CHAPTER 26

"OH WOW..YOU'VE GOT SOME NERVE, HUH?" she gave me a dirty look and I folded my arms across my chest knowing I wasn't supposed to be afraid of her anymore.

"You know I used to respect you...." I began

"Used to???"

"Yes. Not anymore...."

"Ha! Because of a single slap..?"

"You always used to tell me I was the pride of Star Records but I didn't know it was at the cost of being a punching bag...."

"Eleanor, I meant nothing but greatness for you....maybe I might have gone a bit overboard but trust me---"

"Trust you?? Are you playing with me now.? That word, is broken for you..." I said fiercely looking at her face. I wanted her to take me seriously and know that I wasn't for sale. She treated me like her property but not anymore. I was sick of it.

"Is that supposed to make me feel any better? I think we both know that word never existed for me...."

"It's good you knew....." I shrugged my shoulders just to show her how serious I was.

Since she gave I never showed her my teeth expect when I was gritting them in anger. I wanted her to know even a glimpse of her presence was infuriating and irritating my whole being. I just wanted her to leave.

"Eleanor....look....like I said, am not your enemy...I wish you goo....not bad...."

"Please....if you came here to apologize do it and get done with it...am rather tired...." I pinched my forehead and she smiled bending towards me.

"Okay I'll make it short and simple....you seem to be in a hurry to want to get rid of me but it won't happen anytime. Do you remember you have three months with me as your CEO...??"

"Technically two months since all the work I had planned with your agency for this month is done. The only main thing that I had going on is the movie and it ain't here anymore, now is it? Also....you're not CEO, you're co-CEO....", I explained with my every word carrying enough emotion in it just for her to understand what's going on.

I loved just how confident I had become.

"Wow....who are you?" she asked.

"You must be used to me silently dancing to your tunes and being your puppet. Sorry...not anymore....."

"What do you mean by that??"

"Your downfalls been cooked and served. You just have to say thank you...."

"Stop speaking in circles....throw it at me like man...." she threatened me and tears glistened in my eyes. Not because I was scared of her, but because I couldn't understand why I wasn't this confident all this time. Why was I so scared to death of her whenever I heard her name?

"Anderson enterprise ltd. wants to set up an agency just for me...."

"What???" I could see shock spread across her face. Exactly what I wanted.

"I think it's high time I worked with people who appreciate me...."

"Are you mad? You've signed with is for almost fifteen years now....just because of some slap---"

"some slap...tsk....do you have a heart? since you came you haven't showed any remorse for your action and it seems you do love to stay in jail, don't you?" I knew I had ribbed salt in her wounds by asking that.

She looked at me like a snake that had seen its prey. Her breathing paced and she was about to jump on me with a slap when someone fought her hand.

He dragged her off the chair and had her landing on the floor. It was Adam.

"Are you okay.?" he asked and I nodded.

"Eleanor....you're going to break that contract right?"

"I don't think there's a reason for her not to go forth when such a large company says it'll set up an agency just for her. In fact, she should be grateful..." he replied on my behalf.

Where did he come from?

"You're ruining her life! That's not the way to go....you're ruining your life Eleanor.....don't you dare sign that contract...." she kept yelling the same thing on and on until a group of men in black walked in and placed her in hand cuffs.

They took her out and I felt relieved.

I never thought I'd see Natalia so desperate.

And why was she still in custody.? She was co-CEO of a very large entrainment company. She could easily get herself out, and why wasn't she doing it? Was she cooking up some bomb after she realised the whole world was against her?

"Are you alright??" Adam asked and before I got the chance to even reply. His huge hands coated me and pressed me against his chest. Him being taller than me, my head was situated right where his heart was and I could feel it beating.

"I am now...." I replied and he broke the hug to look at me. I looked back at him and a grin spread across my face.

I closed my eyes and drew him close to me asking him to do just what we did when it was just me and him.

A few minutes later, we were both left breathless and I motioned for him to go to the balcony with me. I didn't know that Tower23 had a beach view. The balcony was designed in a way that it was facing the beautiful beach and my room was just among the lucky ones.

"I've always loved the calmness that follows with the waves hitting against the rocks.....it tends to remind me of my mother...." I started a conversation. I didn't like silent spells with Adam. Besides, that was just unlike me.

"I know you both love long walks in the beach...." he added and kissed my hair.

"We did....we'd go swimming every afternoon until my aunt Louisa would come and fetch us to go back home....."

"...and this one time she threatened to lock you both outside when it had passed dusk and you hadn't come home yet...."

"Oh...you remember that too??" I forced myself to laugh although all this was bringing bad memories to my head.

Ever since I read the letter she left, I grew a darkness in me for my mother and I certainly was in shock that a mother would actually want to have her daughter do acting instead of sending her to school.

"You miss her don't you?"

"Sometimes....but sometimes am glad she's not here because if she were, if spank her with my money and obviously wouldn't let her go scott free following the Marc Dorcel incident... "

"Parents are cheeky sometimes but we trust they want what's best for us.... although sometimes...it just doesn't add up ...."

"Am glad you said the last part...I was about to invite you into a debate.... but I think you saw it coming...." I poked his shoulder and he smirked.

"They say creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. And I say art is knowing which ones to keep."

"Wow .... I've been torn apart...you deserve a kiss for that one...it was brilliant..."

"It was? Thank you...." he replied moving towards me for his prize.