George stepped out onto the foyer, accompanied by a scowling Rina. She hated that Scottsdale had treated her manager that way, knowing how hard she worked to get him access in there. But worse, she wasn’t comfortable with the fact that her drama had affected him and that he hadn’t let her speak up on his behalf. It almost felt like he’d been waiting for that moment, to get those words off his heart and walk out of the doors, never looking back. He did it with his shoulders squared and his head held high. Still, Rina couldn’t decipher whether it was bravado or plain stupidity.“You would still have your job if you’d just let me say something,” Rina muttered as they took the turning to the parking lot. “Now, Isaiah is going to have your head, and maybe blame me for your death as well.”“I spoke about this with him already,” George explained, his voice still on the usual wavelength, not dampened by what just happened in there. “We decided it was best I left rather than work in an environ
By the time Rina arrived at the diner, it was almost 9 pm. Handing her keys over to a valet, she sauntered in, the clack of her red bottoms hitting the tiles. She hadn’t wanted to waste time on choosing another pair of heels, exacerbated by the fact that Rina still thought the clothes and shoes in that room belonged to one of Zayn’s numerous women. So, she opted for a simple white dress instead that fell to the middle of her thighs and clung to her body like a second skin, accentuating her curves. The halter neck, Rina’s favorite style, was the perfect touch to the shape of her shoulders and her hair was put up, with hastily curled ringlets flowing from the bun. Her face was scrubbed clean of every makeup, leaving only glossy lips.Rina’s outfit made her look so vulnerable that the moment Joel saw her approach, his heart did a little backflip. He had to clear his throat and get his lines right in his head as she navigated the tables, locating the booth he had picked for them at the en
Joel didn’t want to stall anymore, especially since he could feel the distance Rina had been trying to put in place since the fashion show. He felt it in the smallest of things, like how she refrained from telling him where she lived now that her cottage was not in the best shape for habitation, or how he never took her home again since the first time.Although she still smiled at him each time they saw, their hugs were more formal, and never lasted long. It was as if she was deliberately trying to put up walls around herself. It was either that or her subtle way of saying goodbye. And Joel wanted neither.“Do you remember the first day we met?’ he started, as their table got cleared of the second course, and their dessert of ice cream and cake arrived. Rina took a spoonful of her preferred chocolate flavor and closed her eyes as it melted on her tongue. She loved the tinge of bitterness that hid in its taste, and how it remained at the back of her throat. Weird as it sounded, since R
Zayn stared at the clock hanging above the door in the conference room. The meeting had spanned longer than he had planned for it to, yet there were still some important deliberations to be made. Usually, he would have asked his assistant to continue with the meeting while he caught some sleep, but the issue at hand was the opening of a branch of Graham Conglomerate in Hong Kong, and he needed to be there to see the different pieces form one huge picture.“The space isn’t ideal,” he murmured, bringing his gaze to the projected building on the screen. “It is too small, and I really do not like the windows.”“The windows?” One of the foreign investors repeated, his small eyes regarding Zayn like it was the most ridiculous thing he’d heard.“Yes, Mr. Stone. The windows.” He scooted to the edge of his seat at the head of the table and clasped his hands. “The windows are usually one thing that gets overlooked when picking out the perfect site for a company’s activities. But not me. On a ra
The sterile white walls of the Medical Hospital seemed to close in on Rina as she sat in the cold, sterile room. The doctor's words echoed in her mind, a relentless refrain of despair. "I'm sorry, Ms. Powers, but you've lost the baby."Her vision blurred as tears welled up, blinding her to the world around her. Rina had been so full of hope, she had been so certain that this pregnancy would be the new beginning she desperately needed in her marriage. She had clung to that hope, nurtured it with dreams of a family reunion, of a second chance at happiness.But now, all those dreams were shattered like fragile glass, leaving nothing but a painful ache in her chest. She clutched the edge of the hospital bed, her knuckles white, her heart heavy. "No," she sobbed, weakly denying the harsh reality.As she left the hospital, her steps were slow and heavy, as if the weight of the world was pressing down on her shoulders. The taxi ride home was a blur of city lights and rain-slicked streets. Ri
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,
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
Zayn stared at the clock hanging above the door in the conference room. The meeting had spanned longer than he had planned for it to, yet there were still some important deliberations to be made. Usually, he would have asked his assistant to continue with the meeting while he caught some sleep, but the issue at hand was the opening of a branch of Graham Conglomerate in Hong Kong, and he needed to be there to see the different pieces form one huge picture.“The space isn’t ideal,” he murmured, bringing his gaze to the projected building on the screen. “It is too small, and I really do not like the windows.”“The windows?” One of the foreign investors repeated, his small eyes regarding Zayn like it was the most ridiculous thing he’d heard.“Yes, Mr. Stone. The windows.” He scooted to the edge of his seat at the head of the table and clasped his hands. “The windows are usually one thing that gets overlooked when picking out the perfect site for a company’s activities. But not me. On a ra
Joel didn’t want to stall anymore, especially since he could feel the distance Rina had been trying to put in place since the fashion show. He felt it in the smallest of things, like how she refrained from telling him where she lived now that her cottage was not in the best shape for habitation, or how he never took her home again since the first time.Although she still smiled at him each time they saw, their hugs were more formal, and never lasted long. It was as if she was deliberately trying to put up walls around herself. It was either that or her subtle way of saying goodbye. And Joel wanted neither.“Do you remember the first day we met?’ he started, as their table got cleared of the second course, and their dessert of ice cream and cake arrived. Rina took a spoonful of her preferred chocolate flavor and closed her eyes as it melted on her tongue. She loved the tinge of bitterness that hid in its taste, and how it remained at the back of her throat. Weird as it sounded, since R
By the time Rina arrived at the diner, it was almost 9 pm. Handing her keys over to a valet, she sauntered in, the clack of her red bottoms hitting the tiles. She hadn’t wanted to waste time on choosing another pair of heels, exacerbated by the fact that Rina still thought the clothes and shoes in that room belonged to one of Zayn’s numerous women. So, she opted for a simple white dress instead that fell to the middle of her thighs and clung to her body like a second skin, accentuating her curves. The halter neck, Rina’s favorite style, was the perfect touch to the shape of her shoulders and her hair was put up, with hastily curled ringlets flowing from the bun. Her face was scrubbed clean of every makeup, leaving only glossy lips.Rina’s outfit made her look so vulnerable that the moment Joel saw her approach, his heart did a little backflip. He had to clear his throat and get his lines right in his head as she navigated the tables, locating the booth he had picked for them at the en
George stepped out onto the foyer, accompanied by a scowling Rina. She hated that Scottsdale had treated her manager that way, knowing how hard she worked to get him access in there. But worse, she wasn’t comfortable with the fact that her drama had affected him and that he hadn’t let her speak up on his behalf. It almost felt like he’d been waiting for that moment, to get those words off his heart and walk out of the doors, never looking back. He did it with his shoulders squared and his head held high. Still, Rina couldn’t decipher whether it was bravado or plain stupidity.“You would still have your job if you’d just let me say something,” Rina muttered as they took the turning to the parking lot. “Now, Isaiah is going to have your head, and maybe blame me for your death as well.”“I spoke about this with him already,” George explained, his voice still on the usual wavelength, not dampened by what just happened in there. “We decided it was best I left rather than work in an environ
Rina didn’t want to get into a confrontation with Regina, but she seemed to be asking for a scene. Her dramatic gasp echoed through the restaurant, causing the already staring crowd to gently whip their phones out. Eyes shone in excitement at the sight of another Rina drama, but she really didn’t want to have to do that.“Who said you were better than me?” Regina drawled, wanting to have the last say. “What’s to say that you weren’t sleeping with the producers to get your roles? They always claimed you were the best thing to happen to Scottsdale, but now that I think about it, it was all about what you had to offer, wasn’t it?”Regina was only being spiteful, intending her venomous words to hurt Rina. But she stared back with a stoic expression. She was certain of herself, certain that everything Regina said was lies. And in truth, she expected it. It was the only thing Regina or anyone else held above her – the lies going around on the internet.George, on the other hand, couldn’t be
She was a bleached blonde, the bangs of her hair getting into her face as she sauntered closer to them, a sneer desperate to be expressed. Her lips were set grimly, but her eyes told another tale, like she was about to launch out the foulness in her if given the chance. The rest of the cafeteria drowned into nothingness as Rina focused on her, her long legs approaching the table. She was in a white two-piece suit that would have given each stride power if it hadn’t been for the expression on her face.It was a twisted version of a mix of anger and hurt in an unbalanced proportion, and George must have noticed it as well as his hands reached across the table to tap Rina. She looked back at him to answer the question in his eyes. But before she could form the words, Regina was already right in their faces.“I never thought you would be able to claw your way in here,” she drawled, with venom dripping from her tone. “You don’t seem to get it, Rina Powers. No one wants you in here. If the
“What is the update?” Rina asked, after laughing at his rather weird but true joke. She grabbed her cup of ice tea and nibbled on her straw. “Did you hear back from any of the agencies?”“Actually, I did,” he answered, grabbing his phone like he didn’t read the mail over and over again, the contents ingrained in his being. He had to, because he didn’t like the tone of the message. And his thoughts were confirmed before he reached the end of the mail. Phone in hand, he hit on the mail icon, and tapped the starred message, looking back at Rina.“It’s bad, isn’t it?” she asked, angling her head. It was apparent on his face, distress lines appearing on his forehead. “Come on. Get it out.”“Okay,” he sighed. “One of the agencies we reached out to was actually excited to have our mail. At first, they responded with so much fervor that I thought we already had this in our pockets. They wanted to know when you would be able to come over for a meeting to get your schedule and pay rate sorted o
Rina got into the street, navigating the traffic to the last place she wanted to be – Scottsdale Entertainment. She hadn’t been there since she started working for Joel Osteen, after returning countless times to ask that her blacklisting be looked into. She was seated at their conference table when Kayla’s eyes swirled with feigned tears, asking that the board give her something to do other than leaving her penniless.And they had dared suggest she was a guest at a podcast that spoke about the lies that she had been accosted it, they’d wanted her to paint a picture that they were true, so people paid even more attention to them.The more thought of it repulsed her, and half way to her destination, she almost made the decision to turn around. But she needed to see George. He had been in meetings all day and couldn’t come around to see her anywhere else. He had pleaded with her to meet at the coffee shop just outside Scottsdale Entertainment but Rina didn’t want it to look like she was
After ignoring the disdainful remarks of some of the designers at the fashion house, of course, with Joel trying to do damage control as much as his abilities permitted, the day finally came to an end and Rina could leave the building. It was a myriad of activities and emotions going on all at once that it was hard to focus on one thing at a time. But maybe that was what Rina needed.She walked through the hallways, moving from the media department downstairs to her office on the second floor, carrying her head high even though she heard the whispers of some of the people she met on the way. Joel addressed the designers and the rest of the employees after lunch, telling them that Rina was a part of the company and they needed to accord her the respect she deserved, irrespective of what they’d heard about her.But opinions had already been formed and one of the hardest things to do was to reshape an already formed ideology about someone. It was going to take something mind-blowing and