Chapter 1 Fifty Million

Blood sprayed all around as an unfortunate woman watched her attacker uncontrollably plunge a knife into every part of her body. “No one else can have you. We’ll be together forever,” the man said in a manic state.

She observed his face, his chiseled jaw, sharp nose, and a crazed expression. How unlucky she was to see these in her final moments. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, letting him know of her impending doom. But as a final act of defiance, “Never,” she muttered as her whole being slumped onto his own.

In a fit of rage, he threw the pale corpse from a high balcony. A smile was plastered on his lips as he watched her lifeless body meet the concrete ground, surprising passersby on a busy city night. Screams erupted that even in his high position, he was able to enjoy the sounds. “I’ll be there soon, wait for me,” he said to himself as he relished the cold breeze with his eyes closed.

“Aaand, cut!” The director shouted from his seat after getting a satisfactory zoomed shot of the man’s face. The silence in the studio was soon cut with applause and cheers. “That was an amazing take, Andy!” The director offered his hand to the woman lying on the green screen-covered foam.

“Thank you so much, Chris. I’d love to shake your hand but as you can see, I’m a mess.” Andy motioned to her whole body covered in fake stab wounds and blood made of sticky syrup and red dye.

The director called on the crew to help her and went on to congratulate the other actor. “Daniel! Good job!” The filming staff and extras moved from all directions, each running to their own tasks, creating a chaotic scene.

“Another excellent work,” Andy thought as her staff and makeup crew cleaned her off the red muddle. If it weren’t for some mumbling nonsense, it would be a perfect day.

“Did you see that? She thought she acted well when it was Daniel who did all the work. Just because the director pities her and gave her this job, doesn’t mean she’s better than everyone else.” Ever since she started acting at the age of nine, negative comments had always bombarded her.

“Another washed-up actor with connections but no talent. Makes you wonder how she got this role.” Whether from the people on set, or haters on the internet, she learned to block them out and just do her part well.

“Why does she even try? No one will ever like her.” But sometimes, some words just cut through and put her in a bad place.

“People here really be showing how petty and jealous they are when they can’t compare to you, even if you’re covered in blood,” her manager and personal assistant, Ren Hicks, said loudly as a retort to the naysayers. She shook off some fake blood in their direction to shoo them away, irritated by their audacity to speak such hateful words.

“Don’t, Ren, it’s not worth it,” Andy stopped the still fuming girl from having a full-on fit. “If you’re going to fight with every person who says that, you’d be fighting a whole country.” Andy chuckled while dressing up. One thing she has mastered all these years was to look unbothered, despite what anyone might say or do to her.

After this, she and Daniel had to go on an interview to talk about the film in progress. So no more messing around.

But it seemed like the universe badly wanted her to break down. Her phone pinged with a new message. “The money better be in my account by the end of the day, Miss Scout. Or else, it’s your face on tomorrow’s news.” And here she thought she could at least have one uneventful day. Her back slouched from an invisible weight.

“Is it the loan shark again?” Ren whispered. Her eyes scanned all over the place, careful no one was near. Despite the public probing into her life since she became famous, Andy made sure no one knew about her personal struggles. Only Ren and a few others close to her knew about the crippling debt. “You already paid last week! What more does he want? And it’s not your debt in the first place!”

Andy’s mother saw her daughter’s potential and beauty at a young age that she forced her to go on auditions. And when she did get famous, Laura Scout capitalized on it and took all her earnings. She lived a luxurious life while little Andy suffered working for years. Her greed caused her to take multiple loans from Theo Pratt to finance her materialism. But when asked to pay, Laura transferred all her loans to her daughter who was still twelve at that time. Now, a binding clause in the contract demanded that Andy pay for it with interest, resulting in a fifty million debt.

Fifty million dollars and she only paid a tiny amount of it. That gangster, Theo, knew she can’t afford to have the whole world know about this. So he took advantage and kept pressing her to pay every week. Andy sighed and hid her phone away. “It’s fine, Ren. It’s just a misunderstanding. Let’s just get ready for the interview.” Where could she get some money this time?

Speaking of her co-star, “You ready?” He casually slung his arms over Andy’s shoulder, making her detractors angrier and supporters blush. “Ugh, stop it. You’re making things worse for me.” She shrugged him off.

Daniel was a good actor. He had the face, chops for the show business, plus a famous family name. Andy had to admit at least that. But where his good qualities ended, his long list of bad ones went on. He was a womanizer and a party animal. Getting involved with him would mean careers being tarnished. Whatever crappy thing he did, someone else got punished for it. That was how good his publicists and family were. And none of his fans will ever know that. For them, Daniel Preston was and always will be the pure, handsome guy who’s too good for this world.

“Come on, we’re going to spend a lot of time together. Might as well get comfortable with it now,” Daniel teased her, his wandering hands reaching down into Andy’s backside. Here we go again.

But before she could react, “Argh! What the fuck!” From behind them, a hand grasped Daniel’s wrist tightly. This was a shock to every person in the room as no one dared touch Daniel nor stop him from his dirty antics.

But when they all saw who it was, their jaws dropped. “Sir Adams!”

Chris, the director, quickly ran to his actor’s aid in a panic. “What a surprise!” Seeing the CEO of the largest film production and talent agency company will certainly do that to a room. Andy, herself, almost had a heart attack from being that up close with the man. The smell of lavender that hit her nose did nothing to comfort her. His all too imposing stature and height were enough to scare the wits out of her.

“She told you to stop it. Learn to take a hint,” Mister Adams coolly explained in a monotone voice, as if talking to an unimportant person. And Daniel Preston knew not to challenge the newcomer. He was arrogant, but not stupid. Daniel knew never to mess with the man who could change his life and career with a flick of his hand. All the confidence he had deflated that he looked like a kicked puppy.

Scary and tense as the situation was, Andy still sighed a relief. If the CEO hasn’t shown up, there would be new articles about her and Daniel with pictures of him groping her. Where people would then say she was the one flirting and seducing him. It all would be her fault, never his.

“I came to check in on the production. But it seems like you’re just letting anything happen here.” This time it was Chris and a few producers who looked weak and powerless just because of a few stern words from him. “We apologize, Sir. It won’t happen again.”

As if not familiar with the effect he had on them, Adams instead just faced Andy, not minding the crowd surrounding them. “I actually came here for you. We need to talk.” Now what kind of trouble is she in again? All Andy could do was swallow her fear and try not to stumble among the assistants and bodyguards surrounding him. When will this day ever end?

“Surely, he’s here to kick her out of his agency,” the same critics snickered at her present state. This made Andy even more nervous. “Is that what he’s going to do? Did they know about my debt?” Questions and doubts raced on her mind.

“What would you like to talk about, Sir?” Her voice shook. How are you supposed to talk to the man who merged Eden Artist Agency and Elysian Pictures, the two biggest entertainment companies in the world?

They were now seated in his office, atop an eighty-floor building. How she wished the ever-so-tough Ren was with her. Both of them were surprised when he ordered that only Andy was allowed to go with them.

In Adams’ stead, a happy-looking man approached her and handed several items on the table. “If I may, Miss Scout.”

Stacks of papers and a box with a ring on it. Andy’s eyebrows furrowed at them, especially the ring. It was an exquisite piece of jewelry: a simple white gold band adorned with small white gems, and at the top was a modest-sized blue diamond. “An engagement ring?” She asked out loud.

“Sir Adams chose it specifically and had it custom-made only for you,” the assistant can barely contain his smile. “He saw how you had a minimalist and natural style. So he made sure not to go all out.”

Andy just kept staring, not knowing how to respond. He droned on, “If it’s not to your liking, we can change it. Plus, you won’t have to wear it for long. You’ll be putting on a different ring soon.”

“For me?” Andy could not hide her shock. All her acting experiences were thrown out the window. “But why? I’m not getting-”

Finally, Adams himself got up from his chair and walked towards Andy. The smell came back and all Andy wanted to do was bury herself in his clothes. His body appeared cozy enough to rest on. He stepped in closer and took the ring out.

Still seated, Andy looked up to see his hand offering to take hers. His face was now much closer and she can see how everyone called him ‘The Most Eligible But Elusive Billionaire.’ Power, money, looks. He doesn’t flaunt them, but they exude naturally from him.

Not wanting to look rude, Andy gave her hand in confusion. She gaped as Adams slipped the ring onto her left ring finger. It fit perfectly. He finally spoke, “Because you’ll be Mrs. Andrea Adams.”

In her bewilderment, all Andrea could do was stare at him. Her frozen body couldn’t react to what was occurring. The two men were concerned with her silence. “Miss Scout, are you alright?”

“Sir Adams-”

“Sebastian. Call me Sebastian,” he interrupted.

“Okay, Sebastian. I have an interview soon so I don’t have time for your pranks.” Andy woke up from her daze and headed for the door. Crazy rich people like him can waste his time all he wants but she can’t spare a single minute. She still had to talk to Chris if he can lend her money.

But the next words that Sebastian Adams uttered stopped her in her tracks.

“I’ll pay for all of your debt. All fifty million of it.”