Everett returned to the hospital to find Ben and Josalyn speaking to each other. Without Nunzio there, he worried about how Ben would react to him. In the past few hours, his opinion of Ben had shifted. He’d the man had a backbone and advocated for Josalyn. It meant he was still maintaining his integrity. Uncertainty loomed with increasing tenure in this industry. He needed only to look at himself for proof. He recognized his failures and desired change. “Hey, I think I found everything. Are you certain that I found everything?” “Jake, you went over there, and you’re back already? You’re smiling. Did you send someone instead of going yourself? Why are you still smiling?” Josalyn looked confused and guilty. “Yes, I went myself. I hired a car since I’ve slept little in the last few days. I entered alone, and I had a look around. What I found we can discuss later once you’re out of the hospital and comfortable.” Jake set the b
The next morning creeped by. Jake never left her side. He even had someone bring him a phone charger so he could continue preparing everything for her to stay with him. “Oh, interesting note, love. You will need to stay with me while the repairs are happening. Some construction materials contain gluten. If you breathe in the dust, it could harm you.” Jake said as he raised his head from his phone. “Jake, what are you doing there? What are you talking about?” Josalyn didn’t know what he meant as she finished packing her things. She went to lift the bag off the bed. “Oh, hey, no you don’t. I’m here to lift that. We don’t want you damaging your stitches.” “Jake, they’re staples, and I’m fine. This isn’t heavy or the first time I’ve lifted this… Thank you. Just put it by the door.” It felt so odd to have Jake snatch the bag from her. Josalyn noticed his panicked expression and felt uneasy, as though she had inconvenienced him by
Everett found himself surprised by the Studio. He’d received a call from the Studio’s handler after he’d left the hospital with Rebecca. They made it home before he opened the voicemail message. They apologized for the accident. He couldn’t believe that spin. The fan attacked Rebecca out of anger, spite, jealousy, and a twisted form of protective possessiveness. He found Ben and Nunzio at their door soon after, with several documents for them both. All discussed marriage and its prospects. But what surprised them all, were the checks attached to them. The Studio decided they’d keep them on the show and paid them for their silence. “She’s resting right now. I’ll go get her once you’re ready.” Everett avoided disturbing Rebecca, as it required all her efforts to arrive. She wasn’t happy with this arrangement, but the doctor wouldn’t release her to go live alone. Rebecca still had staples on her side. However, visitors searching for her were disrupting others at t
The Studio sent over changes to the stunt, a day after clearing away paperwork. Josalyn didn’t want to deal with the rumor mill or Gena. It exhausted her to no end. She refused to accept Gena as a mother, especially not Everett’s child’s mother. She still struggled with whether she should believe Everett when he said he couldn’t be the father. Gena, of course, had to pull her into it by calling her a home wrecker and a horrible person. How fragile Gena’s pregnancy was and how Josalyn lied about her health being bad. She’d never said a bloody thing about her health to anyone. Gena hadn’t stopped there. She pulled out the drugs or alcohol rumors about Josalyn. Of course, she only called her Rebecca in the public realm. Josalyn even had to deal with Gena, ignoring the fact she’d been the one to steal Jake from her initially. Heaven forgive her, because Josalyn didn’t speak up and tell the world Gena broke up their quiet marriage
“I’m so happy to be having his baby. He must come home soon.” Gena said. Her voice gushed with happiness, but anyone could see and hear how insincere her feelings and words were. Her actions were as over the top as her words, but they rang fake. “Ms. D’Ore, are you aware that people witnessed and took photographs of you outside a restaurant, kissing your agent?” The host of the podcast shifted in his seat. He seemed uneasy with the interviews progress. But he’d given her the chance to tell her tale and leave him enough rope to hang her with. “Oh, someone edited that. Rebecca Jones made the photo to steal Everett from me. She stole him from me and is doing everything she can to ruin me.” Gena hadn’t known they Rebecca Jones had the photo made so she could swoop in and steal Everett away from me. She stole him from me and is doing everything she can to ruin me.” Gena hadn’t known they would discuss the photos. Photos she’d told a paparazzo to take. She wanted to
Yuri watched as Leo brought Gena back to him. He’d seen her latest interview and heard her claims. If he had a say, she wouldn’t have Everett’s baby. Yuri preferred sharing with a select few. He didn’t share his women with just anyone. “You’re pregnant and lying about who the father is, Gena. Why?” “Yuri, you’re fun in the sack, so is Leo. I love what you do. Really, I do. You lack the business influence that Everett possesses. Also, I need to keep Rebecca from winning. She’s always had an effortless life.” “Is the child his Gena?” At first, Gena said nothing. Yuri stood inches from her, towering over her. His face could scare a storm cloud from the sun’s light. When she swallowed, it was noticeable, and Leo smirked. With enormous eyes, she let her lower lip slip into a quivering pout. “It’s okay Yuri, I know what I’m doing.” “You’re not keeping the brat, Gena. Get rid of it. He’s not coming back.”
Rebecca sat there staring at the screen after they sat down to watch the podcast on replay as they missed the original airing of it. “I can’t believe her. She’s ruined me, Jake. I can’t show my face after that. I look like a monster. How did I steal you from her? She used her lover to take you away from me if push comes to shove.” “I don’t get it either. Those two are sick and twisted. We were right to acknowledge our marriage before Gena appeared. It makes her claims look questionable at best and foolish at worst. People aren’t stupid, Josalyn. They’ll see there’s more to it. Without it, Baldwin hinted at something deeper. Jake concentrated on their recent conversation. He couldn’t believe how she lied and looked like she believed it. But the crying at the end, was bad acting from start to finish. It belonged in a ‘B,’ movie. Gena needed to grow up and get a hobby other than harassing Josalyn. “Which is what scares me. I can’t have people digging ar
Jake arranged a private ceremony at the cabin, without telling Josalyn. Sadly, he didn’t have a choice about the cameraman and crew. The Studio desired an outstanding set location, but it seemed impossible to find one so close to the deadline. The location had a beautiful vista and a special meaning for them. But the Studio provided the budget and accommodation for the guests. However, they insisted on adding to the guest list. To keep the wedding secret, the Studio announced it to everyone as a surprise engagement party, and not the wedding itself. Only when the guests arrived.Jake hoped the Studio wouldn’t ruin everything and cause a disaster or drama. But he feared the Studio would level up the drama. Gena’s or Yuri’s presence may create a nightmare, absolving Jake of liability. He’d warned the Studio’s handler that he wouldn’t allow them to ruin her day. He’d have everyone pamper her and they wouldn’t suffer anymore at the mercy of their machinations.
“I lost our first baby. It’s my fault Everett didn’t know about it. I didn’t tell him because it would’ve killed him and I feared he’d think I was using it as an excuse to cling to him. If I told him he’d want to know why it happened and then blame me for it. I was too tired from losing the baby that I’ve agreed to almost anything. Mentioning pregnancy, I indeed recall feeling the same way before. Rebecca leaned against the door jamb and gave a heavy sigh. Hopefully, this time yields better results. Can’t do it again.” “Then I’ll go call them now and see if I can catch the receptionist before she leaves for lunch. I hope it’s a baby and nothing bad.” Jill left the dressing room and the other to speak between themselves. “A baby…” Rebecca sounded like she was stunned. “Oh, good grief. I hope the doctor was correct when he told you I could still have children.” “We’ll find out soon enough.”(SEVEN MONTHS LATER- MERCY GENERAL HOSPITAL, LABOR, AND DELIVE
“Are you alright love? Should I call your doctor for an appointment?” Everett asked Rebecca when she left the bathroom of the dressing room they now shared at work. He looked at her with concern in his eyes. “I don’t know. I’m nauseous but there’s no pain. “Perhaps I’m coming down with something,” Rebecca said, her pale face lacking its usual smile. “This will pass soon too.” “Perhaps we should secure the appointment now, rather than later. We’ll play it safe and catch whatever it is early. Why don’t you go sit down and relax? I know our lunch will arrive at the set soon. Then we can enjoy it and see how you’re feeling.” “The truth is I’m a little tired and nauseous. That’s it. No headaches, no pain, or weakness. There’re no mystery rashes, and my breathing is fine. I can’t find even a simple mystery bruise, and no strange bouts of acne. My hair isn’t falling out like it was, at least not yet.” “Can we sit and list your exper
Coming out of the interview with Everett, Josalyn sat down an hour later with the man she knew was her father. She’d spent hours researching stories and coming up with questions. The writers added questions to the lists well in advance. The questions went through the Studio’s legal department and her father’s legal team went through them as well. It became a lengthy-drawn-out process because of all the legal complications. Everett insisted on staying with her for support and sat in the dark shadows off to the side, away from the cameras, watching everything. He’d become protective and a little obsessive of Rebecca, but at this point she didn’t mind so much. Rebecca still basked in his attention and his attention hadn’t become intrusive yet in her eyes. Something had changed and Rebecca knew that. Her father sat there and shifted in his seat. He didn’t appear comfortable, and she’d not hesitate to say he appeared nervous. She attributed it to his pri
(SIX WEEKS AFTER THEIR WEDDING) Everett took a seat beside Rebecca on a sound stage. He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. Then his smile changed from the genuine one he gave her to the smile he’s known for when he looked at the interviewer. This was their explanation of events. Legal advice urged them to take a preemptive measure to defend against Gena’s potential slander. “Thank you for being here Mr. Stone and Ms. Jones.” Ken Douglas said to them as he settled into his own seat after greeting them. The cameras were rolling and picking up everything. “Thank you, Mr. Douglas. But it’s Mrs. Stone now.” Everett said to Ken. He corrected the interviewer before Rebecca could. “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t realize you changed your name.” Ken Douglas looked at his notes, already off kilter with this interview. “It’s a recent development. My wife and I decided it would better reflect our leaving the past in the past.
“Morning, everyone. Thank you for settling down so quickly. Let’s start immediately. I’m afraid we have had several events in the past few weeks and several rather disturbing events last night.” Surprisingly, the Studio handler, who never attended a meeting like this before, assumed control. He let the comments and surprises fill the room. “It’s with a heavy heart that I must tell everyone that Yuri will not return to the set as he and his driver were found early yesterday morning dead in their cell. The cause of their deaths isn’t known, but suicide has not been ruled out yet.”Shock spread among everyone, including Josalyn. Though she knew the reputation of Gena’s family and two suicides this early didn’t sound right to her. Gena’s family had conflicting feelings about the women in their family. Hurting their own women was one thing, but an outsider doing so was another. Then there’s the baby. She wondered if they could have killed Yuri not for harming Gena, but for caus
They had two weeks for their honeymoon. Jake promised to arrange for something better later. He wouldn’t tell her where they’d go. It would be a surprise. He believes it’s important to be nearby for her health since her recent injuries stopped her from doing physical activities in a foreign country. If something happened, he didn’t trust the medical system of a foreign nation. Jake let her decide if she would show up at the studios without her wig. It’s odd to see the reaction she received when they arrived at the gate this morning. “Well, here we go.” Jake’s choice of driver eased their way through security and fans. They’d been lying in wait for them. Nunzio and Ben, both warned them that there’d been clashes between two groups of fans. One group supported their marriage, and a second group opposed it. “Yeah, I wonder what they’ll do when they learn we were married before this.” Josalyn asked Jake, “What they would make of that?” Their
Jake and Josalyn relaxed and enjoyed their usual activities at the cottage. Without the crowd of friends, of course. This time they weren’t window shopping for antiques. They could go through the shops and buy whatever they wanted. Though Jake found Josalyn hesitant to use his money. He couldn’t risk lowering his guard. He had to watch her to see what caught her eye and then ensure that he purchased it. These pieces weren’t for the cottage, but for their city house. Once they completed the renovations, they needed to refurnish the entire house. They needed everything from the floorboards to the ceiling. They won’t understand everything right away, but they can start. Afterwards, he would hire a professional to finish the space. “Jake, over here. Look at this. I love these cabinets; wouldn’t they make perfect nightstands for the master bedroom?” “Found a blanket box bench over there. Place it at the bed’s foot. It’s not just a box but has several dra
The next morning, they ate their breakfast on the back deck overlooking the lake and enjoyed the silence of nature as the sun rose. Josalyn forgot the joy of sitting without worrying about schedules, scripts, or getting through the day. Jake’s presence was soothing rather than grating on her nerves. She viewed him differently last night, absorbing new information about her long-held experiences. Her fears were unfounded sometimes and in others she found herself exposed to far too much. This time, when she tried to bring up the problems, Jake stood with her, and they formed a consensus. With that consensus came a plan. The plan’s activation is uncertain, but it would provide clarity to the public. They agreed not to involve the Studio’s PR handler. They’d handle it alone and let the chips fall where they may. She came clean about her finances and today they’d hand them to Jake’s family’s accounting firm and allow them to sort out her debts. Jake wasn
Josalyn lay on their bed at Jake’s teasing mercy. His hungry gazed followed his hands, and he toyed with her body. He’d just told her he wanted to see her orgasm before he satisfied himself. Then, without missing a beat, his fingers found her depths and thrust into her core, searching for that spot that would send her spiraling out of control. Her breath became heavy. “I want to share this pleasure with you. Let me touch you, Jake.” “Later. Now focus on what I’m doing and enjoy it. Breathe and focus. His other hands slid along her inner thighs with gentle caresses that left her thighs shaking and her mind forgetting to breathe. Along with her rich moans, the room filled with the slick sound of his fingers thrusting in and out of her. Josalyn knew he loved to hear what his actions did to her body. “Jake, oh god. Please I want to touch you.” “You know the rules love. I want to start tonight off right. Come on my hand. Show me h