7

   7

Emma Starr

Hey Emma,

You can’t let your heart melt from this billionaire’s tactics. He’s pretending, gorgeous. He doesn’t even mean any of that.

These were the words my head was saying. BLARE! BLARE! Like a warning sign.

But... why wasn’t I even going along with that? Why did it sound so genuine? That smile... I enjoyed seeing it on Jonathan’s face. The way he shook his father in an innocent and surreal way. It was something that made me want to stay. That made me hope.

It was crazy, God I knew…

“Daddy, do you want to see my toy house?”

“Sure, where is it?”

“Over here, come on daddy,” Jonathan replied to his father who took his hand, guiding them both as they walked to the other side of the room. “My toy house is apart...”

“Yes, baby, we had to move so I made it that way so it was easier.”

I told him from where I folded the clothes.

“Oh...”

A sad expression formed on his features. “It’s not the same anymore, mommy. Will Bob the Builder come help put it together.”

Nicholas chuckled, as I said,

“Bob, what? That’s a cartoon, baby. He isn’t gonna show up here?”

“Come on, I’ll help you fix it,” Nicholas told him.

“Really?!”

An excited look surrounded his face. Nicholas on the other hand made me arch my brows at his words of fixing. What did a movie producer know about a toy house? Maybe I underestimated him.

“Of course,” Nicholas replied. “Come on, now.”

They began intertwining the piece together as quickly as they could. To think of it, he interacted with his son quite alright.

As I thought of these, I flickered my eyes over them briefly before wandering to the bathroom to take a call. Closing the door behind me I knitted my brows in worry that someone might hear the phone call. However, looking at the soundproof walls, hope twinged in my eyes knowing no one could hear.

A VIP room sure had its perks!

“Hello Doc, I’m calling in to check about the treatment for my surgery.”

“Emma, it’s been five years...” he trailed.

“I know it has. Just want to know if I still have a chance, if I eventually gather the money.”

It was simple. I didn’t want to die. Leaving my son to himself when he didn’t have a foster parent will be the hardest thing on my plate. It will be so unfair to me.

“Well, based on recent cases like yours, the survival chance is slim. This is why I suggested you do the surgery years back. As we speak, you may drop dead anytime.”

“I-I might drop dead?”

Tears flickered in my eyes as I repeated those words after him.

“I’m sorry to tell you this, Emma, but yeah.”

“It’s okay, I understand.”

“Yeah.”

---------------------------------------------------------

The acting was something that I liked.

Maybe it was one of the reasons I was drawn to Nicholas back then.

Something about staging and producing a work of art made me urge to be on a crew. Nothing much, just me perhaps acting as the actors and actresses did and being known for it.

Peeking at the way Nicholas directed the crew, I smiled watching and studying the movements of the figures.

As a child, I always had this urge to act crying without being beaten and angry without being triggered. It was like I mentally prepared myself, taking lines from popular movies.

An example is the movie, Walk to Remember. I knew practically all the lines it held from Genesis to the end.

“There are some things that become miraculous. Einstein said the more he studied the universe the more he believed in a higher power.”

I’ll always say, this part with enthusiasm.

“Well, if there is a higher power, then why isn’t he getting you a new sweater?”

“He’s too busy looking for your brain.”

The female lead says, which is one of my favorite parts for a good laugh!

Not like I never tried chasing my dream.

My parents did their best to help me achieve it, even with our middle-class background. I’ll go for auditions after auditions, but luck was never on my side. There was a time when I tripped on stage with my face flat on the floor.

The minute I stood up, I could hear a fit of laughter and boos that made me want to sob.

The moment my parents passed away in an accident, I gave up on that dream. Locking it away in a box, I threw the keys.

“See something you like?”

Nicholas’s voice whispered making me shiver on spot staring at him as he caught me off, guard.

“I was just um, did you drop Jonathan at school?” I asked.

“Emma, it’s quarter past 9am. I dropped him since 7am this morning and you packed his lunch just before I did.”

“I did?”

“Yeah,” he said, drawing nearer to me with a curious glance in his features. “You’re here for something else, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”

I stepped back wriggling my brows at him and what he was doing! Anyone could pass by? We were just outside the rehearsal room...

“Hmm, you’re here for me aren’t you, princess?”

“In your dreams,”

I swayed my legs with an intent to go only for an arm to pull me back. Making me lean a bit on his strong arms, he made my back slightly arch. I stared into his brown orb eyes which tauntingly gazed at mine, with lust occupying them. “I miss you sweetheart. I want to eat you out, right now, what do you say?”

A moan slipped past my lips as I pictured the exact scene he had just mentioned in my head.

“Nick... no, this isn’t right. The first was a mistake...”

“And the second?”

“At the ranch house? That too.”

“C’mon… but we made Jonathan, didn’t we? It’s not a mistake baby.”

“It shouldn’t even be about Jonathan. Nick, you traveled down here to work in the first place. Even if we are in a fake engagement, or whatsoever, picture me as a distraction walking by. We should keep it professional.”

“Why?”

“I do not want to be fired; God help me!”

“By my uncle?” he said. “Henry will certainly understand that I can’t keep my hands off my beautiful bride-to-be.”

He drew nearer, kissing my neck, making me moan again with a slight cry as electricity convulsed my body. It took a great amount of self-control to wither away from his hands.

“Even at that, the community...” I said, looking for another excuse.

“What about them?” he asked.

“They’re going to make rumors,” I said. “Who knows? They might say I’m taking advantage of the fact that your uncle owns here, and I’m not working.”

“Do you have to work?”

“Huh? I’m going to pretend like I didn’t hear that. Besides, since we’ve been staying here, we’ve being living a quite peaceful life, don’t complicate it.”

“Fine.”

I blinked several times as he motioned to walk away, leaving me on my spot. Huh? Fine.

Just like that?

He wasn’t going to push further? What was wrong with men? Maybe he had someone else in mind. Perhaps a gorgeous actress or model on set who knew?

Oh Emma, why are you being so childish?

It’s been so many years. The chemistry between us might still be here but things changed. I could feel it. Goddamn, my hormones! I felt like spreading my legs now, like he said.

By the time it was afternoon, the sun was scorching hot, making me walk around the Country Club house turning on the air conditioners at all angles.

“Bless you, child, you seem to know what we all need.”

An elderly man told me, “It’s what I’m paid to do, have a nice day, sir!”

Walking to check on the other old people, I moved from segments to segments only to hear two old women engrossed in a spirited talk. It was a bit of a whisper but I could hear them from where I stood.

None of them saw me though.

“Haven’t you heard the latest gossip in town, Margaret?”

“About whom and what?”

“Henry’s nephew.”

“Nicholas? What about him?”

“His wife was said to leave because of his promiscuous ways. It is said that he has had all kinds of women, including the ones that appear on his set. Sometimes, he makes them offer their bodies to him for a role.”

“Gosh, that’s so harsh. I knew billionaires were terrible.” she retorted. “The poor wife, how’s she going to live with knowing that he’s getting married to a community service worker in town?”

“A community service worker, who?”

“Didn’t you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“Nicholas is engaged to Emma!”

“Emma, you mean the one with a son named Jonathan?”

“Exactly.” she said. “The most surprising part is that they seem to have been in a secret relationship for long.”

“How sure of that are you?”

“They have a son, Margaret!”

“Oh, my goodness, don’t tell me... is Jonathan their son?!”

“Yes,”

“My world... I always knew that little boy looked so familiar. He looks exactly like his father. Wow... I don’t even know whether to be happy or sad for her. I mean it’s good news but what woman likes to engaged to a lady’s man?”