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Millie is floating in the water looking like she just stepped out of a Victoria’s Secret catalog.
Something about her looking so comfortable here makes me happy.
I’ve never really brought anyone here, much to Sienna’s dismay. She’s still hoping I’ll have a picket fence family like her.
One of the only reasons I keep this place is to keep all the staff employed. I know how it feels to struggle and not be able to provide for your family and if I can help, why not?
My eyes trail Millie’s gorgeous body and I realize her eyes are now open.
She jumps slightly and her cheeks flush. “Uh, sorry. I hope this is okay…”
I clear my throat. “Of course. I’m happy this place is being used, finally. I always try to get Sienna or Chef to use the pool, but they each have their own.” I shrug.
She runs her hand through the water. “Pretty sweet gig if you ask me.”
I look at her, really look at her. Something seems different, lighter.
I know I feel lighter now that the cameras are finally gone.
I feel… relief.
I know the show could’ve been the perfect opportunity to restore my reputation, but I feel like my hard work will have to speak for itself. That’s what I’ve always been about, after all.
The mere thought of Callum Pierce sets my teeth on edge. What I did to him was ill-advised, but honestly, the guy deserved it. He’s beloved by millions, and filthy rich thanks to his many sponsorship deals. His good-guy reputation has been bolstered by his activism and regular speaking up for causes close to his heart.
I bumped into him at a club opening not long ago. The recently named ambassador of a women’s charity was obliterated and groping a woman who wasn’t giving him consent.
My blood boiled. I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing. So I stepped in and helped her, to put it politely. Callum doesn’t evenremember it happening, but he doesn’t need to — the pictures of me punching him went viral the next day.
Ironically, it was my reputation that ended up being ruined.
I know I should set the record straight, explain to everyone what really happened, but these things have a way of turning around and biting you in the ass. I don’t know if it would help.
I haven’t told Tiffany what really happened because I know exactly what she would make me do. She would make me release a statement explaining what happened the night at the club. I just don’t see it making a difference. As evidenced by what happened, it was a no-win situation.
I wish, for Tiffany’s sake, that I didn’t publicly go after that guy, but I’m hoping karma takes care of it for me.
I know Tiffany is having a meltdown after they forced her onto a plane; apparently they were allowed to do that, as per her contract. We really need to go through the contracts more thoroughly so that something like this doesn’t happen again. Not that I plan to be on another reality TV show. Hopefully this one will never see the light of day.
Tiffany ended up contacting me when she got home and she’s fine. She just wanted to make sure I was okay and was pleasantly surprised when I told her Millie was hanging out at my house.
I can tell she’s bummed that the reality show strategy didn’t work out, but I think it’s because she was hoping I would meet someone and it could turn into something real.
Knowing her, she’s already hard at work with five more strategies to help. I know from previous discussions that mostinvolve me in a relationship, because apparently that’s what the public responds to.
Looking at Millie relaxing in my pool, I wonder for just a second if I could be in a relationshipandhave a successful business.
I rub my forehead. I started to get a headache when the rest of my PR team contacted me individually, each in their own freak-out spiral.
I’ve been reassuring them all that it’s not their fault, that they still have a job, and right now that job is to find the best possible angle for why the show didn’t work out. The last thing we need is this situation to make me look even worse.
At the same time, I’ve been trying to work with the flight crew, organizing transport and accommodation for when I get there and pushing my Seattle meeting to later.
I decided about five minutes ago that I needed to relinquish control and hand all of that over to my assistant.
I know I should’ve done that in the first place, but it’s not in my nature to let things go. It’s my company, I built it from scratch and it’s hard not having my hand in all of it. I also don’t want people to think I’m not pulling my weight and that I’ve just handed everything off to other people while I do nothing.
I know a lot of CEOs who don’t work anymore, that are just figureheads. I can’t be that person. I can’t just sit back and relax if my company is a sinking ship.
