CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY

Josie McMillan

JOSIE AND ANTHONY WERE hugging Mark, they never imagined that Camille would be able to do that, especially with a person as amazing as Mark.

He went from heaven to hell nonstop.

And to help the situation...

That tragic accident with your parents, all on the same day... Basically the same time.

Mark was convinced of only one thing at that moment:

Hell doesn't take breaks...

Nobody knew how, but the next day, the news of the separation of Mark Conely and Camille Nuova was printed on the cover of the main newspapers and magazines around the world and the reason, now, everyone wanted to know:

— Who — was the pivot of it all…

Maybe the only person in the world who didn't want to know about any of that was Mark, especially at that moment, his pain was already unbearable to want to keep opening unnecessary wounds.

If it's over, it's over...

He didn't need to know the main reason, it just wouldn't change anything in his life.

MARK WAS VERY disappointed with everything that happened after the separation, especially with Camille's attitudes, who demanded to keep the mansion and everything they conquered while they were together. Mark didn't insist on keeping anything, on the contrary, he took his violins, awards, documents and never saw Camille's face again.

Nothing better than me having a little peace...

He just didn't understand her obsession with all the material possessions they had conquered, it was a born despair. The judge out of common sense didn't authorize a "pension" that she also demanded, mainly because she caused the separation with all that media scandal, allowed Mark to leave the mansion and she did what she wanted with the money, which didn't take long for the truth to come out, as her manager had disappeared with all her money, leaving her starving.

MARK CANCELED his shows for a month and stayed at his friends' mansion for two weeks. He wasn't sure if that had done him good or bad, after all, what he felt for Josie was still alive like an ember inside him, and as much as it was a useless, distant and childish dream, it was still a dream.

One of the Melthows' manias was to walk around naked in the middle of the night after sex, which made them come across them naked several times.

— I'm sorry…

It was as if she hadn't even noticed he was there.

— Josie…

She looked at him and smiled.

— You don't look like you've ever seen a naked woman in front of you, Mark, it's no big deal.

— Of course... it's no big deal...

As the days passed, none of them bothered anymore, just Mark and his erections at seeing Josie as she came into the world.

JOSIE THOUGHT Mark was better off playing immediately, the tour was just getting started and it would be nice for him to meet new people, experience new sensations, see new places, occupy his mind a little more with things outside of his personal problems.

As if by magic, Mark's shows came to life even more, and it didn't take long — which everyone thought was crazy. Mark released two albums simultaneously without even finishing his previous tour.

Josie felt sorry for her best friend's loneliness and pain, she knew well what he was going through, after all, she and Tony had a chemistry beyond reality, their bodies trembled with desire when they were together, it was a wild love, skin thing, however, their spirits lived in completely opposite realities, with Mark this was reversed, which made Josie mad with anger at herself.

SUCCESSFUL IN BEING A ACTRESS, dancing took second place in her life, she trained only two hours a day, and in her opinion, she didn't even get tired or sweat, with time, it didn't even become a hobby.

Anthony was also always running, investing more and more in super productions in cinema and theater, and especially in his wife's career — which had been quite an investment for him.

Even in fits and starts, Josie was happy with Tony, he was funny, confident, even though he wasn't as smart as Mark, but he was smart, not enough to fool her into knowing the whole truth.

Now as a producer, he had the privilege of auditioning the couch with the most diverse actresses, Josie at first was a little undecided about it, but she realized that everything was a game, and her husband played to win and if she won, she would also leave somehow winning.

When Josie heard Mark's two albums, she had a brilliant idea for a new movie and decided to ask Mark to play opposite her. Anthony seemed to be thrilled with the idea and even offered to direct the film.

— A DAY ALONE WITH YOU — was the most awarded film of that year, it didn't win the main Academy awards, but won important awards such as The Palme d'Or and the Golden Bear in addition to the Oscars for best song and best cinematography.

Mark won two more Grammys.

MARK WAS SITTING at the table with his friends after the awards, celebrating his moments of glory.

— Cheers — Anthony shouted for the entire restaurant to hear — we are the most blessed people on this planet.

Mark and Josie also lifted their Champagne glasses and drank.

— We should never have parted ways, we are a perfect team, we were born to win together.

They all nodded happily.

WHEN THEY GET HOME, Anthony passed out on the couch he was so drunk.

Josie was also a little upset and Mark took her to her room, took off her shoes and laid her carefully on the bed. Josie pulled him up and they came face-to-face with each other.

— I've dreamed of that moment many times, you know? — she said smiling.

— Me too, but...

She kissed him, before he started to tell a story-to-ox-sleep and get out like he always did.

As much as Mark wanted it, it was strange to kiss her, especially now that she was married to Anthony, his best friend, he understood in the depths of his being that it was wrong...

Deliciously wrong...

He abruptly interrupted his moment of glory.

— Sorry, I can't, what would Anthony think...

— What do you think I think every time he leaves, I know he's betrayed me.

— Sorry, but I can't — he said, leaving the room.

Josie put her hands over her face and huffed in rage, when she took her hands away, Anthony walked into the room like a zombie and threw himself on the bed, clothes and all.