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“You think you can be her?” I snarl. “News flash, Renee. You’llneverbe her. You’ll never come close.”
Tears streak her face, her bottom lip trembling. “I’ve been devoted to you for years, Hunter!” she cries. “All those late nights, day in and day out. You’ve never paid me a lick of attention!”
“A normal person would take that as a pretty clear sign that I’m not fucking interested.”
She’s literally on her knees, begging me as she grasps at my hands. “Hunter, please. I’ve worked so hard for you. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to notice me. I love you! I’ve loved you forever. Please tell me you feel somethingfor me, too.”
I pull away, glaring at her down the length of my nose. “Get up off the floor, Renee. You’re pathetic.”
She sniffles as she climbs to her feet. “Hunter, please—”
“Pack up your desk. I’ll write you a referral so you can seek employment elsewhere.”
“W-wait a second. You’re firing me?”
“What you did just now was highly inappropriate. I think it’s in both of our best interests if you left quietly. Don’t let me see you on studio property after today.”
“Hunter, no… This is all wrong. You’re supposed to love me back.”
“You need help, Renee. Now get the hell out of my office or I’ll have security drag you out.”
Renee melts down directly in front of me, tearing at her hair and bawling her eyes out. She’s two seconds away from passing out because she’s hyperventilating so hard, her legs shaky beneath her.
“No, no, no,” she whimpers. “No, please… Hunter, just give me a chance. I can be whatever you want me to be. Do you want me to be more like her? What does she have that I don’t? I’m just as smart as her. I’m just as beautiful. Just tell me, Hunter. I’ll do whatever you want. Please don’t send me away.”
I’ve heard enough. This has gone beyond the point of pathetic to downright deranged. I feel sorry for this woman, but I feel nothing else. Renee needs serious mental help. Giving her even the briefest glimpse of hope or playing into her game will only make things worse.
I press a button on my intercom’s base. “Security. I need you to escort Renee Thatch off the premises.”
She claws at me, grasps me by the shoulders as she wails. “Hunter, don’t do this! Please, I love you. Why can’t you see that?”
Security ends up dragging her away kicking and screaming. “This won’t be the last of me! I’ll find a way for us to be together, Hunter. Just wait and see!”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh.
Maybe I really am cursed.
Chapter 39
Tip #39: Celebrations are meant to be with loved ones, not alone.
EDEN
The lake house is exactly how I remember it.
Dad sold it to an elderly couple several years ago when he deemed it too expensive to keep. The new owners have since renovated the inside and turned it into an Airbnb, which I was lucky enough to rent at a discounted rate thanks to the length of my stay. It’s not quite out of state, but it’s pretty darn close. At the very least, I’m far enough away from Los Angeles that people aren’t as quick to recognize me.
I settle in quietly, enjoying the stillness of the lake and surrounding woods. It feels like it goes on forever, a personal privacy screen made of pine, bark, and dirt. I didn’t bring a whole lot, just a small suitcase with enough clothes for a couple of weeks, but it’ll do.
The first thing on my to-do list is to change my hair.
Taylor helped me pick out a box of hair dye from the drugstore. She’s experienced in this sort of thing, coloring her hair any time the mood strikes. I’ve seen her go from platinum blonde to copper red to bubblegum pink, experimenting with bob cuts, pretty mermaid curls, and even a mullet during a rather unfortunate punk rock phase.
I settled for a box of bleach and toner to turn myself into an ashy blonde. At least this way, I’ll be harder to spot at a glance. I feel like all of California, if not the whole world, knows my signature black hair and mismatched eyes, details that came across distressingly clear in those leaked pics.
I shiver.
Sometimes I freak myself out thinking about how close our uninvited guest managed to get to us while we were fooling around in Hunter’s pool.
