My ex–boyfriend is a big star
Chapter 1
564
So, picture this: I’m on this reality show, right?
A total last–ditch effort to revive my career, which, let’s just say, has been taking a nap for the last three years.
And, of course, the producers decide to throw
in a twist not in the script. For “good TV,” they
want each of us to call the first person in our
phone contacts and ask to borrow ten grand.
And we can’t tell them it’s for a TV show.
Now, I’m usually pretty chill, but when my phone
was practically shoved into my hand, I felt my
blood run cold.
Because the first contact in my phone? It’s my
ex, Jake freaking Evans!
I know, I know, total rookie move. We broke up
what feels like a lifetime ago, and I never
deleted his contact.
I shot a panicked look at my manager, Sarah,
hoping she’d intervene, but she just gave me
this cheery thumbs–up. Trapped.
The previous contestant managed to sweet–talk
their way into borrowing the money, so now it
was my turn to face the music.
The show’s screen projected my phone screen
for everyone to see, which blurred the number
but not the contact name.
To my credit, I hadn’t used Jake’s actual name,
choosing instead the nickname I’d given him:
“Jakey Bear.” As long as he didn’t pick up, I
was golden!
My hand was shaking so bad I could barely
<
swipe.
I was mentally begging every deity I could think.
of to let him have blocked my number or gotten
a new phone.
Apparently, the cosmos wasn’t on my side.
The phone rang twice, then he answered.
My heart did a little skip–a–beat routine.
“Hello?” Jake’s voice, still a little rough around
the edges like he’d just woken up, echoed
through the studio.
My brain short–circuited.
The host, naturally, was loving every second of
this train wreck, mouthing to the camera, “It’s a
guy!”
“Olivia?” Jake sounded like he was pulling
<
7:56
himself out of a fog. “What’s up?”
I froze, completely speechless.
“Hellooo?” He was getting impatient, and then he softened a bit. “What’s going on?”
I just stared, pleading with Sarah, but she just shrugged with this “What were you thinking?”
look on her face.
“Miss me?” Jake asked, his voice taking on this
playful edge.
The audience made this little “ooh!” sound.
I knew I had to stop him before he said
something even more revealing. Swallowing
hard, I squeaked out, “Hey, um, could you
maybe…lend me ten thousand dollars?”
Dead silence on the other end. Three, agonizing.
seconds of it.
<
7:56
“You’re calling me…to borrow money?” There was disbelief dripping from his words.
I glanced at the crowd and felt like crying. “I’d
pay you back, I promise! I’m kinda…it’s a…uh…”
Beep. Beep. Beep.
He hung up. Just like that.
The studio atmosphere went from excited to awkward in a heartbeat. Everyone was silent,
avoiding eye contact.
My eyes started to well up. It was humiliating,
but I also kinda deserved it. The way I ended
things with Jake all those years ago? It was a
low blow. The fact that he’d even answered my
call was probably more than I deserved.
The host, sensing the bomb of the scene,
quickly changed the subject and moved on to
the next contestant. As I went to turn off the
7:56
A
projection from my phone, a notification
popped up on my screen.
“Jake Evans sent you $100,000.00…‘
My jaw dropped.
My dumb ass just had to tap on it.
And then, everyone in the studio saw the
freakin‘ transfer.
The room erupted.
564
A hundred grand! He just wired me a hundred grand! I was so stunned I couldn’t even think
straight.
Even the host forgot to be professional. “Is
this…the Jake Evans?”
Panic set in. I immediately launched into denial
mode.
<
Jake Evans was a freaking superstar, a
household name. If the world found out we used
to date, my career would die a gruesome death.
Sarah must have talked to the director because
the host suddenly snapped out of it and
smoothly segued to the next contestant.
As soon as filming wrapped, I practically
collapsed.
Sarah bundled me into a waiting car and
started chewing me out the second we were
moving. “Olivia, what the hell were you
thinking? You don’t keep in contact with an ex,
especially after he gets famous!”
After five solid minutes of being ripped apart, I
looked at her with the most pathetic face I
could muster. “Sarah, am I totally screwed
now?”
>
7:56
564
She threw her hands up in the air, frustration
and exasperation clear on her face. “Olivia, I
swear, I’m being punished for something I did in
a past life.”
She pulled out her phone and started damage
control. She told the PR team to be ready for
anything and to quash any rumors connecting
me to Jake the second they surfaced.
But even with all the precautions, the news still
broke.
Before I even got home, it was trending.
Breaking: Washed–Up Nobody Olivia Reed
Dated Superstar Jake Evans
Hot: Jake Evans and Olivia Reed Getting Back
Together?
OMG: Is Jake Evans Still in Love with Olivia
Reed?
My social media blew up. Jake’s fans
<
My social media blew up. Jake’s fans
descended like a swarm of angry bees, leaving
nasty comments about me trying to ride his
coattails.
I just stared at the screen, numb.
Sarah sighed and took my phone. “Don’t read
that garbage, Olivia. I’m sure we can fix this.”
I forced a smile. “It’s okay, Sarah. Give me my
phone. I’m going to return the money to Jake.”
Compared to what happened back then, these
comments weren’t even bad.
I took the phone back and initiated the transfer.
Then, I blocked and deleted Jake’s contact.
Sarah was right. I should’ve erased him from
my world a long time ago.
<
