Chapter 34
Chapter
Thirty-Four
ISABELLE
I walk up the steps of my childhood home, preparing myself for whatever my dad has in store. My guess is that he’s upset with me for trying to meddle in PR affairs—surprise, surprise—which is why I didn’t tell him in the first place. But here we are.
The front door has a keypad, and I enter the code and walk right in. “Hey, Dad, I’m here,” I call out. I glance around, noting how nothing has changed since I was last here a few months ago. That’s to be expected. Our home was always more functional than cute or “homey,” lacking the femininity that my mom would have brought. I have to give my dad credit; our clothes were always clean, and we always had food on the table for dinner. Usually takeout. But he did his very best to raise us three girls alone.
“I’m in the kitchen,” he calls back.
I wander through the hall until I find him sitting at the kitchen table with a pot of coffee and two mugs. His hair is askew, and his clothes are rumpled. I see my tired dad and my manager all in one, both sides of him battling for their roles in my life. “Sit,” he commands .
I do as instructed. “I’m guessing you saw the article,” I say.
He nods, looking down at his cup. “Why did you do it?”
I inhale, wondering if I should take the responsibility or go with ignorance.
But he’s my dad. So I tell him the truth, not denying my role in it. “Because Adam doesn’t deserve what Tristan is doing to him.”
When his eyes meet mine, they’re not angry. They have a tenderness and softness I haven’t seen in years. “You love him.”
A little gasp emerges from me. I cover it with a cough and pour some coffee into my mug. “Uh, I don’t think I’d say that.”
Dad chuckles. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell your dad. But you do.” He sips his coffee and sets it on the table. “I can’t say I didn’t see this coming.”
I’m careful not to admit to anything. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve known Adam for a very long time. He’s…well, you know. You just spent weeks alone with him. But there’s been something missing, a lightness. Someone to understand him and his struggles. And I’ve wondered in the past if that person was you.”
“I’m surprised you even considered that.”
Dad nods. “I know I don’t come across as the most…sentimental type of guy. After your mom died, I realized how much easier it is to be alone. To focus on my career, to raise you girls and send you off in the right directions. But…” He trails off, his gaze down on his coffee. “Man, do I miss your mom.”
My eyes widen at this sudden expression, but I let him continue.
“Love is hard, Isabelle. It’s sacrifice and compromise. You’re two people raised in completely different ways, coming together to make a family. But when you find that person who wants to work hard with you, it doesn’t feel like work. It feels like a partnership. It feels like you get to spend every day with your best friend, and the sacrifices don’t feel like sacrifices because you want to make them happy.”
“And that’s what you had with Mom?”
He’s still for a moment, then he meets my gaze. “Yes. That’s what I had with your mom.”
“I wish you would have talked about her more.”
He puts his hand on mine and squeezes it. “I should have. She was an incredible woman.”
I hesitate a moment, then decide if he’s being vulnerable, this is my chance to ask him. “I found some baby pictures in the garage. Did she…call me Belle?”
At that, his eyes well with tears. “She did.”
My heart warms, even though I had already figured it out. But hearing it confirmed from my dad makes it feel real. My mom was a real person. She loved me, and even though she’s gone, I can still carry this piece of her with me.
With Adam.
Dad suddenly pulls his hand back. He’s done with reminiscing, but that’s okay. This has been more than I ever expected from him. “So. Adam. And you.”
I press my lips together. “And…you’re okay with that? Even though you know who he is?”
He chuckles. “I know Adam’s reputation, but I also know Adam . There has been a lot of hurt. He’s been wronged many times in the past…and in the present. But if he has someone by his side to support him, I think he’ll come out okay.”
“If he doesn’t get this movie though…”
Dad grimaces. “This might be the end of his career. I’m not sure where he’d go from here.”
I nod. “That’s what he’s worried about.”
Dad’s phone buzzes on the counter, interrupting our conversation. “Sorry, I have to check if it’s someone for work.”
I wave him off. “I know.” I’ve known my entire life that Dad’s work came first. It’s what makes this conversation so extraordinary.
Dad gets up and checks his phone at the kitchen counter. I take a sip of my coffee, patiently waiting, and then he groans. “Oh, no.”
“What is it?”
“Tristan just released a statement.”
“What?” I stand and join him at the counter, and Dad clicks on a video link.
“Hello, everyone.” The voice and image of Tristan Jackson, Golden Boy of Hollywood, sitting on his couch appears on Dad’s screen. My skin crawls at the sound of his voice, especially now that I’ve talked to him personally. He looks perfect: his blond hair is styled to perfection, his baby-blue eyes shine at the camera, and his tanned skin and white teeth make him look like he’s about to be in a toothpaste commercial. “I’ve unfortunately seen the allegations against me and wanted to take a minute to address them.” He pauses and shakes his head. “I’m so ashamed. Not because they’re true, but because of the way I have unintentionally misled these women.” He leans toward the camera, his expression so genuine. “You see, I’ve always tried to befriend those in need. I have a soft spot in my heart for those who are not as well-off as myself.” He sits back and shrugs, self-deprecating. “I thought my intentions were clear to these women, but I’ve only desired to make their lives better. If my actions were misconstrued as romantic, I sincerely apologize. It pains me to think that they have been hurt by my kindness.” He closes his eyes, almost like he’s fighting tears, but then he looks back at the camera with a soft smile. “I appreciate your time in listening to this message. Thank you for being willing to hear the truth.”
Then the video ends.
Dad and I are silent, processing what just happened .
“Well, there’s a reason why he’s a good actor,” Dad finally says.
“You’ve got to be flipping kidding me,” I mutter. “This is ridiculous! He’s lying!”
“Oh, I know. But it’s so easy for men to manipulate the public perception, even when you have multiple women coming forward.”
“But there’s seven women in the article!” I exclaim.
My dad just scrolls down the comments and shows me the dozens that are already rolling in.
I knew you were innocent, Tristan!
The truth always comes out.
Even if he was a womanizer, I’d still want him.
There are a lot more crude comments, mostly derogatory names for the women cited in the original article.
Anger rolls through my body, pulsing in my veins. “This is an outrage.” I look up at my dad. “You know this industry. What can we do now?”
He heaves a sigh. “There isn’t much we can do at this point. Adam’s name hasn’t been brought up in this controversy, but it hasn’t made Tristan look like the villain you thought it would. Despite all of this, I’m pretty sure the production company will still want Tristan instead of Adam.”
He looks down at his phone and grimaces. “Ugh. The weird commenters are back again.”
“Who?” I peer over his shoulder at the screen and read the comments he’s referring to.
Lionel: This is false!
Brigette: Tristan is a liar! We want Adam Stone back on screen!
Josephine: Don’t believe this!
I stifle a laugh, hiding my face behind my hand .
“Do you know who these people are? They were all over the first article, too.”
I nod. “It’s the staff at Stone Castle. I guess they’re joining the fight in their own little way.”
The side of my dad’s mouth lifts in a half-smile. “I should’ve known. I remember Lionel and Brigette. She seemed…very sweet.”
I nod in agreement. But the smile on my face slowly fades as I think about how Adam must be feeling right now. Does he even know what’s going on? I don’t know if he wants to follow everything online after I left. Whether or not he is, I want to be with him. The pull is so strong and so urgent, I grab my bag off the table and announce to my dad, “I have to go.”
“Go? Now?”
I nod. “I need to be with Adam. If this is the end of his career, I want to be with him so he’s not alone.”
My dad sighs. “As your manager, I have to highly discourage this. You need to have a public appearance and show that you’re not fazed by anything going on.”
My hands clench into fists. “I’m not doing the movie with Tristan. I am fazed by what’s going on. I won’t just pretend everything is okay.”
“You didn’t let me finish.” He pauses. “As your manager, I would advise you to go forward and do the movie. But as your father…I want you to go to Adam.”
I rush him with a hug and bend down to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you, Dad. I’ll be in touch.”
“Drive safely.”
I nod and rush out the door to the one person I need right now.
Adam.