Chapter 19%
Nolan’s POVE
I was seated in my apartment’s living room amidst stacks of liquor bottles. My eyes gazed dully at the phone screen that continued to show notifications. Contract cancellations, ad rejections, partnership withdrawals.l
“I don’t wish to do business with you anymore. As you are involved in a scandal with Valerie, for betraying Scarlett, and all the evidence supports that accusation,” said one of my last clients this afternoon.
All that was lost.
My image I built over the years as a celebrity, model, lifestyle icon, collapsed immediately. Now the news always associates me with betrayal and sleazy scandals &
My hand tightened around the phone. I so much wished to throw it, but even that would not change facts.
The door swung open, Valerie came in with her face a mess. Her hair was disheveled.
“Nolan.” her voice trembled.
“What have we done to our reputation? No agency is willing to hire me anymore. All the endorsements have withdrawn, I was even dropped from an international campaign.”
She wept.
“I’m through, Nolan. And all this. all this is Scarlett’s doing.” She let her expensive bag fall, then her body dropped to the cold floor.”
I didn’t pay attention to her at first and didn’t mind that she was coming. I was busy lighting a cigarette to calm down.
Valerie stood up and sat beside me. She took my shirt.
“Nolan, why are you just staying quiet about everything? Do something about Scarlett.” Valerie pushed me to talk.
My eyes bumed with fury and I threw the cigarette carelessly. My blood boiled,
“You bitch! This is all your fault, Valerie! Why are you telling me about this now?””
She was quiet, quite surprised at my reaction.
I stood up, my finger wagging at her in fury.
“You had no right to send that video to Scarlett! Did I not tell you from the start? Do not play with a woman’s emotions like hers!“!! She bowed her head in horror.
“See us now. She has all the evidence now. The recordings, the messages, even the date and location of our meetings. She has everything! Now see… we’re on the verge of catastrophe, Valerie!”
Valerie started crying again. But I did not care. Her tears no longer touched my heart &
I sat down on the couch again. My eyes stared straight ahead of me, empty.
“I don’t know how I’m going to live from now on. No one believes in us anymore. Even the fans are taking Scarlett’s side. She’s twisted everything.”
A drama created to live in lies, now the world is repaying us with the destruction we deserve.
Valerie stood in the middle of the room.
“Nolan, I know I’m to blame here. But we can’t just stay quiet! We have to take revenge on Scarlett. This isn’t fair! Can you picture me seeing my career going down the drain like this?!”
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to hold myself back.
“Do you think I’ve been sitting around doing nothing all this time?” I snapped back. “You think I’m here watching my career burn alive?” She quinted.
“I tried! I tried to woo her into getting her sympathy, talking like I was sorry, so she would forgive me and wipe everything clean in public. But what happened?”
Valerie nervously rubbed her forehead.
“Scarlett isn’t the woman you could control with emotions anymore. Now, she’s protected by Vincent. And that man isn’t a regular guy.” My voice strained.
“Vincent has everything. And of course he’s defending Scarlett.”
Valene clenched her teeth. “So, we just give up?“2
I laughed shortly, bitterly
I moved closer to her, speaking slowly but with vehemence.
“If you wanna fight back, then don’t ask me to act. Maybe, we should find another method of getting revenge on her.”
Valerie skeptical–ed me with a glance, but I know she’ll come around later!
Because my head was such a mess, I ended up going to a nightclub.
I stepped into the nightclub, which used to be a occasional refuge when I was happy. Now it has become an outlet for the angst in me.!! I walked up to the bar table, then sat down on the chilly high stool.
“Vodka. No ice, I growled, ordering a drink.
4:00 PM
d
As the bartender poured the drink, something caught my eyes. The man next to me flashed the screen of his phone to his companion. A picture of a woman was obviously visible. Scarlett’s photo.
My heartbeat instantly changed. My agitated mind in a fraction of a second was on red alert. I inclined forward a bit, as if to listen more closely while pretending to look at my glass.
“Get someone to apprehend her,” the man growled, half drowned out by the music.
“I think she’s the only lure to bring our enemy out.”
“This is not an easy task, I don’t think I can bring that woman to you.“”
I swallowed my
drink, then brought the glass down loudly enough to draw their attention. They both turned.
I offered them a half–drunk, half–serious glare.
“Sorry, I overheard your conversation by mistake.”
They narrowed their eyes.
I smiled. “I know that woman.
They glanced at each other.
“Let me be the one to catch her for you.”
“What’s in it for you?” one of them asked skeptically.
I looked straight into the man’s eyes.
Reward. Money, for example, And a bit revenge. I will do everything I can to get Scarlett and bring her to you.”
They were silent for a moment, staring at each other.
Then the man to the right leaned back in his chair, thoughtful.
“You look like a desperate man.”
I snorted. “Desperation can be a virtue, can’t it? If it’s focused in the right place.”
Then the man in the black shirt smiled.
“Good. You bring the girl back alive, and five million dollars is yours. But if not? You’ll disappear from the face of the earth before you can even start making excuses.“1
