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*****"Whoa," Ceece exclaimed from the balcony, her eyes widening with surprise as she watched the Bentley pull up and Jasmine step out of the car. Meanwhile, Payne was engrossed in her iPad, but her ears perked up at Ceece's remark. "Did Mom land a big movie deal or something? Where'd she get such a fancy car?""I don't know," Ceece answered Payne with her brows raised with contemplation."You're the manager, how could you not know if Mom landed a major film role or scored a big brand endorsement?" Payne asked incredulously, casting a glance at Ceece, who was responsible for managing her mother's job."As a manager, I can assure you that your mother hasn't landed any major film or brand endorsement recently, so this car has us both puzzled. How about we just ask your mother directly?" Ceece replied, offering a practical solution."Hmm, let's go. I wish Mom owned this car," Payne said, turning away from the balcony. Ceece followed her, cautioning, "You know, greed isn't a good thing!"
*****Damon's eyes remained fixed on the portrait of a woman. The silhouette was etched in detail, but her visage remained a void because he had no recollection of that face. He spoke, "The picture still holds my interest, despite its incompleteness, Mandy," he stated firmly. "Unfortunately, my interest in you has diminished. It's time for you to seek alternative accommodations, and I'll see to it that you're provided for. Don't worry." His posture remained composed, revealing no hint of emotion in his voice.Mandy's senses jolted abruptly, fear tingling beneath her skin, but she swiftly cloaked it with a smile. Stepping before Damon, clad in lingerie, she had been discreetly enticing him towards the bed.Mandy grabbed Damon's hand that was holding the brush and used it to paint on her chest as she seductively moved closer to kiss Damon, "I know how to soothe away that tension," Mandy breathed, her touch electric as she leaned closer. "But I need your cooperation. Why don't we lose ou
*****"Are you sure you want to call her at this hour?" Damon's gentle tone carried a note of caution as he sat across from Dante, the phone poised in his hand. "She could be fast asleep," he reiterated, emphasizing the potential disruption."I just need a quick chat, Dad," Dante replied, a spark of enthusiasm igniting in his eyes. Determination laced his voice as he reassured his father of his intentions. "I won't keep her long," he added firmly, his eagerness to connect evident in his words.Damon sensed that his son, Dante, was determined not to rest until he heard her voice. With a heavy sigh, he dialed the number, the phone ringing persistently. Damon activated the speakerphone, allowing Dante to listen in. Despite the ongoing ringing, there was no answer, causing a deep frown on Dante's face. His entire focus remained on the phone, his concentration unbroken.Just as Damon was about to end the call, it was picked up, and he said, "Hello!""Hi, sir. You have a very hero-type voice
****Jasmine drove her car for almost thirty minutes, her mind filled with anticipation and worry, until she finally reached the studio. As she pulled up, she spotted Ceece standing outside, her face etched with tension as she paced back and forth."Oh God, Jas!" Ceece exclaimed, her face contorted with worry as she hurriedly approached Jasmine. "I was fearing that you wouldn't arrive on time," she continued, her words tumbling out in a single breath. "The director and producer announced that they won't gonna take a person's interview if she doesn't appear on time," she emphasized, her hands gesturing wildly. "And for your information, today almost 500 professional actresses have arrived to give the interview," she added, her voice rising with urgency as they rushed towards the studio."What to do, I've been a nervous wreck since morning," Jas admitted with a sheepish grin, her face contorted into an expression of mild panic. "And on top of that, I can't seem to figure out how to navi
*****"Payne sweetheart, did your mom forget her phone in the house?" Nadia questioned Payne, who was in her room, and when she heard Nadia's voice, she came out with a phone in hand. As soon as Nadia saw Jas's phone in Payne's hand, she understood everything."Naughty girl, so you're the one texting me for treats. Urgh!" Nadia exclaimed, sprinting towards Payne and scooping her up in a bear hug before unleashing a tickle attack on her stomach. "You're so sneaky! You were messaging me to cook noodles, and I assumed it was your mother!""Aunt Nadia, stop! I was just pulling your legs!" Payne giggled, trying to catch her breath as Nadia released her grip. "Then I'll have to call Ceece to find out what happened because it's been ages since she went for an interview," Nadia said with a playful grin."Yes, Ceece can fill you in!" Payne replied mischievously, gliding over to the painting she'd been meticulously crafting. With a dramatic flourish, she unveiled her creation, leaving Nadia utte
*****"Wait, what? Are you saying there won't be another interview after that utterly expressionless woman?" Ceece exclaimed, only to be floored when a lady swooped in to inform us there'd be no interview at all. Apparently, the director and producer have already snagged their leading lady."You are disrespectful, and I feel what you receive is what you deserve," the lady said to Ceece in a nasty tone before storming out. At the time, Jasmine approached Ceece as she listened to everything, saying, "Why are you down in the dumps like this? I've got my hands full with work, that's why I'm here. Sure, this film could've been a huge break, but chin up! Opportunities will always come knocking, don't be so disheartened.""Absolutely outrageous! If this is truly their intention, why on earth would they announce the audition in such a manner? It's a bloomin' disgrace! You know full well it's not just you affected by this nonsense. There's a whole queue of talented actresses ready to give their
*****"What are you doing?" Jasmine queried coldly, her gaze piercing as she lifted her eyes to meet Paul's."You can't just leave without giving me an answer!" Paul exclaimed though he found himself unsure of the words that had escaped his lips."I can't begin to fathom what's going through your mind, but there's nothing for me to answer," Jasmine retorted with annoyance, her frustration evident in her tone. "She's gone inside, so why don't you just accompany her there instead of wasting my time? Perhaps she needs something," she added sharply, unable to grasp the intentions of the two individuals before her."Move!" Jasmine spat, attempting to leave, but her arm was grasped once more by him. "Why don't you plead with me? I'll grant you the lead role in replacing Layla. Just ask," Paul urged, his eyes bloodshot with the relentless image of her potentially being pregnant with someone else's child refusing to dissipate from his mind."Have you lost your mind? You're causing me distress
****Payne's brows furrowed deeply as her gaze fixated on the faint but unmistakable finger marks on her mother's arm. Concern etched across her features, she approached her mother with cautious steps."Mom," she began, her voice laced with a mixture of apprehension and determination, "I can't ignore this. What happened? Did someone hurt you?"Her mother's eyes met hers, flickering with a fleeting moment of hesitation before she offered a faint smile, attempting to downplay the situation. "Oh, sweetie, it's nothing to fret over. Just a minor accident at work, that's all.""An accident?" Payne repeated, her tone incredulous as she reached out to gently trace the marks on her mother's arm. "These look more than just accidental. Please, Mom, tell me the truth.""That must have been Ceece, shuttling me around for the audition! So it's fine, Payne," Jasmine said as she made her way to the kitchen, where Nadia was diligently preparing dinner.Nadia was in the midst of cooking noodles for Pay
★★★★ "Ellie!" Gary tried to approach Harley's mother, but he stopped him, saying, "Don't come close to mom. I didn't lay my hands on you just because of her even though I was on the verge of ripping your neck off your body. So, Again count yourself lucky!" Harley growled at his father. Just then, one of Harley’s men interrupted. "Boss, this woman is fainting!" Harley’s gaze shifted briefly to Amanda before he gave his orders in a cold, merciless tone. "Take her to the hospital. Make sure she doesn’t die, and ensure she gets proper treatment at our camp." Amanda tried to protest, but her words failed her as she collapsed. Without hesitation, Harley’s men carried her away, leaving the scene in tense silence. By that time, Harley's mom mustered up some strength and looked at her husband with pain and tears. Earlier, when Amanda said those things about Gary, she denied them without a second thought, even though somewhere in her heart, a bad feeling was swirling. But, in the end, she wa
★★★★"Are you hurt?" Harley asked, concern lacing his voice."Yeah, my foot," Nadia winced, her grip tightening around his neck. "I think something’s stuck in it."Without hesitation, Harley scooped her up in his arms, cradling her gently as he made his way inside, his jaw set with determination."It's Amanda, and she has more people inside," Nadia cautioned him so that he could have his gun ready."Humph!" Harley hummed only, then took her to a place where there was little light and a small place to sit. He carefully laid her down, turned on the phone's flashlight, and said, "Hold it up on your feet and let me see what it is?"Nadia's face was tired and sweaty, but her eyes were calm seeing Harley in front of her eyes. She got the phone and held it up, only then did they both notice a nail embedded in her left foot.As soon as Harley touched the nail, Nadia cried out, clutching his hair in her palm as her agonizing voice erupted, "Oh, it’s hurt!"Harley looked up at Nadia’s painful f
★★★★★ "I don't know how...." Harley's mother's hands were shaking as she held the gun in her hand. "There's no time for a lesson! Just put the muzzle on my handcuffs and shoot!" Nadia shouted, her impatience growing as Amanda's people could show up at any second. "Alright," Harley's mother muttered, exhaling sharply. She pressed the muzzle against the lock and fired without hesitation. The handcuffs snapped open instantly. Nadia forthwith ran to Amanda and pulled her back by her hair before Amanda could able to run out of the room. "Let me go, bitch!" Amanda protested, trying to scream. But Nadia held her back with her arm around her neck. Suddenly Amanda's men arrived with guns drawn. Seeing them, Amanda screamed, "Don't just stand there and help me!" She gritted her teeth and spat at the people who should have been running to her aid. "Don't come close to her if you want her alive and well?" Nadia yelled, holding Amanda tightly as she tried to strike a deal for them to escape.
★★★★★Meanwhile, Harley returned home and learned from the servant that his father had been awake for a while but had ordered no visitors until he permitted it. Ignoring the warning, Harley marched straight to his father’s room. Rather than knock, he pounded on the door.His father’s irritated voice boomed from within. "I warned you—I don’t want any interference! If you all want to keep your jobs, stay out of my business!"At that moment, Harley responded by firing on the door lock and then kicking it open. Gary ran to the corner in fear, his back hitting the wall. When Gary saw that it was Harley who had shot at the door, he blurted out, "What's going on in your head? You could have called me!" "Where are they?" Harley yelled with murderous eyes."Who are you talking about?" Gary replied, trying to sound calm, but miserably failed under his son's intense gaze. Harley clenched his teeth and rushed to his father, who tried to escape, but Harley grabbed him by his throat and howled, "
★★★★★ Jasmine was exhausted, thirsty and going through the ripping pain in her shoulder, but she made sure she reached out for her husband, who was looking for her crazily. "Hello... it's me!" Jasmine said in a tired voice and crawled away from the dead man. Since it was almost dark, she took refuge behind a tree and decided to stay there until Damon came. "Where are you?" Damon's harsh voice broke out, full of impatience and tension. "Come and get me. I am tired and I...I killed a man who wanted to kill me," Jasmine said, "Also a group of people took Nadia with them. She is in danger too. Bring men," Jasmine said, closing her eyes. "Hang in there!" Damon said. There was a sense of reassurance in his voice that calmed Jasmine and she replied, "Okay!" And she touched her shoulder where she felt pain. Meanwhile, Harley reached the mansion where Amanda's father was busy in the swimming pool with some young lady. As soon as they entered, they all started screaming in fear becau
★★★★★"I don’t know anything!" Harley’s mother stammered, her voice trembling as she scrambled towards Nadia, who sat handcuffed in the corner. "In my sleep, I felt someone’s hand on my face, and I jolted awake. I tried to fight, and Harley’s father did the same, but they injured him before dragging me out of the villa. It was dark outside.""I think it’s the same people who brought you here. They pretended to be the police and tricked me," Nadia said calmly as she looked at Harley's worried mother."How is his father?"Nadia felt bad hearing Harley's mother's worried voice."When I left the villa, a doctor monitored him and the doctor said he is fine and has no injuries," Nadia said."You are not lying to me, are you?" Harley's mother asked again just to believe Nadia was not saying the positive just to keep her calm."Why would I lie to you to keep you satisfied when both of our lives are at stake? I was thinking about your son. I'm afraid he won't deal with this situation patiently
★★★★Nadia didn't go to her house. Instead, she went to Jasmine's house. All the way she kept wondering if Amanda was really that stupid. Knowing Harley's nature, how could she dare to attack his mother, and why did she think that kidnapping Harley's mother would make it easier for her to get back into his life?When she was about to enter Jasmine's house, a police car blocked her way, which shocked Nadia, and she quickly got out of the car in confusion and asked, "What happened, Sir?!" At the same time, Jasmine saw Nadia and the police from the balcony, where she was walking with a coffee mug in her hand. So, she decided to go and see what the matter was."Are you Nadia Hazelwood?" a policeman asked.Nadia replied, a little nervously, "Yes, sir, I am Nadia Hazelwood. Is something wrong?""We found illegal substances in your house. You have to come with us to the police station," the cop said, showing off the handcuff to Nadia who could no longer stop herself from panicking as she mut
★★★★ As the morning dawned Nadia found herself pinned down by a strong arm around her waist and unable to breathe. But what scared her the most was the thought that Harley was naked. She moved quickly and looked under the sheets, but he wasn't naked; he was wearing his boxers, and she sighed with relief. Then she tried to push his hand out of her to get up, but he grumbled, "Let me hold you a little longer." "I have a lot of work to do; hugging won't buy me time," Nadia grumbled. "You work in my office, and as your boss, I am ordering you to remain on the bed with me; if you're so free, you can show me your care by kissing me," Harley said. "Stop your nonsense, Harley. Your mother will come anytime and I will feel ashamed," Nadia put her hand on his face and tried to push him away, but she couldn't. Though his sleeping face looked innocent and peaceful, which urged her to stare at him for a long time, she refused to do that since she was embarrassed to show her affection. Suddenl
★★★★★"Uh..huh! What did you hear him talking about?" Harley replied calmly."He was talking to someone in the garden who I couldn't see so I was standing near the wall and listening to their conversation, then I heard your father say that if that person can't achieve what he has been given to do then he should kill himself or your father will kill him," Nadia said with shock and fear in her eyes as she thought that Harley’s father was going to harm someone."Hmmmm... Dad is consumed by the greed to get the power. That is why he abruptly came here with Mom," Harley said, making his way to the bed, his hand unbuttoning his shirt, while he added, "Let him do what he wants. I'm glad you found something entertaining in this house!""How come you are so relaxed even after knowing all this? What if he is plotting something dangerous against you because I felt he has no sympathy for you or no care that you are his son," Nadia said impatiently putting both her hands on her waist as she did no