Chapter 22
The scandal between Starz’s actresses and its co-owner had already been replaced by more interesting headlines. However, Emily gained a huge number of new followers.
Her social media accounts grew by three million, totaling to over forty million. Fans began pushing for her to be cast in a new movie adapted from a book, saying she fit the role perfectly.
Jake had no choice than to accept the deal when it came to fruition. If he’d declined, the public would have thrown a fit. The charity invitation switch was still hanging over the agency’s head. So, he reluctantly let her sign the contract.
It was official: Emily Pinault was making a comeback.
“Congratulations on your new film.” Nicolas’s voice came through her phone’s speakers.
She shivered at how its timbre wrapped around her. “To be praised by Mr. Re himself, to what do I owe the honor?”
She heard the rustle of fabric. He’d shrugged off his jacket. It was followed by the creak of leather as he settled into his chair. He was in his office, probably overlooking skyscrapers from the view.
“Now who’s flattering whom, Mrs. Re?”
Her cheeks set on fire, not just because he’d brought up their past conversation in which he’d been a flirt on the balcony, but mostly because he’d used her married name.
Nicolas had gone silent too.
A Freudian slip?
Please say something. Anything. This is getting too unbearable.
David had called her that plenty of times, but hearing it from Nicolas himself felt different. It was intense, almost a solidification of who she was in his life now.
Mrs. Re.
She was still trying to get over their almost-kiss when they’d shared a bed. He hadn’t said anything about it, so she thought it best to do the same, but it was very difficult in moments like this.
“Hello? Emily? Are you still there? Don’t tell me you’re doing dirty things to the sound of my voice.”
“No, I’m not!”
“Mhm…” he hummed in skepticism.
“I’ll be hanging up now, Nicolas.”
His deep chuckle came. “Don’t be late for dinner. I’ll be making your favorite.”
I hate the way I like how that sounds too. So domestic.
“How could you possibly know what my favorite is?” she challenged.
“I have my ways of finding things out about you, Emily. Just like you do with me.”
She hung up the phone with her face turning scarlet. He knew about the background check she’d run on him. Of course he did. “The things this man says.”
“The things who says?”
She jumped at the voice of the person behind her.
The office door was left wide open, showing evidence of her manager’s entrance. She held a bouquet of flowers in her hands.
“Nicolas,” Emily replied.
She’d told her manager about Nicolas after the charity gala event. It was practically a no-brainer. If Talia was going to be her right-hand woman in this revenge mission, she had to know. She was already hiding the truth from so many people.
Zariah was one thing—different state, different pressure. But Talia? She saw her almost every day. Keeping this secret was next to impossible.
Her reaction had been priceless, screaming that Jake would be rolling in agony once he found out.
When she asked her why she wasn’t upset about her secretly getting married again (successfully this time), Talia just said, “Sweetheart, the first time taught me my lesson. It also aged me ten years. I’m trying not to have an early death. ”
Talia’s eyes now narrowed suspiciously. “What were you two up to? Dirty talk?”
A fit of coughs came. “W-What’s up with everyone and the word ‘dirty’ today?”
“Aha! So something dirty was going on.”
Emily wrung her hands. “No, I told you, this is all business. Plus, I’m still troubled by what Jake has done. Do you honestly think I’d fall in love again that quickly?”
Talia’s eyes locked onto hers, holding Emily in place for a beat. Then she let go. “That’s true. If you moved on that fast, it’d be so unlike you.”
“Exact—”
“Then again, you’ve been doing a lot of things your usual self wouldn’t.”
She froze.
Revenge. Lies. Manipulation.
Talia tsked. “It’s a shame, really. I actually think the two of you would make a great pair.”
She felt her face heating up. “What makes you say that?”
“Other than the fact that you are who you are,” Talia approached her slowly. “Nicolas is also who he is. Business mogul. The hottest piece of ass to ever walk New York’s dirty streets. Royal Media’s CEO.”
“And...”
“And he’s the only man I’ve seen you interested in other than Jake Gyllenhaal—”
“I was not into Jake Gyllenhaal—”
“Oh, you so were,” she insisted. “You had a crush on him after Love & Other Drugs. And let’s be honest, Gyllenhaal is the better Jake.”
She rolled her eyes.
“All I’m saying is I’d be down for the two of you actually falling in love.”
Silence.
“Just something to keep in mind.” Talia handed the bouquet over. “You have a delivery, by the way.”
Emily smiled. “Someone sent me flowers?”
“They sure did,” she confirmed. “I had security check them. Nothing out of the norm.”
Her first thought of who the sender may be was Nicolas, but he’d just congratulated her over the phone, so she considered Chelsea or Zariah.
When she opened the card attached to the bouquet of white lilies, her smile vanished.
Her fingers tightened around the paper. The handwriting was jagged. The words made her stiffen, a chill crawling up her spine.
Welcome back, Golden Girl. I’ve missed you.