Chapter 7
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Leaving the coffee shop, Sophia got right into
her SUV and left.
As I watched the SUV merge into traffic, my vision went black, and I fainted.
I woke up in the hospital.
Sarah and Claire were sitting by my bed.
“What happened? How did you pass out?” Sarah asked, relieved to see me awake.
Claire also looked relieved.
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She must have been scared. Her eyes were red from crying.
I sat up, pausing, then said to Claire, “Could
you give us a minute? I need to talk to Sarah.”
After Claire left, I burst into tears.
Sarah didn’t ask any questions. She just hugged me and let me cry.
When I finally calmed down, she asked, “Claire told me something about what happened. Does
it have to do with Jake?”
Sarah knew some of what happened years ago,
but not the details. She knew my dad had been
sick, that I’d broken up with Jake, and that I’d
gone into a slump.
Being in the business for so long, she had a
good instinct and knew something was up.
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“Sarah, I was almost assaulted. They took videos and pictures. It was someone who was obsessed with Jake. They sent the tapes to my dad. He almost died.” I hugged my knees,
wanting to forget everything.
Sarah went silent, shocked.
Finally, she found her voice. “That Sophia Baker did this?”
I nodded. “Yes. She used it to blackmail me, to make me break up with Jake. I didn’t know who she was back then. She just told me about it
today.”
I looked at Sarah. “She said she still has the
tapes and that she’ll send them to the press. I can’t take that risk. I’m sorry…”
I was letting Sarah down.
Sarah cursed. She’s still fuming and hates to
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“I’m going to find Jake!” Sarah spat. “What kind
of monster has this power to hurt people so
much?”
“Sarah!” I pleaded. “Don’t do it. He’s come so far…”
I’d been with Jake since college. I’d seen how hard he’d worked to get where he was.
Sophia could easily destroy me and Jake.
If I fought her, my parents, Jake, and even
Sarah would be hurt.
Sarah looked at me, anger flashing in her eyes.
She understood.
She asked me what I was going to do.
I told her my plan and apologized again.
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She said it was okay, that after this show wrapped, I should go home and get some rest.
Sarah took me back to her place for the night
to recover.
For the next few days, I avoided Jake and didn’t
stay at the hotel.
Sarah picked me up and dropped me off.
Soon it was the last day of filming, the scenes
before the finale.
We’d already filmed Jake’s character embracing
the darkness. The second female lead marries
his enemies, he wins for the moment, but the
revenge he won does not bring the satisfaction
he wanted. Then my character and I had taken
control of our families.
Today, we’d be filming me and Jake standing
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on the city wall watching the female relatives being exiled. Jake would say, “Good thing we’re allies. Otherwise, someone as ruthless as you would’ve taken me down.” I’d smile coldly and fold my hands behind my back.
After my scenes were done, the director wanted
to throw a small wrap party.
I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to be around
Jake. But the director insisted, and Sarah said
that if I wanted to keep working, I needed to
network.
During the party, the director gave me a pep
talk. We talked and drank.
Jake sat in the corner, silent.
He accepted every drink offered to him.
When the party ended, the director was taken. home. After saying goodbye to everyone, I
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stood outside, waiting for Sarah.
She was running late.
Dean, the actor who played the second male
lead, saw me standing alone and came over.
He just wanted to say goodbye and keep in
touch. I chatted politely.
He paused, looking embarrassed, and asked if
he could ask me for acting advice in the future.
He said my acting was great, that he looked up
to me.
I smiled. Dean reminded me of Jake back in the
day. I was happy to help.
As Dean was about to say something else, Jake
grabbed my waist, his expression dark. He
looked at Dean and said, “She learned from me.
You can just ask me.”
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I was buzzed and slow to react.
- )
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But Dean got the message. He looked at Jake’s hand on my waist and understood.
Blushing, he apologized and ran off.
I broke free of Jake’s grip and stumbled back, leaning against the wall and glaring at him.
“Where’s your assistant?” Jake frowned.
I didn’t answer.
My silence must have annoyed him. He pinned
me against the wall.
I pushed him away harder, but Jake was like a
wall. I couldn’t move him. Finally, desperate, I
bit him.
Jake was a little drunk, too. He flinched and
grabbed my chin nuching me harder against
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grabbed my chin, pushing me harder against
the wall.
“Olivia, what’s wrong with you?” He was
wearing a t–shirt. I’d broken the skin on his
arm.
I glared at him, tears in my eyes.
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Jake used to say I was made of water, that I
was always crying.
I wiped my eyes and said, “You have a fiancée. Stay away from me!”
I tried to push him aside and run, but he
grabbed me, threw me over his shoulder, and carried me off.
He even slapped my butt.
Humiliation washed over me. I kicked, but he
held me tight.
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He carried me to his RV. The way he had me
positioned put pressure on my stomach, and I
started to feel nauseous.
I forced myself to stop struggling.
He put me down. I ran to the bathroom and
puked up everything I’d eaten that night.
Jake stood behind me, holding my hair and
supporting me.
When I was done, he handed me a glass of
water.
I rinsed my mouth, feeling a little better. But I
still wanted out.
I tried to run, but he caught me again.
“Let go of me, Jake!” I yelled, struggling.
Finally, forgetting that his assistant was there, I
blurted out “Are you even a man? What’s your
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problem?!”
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Jake scoffed and picked me up again, carrying
me back into the RV and throwing me on the
bed. He was breathing hard. “You don’t know if
I’m a man?”
My mind was a mess. I tried to bite him again.
He grabbed my chin. “Stop biting people. It’s a
nasty habit.”
As we argued, Jake’s assistant knocked timidly
on the door.
“Um, Jake, there are reporters outside. I think
they got some pictures…”
Hearing that, I struggled harder. Jake pinned
me down.
“Let them get pictures. Get out!” Jake snapped.
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worked for him, but tonight he was angry.
The assistant sighed.
Jake wasn’t making his money from the
entertainment industry. He could afford the
fallout.
- ))
He might as well go home and get some sleep and prepare a statement in case the pictures got out.
Seeing Jake’s assistant leave, I started to panic.
We were alone, and things were getting heated.
Jake took a few deep breaths, calming himself. “Let’s just talk. Stop trying to run.”
I glared at him. “This isn’t talking.”
Then I softened. “Jake, let me go. Have your
people deal with the reporters. I’ll get Sarah
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ready, too. This can’t get out.”
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I had promised Sophia I’d stay away from Jake.
I couldn’t afford the consequences.
“Why can’t it get out? This isn’t the first time we’ve been caught, Olivia! Thanks to you, now my fans keep sending me boxes of cherry lozenges. They think it’s cute!”
Why couldn’t it get out? How could I tell him?
Holding back tears, I said, “You have a fiancée. She’ll be upset if these pictures come out, even if nothing happened. What if you guys fight…”
“She’s not my fiancée,” Jake interrupted. “Our families have some business together, but
there’s nothing between us. I didn’t deny it to
see what you’d do.”
He looked at me, and gave a sad little smile.
“Olivia, you’re so heartless.”
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Tears welled up.
I knew I was heartless.
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Three years ago, Jake had waited outside my apartment all night, only to hear my cruel
words. He had collapsed, but I hadn’t visited
him in the hospital. I just went home and cut off all contact.
“I told you, don’t cry!” Jake roughly wiped the tears from my face. “Olivia, I can’t help myself when you cry.”
“Before I picked up that phone, I was gonna give you hell. But the phone only rang five
seconds, and I turned into a freaking puppy.”
“I heard you needed money, and I wired it to
you.”
He buried his face in my neck. “Olivia, I’m a
mess when it comes to you. It’s fine. I give up.”
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“I’m so sorry…” Breaking down, I wrapped my
arms around him and cried.
I had nightmares where he was standing
outside, begging me to tell him why I was
breaking up with him, telling me he’d do anything to make me stay.
He was always the one who gave in first.
I loved Jake, but not as much as he loved me.
“Don’t cry. It hurts me.” Jake looked up, his eyes red and glistening.
I stared at him, wanting to tell him everything,
but I didn’t have the courage.
The RV door was knocked on again. It was
Sarah.
“Olivia, it’s me. Are you in there?”
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“Yes! Sarah, I’m here!” This time, Jake didn’t
stop me.
I opened the door. Sarah was standing there.
“Jake, your assistant said you got
photographed,” Sarah said seriously.
“I know,” Jake said, straightening his clothes.
“I’m going to go public with Olivia.”
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Hearing that, I was horrified. I grabbed Sarah’s
hand.
Sarah glanced around, patted my hand, and
said, “Let’s talk inside.”
Getting into the car, Sarah got right to the
point.
“Your fiancée threatened Olivia.”
I stared at Sarah.
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She patted my hand, telling me everything will
be all right, and turned back to Jake with,
“You’re the only one who can make this go
away.”
Sarah said that what Sophia did years ago
could not be justified.
She turned to Jake, and said, “Right, Mr.
Evans?”
Jake stood up, looking anxious. “Did she hurt
you?”
Hurt? How could I say it?
I bit my lip.
“Years ago, she tried to get Olivia assaulted
and took pictures and videos. She sent them to
Olivia’s father, and he almost died.”
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Sarah ignored my protests. “Sophia used that to blackmail Olivia into leaving you. She threatened Olivia again a few days ago, telling her to stay away from you or she’d release the
pictures and hurt her parents.”
Sarah stared at Jake, her face twisting. “Olivia
thought you were a normal person. She didn’t
want to tell you, afraid you’d do something
stupid, afraid of ruining you. So, she kept it to
herself. You were the one who was actually
hurting her. What a joke!”
Sarah looked very upset.
Jake’s face went white.
“You’ve got to go do something about this.
Now. Before your fiancée loses it and hurts
Olivia!” Sarah said and grabbed my hand. “Let’s
- go. I’m taking you home.”
Jake didn’t stop us.
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Sarah took me to her place.
“Take a hot bath, drink your milk, and sleep,”
she said.
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“Sarah, what exactly is Jake?” I asked, holding
my milk, head down.
Sarah sighed. “You know Evans Industries?”
Evans Industries, yes, I’d heard of them, but
never put two and two together.
“Jake is the sole heir.”
Sarah patted my shoulder. “I just found out
tonight. Don’t worry. He’ll take care of Sophia.”
I didn’t sleep well that night.
The next morning, I left Sarah a note and took a
cab home.
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senn
There was someone sitting on my doorstep.
It was Jake.
He heard me and looked up, his eyes lighting up.
He scrambled to his feet, looking uncertain.
I was exhausted. I unlocked the door.
He asked if he could come in.
After hesitating, I nodded.
I went straight to bed.
In my own bed, I fell asleep immediately.
I woke up late in the afternoon.
Jake was asleep beside me, not touching me,
but holding my hand tight.
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My head hurt.
I shifted, and he woke up.
“Are you… do you want to get up?” he asked.
I sat up and looked at him, unsure how I felt.
“Is it… over?” I asked.
“Yeah, it’s over. Everything’s taken care of. I
sent her to jail and got a lawyer. She won’t be
out for years.” He looked anxious. “Did I do
right?”
“Hold me,” I said, arms open and with tears.
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He went still for a second, then his eyes turned
red.
He wrapped his arms around me.
“I’m so sorry…” He held me tight.
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I cried in his arms, releasing all the emotions I’d
held in for years.
