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“I will have them print a retraction as well,” I say smoothly. “You know it’s all lies.”
“Hmmm, you think that will work? I wonder?” She chews on her bottom lip as though in deep thought. “No, I don’t think that will work, Jakey. You see, I won’t retract what I said. You wouldn’t believe the sympathy I’ve been receiving over this. I quite like the attention.”
“You do realize who you’re messing with, right?” I ask coldly.
Ignoring the warning in my tone, Amanda steps up closer to me and puts her hands on my chest. She runs them up to my shoulders before slipping them behind my neck. She’s trying to show that she has the upper hand. “Oh, you wouldn’t do anything to me, though. You remember how good we were together?”
She inches closer to me so that our bodies are pressed together and attempts to bring my head to hers. When I don’t comply, she lifts up on her toes and places a lingering kiss on my lips.
“I’m kind of liking this scruffy, no-shaved look. Have you been pining for me?” she coos. She leans in close again, her face inches from mine.
I put my hands on her hips and force her back away from me, thoroughly disgusted.
“What the hell are you doing, Amanda?”
She smirks at me and then laughs, a tinny sound that grates on my nerves. “Oh, Jake. You’re fun. I thought you might want to screw me one more time, for old times’ sake. I guess that’s a no?”
“Correct.”
“Too bad. You used to be kind of good in bed. Okay, then I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I will submit a full retraction for the article. I’ll saythat you and the whore didn’t sleep together until after our engagement was over and that she didn’t get the job by screwing the boss. Though, honestly, I’m still not sure I made that one up. Anyway, in return, you will give me five million dollars. It’s pocket change for you.”
Now I see why she wanted to meet in person. She wants to extort money from me. I feel sick looking at her smug face.
“Blackmail, huh? That’s what we’re doing here?”
“Not really blackmail. It’s more like a deal between two old friends.”
“I won’t be paying you anything,” I say menacingly.
Her eyes widen at my stern tone, but she doesn’t back down. “If that’s what you want. Doesn’t bother me any. I’d hate to think how your girlfriend is feeling right now, though.”
“You have forty-eight hours to issue a retraction and apology, or I’ll make it my life mission to make sure you never work as a model again. Your professional career will disappear overnight. If you don’t think I’m capable, try me.”
Her face twists in anger, and she shoves her finger into my chest. “You can’t touch me. No one will believe anything you say.”
“They don’t have to believe me because that’s not all I will do. At this very moment, my legal team is drafting up some documents for you. I am preparing to sue you for slander. I will sue you for everything you own and everything you will ever own in your entire lifetime. Even if I lose, I will make sure that the ensuing battle takes everything from you. You’ll be so tied up in legal fees that you will never be able to get out.”
Amanda’s eyes glitter with hatred as she stares at me in disbelief. “You wouldn’t do that to me.”
“Believe me. I can and I will. You have forty-eight hours, or I tell my legal team to continue. Not only that, but if you ever contact Lana ordo anything to disparage her again, I will tell them to continue with the lawsuit. You’re not the only one who can make threats.”
“You messed up, Jake. We could have been really good together.”
“I’ve messed up a lot, but breaking up with you was the best decision of my life.”
Head held high, Amanda turns on her heel and heads back to the front door. The clicking of her heels follows her as she makes her way out. Just before leaving, she turns back. A sly smile crosses her lips, and her eyes light up.
“Oh, Jake?”
I reluctantly look at her, almost afraid of her next words.
“You might be interested to know this. While you were screwing around with Elaina, or whatever her name is, I also had my side piece. Or side pieces, I guess you could say. You’ve already been replaced.” With that parting shot, she blows me a kiss and closes the door as she leaves.
Disgust rolls through me as Amanda leaves. I always thought there was a chance she had been cheating on me, but I guess I never cared enough to find out. Now, I’m just relieved she’s out of my life for good. And that she will never bother Lana again.
Lana. Just thinking of her name brings me peace. After the storm I just experienced, I want nothing more than to be with her. She’s my calm after the raging turmoil of Amanda, and I need her with me. I need to set things right with her sooner rather than later.
I just need to figure out exactly how to do that.
