All Chapters of The Ex-Wife's Deal with the Devil: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

That night, I spent hours tossing and turning on my bed wondering what was going on in Anne’s pretty little head to secretly inform the kitchen staff about my allergy.Why would she do that?She’s my ex-husband’s mistress, or more accurately, a one-night fling. She lost her partnership with a cosmetics brand and Jessica claims it was my fault. If that were true, Anne had every reason to despise me and wish that I had never woken up from the hospital.But why did her kindness from yesterday feel so real?Whatever. I don’t want to think about that now. I need to focus on work.Light slid through the sheer curtains, illuminating dust floating in the air. It’s already morning and I only had a few hours of sleep. I would have slept some more if not for the noise outside the door.Footsteps, laughter, the sound of a coffee machine whirring loudly. The distant sound of the crew moving downstairs, ready to begin another day of filming.I glanced across the room to find Eva’s bed empty, neatly

~Arlo Frantz~“She disappeared, sir.”Those words rang in my ear, landing like a grenade and fully disorienting me.It took a full minute before I managed to speak.“What do you mean?” I asked, glancing at Pierce, who rushed into my office after getting a call. My voice was calm, but everyone in the room stiffened in fear.“They lost sight of her,” Pierce said carefully. “She was pushed off a cliff by one of the staff, they haven’t seen her since.”I felt my heart drop to my stomach. Then the room detonated with my anger.My desk cracked after forcefully slamming it with my fist. I scanned the room, slowly looking at each of my men’s faces at the sides, wondering if I was surrounded by idiots incapable of doing a simple task.“Calm down, Arlo.” Kate spoke from behind me. She sounded cautious but firm. “Kerri is smart, I know she’ll be fine—““Don’t tell me to calm down,” I growled, sharply cutting her off.Kate exhaled slowly and stepped back.I need to think.Every second is crucial.

I knew I was dreaming when I found myself back in that forest. Everything blurred in streaks of gold sunlight, passing through tree leaves and softening the scenery.This feels odd when the forest I remember falling into was dark and clammy, not dreamy and golden like that.The air smelled of fresh leaves and pine, and the leaves rustled softly overhead.I stared down at myself to see my legs shorter, my body smaller. I was younger in this dream.My gaze shifted to my hand to see that someone had been holding on to it.“Keep up,” a voice of a boy sounded out. He was gentle, guiding me through the tall trees, looking for the exit.I followed the voice and saw him. His face was blurred, I couldn’t remember him, but he felt like a distant memory.A memory of adventure. A certainty that nothing bad will happen to me as long as I’m with him.The dream shattered when the sound of gates opened and echoed. The car slowed and the mansion, my home, came into view.Suddenly, I was no longer i

I covered my eyes with sunglasses, dimming the entire street from the bright midday sunlight.My hat casts a shadow over my face, and my clothes for today were ordinary. Nothing too expensive, no brands, no glitter. Just something a celebrity would choose to wear if they want to walk downtown without getting stopped by fans wanting autographs.I caught a glimpse of my reflection from a store window as I breezed past it. I look like a woman out to get groceries, not someone whose face was plastered everywhere — on billboards, bus ads, social media.Everything feels surreal.The city breathed loudly around me, bustling cars on the roads, vendors at the side, pedestrians walking on the sidewalk in a hurry.I allowed myself to enjoy my time out here. Walking slowly, and gazing at the world with no worries… because I know I’m being followed.Not by stalkers, but by guards.Even if I can’t see them, I know they are there. It’s the only way Arlo would ever approve of me going out on my own.

Working in the showbiz world for six whole years of my life, eventually I came to know how to easily spot the arrogant celebrities from the rest. It was a survival instinct I developed over time, because I would know who to avoid and save myself the trouble of getting tangled in their mess.And as I look over Lucien Frantz standing in front of me, I know he is someone I should avoid.He towered over me, swaying side to side, though I could not smell alcohol on him, so assuming he's drunk is out of the picture. This is how Lucien really is, flamboyant and theatrical with every move. “You’re Kerri Coleman, right?” He grinned.“It’s Kerri Frantz,” I corrected immediately.Coleman is Liam’s real last name, and it gives me shivers hearing that again.“Are you though?” He moved past me like a shadow, but I didn’t let my gaze leave him.“What do you mean by that?”I turned around and kept facing him wherever he went, in circles. My line of sight of him only breaks when we both walk past ta