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Chapter Five
“How are we holding up?” River murmured into my ear as the last performance of the night came to a close.
“I’m doing beyond well,” I murmured back, softly kissing his cheek, then stood to applaud with the rest of the crowd as the event drew to a successful close.
The whole ordeal wasn’t as frightening as I imagined. The moment I got over my nerves and insecurity, I began to actually have fun meeting actors I had looked up to. It was a life changing moment. And evidently, I fangirled like a total ninny the moment I saw Bass Cole seated a few seats from us, much to River’s chagrin. The guy actually got a little jealous, even though Bass wouldn’t even bat an eyelash towards any woman because he only had eyes for his wife.
Right at that moment, basking in all of tinsel town’s who’s who, I prayed that someday River would love me and gaze at me as much as Bass did to his Emma—the all-consuming, heart-stopping kind.
After the awards, the crowd rightly dispersed. We headed straight to one of the known clubs that hosted the after-parties. There were several across town.
Anton, Kells, Phoenix, and the rest of River’s friends were all there, secured in a booth with a table filled with eclectic array of alcoholic drinks ranging from decent buzz to hardcore hangover.
“What’s your choice of poison?” Lauren directed at me, taking on the job as our table’s bartender.
I made a pleasing smile, eyes lingering at the varying selection before I diverted my attention back to Lauren just as I felt River’s hand behind my hips. “Surprise me. But I gotta go to the ladies’ really quick. I’ll be back in a sec.” I blew everyone a kiss, lastly leaving a chaste one on my man’s cheek before strutting my way towards the chaotic crowd in high spirits.
I was a few steps from the ladies’ room when I halted, dumbstruck when I first-handedly witnessed drama unfolding.
“Ugh, shut up, you filthy rich bitch!” The well-dressed blonde charged out of the bathroom with such sheer force that it made the door swing back and forth.
What had gotten to her?I timidly thought as I cautiously entered the ladies; room. A few steps in, I realized why the woman left the way she had. Amy Dunne 2.0 was in the building.
Hailey stood right before the mirror, reapplying another coat of her dark plum lip gloss. Light eyes scathingly pinned me from where I stood, animosity permeating in waves, seeping out of her pores. I felt it while everyone around us minded their own business, excited chatter and cackles echoing throughout the spacious room while my attention solely focused on the possessed woman at the end of the bathroom aisle, ready to spar, ready to battle.
Without preamble, I approached her, unshaken from her holier than thou attitude.
“Well, well, look what the cat dragged in,” she snarkily said, judging me with those malicious eyes of hers, unimpressed.
Her little mean girl display didn’t affect me as much as she would have liked. The need to throttle her and beat her to a pulp was acute, but we lived in a civilized world these days and showing my ghetto fabulousness would be frowned upon. After today’s red carpet, I’d be living in a fish bowl alongside River.But for the time being, subtle catfights should do.
“The cat? Oh, you mean the one who just darted out of here muttering your vaj stinks like a rotten moldy fish? You think you can scare me off? You’ve got to try harder, sweetie.”
Amusement played about her face, unperturbed. “Childish, but for what it’s worth, your boyfriend seemed to love my pussy and all its glory. Ask him. He likes to fuck me into a wall.”
That snide comment lit the bitch in me. I growled as my hand clutched at her throat, wanting to hurt her. Hailey’s eyes widened as she tried to yank my hand away, but I was stronger than her. My hand shook as I willed myself not to yield to the gnawing need to see her hurt. God help me, I craved to scratch her Botox-filled face.
“You were nothing but a relapse. Don’t give yourself too much credit. River has a soft spot where psychos are concerned,” I spat at her face before I begrudgingly released her.
“All I gotta do is snap my fingers and my father gives me whatever I want,” she arrogantly stated with a quick snap of her fingers with elongated sharpened nails. “I can make your life hell, too, just you wait and see,” she promised.
Those were the only cards she could play at the table? Her father’s power and money? She was as desperate as they get.
“You nasty cunt!” My eyes sparked fire as I stepped an inch closer to her, itching to unleash my wrath on her delicate frame once again. “Get a fucking life. Better yet, get your own damn man!” my voice thundered, making a few people direct their glances towards our end, but I was past caring. Supposedly violence wasn’t the answer, but right that instant, I couldn’t be too sure.
While I battled with temptation to hurl my entrenched hatred on her, Hailey hurriedly slipped her lipstick back into her clutch, readying to bolt out the door. Before she decidedly stepped away, she threw me one last look over her shoulder, going for a more of a dramatic effect. “That may be all true, but it’s better than being you. I’m sure being anobodyhurts. Enjoy the party, this might be the last time you’re rubbing shoulders with anyone important.”
Hailey walked away unscathed. She was wise enough to realize I was on the verge of rearranging her face.
It took me about fifteen minutes to bring myself back to a calm composure, though the wretched encounter remained in the back of my mind. Hailey had threatened to meddle into my affairs and for what? Jealousy was a rotten poison, but she going below the belt. If the woman couldn’t handle the heat, best she get out of the kitchen and fuck off to oblivion. But no, Hailey’s way of moving on wasn’t as simple. She liked to linger, emboldened by her father’s power. She hid behind her wretched castle as she waved her wand about, inflicting pain wherever she could because it thrilled her that she had the influence to ruin or uplift someone’s career.
Someday, she was going to get it. Maybe not from me, but from someone else she would try to ruin. Basing from the woman barging out there, Hailey wasn’t short of enemies. Time would tell.
I took a deep lungful of breath before I gave myself a mental shake. Then I scampered back to my friends who were drinking and partying up a storm.
“Is everything okay?” River scrutinized my puzzled expression before placing a champagne flute in my hand.
For the time being, I didn’t want to confess what had happened in the ladies’ room. River was having a splendid evening; there was no need to ruin his fun, even if mine was unsalvageable.
