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Chapter 4
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Sophie returned to her office at RIB Editora in the late afternoon after the meeting with her employers and the three men from GHShow. Fortunately, all the employees had been alerted about her arrival by one of RIB's drivers who had brought her back. As the elevator stopped on the floor where her office was located, she dramatically took off her Michael Kors sunglasses and walked determinedly to her personal workspace.
It didn't matter that her mind was in a chaotic mess at that moment. On the outside, she maintained the same inscrutable and not-so-friendly expression. Her steps were firm and elegant, and the air of being the master of the world, a persona she had earned at the company since starting her job there.
Her assistant was already holding the door open for her to enter, which she did without paying much attention to his presence, except for the fact that she practically tossed her Louis Vuitton bag into the young man's arms, then occupied her wide and comfortable black leather chair behind the imposing glass desk with brushed steel legs. She sat with her back straight and her gaze at the horizon line.
"Blaine, pay close attention so you don't make even the slightest mistake, okay?" she requested, sounding somewhat impatient. "I need you to bring me an iced peach tea... very cold, but without the ice cubes... and pre-sweetened... not with that leftover sugar at the bottom, understood?" He nodded affirmatively, even though she wasn't looking at him but at her computer, where she had begun to work. "A ricotta and turkey breast sandwich on whole wheat bread... no salad. And two painkiller tablets... my head is about to explode!" she finished, massaging her temples.
"Okay. Very cold peach tea... no ice cubes, pre-sweetened without sugar at the bottom. Ricotta and turkey breast sandwich on whole wheat bread, no salad. Two painkiller tablets," he repeated, waiting for any corrections. "And... uh... it's... it's... B-Blaine, Miss Parker."
"What?" she asked, distracted.
"My... name, Miss Parker. It's Blaine... not Maine."
"Whatever," she said wearily, still not taking her eyes off the monitor. "That's all for now," she added a few seconds later.
In a few minutes, Blaine returned with the requested snack as well as the medication, placing them on the table in front of her. She took both pills in one gulp with a big sip of her tea and took the first bite of the sandwich.
"Still here, Paine?" she asked after finishing chewing, rolling her eyes. Then the young man left, understanding that as a signal that if she needed anything else, she would call for him.
And that was exactly what she did, about forty minutes later.
"Can I help you, Miss Parker?" he introduced himself as quickly as he could.
"What took you so long? I thought you died at your desk." She was always dramatic, but on that day, she was particularly demanding. "Call me Sophie, and drop the Miss.," she requested.
It wasn't a friendly request, however; it was rather curt. It had nothing to do with wanting to make things less formal between her and her subordinate. She just didn't like to be constantly associated with her last name, with the name of her powerful family, given that she had reached her position through her own merits, without resorting to it even once to gain privileges or contacts.
"Tell Ted that I didn't approve of the layout he developed for tomorrow's cover... he'll have to present me with another option. I asked for something cheerful, inviting, and exciting, and he sent me something sad and unappealing. Make sure the second reviewer pays special attention to Andy's column; there were several typos in Sunday's issue." She exaggerated again, referring to two typos that both the journalist and the two reviewers had missed. "Confirm my attendance at Ginnifer Badwin's party tonight. I want a driver to drop me off at ten and pick me up at midnight. Ask the second assistant to pick up my dress from Dante Kammel's atelier... and let him know it's coming. His website is on the internet with his contacts... Kammel with a K and two M's. Also, tell him I need a wow-factor dress for a cocktail next Wednesday; he'll understand."
"Dante Kammel... K with two M's..." he was jotting everything down.
"I need Sharon, Sunshine, Lauren, and Michael in the meeting room in fifteen minutes and..."
"I'm sorry, but it's not possible, Miss Be-... I mean, Sophie... The four of them were assigned to the first shift today and have already left."
Unlike most magazines that publish monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly, TVZoom was a daily publication. This was one of the many innovations that RIB wanted to incorporate into the magazine. It made the editors' task even more challenging, as the magazine's editorial department had to operate twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, all year round, never stopping, much like major printed newspapers.
For this to work, journalists worked in shifts, posted at the beginning of each month, including some night shifts. While the next day's issue was being printed and distributed to bookstores, convenience stores, cafes, markets, and subscribers, there had to be someone already thinking about story proposals for the following day.
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"Why is it so difficult to find certain professionals from this magazine when I look for them? Am I asking for too much? I know I'm not... they work here, after all," Sophie huffed. "Patience. If it can't be now, I want a meeting with them tomorrow as soon as I arrive... which means you and the HR department need to modify the work schedules if necessary, so that the four of them are here for the morning shift again.""No problem," Blaine assured."I'm heading home, mon Cher. I should receive the new cover and any missing details for tomorrow's edition via email, okay? And tell the girl... what's her name again?" she pointed towards the wall, in the direction of the second assistant's desk."Rose... Rose Pepper.""Tell Little Pepper to handle my dress carefully," she said, standing up and extending her hand for him to give her her bag, which was hanging on a fancy coat hanger in the corner of the room. "And tell her to also order some work clothes from Dante, on my account... and arra
The Key To The Heart Chapter 6
Sophie wasn't certain about the supposed haunting, and she was relieved not to encounter it at the party. If Nicholas wasn't present, his absence had nothing to do with Ginni and Josh working for ABC, one of GHShow's major competitors. In fact, he knew both of them personally, as they had made minor appearances in series produced by his network. He had indeed been invited to the party, but he chose not to attend and instead opted to send a nice gift to the birthday girl along with a congratulatory card. He also sent an elegant thank-you telegram to her boyfriend, the host.Nicholas wasn't much of a party person. He preferred spending his evenings in the comfort of his apartment, enjoying home-cooked meals prepared by Mrs. Spencer, drinking beer straight from a long-neck bottle, and reading a good book or watching a movie, accompanied only by his old golden retriever Uno. He only attended events when absolutely necessary due to his role as the president of a major TV network or when hi
The Key To The Heart Chapter 7
It wasn't worth arguing with Nicholas, and Will knew that. He had known it since the time he had welcomed Nicholas to GHShow and, along with other long-standing professionals of the company, helped him understand and adapt to the job. He knew that Nicholas never put business ahead of friends and family. They had become like a family since then: Will was the father Nicholas never had, and although Emma wasn't old enough, she acted like a mother, always caring, affectionate, and willing to listen and advise. To top it off, little Reese was about to arrive any moment, already forming another strong bond among the three, even before being born.Nicholas remained occupied with work for the rest of the day, as there were numerous issues to resolve before he became both the president and the star of one of the network's attractions. Not far away, a few hours later, Sophie arrived at her own office, which was equally bustling with decisions to be made and activities to be carried out with her
The Key To The Heart Chapter 8
"Your shoes are everything, diva! Are they new?" Sharon asked Sophie as they walked toward the restaurant."They're Chanel, darling," Parker replied, but not in the snobbish tone she used with most people. Instead, she spoke playfully, a tone she reserved for a select few, like her best friend. "But they're not new. They were my grandmother's. They seem new because my grandfather used to buy her all sorts of things, but she didn't really have many opportunities to wear them.""She must have left behind a lot of things, huh?" the friend commented."Yeah... lots of jewelry, clothes, shoes, bags... fur coats, which weren't politically incorrect back in her time...""Table for two only?" asked the restaurant manager at the entrance of the restaurant they had reached."As always," Sharon laughed."But most of her belongings were left in her will to the social foundations she used to support when she was alive," Sophie continued the conversation as they were led to their table. "She specifi
The Key To The Heart Chapter 9
"Sophie, I think you're mistaken about the show," Sharon commented when her friend finished working and the two went to the living room to choose a movie to watch. "Nicholas doesn't seem like the type of person who wants or needs to appear... not at all! He's one of the richest men in the United States right now, he's appeared on those lists of the country's sexiest men a few times, he's invited to practically every important event here in Los Angeles... and also in New York... and he politely declines most of them...""Fine. Maybe he doesn't need a show to get attention... and maybe he doesn't even like attention, which I find hard to believe, but okay," she handed a few new DVDs for her friend to choose from. "Still, I bet it's staged. Maybe he's dating some girl that nobody knows and wants to make her famous before the wedding, for example.""I told a friend who works in GHShow's journalism... just now on MSN... that I'm going to do some articles about the show," she handed one of
The Key To The Heart Chapter 10
Pierce might have had terrible memories of Sophie and preferred that she had never stayed within his sight again, but he had to acknowledge that she was beautiful, she had always been beautiful, and the years had made her even more wonderful. She still had the same large eyes, the same full lips, the same shiny hair, the same petite stature that made her delicate as a woman should be, the same long legs for her height. Moreover, she was more tanned, her legs more toned, her body more curvaceous, her manner more mature.Nicholas had to greet a bunch of people along with John, but he didn't let slip the smile Sophie had at that moment, watching something Will showed her on his phone. It was the same pure and sincere smile of the thirteen-year-old girl he had met when he was sixteen, and that he hadn't seen at all after they reconnected.His smile wasn't forced like all the ones she had managed during the meeting where they had reencountered, but he soon realized that the only thing Will
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On Thursday, Sophie's mood was really bad after she endured Nicholas' comment and disdainful look during the party the previous night. She decided not to go to her office at the publishing house and worked from home. After finally finishing the Friday magazine issue, she was relaxing in the bathtub, reading a book and sipping a glass of good red wine."Hello, Ryan," she said into the phone, after answering her boss's call, trying to disguise her mood as much as possible."Hello, my dear. How are you?" It was a rhetorical question that he didn't wait for his favorite employee to answer. "Is the TV on? The show starts in about fifteen minutes.""Um... no, not really... I was taking a bath," she took a deep breath."Well, turn it on, my dear. Turn it on so you don't miss anything. How's the coverage of the show going so far? You're giving it special attention as we asked, right?""Of course, Ryan. Full attention," she was indeed in touch with the team, giving a lot of attention to Sharon
The Key To The Heart Chapter 12
"And so, ladies and gentlemen, are you eager to meet the fourteen lucky ones who will fight for Nicholas Pierce's heart?" the host, Tony Mythe, asked the viewers, and Sophie rolled her eyes. She still thought it was a farce and, therefore, a huge disrespect to the audience. "First, let's see together if this lucky bachelor, being able to choose from so many beautiful girls, was excited last night. Let's find out!"Sophie watched Nicholas enter the hall filled with girls and greet all of them, but most of the time, the images showed him mingling and talking with the girls, while some random music played. Whatever he was saying to them or hearing from them wasn't the focus of John's direction. Afterward, when he had greeted everyone and was choosing some to talk to, snippets of conversations were shown where the girls talked about their hometowns, professions, sports, music, movies, and other topics you discuss when you've just met someone.After another commercial break, the host appea
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Impressed, Sophie watched the fireworks light up and color the sky, marking the farewell of one year and celebrating the arrival of another. The year that was ending had been a milestone in her life and would always be remembered, but the new year was welcome and also promised to bring her many joys.While she watched the festivities, with Nicholas behind her, holding onto her waist and his face close to hers, she had some quick memories of the past few months and was still amazed at how much had happened in such a short time.First, she had returned to the United States, then her reunion with Nicholas had happened, the hesitant coming together of the two, the inevitable surrender, misguided judgments, anger trying to overshadow love, the revelation of the truth about the past, and finally, the union of two people who could never be
The Key To The Heart Chapter 63
No sábado seguinte, everything was arranged, and Dante and Blaine insisted that they at least celebrate their union with the two of them, Sharon, John, Will, Emma, Maya, and Tony at a newly opened bar in Santa Monica. So, Nicholas made a reservation at one of the best restaurants on the beach and took Sophie out to dinner before meeting their friends because he still had some surprises in store for her.The two were led to a more private area of the restaurant to avoid being bothered or photographed by paparazzi. They received the wine list from a waiter who then left them alone. After choosing their wine and being served, they were given menus. Without realizing that Nicholas was simply watching her, Sophie opened her menu and spoke absentmindedly."What's this, Nicholas?" She asked, feigning annoyance but smiling after glanc
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Nicholas's speech wasn't a declaration of love; after all, he wasn't speaking to Sophie but to the viewers. He didn't want to involve the public in their private affairs, even though he suspected some might be interested. He wanted the final episode to be successful and emotional, but he handled it with the necessary objectivity, hoping most people would understand his decision, even though there was a risk of not being understood.Nicholas knew that if he chose Maya, Sophie would pretend for the media that their relationship had ended and the wedding had been canceled. However, he felt terrible about deceiving people, and he feared Sophie might not understand the ruse, potentially ruining any chance they had of being together.Sophie watched everything silently, standing in the middle of her apartment's TV room. She smiled like a fo
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Tony spent a few seconds processing the information. Maybe he would never have a concrete chance with Maya, even if she didn't marry Nicholas. But perhaps life was crazy and unfair enough that, even though he wasn't worthy of it, he did have a chance. Either way, there was only one way to find out, and that was to go after the girl and open his heart for the first time.He grabbed his car and sped down the road that connected the mansion's location to downtown LA as he had never done before. It was easy to spot the car carrying the girl since it wasn't a busy route, especially at that time of night, and the driver was driving at a moderate speed, with no hurry. Fueled by insane and passionate hope, he honked incessantly, startling both the driver and the girl, and didn't give up until he forced the car to pull over to the side of the road, where he also parked.
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Sophie took her breakfast calmly, stopped by her own home, and went to work, acting as if it were any other day. She left her phone in a drawer, the same phone number Nicholas had since their first meeting, to avoid constantly checking it, hoping for his call. If someone needed to contact her about work, they would call her office. She didn't want to nurture hope even when she received flowers with a card that said, "I love you forever," because that phrase could mean a fond farewell, or it could simply mean he would love her from afar until the end of his days.Nicholas, on the other hand, spent a good part of the day anxious because Sophie wasn't answering his calls. He didn't want to call the magazine's office, as he imagined she might not appreciate interference in her personal life at work, but he couldn't understand why, after the previous night, she might not want to talk to him.
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Their lips sought each other and greeted several times until their tongues also had their long-awaited encounter. Nicholas pulled Sophie's body so she was completely on top of him, and while keeping one hand firmly on the nape of her neck, he caressed the part of her back that the dress didn't cover with the other. She lightly ran her nails through his scalp and neck, already wanting to intensify the contact between them.As the initially calm, slow kisses gave way to more eager and rapid ones, and their hands couldn't stay in one place anymore, wandering and exploring their bodies, their breathing became more frantic. Sophie pulled away for a moment, kneeling between Nicholas's legs. She removed her dress, leaving her in just a small pair of panties, while Nicholas, enjoying the sight of her, quickly discarded his shirt.She pushed
The Key To The Heart Chapter 58
"I know I should have trusted you, Nicholas. I know!" Sophie suddenly said, pulling Nicholas out of his musings and making him stop pacing like a madman. "I was stupid, naive, impulsive... and I understand if you never forgive me for the suffering you went through. But I needed... I really NEEDED you to know that I loved you. That I didn't trade you for anything, that I... would never trade you.""Soph..." he approached, getting very close to her and taking her small hands in his. "You were eighteen... and, as you said, you SAW. I think if I saw you in bed with another guy, completely naked, I wouldn't wait for explanations either. And if you tried to explain, denied what I SAW... I probably wouldn't believe you," he wiped her tears away again with his fingers. "I don't even have to forgive you!" he shrugged, and she started crying uncontrollably again, throwing herself into his arms.
The Key To The Heart Chapter 57
"I needed to see you," she interrupted, taking a deep breath and fighting back the lump in her throat. "I need to tell you so many things! I need you to know that..." she couldn't finish the sentence as she broke down into sobs again, and he got up, deciding she needed something to help calm her."Where are you going? Stay here. Stay close to me, Nicholas. Please, stay close to me!" she said, a little more desperate than she would have liked, reacting to the torrent of emotions building up inside her with each passing minute since her brother's revelations."Calm down," he said, sitting back down and wiping her tears away with his thumbs gently. "Calm down, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere," he gave a little smile, and she managed a very timid one in return. "I just think you need something to help you calm down so you can tell me al
The Key To The Heart Chapter 56
Nicholas was in the living room of his apartment, reading the script of an action movie that a director friend had proposed for GHShow to produce. He had convinced John that he didn't need to spend the whole night at the mansion where his TV show was filmed, and now he was enjoying the solitude he was about to lose.There was a part of him that found this good, of course. After all, he had created the show because he wasn't truly satisfied with not having someone to share his life with, to come home to at night, to have conversations with, and to learn about their day and share his own. Another part, however, had doubts about whether it would really be a good idea to have a woman waiting for him, eager to hear about his day and share hers, when that woman wouldn't be the one he truly wanted to tell about all his joys, fears, expectations, successes, and anxieties, and whose routine he would l
