Point Of View 2 [*Do not read until you've read the same chapter of ATW]

Chapter 146 No Rest For The Wicked

Watching Nate have a panic attack after sharing this news makes me wonder if he is starting to realize the life he lives is too much to handle.

"I, I can't catch my breath." Nate gasps. Beads of sweat form on his forehead and nape of his neck, and he starts heaving while trying to breathe properly. Paul alls Jonah who advises him to get ahold of Dr. Donovan immediately.

"I can't -"

"Hey, you're ok. C'mon, let's go outside and talk to her." I stand up, forcing Maggie off my lap, but Nate continues pacing. He pulls at the collar of his shirt in a frantic way, making me look to Paul on what we should do to help the guy.

"Jeremy is on his way." Paul says calmly, but Hollan is anything but calm.

*****

*Trisha*

"Jesus Christ." Jonah mutters and scratches the back of his head. It's just him and I in the apartment right now while Casey ran some errands. Evan stepped out for a few hours as well. 

"What's going on?" I study his face when he shoves his phone in his pocket, looking pretty distraught.

"That was Paul who just called. Nate is having some kind of panic attack. I told him to get ahold of Jeremy right away. He can give Nate an anxiety med that will help. But this shit isn't good for his heart."

I frown and look away, knowing exactly why Nate is so upset. My eyes sting with oncoming tears for my best friend.

"You know something." The nurse narrows his eyes at me.

"I do..."

"Trisha..."

"It's his producer, Richard. Listen, I JUST found this out and was going to call Nate when I found the right words. I didn't think Richard would beat me to it. An email was sent out for a meeting, but I didn't know what it entailed until after they broke the news to Nate. I just got an email from his publicist less than a half hour ago." I explain.

"What's going on to make Nate this upset?"

I stall. I know what Jonah's reaction will be. He had to deal with it just as much as I did when things fell apart.  And Jonah will be with us on tour dealing with it once again.

"Management has decided that Mila Giovanni will star in Nate's next music video." I croak out, but Jonah gives me a weird look.

"Oh. That's it??" Relief washes over his face for a brief moment before I shake my head.

"He is also having Mila join us on tour like he had planned the first time around."

"What do you mean??" Jonah asks.

"They will be taking concert footage from tour to make the music video. So," I pause. "Mila will be traveling with us and joining Nate in interviews, meet and greets, and other events that will be filmed for the video. She's coming on tour with us, Jonah.  Richard wants her and Nate to rekindle whatever they had before. Nate's ratings were through the roof when he was with Mila, and she brought in a lot of money and endorsements in the short time they were a couple."

"You've got to be kidding me..." Jonah groans. We both know how this will play out, and it won't be pretty.

The second I'm done explaining it all to Jonah, Nate facetimes me. I excuse myself and go out on the balcony to talk.

"Tell me the truth Trisha, did you know about this already?" Nate's eyes are bloodshot and puffy, making it known he has been crying. I should be there with him but can't seem to bring myself to go to The Avalon.

"I swear to God. I had no idea. I knew there was a meeting happening. I received the email, but seriously, right after I read it is when you called me telling me you had a virtual meeting with Elliott and Richard. I didn't have time to digest it never mind call you to give you a heads up. Ask Casey. She was right here with me when it all went down."

He knows I'm telling the truth. I'm a shit liar when it comes to big stuff like this, and Nate knows it.

"Trish. I don't know what to do." Nate whispers into the phone. "I can't be near Mila. You know this."

"I know, sweetie. We're going to figure this out, ok?"  I try to console him, but the reality is, I have no fucking clue how to get out of this one.

"How? Richard will do whatever it takes. Mila brings in the cash when it comes to my music videos, and that's all he sees. He sees a supermodel who rakes in the money and fanbase, and the fact that everyone loves the whole "Nate and Mila" bit doesn't help me. They eat that shit up."

"I know." I sigh. This is out of our hands. I have no idea how Nate will fight this one. When Richard gets something in his head, there is no persuading him to change his mind. For reasons, he wants to see Nate and Mila together. He sees them as some power couple that will take in a good chunk of money by being together.

Richard doesn't see them as real people with real emotions.

This will for sure break Nate down in so many ways. He was careless when he was with Mila. He fell off the wagon and hid his drinking. Hell, Nate now has a criminal record because of it. He spent a night in jail, has a suspended license and royally fucked himself up with that DUI.

What's going to happen now? Is being forced to be with Mila going to break Nate? I don't know if his body or mind can handle that again.

And I don't think I can handle picking up those pieces again either.

*****