<b>Charles </b>tapped ash from his cigarette, his posture rxed but distant. Rachael took that as an invitation, sliding onto hisp and starting to work loose the buttons of her blouse.
But tonight, something was off. Charles usually had a fierce, almost careless appetite, but right now, he felt nothing. He stood abruptly, dislodging <b>her </b>as he reached for his suit <b>jacket</b>. “Nor tonight, he said, his tone t.
With two rejections in one evening, Rachael’s smile tightened for a fraction of a second. Then she shrugged it off. “Whatever. He’s a restless spirit. He’s never really cared about any of his lovers<b>. </b>I really wanna see him crazy about someone!
Charles slung his suit jacket over his shoulder and stepped into the elevator, where he found his aunt, Simone.
His eyes immediately caught the emerald ne resting against her corbone. He raised an eyebrow. “Aunt Simone, since when do you wear emeralds?”
“A gift from Ynda,” she said, touching the stone fondly. She’d only learned tonight that it was worth a fortune; she’d loved it without knowing its price. “She’s way more thoughtful than you.”
Charles let out <b>a </b>shortugh and pressed the elevator button. “I wish she could focus more on me.
Simone knew that arrogant tone well. She nudged him yfully. “Well, well. Don’t tell me you’re actually sulking. Did Ynda finally give you a taste of your own medicine?”
“It’s just a game, Aunt Simone. You wouldn’t understand. It’s how young couples y,” he smiled.
She <b>sighed</b>, the humor fading from her voice. “If you care about her at all, end things with those other women now. Before you push her too far and lose her for good.”
The elevator doors slid open. Charles stepped out first, throwing a casual, confident remark over his shoulder. “You worry too much. Ynda isn’t going anywhere”
He knew she’d been in love with him for fifteen years. He’d seen that unmistakable, starry–eyed devotion in her eyes every time she looked at him.
But he’d also always known the real reason the Grant family had adopted her, and that had been enough to keep him at a distance. He hadn’t set out to hurt her; he just <b>never </b>valued a love that came so easily.
After leaving the hotel, Ynda didn’t head straight to Megan. <b>First</b>, she checked the card and saw six million dors. Charles was generous, though the house he’d given Sophie earlier was probably worth more.
She’d been pushing the studio to speed up the renovations and had askedn to try and make time toe
back.
But then the coffee brand postponed the shoot for two weeks. so she figured she wouldn’t see him until after
7:44 Thu, Sep 11
<b>that</b>.
E55 vouchers
A weekter, he texted her out of the blue: [Got hurt doing a stunt.] That was it. No details, no drama.
Ynda immediately called Scan, who filled her in. “Wayne, Zack’s male lead, has been making things difficult
forn.
n took a bad fall. His whole back is bruised up. He’s tough, though. He didn’t say a word, finished <b>the </b>shoot, <b>and </b>went back to his ce.”
Ynda’s expression darkened. She took a slow breath. Wayne <b>was </b>the creep who spiked her drink that night.
Sean sighed. “Wayne’s sugar mommy is the CEO of Primecrest. <b>Aren’t </b>they partnering with your husband? Saw it on the news. You might wanna step in <b>here</b>, orn <b>isn’t </b>gonna make it.”
Stunt work was dangerous enough without someone having it out for you. One bad wire, one intentional misstep, and it wouldn’t just be bruises.
Andn never wanted to cause trouble. That was why he waited over a week to <b>send </b>that text. And even then, it wasn’t aint <b>but </b>just a fact.
After hanging up, Ynda called Charles to ask where he was.
He’d been holed up around her all week, away from his lovers. She’d been buried in renovation ns from dawn till dusk. They weren’t fighting.
And now he was at his desk and set down his papers. “Work hours? I’m at the office, naturally. Coming to see me?” Thest part wasced with a familiar, teasing charm.
On her end, Ynda’s eyes welled up, her voice trembling with a carefully practiced hurt. “I just got a text… someone said you’re having an affair with the CEO of Primecrest Group. Tell me it’s not true.”
The casual smile vanished from Charles’s eyes. T’ve only slept with that woman exactly once. Who the hell has a loose tongue and texted <b>Ynda</b>?‘ he thought.
“I trust you,” Ynda continued, her voice thick with unshed tears. “I’m going to find whoever sent this. Some actor… Wayne something? He’s on set with one of my talents. I won’t be back <b>tonight</b>.” Then she hung up.
To Charles, Ynda sounded like a jealous, naive fool, exactly as he expected. The idea of her getting worked up over a rumor was almost endearing. He just wanted her to trust him and never pushed further.
But his irritation quickly turned toward his lover Rachael. ‘Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut? Got to cut
her off.
He called Rachael. She answered, her voice sweet with expectation, but he cut straight through it. “Control that actor of yours.” His tone was ice.
Rachael’s face darkened on the other end of the line. She started to <b>ask </b>a question, but he’d already hung up.
Charles could be tender as a lover and coldly professional when it came to business. Cross him, and <b>any </b>prior intimacy meant nothing.
7:44 Thu, Sep 11
65 Vauchen? <fn31ab> Read full story at fin?novel</fn31ab>
Rachael clenched her jaw, a sharp pang of humiliation tightening her chest. She had thought that after being with him, she would be special.
Ynda stopped at a drugstore and bought out half the shelf, loading two bulky bags into the trunk before setting off for the town.
The drive took nearly five hours. By the time her car, caked in mud, climbed the final stretch to the mountain film set, it was already 5 p.m.
She was grateful for the high clearance of this car; a regr sedan would never have made it up that road.
The temporary housing was strictly functional–simple structures thrown up for the shoot and meant to be torn <b>down </bter.
Pulling her hat low and adjusting her mask, she hurried toward the cluster of crew members. “Where’sn’s room?” she asked without preamble.
A crew member nced at her, mistaking her for help. “You here forn? About time. He’s all alone out here. Everyone else has assistants running around. He’s been bullied all the time. And someone nearly disfigured that pretty face of his not long ago.”
With every word, a cold knot of anger and fear tightened in Ynda’s chest.
She reached his door and knocked. A hoarse, tired voice came from inside. “Not hungry.”
She said, n. It’s me.”
There was a sudden shuffle of movement, and the door swung open from within.
E