really here to stay?! I thought she was joking!¡± Anna said with a grin, ¡°This is great news!¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡± Deloise was finally stable on her feet, ¡°I didn¡¯t know I was supposed to-¡± She let off a smile after getting their undivided attention, ¡°Just kidding. Of course I¡¯m here to stay!¡± She announced and the girls squealed.

    Deloise saw a relieved look pass through Doris¡¯ face. She hadn¡¯t informed her on her final decision about resuming work. She expected it to be the first question since her return but she didn¡¯t speak of it, either she was waiting for the right time or she was waiting for her.

    Her mind leaned on thetter.

    A ding came from the door, and Amanda squealed. ¡°Dinner¡¯s here!¡±

    Anna and Amanda headed the same way they came, leaving Doris and Deloise.

    ¡°Wee on board.¡± Doris finally spoke, holding back a smile.

    ¡°Feels good to be home.¡± Deloise replied, walking down the stairs, ¡°I hope you will take it easy on me, I¡¯m a bit rusty.¡±

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t be rusty even if you tried.¡± She remarked, then smiled, ¡°I have just the right gig to break you in.¡±

    Together, they headed into the dinning room and met Anna and Amanda setting up for dinner.

    ¡°How was your stay in France?¡± Anna resumed the conversation as they got to eating, ¡°You look so¡­¡±

    ¡°Content.¡± Amanda supplied, and she smiled. If only they knew.

    ¡°I¡¯m d it appears that way.¡± She took a bite of her meal. ¡°Tell me, how has it been over here? What have I missed?¡±

    They looked between themselves, Amanda finally spoke up, ¡°It depends. A lot has happened.¡±

    ¡°Enlighten me,¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re up to date with our lives so.. I¡¯ll presume you are referring to the entertainment sphere of things.¡±

    ¡°What makes you think I haven¡¯t gotten up to date on that?¡± They gave her the look and she broke, ¡°Okay, maybe I don¡¯t know too much.¡±

    ¡°And for good reasons.¡± Anna supplied,

    ¡°Can we get to the point where we start talking?¡± She asked with a huff,

    ¡°Aaron got engaged.¡±

    ¡°Amanda!¡± Anna reprimanded, throwing her a dirty look.

    ¡°What?¡± She said, feigning ignorance, ¡°It had to be said.¡±

    ¡°Is that supposed to be news?¡± Deloise asked, ¡°I thought I¡¯d have to address thister,¡± She asked, ¡°I am here to start a new life. I have no interest in re-digging old and forgotten wells of the past.¡± she looked between them, ¡°In that respect, I¡¯ll be joining Doris Management to get my groove back, that¡¯s the only part of my past that would be receiving attention.¡±

    ¡°Damn straight.¡± Amandamented, pouring out a ss of wine, ¡°Let¡¯s drink to that.¡±

    Theyughed and continued chatting on much lighter terms. The girls left afterwards and they retired to bed. Just while she prepared to call it a night, Doris popped into her room.

    ¡°I hope you had a wonderful day in,¡± She said, ¡°Because tomorrow, you have an audition to ace.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Good night, Deloise.¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 DDD 80

    Doris saw to her promise because the next day, very early in the day, she woke up Deloise, urging her to get prepared for their day out.

    Sluggishly, Deloise got out of bed and worked around getting ready for an audition she was yet to know a word of.

    They got into the car and a script was passed along to her. ¡°Finally.¡± She muttered, ¡°Couldn¡¯t have given me any sooner?¡±

    Dorisughed, ¡°You are in a mood. Just so you know, the audition isn¡¯t until-¡± she nced at her watch, ¡°One hour.¡± she finished with a shrug, ¡°Surely that¡¯s enough time to get into the height of things.¡±

    ¡°How long is the drive?¡±

    ¡°Thirty minutes?¡±

    ¡°Great. You expect me to ace this audition or are you trying to test how rusty I am?¡±

    ¡°So whiny,¡± she tutted, and pulled out of the driveway, ¡°Who is this and where is the Deloise who aced her audition on the first day of resumption?¡±

    ¡°Rusty as hell.¡±

    ¡°Definitely in need of some breaking in.¡± Doris stepped on it.

    They proceeded on the journey and Deloise went through the script. With a glint in her eyes, she read through the script given to her.

    It was a story of a woman forced to be devious by the hurdles life threw her way. After getting killed by the ones she protected and loved, the lead character was given a second chance at life, armed with the memories of her former life.

    It was a second chance at retribution, and an instant like for her.

    Doris gauged her from the wheel, taking note of her silent joy. When she saw that script, she remembered thinking just how perfectly Deloise would fit into the character- should she return to filming. At the time, she had her hopes up due to her indicated interest in returning to the movie industry.

    That hope was truncated when time passed and there was still no word on her return to New-York. Everyday, she got to the office and fought a battle to hand over the script to another actress for tryout but just couldn¡¯t find the strength to do so.

    When the awards invite showed up on her doorsteps, she decided it was going to be herst shot before finally handing it over to someone else. With little to no expectations, she mailed it to her, believing if there was anything capable of granting her the courage to return to the craft, it had to be it.

    Luckily, that did it, and she was here to take it up. Late, but here nheless.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± She asked for formality, ¡°Think you can handle it?¡±

    ¡°You know what I think.¡± Deloise answered, unable to hide her glee, ¡°This was tastefully prepared. Is it a big set? Do you think they will mind my background?¡± Her insecurities creeped in.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not out here with a glowing profile, Doris. I¡¯m known as the quitter, and if it¡¯s a big set- which I perceive it is, I doubt they¡¯d want to work with me.¡±

    ¡°Do your part and leave the rest to me,¡± She replied, ¡°And in answer to your question, it is a decent set, albeit, not the size of your debut movie, but a good one nheless.¡± Doris took a deep breath, knowing it was best to let the cat out of the bag. ¡°Also¡­ just a heads up, the director of this set happens to be on good terms with Ste.¡±

    That got her attention, ¡°Exin ¡®good terms¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Their rtionship isn¡¯t defined, but news spreading is that they are very close.¡±

    A frown, ¡°Should I be worried?¡±

    ¡°Not really. This is just a heads up, you mighte in contact with her on the job, depending on how professional they are.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing I¡¯ll be seeing a lot of her then.¡± she deadpanned.

    ¡°I love your enthusiasm, but we¡¯re here.¡± Doris announced, getting out of the car. Only then did she realize they were parked outside a building.

    Deloise put on her shades and stepped out. Three years and she still felt antsy in public. She doubted they¡¯d recognize her but that was a gamble she wasn¡¯t ready to take. Led in by Doris, they took a number, alongside a seat as they waited for her turn.

    Her number got called and Doris held her back, ¡°You¡¯re going to kill this,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°No pressure.¡±

    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡±

    Doris shrugged, ¡°Then you might be a bit rusty. Get in there.¡± she ordered.

    With a chuckle, Deloise took off her sses and made her way inside. As soon as she removed her sses, eyes widened and whispers began, each trying to find out the identity of the one who held a semnce to Daniel Greenwood¡¯s rumored daughter.

    Meanwhile, Deloise gave a stunning performance. So much so that she was given a grand apuse and got awarded the role on the spot. One look at her, and Doris knew she was back.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    Rusty? Of course not!

    ¡°I guess they are asking for me.¡± she stated more than asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so smug now,¡± She smiled, then admitted. ¡°But yes, they are.¡±

    Without further ado, Doris got to the details with them and they walked out the building with a female lead role in the bag. Definitely a great start in their books.

    ¡°What do we have here?¡± A voice said from a Lexus Jeep. One look and Deloise confirmed her assumptions.

    She couldn¡¯t get a break.

    Ste stepped out of the car, dripping with luxury. ¡°Deloise Tanner.¡± she muttered in spite, ¡°A surprise seeing you here.¡± she tsked, ¡°An unpleasant one but a surprise nheless.¡±

    ¡°I see you¡¯re still the same.¡± Deloise didn¡¯t back down, ¡°Three years and you are still obsessed with me.¡±

    A scoff, ¡°Please, don¡¯t humour yourself. What are you here for?¡± Her eyes widened as Doris came into sight, ¡°You..¡± she gestured between them, ¡°Is this a thing?¡± She cackled, ¡°Is this what I think it is?¡±

    ¡°We owe you no exnation.¡±

    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t.¡± Ste regainedposure, ¡°Let¡¯s get this straight. This is my territory. If you perhaps came here for an audition, a role maybe, forget it.¡±

    ¡°Pity I already signed the deal.¡± Deloise sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t you have somewhere to be?¡±

    ¡°Do your research baby doll, I¡¯m the queen now. Whatever role you think you¡¯ve gotten, forget about it.¡±

    ¡°Deloise¡­¡± Doris intervened but she held her back.

    ¡°I didn¡¯te for you, Ste.¡± She pointed out in an irritated tone. ¡°But make no mistakes, if youe for me, I wouldn¡¯t fold my arms and take it.¡±

    ¡°Is that a threat?¡±

    ¡°Just a timely warning.¡± With that, they got into the car and zoomed off, leaving a trail of dust behind.

    *****

    Two weeks and filming kicks off in earnest. Despite the many offers of Doris to follow her, she refused. If she was doing this, she wanted to do it alone. Whatever they had, she was ready to take on it.

    Doris dropped her off and left after yet another offer to see her through the first scene ¨C An offer she refused by walking off on her own. Only after getting to a distance did she wave, and enter the building. With a sigh, Doris headed to her office, hoping everything would go well.

    For both their sakes.

    Deloise walked into the set and a wave of silence enves the room. It was only a matter of time before they recognized her, it was better now thanter.

    ¡°Deloise Tanner?¡± A masculine voice called and she turned around, alongside the entire room. ¡°Follow me.¡± He said, and to the others, snapped, ¡°Nothing to see here!¡±

    With narrowed eyes, she made her way towards him, while others resumed their jobs with whispers, the man led the way to a tiny office. They entered and the room grew smaller.

    ¡°Justin Torres.¡± He introduced with an outstretched arm, ¡°The director of this set.¡±

    Deloise took his hand, ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± She said, not bothering to say her name.

    ¡°Good. Two things,¡± he started, ¡°When we get out there, it¡¯s strictly business. I want the best, and nothing else. If you don¡¯t, you get kicked out. Capiche?¡±

    Deloise nodded, gauging the man in front of her.

    ¡°Good. Get prepared, we start at nine.¡± Justin stated and she made her way out.

    Definitely not a bad way to start her day.

    Filming started and everything was on track until Ste showed up in the stands. It was hard not to know when she yelled down unsolicited opinions of her acting.

    ¡°I think that part needs to be redone.¡± Ste said, ¡°There¡¯s a thousand and one better ways to have portrayed that scene. Whatever just happened, doesn¡¯t make the cut.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone asking for your opinion.¡± Deloise mumbled, loud enough for the entire room to hear.

    ¡°Believe it or not, I have more experience at this than you will ever have.¡± she sneered, ¡°Are you too big to take corrections too?¡±

    ¡°I ept constructive criticism, you of all people should know I do well with decent corrections.¡±

    Ste raged, ¡°Justin! Do you share the same opinions with your female lead act?¡± She red daggers at him.

    The director huffed, not in the mood to argue with his girlfriend. ¡°Apologize.¡± He said to no one in particr.

    No one moved and he sneered, ¡°I said to apologize, Ms. Tanner!¡±

    Deloise turned around, shocked to the core.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have all day, woman!¡±

    ¡°I apologize.¡± She squeaked and Ste smiled.

    ¡°Thought so. I¡¯ll be on my way then, Justin.¡± Ste blew a kiss and walked out the studio with a victorious grin.

    ¡°To your positions! Again!¡± the director said and they returned to their jobs with burning passion.

    Deloise felt her blood boil at the insult she was made to receive. She warned Ste against stepping on her toes but she did just that. She can¡¯t be held responsible for the retribution she was going to serve.

    When she said she wouldn¡¯t take it with folded arms, she meant it with every drop of her blood.

 DDD 81

    Safe to say her first day at work wasn¡¯t ideal. Doris couldn¡¯t make it back to pick her but sent a driver to do the job. Deloise sulked all the way back, trying and failing to contain the fury that brimmed within her.

    Ste had won for the day, but it was just the beginning. If there was one thing she learned from her stay back in France, it was to never let anyone trample upon her. She was a way different person and if it took a lesson from her to make that clear, then she will dish out one.

    Lets see how well she does with a taste of her own medicine. Deloise dropped down the car and made her way into the house determined to find every dirty detail she could on Ste. With the coding skills she acquired, she could almost hack into anything. A n hatched in her heart and without a second thought, she headed for her room and shut the door behind her.

    Deloise took out herptop with a cynic look on her face. ¡°Senior huh? let¡¯s see what other skills you have up your sleeve.¡±

    Her hands went on a mindless blur through the keyboard as she went through everything she could get her hands upon. All through the night, she stayed up and shunning every distraction and investigating the one person that wanted her downfall.

    At about 3am the next day, She was able to get her hands on evidence of Ste sleeping around with an old hag. Why was she not surprised? Deloise watched the CCTV footage with disgust in her eyes. If she wanted to sleep around, at least be decent enough to do it in a more conspicuous ce.

    After copying the file into a sh, she shut down herputer, reminding herself to venture into that exercise some other time. If there were more skeletons in her closet, then she would be needing them for future lessons. For now, this will have to do.

    The next morning, Deloise woke up with a smile on her face. She stepped out of her room and a wave of hunger hit her. In her mindless blur, she had skipped dinner and her stomach wasn¡¯t having a field day about it. She held her stomach,

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry baby, mummy will feed you in a minute.¡±

    Doris spots her. ¡°!!!¡±

    ¡°I know it looks crazy but I promise there¡¯s an exnation.¡± She said, hiding a sheepish smile.

    ¡°Go on..¡± She gestured,

    ¡°!!!¡±

    ¡°Thought so. Breakfast is ready.¡± she took a nce at her watch, ¡°Chop chop.¡±

    Deloise breezed through breakfast in a great mood, they walked out the door with Doris closely observing her.

    ¡°You know, for someone who didn¡¯t have a great day yesterday, you¡¯re awfully happy.¡± She finally spoke, ¡°Is there something you know that I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Is there something you think I know?¡±

    Doris gauged her with narrowed eyes, ¡°Is this about the news?¡±

    ¡°What news?¡±

    ¡°I guess it isn¡¯t then.¡± Doris walked ahead but she caught her arm,

    ¡°What news are you talking about, Doris?¡±

    ¡°I may have arranged with some news outlets to subtly announce your return to the movie scene. Nothing too grand, just a teaser of what¡¯s toe with your brand.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°It yielded more fruits than I hoped.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Apparently, there are still people out there who love you and they are taking the news quite wonderfully.¡±

    Deloise was shocked, ¡°I have fans?¡±

    ¡°Quite a handful of them, and they are doing a great job with creating awareness of your return.¡±

    *******

    The second day on set was bearable without Ste breathing down her neck. After a great day, she was tired and ready to go home. Destiny had other ns.

    In front of the building, Ellen stood in front of her car. It was hard to forget that face when it got paired with Aaron every single time.

    ¡°Deloise,¡± She spoke a few steps away, ¡°I had a hunch you¡¯d be here.¡±

    ¡°Ellen Parker.¡± She acknowledged, ready to get things over with, ¡°To what do I owe this meeting?¡±

    A curt smile, ¡°I¡¯d like to have a word with you.¡±

    ¡°And if I refuse?¡±

    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. I wouldn¡¯t stop until you give in though. I¡¯ll be here every single day until you agree.¡±

    ¡°Surely you have better things to do.¡±

    ¡°No honey.¡± she smirked, ¡°I¡¯m on hiatus, which trantes to having more time than I know what to do with.¡±

    Deloise clenched her teeth, there was no way out of it. Might as well get things over with.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so glum, I promise I won¡¯t take much of your time.¡±

    Without another word, Deloise got into her car, and trailed her to an exquisite restaurant. Soon enough, they were seated and ready to order. Except Deloise had no ns to dine with her.

    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± She cut to the chase, earning a chuckle from Ellen.

    ¡°Hasty, are we?¡±

    ¡°Unlike you, I have a job. And I¡¯d rather spend my time doing something more¡­ productive.¡± She said, forck of a better word.

    ¡°I love your honesty. Others will pretend to love me although they hate my guts,¡±

    Silence.

    ¡°It¡¯s clear you are in no mood to chat, so I¡¯ll keep things short.¡± Her expression turned grave, ¡°I know you have a thing with Aaron,¡± She started, ¡°I¡¯m not too sure what that¡¯s about but I¡¯m sure by now, you understand it¡¯s all in the past.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll only say this once.¡± Deloise started, straight up offended. ¡°I have nothing with Aaron, and I want nothing to do with him. As long as you stay out of my way, we don¡¯t have a problem.¡± She said in a hard tone.

    ¡°Then we have a deal.¡± Ellen said, and she got up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    Without waiting for a reply, Deloise walked out of the restaurant, ready to call it a day.

    *****

    The next day was a free one for Deloise. After staying upte, and digging up more ckmail material on Ste, she slept into the following day. Doris had other ns.

    ¡°Get up! We don¡¯t have much time.¡± Deloise sank into her bed, the covers hiding her frame.

    ¡°It¡¯s my day off!¡± She whined,

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m in a better position to tell you that?¡± Doris corked an eyebrow, ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡±

    Grumbling, Deloise sat up, ¡°Where are we off to this time?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s for me to know. Get prepared, we leave shortly.¡±

    Thirty minutester, they were on their way out.

    ¡°You are getting your photo taken for a new and trending magazine.¡± Doris started, ¡°With the publicity behind your name, alongside other factors, we were able to get you on front page.¡± She announced,Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What other factors?¡±

    ¡°Is that all you got from what I said?¡± Doris deadpanned, ¡°You just got a front page deal, what¡¯s with the underwhelming reception?¡±

    She gave her the look.

    ¡°I had help from a little friend.¡± Deloise opened her mouth to revolt but she tutted, ¡°Nope, you don¡¯t get to say anything. That¡¯s about as much you are allowed to know, until we get there.¡±

    ¡°Do I know this friend of yours?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s find out.¡±

    Deloise looked at the building while they parked outside. It looked like a residential property.

    ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re in the right ce?¡±

    Doris led the way up, it was truly a residential building ¨C a tastefully built one, but a home nheless. They arrived in front of a door and she hit the door bell. A much older version of Tony appeared before them, looking nothing short of amazing.

    ¡°Georgeous!¡± He enveloped her in a hug, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much! Come on in.¡± He opened the door widely, urging them toe inside the house. ¡°I can¡¯t believe my eyes, France treated you nice.¡±

    Deloise smiled, ¡°Yeah right.¡± For the beginning part of the conversation, they exchanged pleasantries.

    ¡°To what do I owe this visit?¡± He asked after they were settled in.

    ¡°You know why we are here.¡± Doris replied and he smiled.

    ¡°Damn straight. The moment I found out she was back in town, I knew we had to see.¡±

    Deloise felt confusion cloud her senses. It was like there was a huge chunk of the conversation she was missing.

    ¡°Tony runs the magazinepany.¡± Doris exined, ¡°You are front cover.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That is right.¡± Tony nced at his watch, ¡°Unfortunately, the team is yet to return from an assignment. Give it a few minutes and we¡¯ll begin. For now, you¡¯re stuck with me.¡±

    Deloise turned to Doris who shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± She announced, ¡°break a leg.¡± She mouthed and left.

    ¡°Great.¡±

    Tonyughed and they made small talk in which he gave a brief update on how he got to own a magazinepany.

    He¡¯s always yed with the idea of having a newspany, having spent a small part of his life dabbling in writing for his family¡¯s newspaper. After Royal Arts, it just seemed like a great idea to dabble into the business. So he opened Focus.

    The Magazine ¨C Focus was an entertainment and lifestyle magazine which focuses on striking individuals and events in the creative industry. Although it was two years down the line, it had great prospects.

    When Tony heard the news of Deloise¡¯s possible return to the entertainment world, he knew he had to see and cast her. Soon enough, Deloise was taken to a dressing room where she was prepared for the shoot. In no time, she was posing for the camera.

    ¡°Beautiful!¡± Tonymented as they went through the shots, ¡°This is it.¡± he pointed to the screen, showing a picture of her deliciously arched with her palm on her neck. ¡°That¡¯s going on the front page.¡±

    Deloise couldn¡¯t agree more. She looked good, and she was unapologetic about it. Doris showed up just in time.

    ¡°I see we are done here.¡± She announced her presence.

    ¡°Of course! The interview questions have been sent to your email, go through that and we have ourselves a done deal.¡± Tony answered, content with the results. He turned to Deloise, ¡°I¡¯ll let you off because it¡¯s been a long day. But you owe me one dinner.¡± He said and she nodded.

    Tony was one person she considered a friend from Royal Arts. Despite his affiliation to Aaron, they always had a friendship of their own, one that remained in spite of everything.

 DDD 82

    Two weekster, the Magazine issue with Deloise went out. The first few days were a bit slow, but as time proceeded, more people got hold of thetest Focus Magazine starring a retired actress.

    Soon enough, the magazine became the most talked about on the inte. Albeit, most of the conversations around the issue weren¡¯t the most favorable, but publicity was publicity.

    In the entertainment world, getting spoken about in a bad light was better than nothing. Not that she cared anyway.

    It was the weekend and Doris rxed home with Deloise.

    ¡°Tony is requesting dinner,¡± She said from the couch and Deloise sighed. ¡°Why the hell is he bombarding me with messages and not you?¡±

    ¡°Because I may have ignored him.¡±

    ¡°Get him off my back, will you?¡± she asked, exasperated, ¡°And just so you know, that guy never gives up. Better to get things over with now thanter.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Deloise grumbled, shooting off a text back at Tony.

    Later that evening, in a cozy restaurant, Deloise sat across from Tony as they ate dinner.

    ¡°This was supposed to be a celebratory dinner,¡± she said, sipping from her cup, ¡°If you wanted me alone, you could have said so, I know you enough not to find it weird.¡±

    Tony threw his head inughter, ¡°What makes you think we are alone? For all you know, the others might be running a bitte.¡±

    ¡°Extremelyte should be a better adjective.¡±

    ¡°Whatever floats your boat. I couldn¡¯t care less if no one showed up here- with you as an exemption of course.¡± He winked, ¡°Without you, Focus wouldn¡¯t have made our best sales yet. Cheers.¡±

    He raised his ss to her and they took a sip. With the increased sales of Focus following her feature, his brand was in the public¡¯s eyes, and for Tony, that was enough reason to hurl her out for dinner, amongst other things.

    Deloise nearly spewed the content of her mouth when she saw a familiar frame headed towards their table with eyes fixed on her.

    Tony set her up.

    ¡°Aaron! Took you long enough.¡± He waved him over, ¡°Told you we were going to havepany.¡±

    Sitting tight, Deloise focused on her food while he took a seat beside her. His eyes fixated on her, shooting daggers at her, and edging her to look at him, to throw one nce ¨C but to no avail.

    ¡°Funny story,¡± Tony resumed when the silence became overbearing, ¡°I nned to invite a lot of other people but they all called in busy. Except you guys.¡±

    He didn¡¯t need a soothsayer to know this wasn¡¯t his brightest idea, but he was too chicken to admit it. Deloise dropped her fork and gathered her things.

    Before he could speak, she beat him to it. ¡°Thank you for dinner. I¡¯ll leave first.¡±

    Without as much as a nce back, Deloise made her way out of the building, feeling the eyes of everyone trail after her. Safe to say it was thest time she was having dinner with Tony.

    Meanwhile, Aaron wore a frown the moment she was out of sight. He didn¡¯t know if he was more surprised to see her or witness her ignore his existence. He knew for sure that his best friend wasn¡¯t leaving unscathed from his anger.

    ¡°Is this some sort of joke?¡± Aaron hissed, up on his feet.

    ¡°Chase after her,¡± Tony wore a serious look, ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool-¡±

    His words were still in his mouth when a destabilizing punch came his way.

    Tony spat out blood, ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± He smirked, showing off his bloodied teeth.

    ¡°That¡¯s for wasting my time and insulting me.¡± The thought of his friend casually seated with her while she did not spare him a nce irked him. ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    By now, they racked up an audience. ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool again.¡± Tony said, loud enough for him to hear it.

    Aaron couldn¡¯t be bothered to answer him. He left the ce, and fired a text to his manager, informing them of a likely situation.

    Meanwhile, Ste gets hold of pictures of them from the restaurant. She sends it off to her plug and in a few minutes, the picture goes out, painting Deloise as a desperate woman, looking for shortcuts to sess.

    *****

    ¡°I really can¡¯t get a break with these people!¡± Doris yelled, throwing her phone on the couch, ¡°It¡¯s been what? One month, and they find a way to paint you the viin. How on earth did they get that from a picture of you eating?¡±

    Deloise wore a grave countenance but maintained silence.

    ¡°They have refused to take it down, my guess is that someone is having them leave it up.¡± Anna stated, returning from her call. ¡°We need to do something, and fast.¡±

    A worried look etched on their faces when Deloise headed into the room without a word. On getting inside the room, she dug into her drawers and picked out a sh drive. She held it up with a menacing smile, grateful she listened to her mind¡¯s direction to keep ammunition for future use.

    Who knew Ste would give her the courage to do what she ought to have done long ago? Deloise returned to the sitting room and handed over the sh to Doris.

    ¡°What is this?¡± she received it, turning it around.

    ¡°A sh drive dummy,¡± Amandaes to the rescue, apple in hand.

    Doris rolled her eyes. ¡°I can see that,¡± she turned to Deloise, ¡°What¡¯s inside it?¡±

    ¡°A little something to keep Ste busy.¡± She said and sat down, ¡°It appears she has a lot of time on hand.¡±

    Anna inserted the sh on her phone and proceeded to view its content. A clear video of Ste heading into a room kicked up the video. At the end of the video, their eyes were the size of saucers.

    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± Doris asked immediately,

    ¡°I have my ways.¡± she replied, leaving no room for further questions. ¡°If she has decided to be a scheming witch, I will not be merciful. This time, I will not be bullied.¡± She dered with ice in her eyes.

    This wasn¡¯t the timid Deloise, this was a version they hadn¡¯t seen before. An entirely new side of her. Doris nodded, knowing exactly what to do. They were sending a signal to the enemy¡¯s camp.

    By evening, Ste was a mess in her manager¡¯s office.

    ¡°Do something!¡± She roared, ¡°Get in touch with whoever is behind this and fix it. My reputation is at stake here.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s so little I can do. The PR team is trying their best to manage the situation but it¡¯s hard to do that with the public feeding into it.¡±

    ¡°Contact Preston. I¡¯ll do a Press Conference. I¡¯ll convince them it is all an borate n to ruin me,¡± She dered, ¡°Just do something, already.¡±

    The entire media was ame with news of her sleeping around with men for movie roles. With pictures of her in apromising position with a known sleazebag, the scandal was gaining foothold and she was losing fans at the speed of light.

    ¡°Good. Because you will be going live in one hour.¡± Mr. Prseton said, announcing his presence. ¡°Let¡¯s hope for your sake that you are able to convince them.¡±

    Ste sizzled silently with anger. A threat. She was no stranger to how things were done in Preston. They were quick to cut off anyone that proved to be a hassle. And at this point, she might as well be considered a hassle.

    ¡°I will.¡± She said, confident in her ability.

    ¡°It may be toote for that now.¡± Her manager said, stress evident in her voice,N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Ste fired back,

    ¡°Because they just released a sex tape of you.¡± Mr. Preston hissed, scrolling through his phone. ¡°Head back to your house, contact your manager for anything you need.¡±

    Ste puddled on the floor, ¡°They set me up¡­ this is a set up.¡±

    ******

    ¡°I¡¯d pay to see her throwing a fit.¡± Amanda said, happy at the thought of Ste¡¯s suffering. ¡°How the tables have turned.¡±

    ¡°She had iting for three years,¡± Ann remarked, ¡°Whatever she¡¯s going through can¡¯t be measured with what she deserves.¡±

    Deloise gauged Anna with soft eyes, Ste had left a mark on her. She had exploited her innocent state and used her as a bullet ¨C the effects of her evil deeds still told on them even after three years.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just hope this is enough to hold her off for sometime,¡± Deloise added her one cent.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Doris joined the conversation, ¡°This will knock her out cold for a while. At least long enough to attend the awards show without looking over your shoulders.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± The other¡¯s agreed in unison.

    ¡°On to other things,¡± Doris said with a smile, ¡°Your m team for the event is ready.¡±

    ¡°I can prepare myself just fine.¡± She said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I need an entire team.¡±

    Doris was quick to enter, ¡°I am your manager, who also happens to be your boss, and friend. You will be meeting them tomorrow, hunny. No questions asked.¡±

 DDD 83

    It was finally the WBA Awards show.

    People from various parts of the world expressed their excitement to see their favorite celebrities on the red carpet and eventually on the stage ¨C hopefully with an award.

    The World Best Acts award show was an event that was held once in four years. It was the most anticipated event of the entertainment world and year after year, people- celebrities and fans alike ¨C worked towards being on the stage or being a part of the show.

    The WBA¡¯s was a prestigious event that was star-studded, well attended and publicized worldwide. Its stage was every star¡¯s dream, and a WBA award was something remarkable to say the least.

    For Deloise, she was lucky to be invited for such an event, a feat directly credited to her debut movie that managed to break records in its time, emerging as one of the best movies created at that time.

    Deloise was seated in front of a mirror while they prepared her for the appearance. Doris was nowhere to be found, busy with ensuring everything went perfectly while the girls stayed back, helping out in every way possible.

    ¡°The road jam is real..¡± Anna said in a daunting tone, ¡°If you are going to make it in time, you need to leave early. I knew it was a bad idea to prepare from home. Now we have an hour-long journey to the event that will take even longer with the traffic.¡±

    Deloise was getting her face done so she couldn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°She couldn¡¯t bete even if she tried,¡± Amanda said in fleeting. ¡°When she arrives, thest thing on anyone¡¯s mind would be the time. I mean, have you seen her?¡±

    Anna watched Deloise walk into her dress and get zipped up. It was a blue sequin dress with intricate designs embedded with droopy diamonds. Its transparent sleeves and crown shaped busts brought out a regal aura from her. Coupled with her hair up in a twisted ponytail, edges done to perfection, Deloise was a stunner.

    ¡°Good?¡± She asked, ufortably shifting her dress.

    ¡°Perfect.¡± Anna drew closer to her. ¡°No one will be able to take their eyes off you, Loise.¡±

    Amanda brought out her shoes, squatting before her. Deloise directed her feet into the shoes and in no time, she was set to go.

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± she said, ¡°All of you.¡± She added, shooting a grateful smile to the team set up for her. They turned a duck into a swan.

    ¡°It¡¯s all you.¡± One of the beauticians said, ¡°You make the job easy.¡±

    Before she could muster up a reply, Doris showed up. ¡°The car is here, we need to-¡± Her jaws dropped as she took in the sight of Deloise.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s a reaction.¡± Amanda said and they all chuckled.

    ¡°You look amazing, Deloise.¡± Doris said and she smiled, muttering her thanks. ¡°We need to leave, we¡¯rete.¡±

    *****

    The red carpet was studded with celebrities of various kinds, each invited to witness the biggest night of the year. Actors, artists, influencers and other influential people from the creative business could be found in every corner; getting interviewed, having their photos taken, or making their way into the hall.

    It was a beautiful night indeed. Aaron arrived with Elena at the tip of his arm, making a statement with their most anticipated entry. With the news circting about his meeting with Deloise, they appeared a bit more clingy and doting on one another.

    They were silently sending out a statement of their rtionship in reply to the rumor making waves. When Ellen saw the pictures of his meeting with Deloise and Tony, she threw a hissy fit, reminding him of the contract he signed and the repercussions of his actions.

    Recently more than ever, he found himself wishing to get out of the contract. Over the years, he hadn¡¯t tried to leave because he didn¡¯t feel the need to. He felt toozy to hatch into the helm of things, but now, things were different.

    He wasn¡¯t sure why but he felt so.

    Holding up a smug look, he walked the carpets with Elena, while camera shes nearly blinded his eyes. An interviewer stopped them for questions but they were brief in their answers, heading out of the way for others to have their minutes of fame.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Ellen asked when he let go of her hand.

    ¡°Bathroom.¡± He said in a clipped tone, not liking the idea of being questioned.

    ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡± She said, walking into the hall with a smile, and greeting others as she went.

    Aaron didn¡¯t feel like using the bathroom. Thest ce he wanted to be was in there, feigning smiles and stering a faux smile on his face while people got awarded.

    It didn¡¯t help that a certain person mighte around. Thest time, he didn¡¯t get as little as a nce, and if he was being honest with himself, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could handle that again.

    ¡°What are you doing loitering around, son?¡± A voice jolted him out of his reverie. It was Daniel Greenwood. ¡°It¡¯s been what? A few seconds in the industry and you are already tired?¡± His eyes squinted as he chuckled.

    The sagging of the skin around his jaw spoke volumes of his age. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡± Aaron replied, holding up a little but genuine smile. ¡°You have enough awards tost you a lifetime.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help being good at my job, Aaron. Best believe, I¡¯ll be turning up for more WBA¡¯s for as long as I can.¡±

    ¡°Why do I get the feeling that¡¯s going to be a long time?¡±

    ¡°Damn straight.¡± They stood by a window, watching the razz as more guessed arrived. ¡°She¡¯ll be here today.¡± He said, eyes fixed on the drama he¡¯s seen enough times but never got used to it.

    Aaron didn¡¯t know what to say to that. Infact, there was nothing to say because the next second, he watched a ck limousine park and a dazzling beauty walk out of it, apanied by Doris. Transfixed, he watched her disappear into the crowd and inside the building, no doubt headed for the show.

    ¡°Beautiful isn¡¯t she?¡± Daniel asked, finally looking at him, ¡°Go after her. Don¡¯t be stubborn and go after her.¡±

    Aaron nched, looking like a fish out of water. ¡°I have to go.¡± He announced, and walked out of sight.

    Aaron returned to the event. As soon as his eyes caught with Ellen, a scowl etched on her face, He couldn¡¯t remember why he had to put up with her antics, but he proceeded to fill his seat beside hers.

    ¡°I said not to keep me waiting.¡± She said in a hushed tone, no doubt angry at him.

    ¡°Line in the bathroom.¡±

    He lied effortlessly. She didn¡¯t buy it but decided to revisit the matter at a muchter time. Meanwhile, Deloise stepped into the hall and found her seat.

    She knew she was nicely dressed but the excessive looks she got from people she recognized made her ufortable.

    Noticing her difort, Doris covered her hand. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    The show went on till her category was called, being part of the nominees for best Female lead, she wasn¡¯t expecting to hear her name called. Apparently, so was the entire room because everything stilled for a solid five seconds before the hoots began.

    She couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Dazed, she walked to the stage with no speech on hand, never expecting to win an award with her background as a retired and cklisted actress. On getting to the stage, the world stilled, waiting to hear her speak.

    ¡°Thest time I got on stage, I was retiring from the movie industry.¡± She started, then looked at the que given to her, ¡°Who knew a retired actress with one movie role could be a WBA award holder.¡± she chuckled. ¡°I dedicate this award to the people who didn¡¯t give up on me. My manager, my friends, and most recently, the fans I didn¡¯t realize I have. More than anyone, I dedicate it to myself, to the new person I am bing as a signed actress under the DON management agency. Thank you so much.¡± She said and walked off the stage.

    A resounding apuse followed, unknown to them, the world went berserk with her announcement. Just like that, she re-entered the industry she walked away from; and best believe, some people weren¡¯t pleased.

    Beginning from Ellen who wore a frown, watching Aaron follow her till she returned to her seat. Those few minutes of Deloise on stage triggered a part of her she didn¡¯t believe existed.

    Aaron was still very much interested in her. Even a blind person could see it. After the show, Ellen hurried them out of the venue and into the car.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± she threw as the door closed,

    ¡°I should be asking you that.¡± came the cool reply of Aaron. ¡°Whatever that was, let it be thest.¡±

    Ellenughed, ¡°You should be d I got you out when I did. You nearly blew it in there!¡±

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± He asked, eyes aze.

    ¡°You were drooling over her, Aaron.¡± she pointed out, ¡°I will not stand for any form of disrespect, not now, not ever.¡±

    ¡°Then we have an understanding.¡± He said to the driver, ¡°Stop the car.¡±

    ¡°Keep moving.¡± Ellen ordered, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡± she hissed.

    ¡°I¡¯m done with this.¡± his jaws tightened, ¡°Whatever this is, I want out.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re nuts,¡± she scoffed, ¡°You will do no such thing. I started this, and I sure as hell will be the one ending it.¡±

    ¡°Goodluck with that. Stop this car or I¡¯ll get out.¡±

    Ellen didn¡¯t care. ¡°Keep moving.¡±

    Aaron threw the door open and in panic, the driver screeched to a stop.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

    ¡°Mister!!!¡±

    ¡°Aaron!¡±

    He got out of the car, feeling fresh air fill his lungs. ¡°Have a nice life.¡± he said and shut the door. Immediately dialing up a cab.

    ¡°Get back here! Where are you off to?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get her back.¡± He said and sprang to a sprint.

    THE END.

    *****¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-*****

    Author¡¯s Note:

    Thank you so much for reading through to the end! Thank you for giving Deloise¡¯s story a chance too! I love and appreciate every single one of you!

    Will there be a book 2? Maybe. Depends on popr opinion.

    In the meantime , do check out my other book- One Night With Mr Braxton.

    Also, be on the lookout for my next book. I promise it¡¯s going to be better.

    love, Precious.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!