LOGIN~ JACKSON ~I did not think she would come.I had called her with urgency in my voice, knowing Lisa, I thought she wouldn't answer.But she has and not just that, she had even said yes to come. That had scared me because I thought she would block my number but again, she gave another surprise and showed up an hour later.I should have felt relief but what I felt instead was guilt. Deep seated guilt that made my chest tightened in pain.What I was about to ask her to do was not good. It was manipulation and using someone to solve my own problem. Unfortunately, I was trapped and there was no other way out. And there’s no one that I trusted as much as her right now. My mother had been suffocating me for weeks. If it's not ‘Charlotte is coming to dinner’, it's ‘Charlotte is coming to the gala’. I am tired! I almost want to pull my hair out. Damien and Roman had been laughing at me instead of providing me a solution. I don't know how to get rid of Charlotte. She is always there, always
~ LISA ~I left the restaurant without telling him. While he was still drunk and distracted, I got up from the table and walked straight to the exit in the disguise of a restroom. I did not look back or wait for him to notice. I just ran for my life. I will not ruin an opportunity like this for me! The server was still watching from across the restaurant and the director with the others were laughing. No one was paying attention to me. My mind ate at me worrying that I was leaving a drunk man with a starved woman but I am no keeper of any man.Plus, I do not have any good intentions towards him either so I wasn't any good either. I got into a taxi and gave the driver my address. My hands were shaking and I could not stop it. It was just the urge to kiss. It's nothing and I am human, simply because I am seeking revenge does not mean I can't find a man handsome by having the urge to kiss him.It's normal, it just proved I am human. I repeated that to myself the entire ride home.Th
~ JACKSON ~Fuck! She really blocked my number! For two days, I kept trying to call her, and text her but she had ignored every single attempt of call. Unable to bear it, I had shown up at Moreau fashion house but she had refused to see me. I kept standing there until Eva had told me Lisa was busy and could not be disturbed.That was a lie because I knew the truth. She was avoiding me, which meant to me that she felt something and I was getting through.On the third day, I decided to take a different approach.The first interviews for my film were going to air that night. My publicist had organized a small celebration at a Korean restaurant in Manhattan. It was just a few people. The director, the producer and a couple of cast members.I also made sure to invite Lisa but Eva became a blockage as she called me that morning."Jackson, she said she cannot make it," Eva said, nonchalantly. "Then tell her it is mandatory," I replied. "Tell her it is part of her job and whatever you nee
~ LISA ~The first styling session went smooth to my greatest surprise.Jackson had been professional, and charming. He tried to make conversations, when I shut them down, he switched to asking intelligent questions about the direction of his image. And he didn't try to touch me or flirt overtly. He had simply been... perfect.Which made it harder.Again, I praised the flow too early because the second session became different.I arrived at his hotel at noon to find him already dressed and ready. But he was not alone. Standing beside him was a woman in her mid-forties with sharp features and beautiful cold eyes. She was wearing Leslie designer clothes. The way she was looking at me proved she didn't approve of me. But Jackson didn't notice. "Lisa, this is Cathy," Jackson introduced with a smile. "She is my manager. Cathy, this is Lisa from the Moreau fashion house. She will be handling my styling for the press tour."Cathy's eyes traveled up and down my body in a way that made my
~ JACKSON ~I had been back in New York for three days before I saw her again.I did three days of interviews and being photographed while at the same time pretending to care about my new film when all I could think about was the woman who had ignored me at the hospital and even at Roman’s engagement party. Her sweet name replayed in my head. Lisa. I did not know her last name. I only knew that she had the most beautiful eyes that I had ever seen and she had absolutely no interest in me.Which made her the most interesting person I had ever met in years.I was in my suite at the Plaza when I pulled up Eva's number. Since my agency wants me to go on a press tour, the only person that can handle my wardrobe is her fashion house. I dialed her number. "Jackson," Eva answered on the second ring. She sounded surprised. "You hardly call. What can I do for you?""Eva, hi," I greeted. I kept my voice casual. "It's not much, I just need a favor.""What kind of favor?” she asked with a little
~ LISA ~I stayed at work the next day until eight o'clock that night.Not because I had to, but because going home meant facing the thoughts I had been running from all day.Eva and Marty had left hours ago, including the other employees. The office was empty except for me and the cleaning staff who pretended I did not exist.I sat at my desk and stared at my computer screen. Jackson's face was still there. All perfect and untouched by the evil of what his family had done.I scrolled through article after article about him. Behind-the-scenes footage from his films. In every single image, he was smiling. My phone rang at seven thirty, it was my brother Mark. I almost didn't answer since I knew why he was calling but if I didn't answer, he would keep calling."What?” I said in a cold voice when I picked up."Lisa, where are you?” he demanded. His voice was tight with frustration. "You said you were going to call us today and explain what was going on.""I am at work," I said flatly."
~ DAMIEN'S POV ~The hotel was quiet, just the way I wanted.I had cleared it earlier that morning before leaving because I had planned to surprise Eva.Give her the news of Alexandre being dealt with, and her winning the competition, then support it with the Linden contract. But Alexandre, I do no
~ EVANGELINE POV ~"Mom, help. Alexandre came into my room again last night. You need to do something."My mother was at her vanity, running a brush through her hair with the unhurried patience of a woman who had decided the conversation was not worth interrupting her routine for."Eva, darling. Wh
~ Damien's POV ~“Put me down right now, Damien. My ass is literally in the air for everyone to see.”I kept walking down the hotel corridor, her body draped over my shoulder. “It wasn’t like you cared back at the club.”She wriggled and made a protesting sound. The thin dress rode higher on her th
~ EVANGELINE'S POV ~The drive back from the party was quiet.Marty sat beside me in the car and said nothing the entire way, which was how I knew how bad it was. Marty always had something to say. Silence from him was not peace; it just meant he was deeply pained over the actions of Roman tonight







