Chapter 23
The movie Emily was cast for, Don’t Break My Spirit, had begun pre-production shoots and now they were in the middle of script reading.
“What if I say I won’t die? How can you know when I’ll die? What if I refuse to die, then what?” Emily’s character, Jessie, asked. She’d endured a lot of obstacles in her life, but this was the worst of them all. Now the doctors were telling her she was dying.
All that consumed Emily’s mind was blotches of black and white. The ink tore through the pages she’d memorized. The lines seeped into her bloodstream like oxygen.
“No!” she gasped, her voice cracking. “I don’t believe you. I can’t. I’ve spent my entire life working my ass off and now you’re telling me—” She swallowed, a tear finally rolling down the side of her face.
The conference room fell silent.
The monochrome colors inside her were flooded out as she let the tears flow freely.
“You’re telling me that I won’t live to see my thirties? Forties? That I won’t have kids? Won’t see my parents retire?” Her lips trembled.
Fist slamming against the desk, she hissed, “I. Don’t. Believe. You.”
Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
Emily’s expression returned to normal.
Her head turned to see everyone staring at her with eyes blown. “What? Did I miss a cue?”
“No, you were perfect!” the director, Aaron Tsang, exclaimed. The rest of the cast and staff began to clap, still looking dazed. “So good! I—oh my God. Let’s take a break, then we’ll regroup in ten minutes. I think I’m having a stroke from that masterpiece of a performance.”
A masterpiece? That she wasn’t sure of, but Emily had tried her best.
She walked past everyone giving her astonished looks, before heading outside the hallway for a refreshment. Talia had set up a small area designated for her in a small kitchenette.
“E! I wouldn’t drink that if I were you,” a familiar voice said. “At least, not if you want to end up in the emergency room.”
She drew her hands back from the cup of tea and turned to see Valentina, who happened to be playing her best friend in the movie. Emily had been more than relieved to have someone she was close to around.
“Why? Is there something wrong?”
Valentina leaned forward. “I’m pretty sure I saw Adrianna pour something in that drink when Talia stepped away for a phone call.”
Adrianna Black played a supporting role.
Emily’s mouth fell open. “You’re kidding.”
She slung an arm over her shoulder. “Wish I was.”
“Is she always such a—”
“Crazy bitch?” Valentina finished bluntly.
“Yeah.” Emily found humor in what she’d said, but she was also reeling from the fact that Adrianna allegedly tried to poison her.
Heavy on the allegedly.
“As they say in Spain, la mona aunque se vista de seda, mona se queda.”
Spanish had never sounded more lovely coming from someone like her.
It helped that Valentina was undoubtedly stunning with warm, sun-kissed skin, doe eyes and brown curls.
Even if Emily had understood the language, she doubted it would have resonated with her—she was too distracted by the woman’s looks.
“Although a monkey dresses in silk, it stays a monkey,” Valentina translated, probably seeing the lost expression on her face.
“It’s quite similar to the English phrase, ‘You can’t put lipstick on a pig.’ You know, to make it prettier.”
This time, a surge of laughter came from Emily, but she sobered up quickly. “Well, thanks, Val. What would I do without you?”
“Have chronic diarrhea maybe?” she asked, making Emily’s nose scrunch up. Valentina flicked her nose. “And I can’t help but say it again, but I’m so happy to work on your comeback movie with you. I don’t understand why you stopped acting for so long when you’re this amazing. I sure wouldn’t have.”
Her smile faltered for a second. “It’s complicated.”
“Baby, life’s complicated.”
Emily sighed, then she ran a hand through her hair in thought. “I don’t understand what Adrianna has against me though.”
Valentina shook her head. “It’s nothing personal. This is my third time working with her. She’s always eyeing the leads’ positions. Making them sick during script reading is her go-to move. She wants them to look incompetent.”
“I guess I’ll have to keep an eye on her.”
“Wouldn’t advise otherwise.”
After several grueling weeks, filming for the movie had begun. Emily was having so much fun, getting her spark back. Her role of Jessie was inspiring and her cast mates had great chemistry.
“I think this movie is gonna win an Oscar.”
Valentina’s comment got Emily’s attention as they walked back to the private area on set. “You think so?”
She nodded. “All the staff keep talking about it and even I thought about it too, but I was scared to jinx it. Now I honestly think it’s a given. It’s a really great production.”
Emily nodded and reached for her bag on the holding rack when a sharp pop split the air, followed by a heavy splash that smacked against her skin.
The sound was like a balloon bursting.
Instinct screwed her eyes shut, body rigid as liquid streamed down to her feet.
“Oh my god!” Valentina’s voice rang out.
Footsteps scrambled toward them. The substance stung where it hit her. Thankfully, a cloth pressed against her, frantically wiping at her face and hair. She opened her eyes to see Valentina’s face, the lines of it creasing with concern.
“Are you okay?”
Red. The liquid was red.
It streamed onto her shoes, staining her dress. Gasps rippled through the staff while Director Tsang shouted in anger. Everything was out of focus, except Valentina’s hands which were desperately scrubbing away at her.
Emily’s fingers trembled, her breathing becoming uneven. A pair of hands closed around them.
“Hey, look at me.” Her eyes snapped up to meet Valentina’s soft ones. “You’re good. You’re okay, E. Just breathe.”
Valentina pulled her aside, snatching a water bottle from a staff member. She poured, wiped, and poured again. Emily’s chest heaved, her breath shallow.
“Breathe. Just breathe,” she reminded her.
Emily tried to focus on the breathing techniques her therapist taught her, but they weren’t working.
The set had dissolved into shouts and shuffles.
With each passing minute, she felt like she was submerging underwater.
It was only when someone muttered about a timed device that she resurfaced, her hearing clearing.
“E.” Her head jerked up. Valentina’s palms covered her shoulders. “They’re clean.”
Her focus narrowed onto her hands, now clean, and no longer shaking.
“You’re okay. We’ll find whoever did this. They’ll be held accountable. And if it’s Adrianna, I swear to god, I’ll personally make her pay.”
She couldn’t form words.
Why would Adrianna go this far? Messing with her drink and now leaving a timed paint bomb inside her bag.
Valentina studied her. “Do you want me to take you home?”
Emily managed a nod.
She brushed a strand of hair behind Emily’s ear, her voice reassuring. “Okay. I’ll get Talia then we can go.”