“You don’t need me to let them know there’ll be a change?” I asked carefully.
“No. That won’t be necessary.”
Ophelia and I exchanged aholy shitglance, but went back to what we were doing. There was a story there, but Victoria would never tell.
Someone knocked on the door, and I pitied them because Victoria had made it clear we weren’t to be disturbed. Someone was going to be cleaning implements for the foreseeable future.
Victoria barked, “Enter.” It was technically an invitation, but she made it sound like a death sentence.
It was my turn to pull my jaw off the floor when the door opened and Rami was standing on the other side. He seemed completely unfazed by Victoria’s wrath, but paused when he saw Ophelia.
She admittedly looked different from when he’d seen her last, eschewing her business attire for a black spandex catsuit and thigh-high red boots.
“My apologies for disturbing you, ladies.” He managed to pull his eyes from Ophelia. “My client was quite insistent that this be delivered to Lady Elena. He asked that I convey the gift with his apologies.” He hesitated again, seeming unsure whether to continue. “May I include my own apology? We appreciate your partnership and are looking forward to working as a team.”
He handed me a wrapped box and excused himself from the room.
The other two were staring as I unwrapped it carefully, half expecting a cobra to be inside. No, not a cobra. Something truly heinous like a glitter bomb. He was juvenile enough for it.
Within the larger box were two smaller ones wrapped separately. I opened the first and gasped. The certificate on top indicated that it was a first edition set ofPride and Prejudice.
“What the fuck?” I breathed, trying to imagine how much that would’ve cost.
I very gently opened the first volume, and gasped again, this time in abject horror. “Hedidn’t! He wrote on it,” I babbled. “The arrogant motherfucker wrote a note in a fucking first edition ofPride andFuckingPrejudice. I’m going to kill him.”
He had inscribed the page with a note that read:
You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and respect you.My behavior last night was patently uncool. Please forgive me. -Alex
He had defiled a first edition ofPride and Prejudiceto send me an apology? There were no words for my rage.
I set the books down and looked at the second box with trepidation, unable to bring myself to open it and see what else he could possibly consider an apology gift. A decomposing finger? The unspeakably bad fourthIndiana Jonesmovie? Anthrax?
Swallowing, I ripped the paper and unfolded the covering to reveal what looked like a well-thumbed script with a note on top that said:
“The books are replicas. Couldn’t resist. They may be fake, but my apology is real. I was an ass. Please teach me.”
Underneath, was one of Colin Firth’s original scripts from thePride and Prejudiceminiseries and he’d autographed it for me. Beneath, lay the contract with Alex’s bold signature at the bottom. All that was missing was mine.
“I’m still going to kill him.”
If there’d been any doubt about whether I was moving forward with the contract, this sealed it. I would have to if for no other reason than to get revenge. I picked up the pen I’d been using and signed my name bigger than his.
As I left The Key Club, it felt odd to pause before walking out the door and know I wouldn’t be back for over a month. I took a deep breath, mentally tucking away the version of myself I’d found working within these walls. I would need her quiet confidence and unflappable control now more than ever.
10
Elena
We were scheduled to meet with Asha at the Chateau Marmont to talk through the details of the media plan and then we would do a consulting session up in a hotel room. I wore a white sleeveless pantsuit and a pair of strappy heels.
When I arrived at the Hollywood hotspot a few minutes early, Asha was already there pacing on her phone, so I took a seat nearby and waited for her to finish. She eventually noticed me and waved, clearly wrapping up her conversation.
“It’s so great to see you again!” She gave me kisses on each cheek. “Alex is already in there and should be finishing a meeting with Insta, so we can head in and that way you can meet them. You should be developing your influencer presence and social platforms.”
She was talking and the individual words made sense, but I had no idea what they meant in the context she was using them, so I elected to simply smile and nod.
I followed her past the reception desk and into the column-lined courtyard where cushioned patio furniture was arranged in clusters.
