He kisses my tears and smooths my hair. “Shhhh, Baby, this may be a new chapter, but it’s far from over.”
“One long, never-ending chapter where I’m blacklisted as a total freak.”
“You have bewitched me, Matilda, and it is time for you to bewitch them as the new you. The dark, romantic horror actor and director. The raven-haired beauty that embraces her darkness. Seeing you on stage tonight will confirm that you’re not afraid of whatpeople think.”
I want to scream at the voices that keep mebeyond terrifiedof what people think, want to scream atJettfor expecting me to still go on stage tonight after my life has fuckingimploded.But he scoops me up and carries me to my parents’ room, where they are sitting on their enormous white bed doing damage control on their laptops.This is where I’m supposed to fucking rest?
They stop what they’re doing and hop up, opening the covers for me so Jett can lay me down. My dad hands me a cold Irn-Bru, and my mum brings me scones and cut fruit. They smooth my hair and congratulate me on my first big Morningstar scandal.
“You don’t hate me?”
“Matilda, stop being so dramatic. You act like you’re the first woman on the face of the earth who likes to be choked.”
“Mum!”
Even Jett’s cheeks turn pink with that. He praises me for how well I’m handling everything.I’m sorry, has he seen me?I’m a wreck. My parents assure him that they’ve got me handled, urging him to go help Kennedy prepare to take over forthat cunt,in Dad’s own words. He doesn’t want to, so Dad pushes him out into the hall for a private pep talk and comes back without him.
Mum and Dad flank me on both sides and promise they will handle this,as if they can erase the memories of everyone with a phone.“We always wondered when that other shoe was going to drop,” Mum says.
I stare at her with my wild, bewildered eyes.How far inside my brain is she?“What?”
Dad spreads butter on my scone. “She means, we spent so long waiting for your scandal, Baby, and wow, did you finally deliver! Alot of people are blaming Jett for corrupting you, but you’re a Morningstar, and it was only a matter of time.”
“No drug dependency, no teenage pregnancy, not evenoncekicked off a flight for being drunk and disorderly! We were beginning to think there was a mix-up at the hospital twenty-six years ago.” Mum laughs as if this isn’t the worst day of my life. “And then you met Jett, who is one thousand percent Morningstar in his dirty little soul.”
“He set you right, Matilda. Ever since you felt that terrible guilt over raging on that poor grade nine girl, you’ve tried to become someone you’re not. That boring wannabe prince and his uptight parents, you tried to marry intothat, you were so confused! And thank God you didn’t!” Dad pats my head. “I know the public is trying to shame you today, Baby, but they’re going to be eating their shit words. Just go flush your phone down the loo and forget about them.”
“My career is ruined, Dad. No one is ever going to hire me again. Iwon’t be able to look anyone in the eye knowing they’ve seenthat.” My bite of scone gets stuck like plaster in my throat, just thinking about looking anyone in the eye, period.
“Oh, you’re right, Baby, Kim K’s career was simplyruinedby her sex tape. No one ever wanted to look at her again!” Mum cackles like this was some incredibly smart career move instead of a death sentence. No one knew who she was before that got out; everyone knows it. “That was the best thing that ever happened to her career, Baby. Why not you?”
I just shake my head, and Dad hands me a pill. “Take this. Itwill only make you sleep for an hour, Ichecked. You’ll feel better when you wake up, and then go downstairs and be there for your best friend. She shouldn’t have to deal with this all by herself.”
Another tear. “She doesn’t want to see me. Idon’t blame her; this is all my fault, mine and Jett’s. There’s no way Ican make this up to her.”
“I should see if her mum is flying in or Mick’s flying out. I’ll call while you’re napping.” My mum insisted on having Mickie’s mum’s number in her phone since the day we became best friends. Maybe in case we ever got in a huge fight, they needed to smooth things over as if we’re nine years old and not full-grown adults. Iguess that tracks with my disgustingly immature behavior on this entire, god damn, no longer my favorite day of the fucking yearday.This feels worse than having a friendship-ending fight as a nine-year-old; it feels like the end of everything. Itake the pill and cry myself to sleep.
Chapter 39
Maddy
I have been slumped against Mick’s hotel room door for the last half hour. Knocking, begging, apologizing, pleading. Every request is met with, “No, go away, you’ve royally fucked me,bestie.”
The way she says bestie dripping with sarcasm starts my waterworks again. It’s clear.Ihave royally fucked this friendship.Because of my temper, my lack of control. I’m so mad at myself that Icould scream, but instead Ikick the door like a tantrumming toddler. Is there a therapist back in LA who focuses on self-control? Becauseshit, Ineed to hire them ASAP.
“I hope you choke on your boyfriend’s dick! Ihope ruining my life was fucking worth it!”
I cry that I’m sorry until there’s nothing left of my hoarse, ragged voice. Finally, Mickie opens the door. But it isn’t because of the toddler behavior. It’s because of who’s calling on her phone. She holds up the screen with panicked eyes and ushers me quickly inside. My heart is in my throat. It’s a bigwig exec. at MAX.Fuck!
“Hello, Mickie Anders?”
She attempts to cover her shaky voice with a sunny façade, “You’ve got MickieandMaddy Morningstar on the line. Hello.”
“Oh! Both of you, hi. We’ve uh, we’ve found ourselves in a bit of a scandal, haven’t we?”
“We’re, I—” My voice cracks. “I’m so sorry. This is not Mickie’s fault. Avengeful individual shared it, and it’s been removed from all social platforms. Itshouldn’t affect our viewership, but … just fire me. She had nothing to do with the leak.”
“I’ve already called your management teams, but Iwanted to also call to let you girls know that IlovePalace of Lies,and that you’re both incredible. But my higher-ups have spoken; they just can’t get involved with a media circus of this magnitude. Truly, Ididn’t want them to terminate your contracts, but they said they had no choice. I’m so sorry there won’t be any more seasons moving forward. Iknow so many wanted to see the Princess’s story continue.”
