LOGIN~ 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."
THIRD STORY: MY ENEMY, MY LOVER ~ LISA ~I was organizing material swatches at the company when Emma, my friend and work colleague burst into the back room."Lisa, you need to see this," she said, holding her phone up to my face in excitement. On the screen was a man I had not seen in ten years but would recognize anywhere.Jackson Hill. My hands instantly went numb."Why are you showing me?" I managed to say."C’mon now! Don't be so cold-blooded. We are talking about Jackson Hill here. He is back in New York," Emma said excitedly. She reads from the article on her phone. "Jackson Hill was filming in London but he is doing a press tour here for his new movie. Y’all should get ready for the handsomeness typhoon.” She paused and then screamed a little too high that I had to cover my ears. “Can you believe it? I heard he used to go to some of the fashion parties before he got famous."I could not speak. I was only trying to breathe as I stared at his face on that screen.He looked m
~ EVANGELINE’S POV ~Blaire had been acting strange since she arrived.She kept glancing toward the building entrance every few minutes while pretending to sort through the files she had brought for Damien, and twice she started a sentence and stopped herself before finishing it.I noticed but said
~ EVANGELINE POV ~I picked up the folder, and it was heavier than it looked.I opened it and read the header, then read it again because the first reading didn't fully sink in.The Linden contract.I knew this contract. Everyone in the European fashion world knows about this contract. It was the
~ 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 ~The alarm rang before sunrise and I turned it off quickly. Victoria hated when I was late.I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. The guest bedroom was freezing, as always, and I have been stuck here for the past two years of my marriage with Jason because he never let me sleep i







