The woman was dressed in a long bright red dress that accentuated her curves, and her honey brown hair highlighted her elegance. Her every move exuded the aura of an international star.
She was Kayla, Rina's best friend and the only daughter of the top third family in Country G, Rayer. She was also currently the most popular actress in the country - Kayla Rayer.Kayla Rayer had invited her two nights ago to celebrate her birthday.Kayla strode into the room, her high heels tapping on the marble floor like a warning. She was a vision of beauty, her features delicate and her smile as sharp as a knife. With a cruel glint in her eyes, her presence oozed confidence, and she reveled in Rina's vulnerable state."Rina, are you okay?"Seeing her best friend, Rina broke into more tears. "Kay, what do I do? Why did things turn out this way? I remember not taking any alcohol, how was there a man in my bed?""Because someone spiked your juice!" Kayla said."What?" Rina suddenly raised her head, her eyes showing confusion.Kayla's lips curved into a playful smile. "Yes, the juice I gave you two nights ago was tampered with. Not only that, two years ago, I also paid that young actor to frame you."As Rina realized what Kayla was saying, her eyes widened in disbelief and her pupils shrank. Shock, disbelief and confusion overwhelmed her, leaving her mind blank.Seeing Rina's pale face, Kayla's eyes revealed a sense of pleasure. Yes, that's the expression she wanted to see. It was truly delightful to watch.'Are you sad, in pain, or feeling hopeless, Rina? The sadder you are, the happier I become.' Kayla thought."Why did you do this?" Rina exploded with fierce anger, shouting at the top of her lungs."Kayla we have no grievance or enmity between us, why did you harm me?"Looking at Rina's crazed expression, Kayla sneered.Why?Of course, it's because she was perfect.Clearly they both were in the movie industry together and had debuted at the same age and time, but Rina was the goddess in everyone's eyes. She was the most loved, most admired, and got the most jobs. Even in the company they were both signed in, Rina had to select the jobs to take while the rest of them got the hand me downs which she rejected.She was just an ordinary actress in the entertainment industry. Who gave her the right to compete with her?Not only did she want to ruin Rina's marriage, she also wanted to ruin the last of her reputation, and her life entirely.For this, she spent two years plotting, even getting someone to lie next to Rina in bed while she was tipsy and went ahead to take pictures which she sent to her husband."Of course, it's because you are annoying, Rina. If you want to blame someone for your misfortune, blame yourself for blocking my path!" Blocking her path in the industry for far too long. Rina had been too perfect that she had supressed her for many years. She had only gotten the title of most popular actress because Rina had been frozen two years ago after her scandal. Even after leaving the industry to focus on marriage, she had remained the queen of Scottsdale Entertainment. As if that wasn't enough, she still got constantly compared to the trashy Rina Powers.Rina was stunned. She blocked her path?She was just an actress without any background in the entertainment industry, while Kayla Rayer was the heiress of a luxury family in Country G. How could she block her path?Oh, right. Back then, she was the queen of Scottsdale Entertainment, but after the company froze her, the queen became Kayla Rayer.So, what Kayla meant by blocking the way was that she blocked her way to fame and fortune? It sounded both ridiculous and pitiful.Rina laughed, but her laughter was mixed with tears. She was blind to have considered Kayla as her best friend.Looking at Rina who was crying, and laughing like a crazed person, Kayla was disgusted."Tsk tsk, Rina you were always so naive and foolish, so trusting. It was easy to take everything from you. I ruined your reputation, yet you still consider me your best friend. Everytime I see you acting like we are close friends, it's so laughable.""I've improved my acting skills so much in recent years, and it's all thanks to you. Who else would I have to act in front of if not you?""Your husband was also so foolish. I can't believe you gave up your career just to build a life with such a man. How gullible!"Rina stood up suddenly. Her auburn eyes narrowed in anger. The intense hatred she felt almost made her want to tear the woman in front of her apart.But before she could do anything, Kayla slapped her hard across the face."Slap!"The force was so great that Rina fell to the ground. Her knees hit the ground hard causing her face to turn pale with pain. She found it hard to get up.Kayla squatted down beside her, grabbed her hair viciously and forced her to look up."Yes, I framed you, and spiked your juice."It is said that one should not fear the enemy that attacks you, but the fake friend that hugs you.'She had indeed been too naive.The weight of Kayla's betrayal crushed Rina's spirit. She had been deceived not only by her husband but by the person she had considered her confidante."Oh, and want to know another thing?" Kayla's lips curled into a wicked smile. "I put the pill that made you lose the baby."Rina's expression turned crazed as she reached out to strangle the woman in front of her. She had suspected foul play, but hearing Kayla confess to her action cut like a knife. A sudden pang of pain hit her, sending her hand flying instinctively to her stomach. She clutched onto it, her fingers trembling from pain. So she didn't lose her child from a natural cause or her carelessness, but someone was actually responsible?Anguish and rage welled up within her, at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to lash out, to scream, to make Kayla pay for her betrayal and the murder of her child"I'll sue you, Kayla! I'll make sure the world knows about your dirty deeds!" Rina gritted.It was all because of this woman that she had lost everything!Kayla tilted her head and snickered. "Try rising from what I'm about to unleash on you first before dishing out empty threats."Rina was taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"Kayla just smiled. "Check the internet, I've prepared a little something for you." She said and sauntered out.Realizing what had happened, Rina's body shook violently, and the deepest fear from within her made her tremble all over.No…no no…" this can't be happening again…Trembling, she took out her phone and opened a webpage.When she saw today's hot search, her world spun and she felt dizzy. Fear gripped her heart and her soul trembled.#Rina Smith Cheats##Finn Smith and Rina Powers marriage collapses#She occupied two of the top five hot searches.The pictures of her in bed with a strange man filled the top page. The comments section was flooded with vulgar and abusive languages.-Rina Powers is quite disgusting. To think I had so much respect for her!--she's so disgusting. After her scandal two years ago, she could still cheat!--To think I didn't believe the scandal two years ago--This woman is just a whore. She doesn't deserve to be alive-Reading through these, fear gripped Rina whole.-A friend of mine who works in a hospital said they saw her at the city hospital. She came for a checkup. It so happened that she was pregnant, but lost the child-Pain shot through Rina, but she didn't cry.Instead, she wiped away her tears after crying for what seemed like an eternity, her resolve hardening once more.Kayla had just drawn the battle line by confessing all these. She had just blown the battle trumpet, and Rina couldn't afford to lose in this war. She would definitely rise from the ashes of her broken life, and Kayla would pay for her betrayal and so would everyone else. Rina's fingers tightened around the divorce papers. Then they loosened. She wiped her eyes, and carefully flipped through the pages of the paper. She scoffed when she realized that Finn wasn't leaving a dime to her. He was claiming everything she owned and wasn't leaving her any alimony. He was taking her many years of hard work for himself, sparing her nothing.Rina laughed at herself. It was a laughter of mockery, one that was accompanied with tears. Just like her family had said many years ago, she was indeed stupid to have trusted Finn Smith's goodness for it was bad.Really, Finn! She thought to herself. She had really been too naive to trust him."Those who are pitiful are spiteful!" She recalled her grandfather saying.She glanced at the documents, and muttered, "I would sign them, not out of defeat, but as a symbol of my determination to rebuild my life and seek revenge for all my misfortunes. Kayla had awakened a sleeping lioness and she shouldn't be scared to face the consequences that came with her actions.She looked at the document once again. With one signature, they would be strangers from then on, with no connection whatsoever.After a moment of hesitation, she resolutely signed her name.The night air was chilly as Rina walked away from the imposing three-story mansion that stood as a proof to her past generosity. She had once held the keys to that house, and had been welcomed with open arms as the beloved daughter-in-law of the family. But now, she was nothing more than an outcast.Her footsteps echoed in the silence of the empty street, each one a painful reminder of the life she had lost. She clutched the divorce papers in her hand, the inked signature a stark symbol of her shattered dreams. The tears that had dried on her cheeks left a trail of salt in their wake.As Rina walked further from the mansion, she couldn't help but replay the scene in her mind. She had arrived at her in-laws' home, her last hope for a place to stay, and had mustered the courage to explain her situation. The divorce, the betrayal, the plea for shelter.But instead of compassion or understanding, what she had received was cold indifference. Her in-laws, the people who had once smiled upon
The following morning, she sat down for breakfast, her mind filled with determination. Slipping into a floral white dress, she couldn't help but feel the sharp contrast it posed to the somber occasion ahead. White, a symbol of purity, now took on new meaning. Today marked the beginning of her transformation, a rebirth of sorts. For herself and the memory of her tragically lost child, she vowed to reclaim her life and find solace once more.She put on a white sun hat and slipped into a pair of white stilettos. Gave herself a once over in front of the mirror, then picked a designer bag she hadn’t used in a long while. She took a cab to the city hall.On getting there, Finn and his lawyer were yet to arrive. She glanced at her wrist watch. It was almost Ten PM. She picked up her phone and dialed the lawyer’s number. On the second ring, the call was connected.“Hello, Mr. Attorney!”“Ms Powers, hello! My client is still having breakfast, could you wait a moment, we’ll be there soon.”Rina
"Well..." the director, Mr. Bellamy said, rising from his chair on the other side of the table and slowly walking towards Rina, who was on the verge of hopping out of her chair from discomfort."As you might already know, a lot of things have changed in your five years of being a housewife. So I thought it best to inform you..."Rina cringed as she felt both his hands on her shoulders. Immediately, she hopped out of her seat. "Get your filthy hands off me," she ordered, irritated by the thought of what the man was about to do."Mr. Bellamy," she said, her voice cold and firm. "I came here to discuss a role, not to be propositioned. I won't be part of your sick games."Mr. Bellamy's smile vanished, replaced by a sneer. "You think you're too good for this? Too good for me?" Back then when she was an A-list Actress, maybe. But now...He returned to his seat and leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing. "With your current reputation, you still dare to act high and mighty? You're no long
It was late in the evenig when Rina decided to return home. She had stayed at a coffee shop after leaving Mr Bellamy’s office. And seeing as someone had trailed her to the director’s, who was to say there weren’t others reporters lurkinng around her. With her current reputation, she had angered a lot of internet users. If her address were to be found out and shared on the internet…she shivered at the thought of what they’d do. In the entertainment industry, there’s been cases where celebrities have angered netizens. Like four years ago, after Rina had quit on her career to focus on her marriage, netizens had longed for another capable face and talent to grace their screens and soon found her. Jennifer Viagro, one of the industry prinncesses. She was a very great talent, diverse in her field and if not for Rina’s extraordinary skills, she would have easily become a competition. She was a great actress who could easily play any role given to her. With her talent and Rina’s retirement
Zayn Graham slammed his fist on the mahogany desk, his eyes blazing with barely contained fury. His step-brother Jared had done it again - another reckless move that threatened to topple Zayn's carefully built business empire. "What were you thinking, Jared?" Zayn growled. "Signing off on that deal without my approval could cost us millions!" Jared, all 300 pounds of him, merely shrugged as he lounged on the leather sofa, munching on a bag of chips. "Relax, little bro. It's just business. Win some, lose some." Zayn took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. At 32, Jared was one year his senior, but acted like an impulsive teenager. As one of the managing directors of Graham Industries, a multinational conglomerate spanning tech, real estate, and media, Zayn had worked tirelessly to build the company into a powerhouse. But Jared, as a major shareholder, and also one of the managing directors seemed determined to sabotage it all. This latest stunt has involved Jared single
Rina's eyes fluttered open, her vision blurry as she tried to focus on her surroundings. The stark white ceiling and antiseptic smell told her she was in a hospital. As her senses slowly returned, she became aware of a dull ache throughout her body, particularly intense in her lower abdomen. Memories flooded back. She had been so focused on her comeback in the Scottsdale entertainment industry that she had ignored the warning signs her body had been sending. The occasional sharp pains, the unexplained fatigue, the dizzy spells - she had attributed it all to stress and pushed through. Now, as she lay in the hospital bed, Rina realized how foolish she had been. The doctor's words echoed in her mind: internal haemorrhaging due to complications from her recent miscarriage. She had been walking around, putting her body through immense stress, all while bleeding internally. As her vision cleared, Rina's gaze fell upon a figure seated beside her bed. Her breath caught in her throat as she
The steady beep of medical equipment and the faint bustle of nurses in the hallway were like a consolation to Rina's troubled thoughts. She couldn't shake the memory of Zayn Graham’s intense gaze, the way his presence seemed to fill the entire room. Just as she was beginning to convince herself that the whole interaction had been a fever dream, the door to her room creaked open. Rina jerked, her heart racing as she recognized the tall figure of Zayn Graham stepping back into the room."Mr. Graham," she said, her voice betraying surprise and wariness. "I thought you'd left."Zayn's lips curved into a slight smile. "I did, but I realised I forgot something important."Rina's eyebrows frowned. "What did you forget?"Instead of answering immediately, Zayn moved further into the room, his steps measured and deliberate. His eyes never left Rina's face, and she found herself unable to look away. There was something in his gaze that she couldn't quite decipher – a hunger, perhaps, or a chall
Rina brushed her long black hair and packed it into a ponytail. She dabbed the powder applicator on her face, trying to look as best as she could before leaving her apartment. She smoothed the lines on her dress with her hand before walking away from the mirror and closing the door behind her. She was set to get herself a deal in one of the industries again, re-write her past and rise in influence once again. She had always fought for what she wanted from life and she wasn't going to back down now. Even though Zayn had proposed her marriage on his return, she didn't want to accept the fact that he was her only ticket to influence and good-fame once again in the city. She alighted from the cab and stood in front of a modern studio. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the studio. Ignoring the eyes of the onlookers, the whispers in hushed tones. She made her way for the producer's office. George Stone had helped her get an appointment with him a day ago. "Ms. Powers." The produce
They met at a restaurant, the air comfortable with a classical piece playing in the background. The screen in the distance flashed Rina’s picture for the umpteenth time that day, with the very unexpected announcement by Pages of Claire, and she scoffed, wishing she had the autonomy to turn it off. It made absolutely no sense that someone like her, after getting blacklisted by Scottsdale Enterprises would reach this level in the modeling industry, a level she had not gotten to herself. It irked her to her marrows, even though she barely knew her till that two days back, only previously heard stories about her.He sauntered in about thirty minutes late, and she wasn’t any bit surprised. He always operated that way – fixed a particular date and time for a meeting only to end up strolling in whenever he liked. He called it the god power – the ability to make everyone else wait for him and almost need his presence. But she thought it was a lack of discipline – something his brother wasn’t.
Silence reigned in the office the moment Jada stepped out, the door closing behind her. He sighed and plopped back into his seat, feeling like he’d just run a marathon. Zayn always felt that way with Jada, like he’d embarked on a mission to complete his house chores in an hour – exhausted and totally unmotivated to do any other thing for the rest of the day. Rina on the other hand, thought it was a very funny encounter. Still, she couldn’t stop the bubbles of anger that had begun to form in her.“I’m sorry about that,” Zayn muttered, wishing Jada and Rina hadn’t met that way. In fact, he had no plans of them meeting at all, but trust Jada to waltz in as she pleased. Making a mental note to inform the doorman for the second time that Jada wasn’t allowed inside his building, he tapped Rina softly and patted the space next to him. They weren’t done talking before Jada’s rude interruption.“It’s fine,” Rina said dismissively. “I shouldn’t have come here unannounced. Of course, you would h
Jada, feeling utterly embarrassed and angry, walked out of the office and into the chilly streets. Maybe she had twisted the truth a little to Zayn, but who cared about that when her aim was not accomplished? Jamaica had been a really cool city for her to hang since the nasty breakup – nasty for Jada – but she couldn’t keep on hiding in the shadows. Not when there was a lot to accomplish. Shaking her hair out, she retrieved her phone from her designer purse and called the person who had brought her all the way back into the country, the person who had told her that it didn’t matter if Zayn was still upset at her, that he would still take her back with open arms.What the hell had she been thinking believing anything he said? He ended up being wrong years ago, and the same thing was happening again.“What the hell is this?” Jada screamed into the phone when she heard his voice on the other line. “You said he was going to be receptive to me. This is the second time coming to this buildi
Zayn’s expression turned into a scowl immediately his eyes fell on her. A smile played on her lips as she peered at Rina with the most condescending look ever. “Rina Powers in Zayn Graham’s office,” she mused without any intention of giving it up. “Now, that’s something to get the whole country talking about. But I doubt it would get to you since you are already so used to making the front page of the papers.”“Jada…”“But then again, I don’t think it would feel the same if the subject changes. What are you here for, Rina? Begging for aid? You already got Claire on your side by some miracle, and I’m certain she would see right through you before your contractual year is over and you would be back to ground zero. But you see, Zayn over here isn’t that gullible. If you’re here to seduce him, you better think twice about it because he wouldn’t bat an eyelid when he makes you a public nuisance.”Zayn got up on his feet, his eyes red with anger. “That is the last time I will hear you speak
Rina tried to stop herself, but with the villa empty once again, she was left with her thoughts. Reeling from them, she walked to her room and changed into a pair of baggy jeans and a white tank top, allowing her hair to flow in waves all around her. She grabbed a tote, applied nude gloss to her lips, and completed her outfit with a pair of platforms. Rina meant business, she meant to take back the control she’d lost hours ago. Although she had no idea how that was going to work, Rina knew that for Zayn and herself to continue a platonic arrangement, it was a sacrifice she was going to have to make, and hope for herself that nothing like that happened again. If it did, she doubted she would be able to deny her feelings anymore.Taking her keys off her nightstand, Rina walked out of the villa and into the garage, getting behind the wheel. This time, when Igor approached, she told him her destination so he didn’t have to worry. It would have been a futile effort calling Zayn since he wo
The living room was in a celebratory state as Rina stepped downstairs after having a bath and getting ready for the day. Susan had made a simmering pot of lasagna, her eyes bright with excitement and her feet light and swift. She smiled up at Rina the second she was at the foot of the stairs. “Isn’t it such a beautiful day?” Susan was over the moon with the announcement. She wasn’t even that happy with Regina’s public apology. But this? It was exactly what Rina needed.As Susan prepared the table, Rina looked around for Zayn. But even before her eyes gazed round the living area, she already knew he was not in the villa. She would have felt him around, the charge in the air pulling her attention to his presence. But she felt nothing now, just his lingering scent and the overwhelming memory of what had transpired between them.The door pushed open, halting Rina’s thoughts. Her head whipped in that direction just as George sauntered in with a grin. She angled her head at his arrival, won
Zayn paused, and closed his eyes, thinking about all the pros and cons of the move he was about making. All the rationality in him laid it out bare, bringing his consciousness to the fact that there was a boundary he was about to cross. But at that moment, it was hard to consider it, not with her sweet scent teasing and taunting him all at the same time, not with the view he’d had for the past twenty minutes, the one he had been trying hard not to think about but was proving to be the most difficult thing.She wiggled underneath him, drawing his attention to her boobs under the nightwear as they moved with her. He screamed “Fuck” in his head, and tried to pull away. This was the same thing he’d warned himself about repeatedly. Rina was a lot of temptation enveloped in one body, and at first, it was easy to explain everything away. But right now, Zayn found control slipping away from his fingers and he wasn’t sure he wanted to do anything about it.Rina stopped moving, gazing into his
“The commentator said that?” She couldn’t believe it, especially after all the hurdles she’d had to cross to get to that point. Still, Rina couldn’t let herself become relaxed. Not yet. It didn’t matter that doubts were beginning to snake through the hearts of the very persons who had tossed her out onto the streets. It could easily change in a heartbeat as long as Kayla still had her wits, powers, and Finn. Although Finn was a very disposable part of the drama, Rina was very conscious of the fact that the only reason Kayla was with him was because she wanted everything Rina owned. It was that very notion she wanted to annihilate.Zayn nodded, still seated on the edge of the bed, considerably far from Rina. “Now that the country is beginning to wonder if they were right, I think the possibility of you getting attacked by anti-fans has slimmed down considerably. Still, you must be extra careful. Your No. 1 enemy is still out there, and we don’t know what she’s going to do next. I presu
Joel tried reaching Rina a million times throughout the night, but she placed her phone on silent when it kept ringing for too long, tossing it on the floor before turning her head the other way to return to sleep. She wasn’t interested in his half-baked apology, because she knew that there was no way he’d had a change of heart in a few hours. Although Rina had no idea why he wanted to speak with her again, she wasn’t going to grant him an audience. She had done that once, and it hadn’t ended well.A few minutes past six am, her phone started vibrating again from the floor and Rina grumbled in frustration, wishing Joel would just stop. She tried to drown out the loud scrapping sound but it was practically impossible, keeping her far from the arms of sleep. Grunting in frustration, she got off her bed, and walked briskly to the door, picking up the phone and receiving the call.“Didn’t you get the message last night?” she snapped, not bothering to check the caller ID for confirmation.