27. CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 27
G loria and Clara watched the movie in silence, both completely engaged in the story unfolding before them on the big screen. The only movement between them was Gloria constantly offering Clara some kind of snack and, at one point, a glass of champagne that Clara was unsure where and how she had managed to procure without moving.
The screen on Gloria’s phone lit up where it was sitting in her lap. Leaning over, she whispered in Clara’s ear, “Sex scene incoming.” And put her hands over her eyes.
Clara peered at the older woman’s phone and read Taylor’s message.
‘Mom, cover your eyes.’
Glancing up at the screen, she saw Taylor take his shirt off, and it felt creepy to continue watching him, so she looked down at her hands clasped in her lap.
She was startled when Gloria whispered in her ear, “He won’t mind if you watch.” The older woman flashed a wicked smile.
And the blush was back, spreading up Clara’s cheeks. She was glad the cinema was dark so Gloria couldn’t see her embarrassment. But she did raise her eyes back to the screen, and although she knew it was acting and Devon had a girlfriend, she fought the jealousy that rose as she watched Taylor and Devon, both so beautiful and larger than life, fall into bed together.
“Oh. No, don’t watch. He’s with Devon. That won’t make you happy,” Gloria said, bringing a hand up and placing it over Clara’s eyes so neither of them could see the screen. “Taylor will text when it’s safe.”
So the two women sat there, only listening to the action on the big screen. Clara tried desperately not to imagine what was happening, as it made her seethe with jealousy, and not to imagine what it would be like to be the one kissing Taylor.
It wasn’t long before Gloria removed her hand from in front of Clara’s eyes, and even through the gloom, Clara was sure she could see that Taylor was turned in his seat, looking at the pair of them.
The rest of the film flew by, with only one more glass of champagne mysteriously procured. By the end, when everyone in the cinema erupted to their feet to give the movie a standing ovation, Clara wholeheartedly agreed with them. She had been drawn in completely, laughing in parts, excited, fascinated and at one point nearly crying, only stopping herself when she recalled how long her makeup had taken.
She was no expert, being pretty partial to rom-coms, but she could see that the movie was a masterpiece. Taylor and Devon had been incredible, and she couldn’t fault the medical scenes—they could have taken place inside an operating theatre.
“If they don’t nominate Taylor for an Oscar, they’re out of their minds!” Gloria shouted in Clara’s ear.
Nodding in agreement, Clara continued to clap and cheer for the movie. Which only increased in volume when Damien and the cast walked onto the stage.
Damien stood in the centre, holding Taylor and Devon’s hands. Lifting both into the air before he bowed deeply.
They must have stood there for nearly ten minutes as the clapping didn’t decrease. Eventually, the cast and director filed off the stage, and the applause died down.
Turning to Gloria, Clara asked, “What happens now?”
“There’ll be a stampede for the door as everyone tries to get to Damien and the actors to congratulate them. Then, they’ll attempt to push their own agendas with them for a while. Mention projects and try to get meetings with anyone who may help their careers. I usually hang around in my seat and wait for the crush to pass.”
“That sounds good,” Clara said, sitting down and leaning back in her seat, watching as the room emptied around them.
Now that the lights were up, she tried to see if she could spot other famous faces. She had seen at least five more celebrities when a horribly familiar face came into view and was heading straight for them.
She froze in her seat; her breathing sped up, and her pulse raced. Her brain told her it wasn’t possible; he couldn’t possibly be there. Unfortunately, her eyes told her he was. Striding toward her was Jack. The last person she ever wanted to see again after he had stolen so much from her.
“Hi, Clara. It’s good to see you.” Jack towered over her, crowding her, so even if her legs would have supported her, she wouldn’t have room to stand up.
Clara stared at him, unable to get any words out.
“I’ve rendered you speechless. I was always good at that.” Jack smirked the boyish smile she had once found so appealing but now found smarmy and condescending.
He bent down and laid a kiss on her cheek, which was way too close to her mouth. He lingered for so long that Clara’s stomach turned over, and she worried she would be sick.
Then he whispered in her ear, “A little sad that you felt the need to force your way onto a film I financed and then stalk me to LA.”
Clara reared back in her seat at his smug words, and she shoved him away. Anger infused her legs with the strength to get to her feet, and she debated if she should punch him. But the look in his eyes kept her fists at her side; he was trying to goad her, just like old times when he would poke and needle at her to get a reaction so he could punish her for her poor treatment of him.
Taking a step away from him and closer to Gloria, who was looking at her with concern clouding her face, she plastered on a polite smile.
“Gloria, this is Jack. He’s my ex-boyfriend and is now married to Natalia Jones. Her father ,“ she put emphasis on the words after Jack implied it was his money, “is a billionaire, and I assume he is financing some of this movie?”
“Yes, as you already know from my social media. Why else would you have sought out a job on one of our movies? It’s so wonderful that after all this time, you’ve forgiven yourself for our breakup and want to see what I’m doing,” Jack swaggered and tried to lean into her personal space again.
Clara backed up a little more, putting herself closer to Gloria than she would normally stand to someone she didn’t know. She ground out through her teeth, “Go away, Jack.”
“You don’t need to be rude to me, Clara. Although I do understand that you would find it difficult to be confronted with how awful you were in the last part of our relationship.” Jack smirked.
Clara opened and closed her mouth, but nothing came out. He was entirely delusional.
Gloria stepped forward and peered hard at Jack before she finally said, “You’re a smarmy little shit, aren’t you.”
Jack’s jaw gaped, and Clara had to stifle a laugh.
“Do you do that to all the ladies you used to date? Stand over them, make them feel uncomfortable, and then try and act like you’re the centre of the universe. Because news flash, you’re not.” One of Gloria’s fingers wagged in his face.
“Excuse me?!” Jack sputtered.
Gloria wasn’t finished, “I used to be married to a man like you. He was excellent at first appearances. Everyone used to say he was such a nice man. But behind closed doors, he was verbally and physically abusive to me. And I would bet you a million bucks that you’re a very similar man to my ex-husband.”
“I won’t tolerate being spoken to like this. You rude old cow,” Jack snapped.
And there it was, the mean-tempered man Clara had lived with for way too long.
“Oh really? And what are you going to do?” Gloria taunted him.
“I don’t need to do anything. I’ll just get security to remove you both. You see, the financier is more important than the lowly medical adviser and the secretary who got a pity invite,” he scoffed.
“Yeah. I’d like to see you try.” Gloria waved her hand airily at him.
Jack began looking around the now nearly empty cinema, searching for the security guard he had threatened.
Clara took a couple of deep breaths and steeled her nerves. She had a few things to tell the man in front of her. Finally, she snapped, “Shut up, Jack.”
“Excuse me?” Jack stared at her in shock.
“For once in your life, keep your slimy mouth shut. Gloria has very nicely summed up your character. Jack, you have everything you want in life. So why don’t you just sod off and leave me alone. I used to be so scared to say anything when you were around. But you have no power over me anymore, and when I pay your debt off, I will never think about you again,” Clara informed him, and as the words left her mouth, she felt a tiny bit lighter.
“This is Jack?” A deep voice rumbled behind Clara.
She didn’t need to turn around to know who was standing behind her, as his voice had goosebumps running over her skin. A warm arm snaked around her waist, tugging until she was leaning against Taylor’s solid body. Clara bit down the squeak that nearly escaped her lips and leaned into him, turning her head up to smile.
“Hi. Yes. That’s Jack,” she breathed.
It didn’t matter that Jack, a man who had caused her so much heartache, was standing right in front of her. All that mattered was Taylor as she looked up into his bright blue eyes, which crinkled around the edges as he smiled down at her.
“Hi,” Taylor drawled, staring at her, ignoring his mum and Jack. Then he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “I missed you. A lot.” Pulling slowly away, he looked back into her eyes.
Until Gloria whacked him on the arm to get his attention. “Young man. I haven’t seen you in weeks, and I don’t even get a hug?”
Taylor didn’t let go of Clara; rather, he just used his other arm to pull his mum into a half hug. “Hi, Mom.”
Jack cleared his throat, his hand thrust out, clearly keen to meet Taylor, but the actor just glanced at his hand, then glared at him, making no move to let go of either of the women he was hugging.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.” Taylor’s voice could have cut glass.
“All good, I assume? Clara, you should have told me you were friends with Taylor. We could have all gone out for dinner.” Jack smirked confidently, not picking up on Taylor’s hostility.
Clara’s jaw nearly dropped open; he was entirely delusional. He had just insulted her and Gloria, threatened to have them removed and was now trying to suck up to Taylor.
“No, nothing good,” Taylor said coldly. His arm squeezing a little tighter around Clara’s waist.
“Oh?” Jack began to sound a little unsure.
“Clara’s told me all about you. How you lied, stole, cheated and beat her. Then, you somehow connived your way into a wealthy family. Was that a good summary, sweetheart?” Taylor leaned down and kissed her cheek.
Clara was frozen for a second by the intimate gesture but didn’t want Jack to know, so she somehow kept her voice even. “Yes, that sounds about right.”
“Wow. Just wow, Clara. I never thought you would get so upset over our breakup that you would tell such awful untruths about me. You’re more unstable than I thought you were. Taylor, I can’t imagine what sort of lies she’s told you to make someone like you interested in someone like her. While we were together, she was prone to lying. It was one of the reasons I ended the relationship.” Jack folded his arms smugly, a glint in his eyes that Clara knew so well.
A red mist of anger veiled her vision, but before she could answer, Taylor did.
“She showed me the scars you left.” He reached down and took hold of Clara’s hand, running his thumb over the knot of scar tissue on her palm. “She’s told me everything I need to know about you, and I would never believe a piece of shit like you over this woman.”
Clara had held her palm up to the screen during one of their hours-long chats, explaining to Taylor how Jack had trodden on her hand and forced glass into it. But the scar didn’t matter, Jack didn’t matter. She just didn’t want Taylor to stop rubbing his thumb over her palm.
“Lies,” Jack sputtered, although he took a step away from Taylor, who glowered at him.
“Jack. I never want to see you again. Not at movie premieres, not at studio events, and not at Hollywood parties.” Taylor’s voice was steel.
“You can’t do that. Money talks in this town,” Jack blustered.
“And rumours shout. I will make sure your name is dragged through the mud and that everyone knows you’re a coward and enjoy beating women. I’m sure you recall how your father-in-law made his money. If he ever gets an inkling that you might hurt his little girl, you know what he’ll do to you,” Taylor threatened.
Jack visibly paled, and Clara glanced up at Taylor. She hadn’t read anything about Jack’s new wife; it had been too painful. All she knew was that her father was Russian, and it appeared he was not to be trifled with.
“I… I…,” Jack stuttered and stepped away from them.
“Oh, and one more thing. The money you owe Clara. How much was it, darling?” Taylor asked.
“Oh, um.” She hesitated, thrown by the question, but she quickly realised what Taylor was trying to do for her. She blinked back the tears that sprung into her eyes at the thought of having Taylor looking out for her before she answered, “I’d have to double-check the total and calculate the interest I’ve had to pay. It’s somewhere north of two hundred and fifty thousand.”
Clara stared at Jack’s face. He had always lacked a poker face, which had been useful as she had been able to read the rage in his expression and try to mollify him when they were together.
Jack’s cheeks drained of colour before anger flushed them, and his jaw clenched, but he didn’t say anything.
“My lawyer will send you the figure at the start of business tomorrow and make arrangements for you to repay Clara. I’m sure it won’t be a problem with your current financial situation. It’s so easy to miss the hundreds of thousands when you marry a woman worth hundreds of millions. I’m sure your wife won’t mind you settling the debt you overlooked,” Taylor said firmly.
Jack opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally saying, “Indeed.”
Taylor dropped his arm from around his mum, keeping a firm grip on Clara, and held his hand out to Jack.
Jack stared at it mistrustfully until he leaned forward and took it, shaking it once before he dropped it.
“Excellent. I assume you have a business card? My lawyer will be in touch.” Taylor held his hand out.
Jack mumbled, “Yes.” And pulled an elaborately embossed card out of his pocket.
Clara snorted when she read, ‘Doctor Jack Jones. Entrepreneur, Artist and Medical Doctor’—it was so awfully cheesy.
“Thank you,” Taylor said, taking the card and tucking it in his suit pocket. “Shall we?” he addressed the two women standing close to him.
“Not quite yet. I have a few more things to say to Jack. Gloria, do you mind giving me a little privacy? I’m going to do a bit of swearing, and I’d rather you didn’t have to hear it.” Clara glowered at the man in front of her as she straightened her thoughts out.
She had one opportunity, and then she hoped to never interact with him again.
“Of course. Although I do love a bit of swearing, I quite understand. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” Gloria leaned over her son to hug Clara and kiss her cheek, and then she strolled away, ‘accidentally’ elbowing Jack as she passed. She threw a quick “Sorry” over her shoulder to him before she sauntered off.
“What about him? Shouldn’t he leave as well? This is between us,” Jack spat through his teeth.
Clara smiled sweetly, replying, “No, you shithead, he can stay.” Her grin broadened as she swore. It felt so good to call Jack names when she had never dared to before to avoid his punishment.
Taylor’s other arm snaked around her, and she was supported by his strong warmth. He didn’t say anything. He had said all he needed to; it was her turn now.
“Fine,” Jack muttered.
“I spent a long time hating you. Hating you for every bruise and scar you left on my body and every bruise you left on my heart. Hating you for trying to ruin my career. Hating you for the selfishness you showed to the person you supposedly loved. Hating you for the debt you managed to run up in my name and leave behind when you decided to walk away from me. Hating you for the pampered life you managed to wheedle your way into while I worked myself to the bone to repay money that you had spent.”
Clara stared at Jack’s face, picking out the freckles scattered over his nose, which she had once traced as they lay in bed together. She examined his dark brown eyes, which she used to think were warm but now could see were calculating, always looking out for a way to better himself.
“Clara, I—“ Jack tried to say.
Clara interrupted him. “You don’t get to talk now, shithead. You spoke enough during our relationship when you screamed at me about me not being good enough or about the perceived infraction I’d just committed. And you know what I see now? Every single time you yelled at me, you were yelling at yourself. You screamed at me each time you failed your exams when the only person who could do anything about it was you, and you were too much of a failure to see where you were going wrong and too arrogant to help yourself so you could pass.
“No one took anything away from you, however many times you yelled it. You stole it all from yourself. You are a total and utter shit. You’re not someone I want to waste one more minute thinking about after today. So Jack, the man I once thought would be the great love of my life. I forgive you for not being good enough for me.”
Jack couldn’t control himself and sputtered, “You, forgive me?” Disbelief dripped in his voice. “You arrogant bitch.”
“Jack, you can call me all the names in the world. You’ve used them all before on me. I don’t care. I forgive you for your failures, and I’m never going to allow the memory of you to cloud another of my days.” Clara glanced up when Taylor’s arms tightened, and she could see his jaw ticking in anger.
“We both know you wouldn’t be so mouthy without the himbo standing behind you,” Jack growled, his fists clenching and unclenching at his side.
“Of course I wouldn’t because we both know how keen you are on using your fists on people who are physically weaker than you. We both know that if we had been alone, you would have slapped me, punched me, pushed me. Given me what I deserve for talking back to you,” Clara volleyed back.
“Bitch,” Jack spat.
“Just leave Jack. Enjoy your life, and treat your wife well. And never forget that you get to have all that because of my forgiveness.” Clara smiled at Jack, examining his face and realising she had never known him at all, only the mask he allowed others to see.
“Bitch,” he repeated.
“Feel free to call me what you want, but remember, I have everything documented. Every cut, every bruise. Every trip to the hospital. You get to have your shiny new life because I am choosing to forgive you. Don’t mistake my forgiveness for weakness. If I hear that you’ve mistreated your wife in any way, I will make sure all the documentation finds its way to Natalia’s father. So, use this as an opportunity to live better. To learn from your mistakes and grow.” Before Jack could call her a bitch again, she turned her head up to Taylor and lifted one of her hands to touch his jaw. “I’ve said enough. I’m ready to go.”
Taylor grabbed hold of her hand and kissed the palm, which sent electric tingles up her arm. Then, he threaded their fingers together and said, “Okay.” He gently tugged her away from Jack, who stood open-mouthed, staring after them. Throwing back over his shoulder. “You may want to call your car to collect you, and don’t forget you’ll hear from my lawyer tomorrow to arrange payment.”
As they left the cinema, they passed the woman Clara had seen earlier and had not been able to place. Now she knew who it was—it was Natalia, Jack’s wife.