The Blackmail Bride

Chapter 32 Part 1

This is your daily dose of stress. Brought to you by the most easily stressed creature you'd ever met.

Walkout

Without further clashes, the interview had ended. I went back to Kim and Macy to return the clothes and change back to mine. I couldn't even speak to them after my ordeal in the studio.

I felt restless. I went to the women's room to wipe the makeup off my face. For good measure, I repeatedly splashed cold water on my face. And upon seeing my skin scrubbed raw on the mirror, the tightness in my chest loosened up a little bit.

Then I exited the restroom and almost jumped. Jace was already waiting in the hallway with my handbag. My chest tightened up again.

He held out my bag, "Let's go. I don't want one more second in this place."

"Me too," I agreed. I took the bag from him.

But not just this place, I didn't want anywhere near Jace at the moment too.

We took the elevator down to the parking lot. Jace's strides were long and I didn't even try to keep up. My legs took their own pace .

There was no comment as he held the passenger door to his blue Jaguar. Nothing when he had to wait at least fifteen seconds before I got in and he shut the door with a thud. Quietly, I put on my seatbelt. Neither did Jace speak.

The next thing I knew, we were speeding through the streets. It took a few minutes to realize my surroundings.

"Jace, this isn't the way to my house."

He drove with one hand. His other arm propped against the window. His eyes flicked to me through the rearview mirror.

"My mom reserved a restaurant for lunch," he replied.

I straightened in my seat, "With them? Why are you only telling me now?"

His eyes were on the road, "Just the two of us."

"Oh," but at that realization... just the two of us? No, I wouldn't be able to stomach the smell of food at this rate. "I'm not hungry. Please drive me home instead."

Jace answered with a scoff, "You have the audacity to decline after practically becoming deadweight during that interview?"

I had gotten used to Jace's barbed words. But the delivery in which he said it was unsettling.

I drew back and stared at him, "What are you trying to say?"

He smirked at the cars speeding in front of us, "You froze up back there. Don't even deny it."

I wasn't going to. It was so obvious and I didn't find it in me to lie. But which reminded me...

I directed a stare at him. "You changed the script. We had agreed on a storyline and you change it last minute—"

"I never agreed to that garbage. What adult in their right mind would look at a thirteen year-old romantically?"

I felt a headache coming on, "That is exactly what I said. My mom said you'd seen that script first and—"

"I did," he cut in. "Do you know how ridiculous that script was? Who in their right mind would believe that kind of trash?"

My mouth hung open. This conversation was dumb to say the least... but I breathed in deeply to right myself down.

As calmly as I could, "Then why didn't you tell me beforehand?"

"When? When you didn't come to my office? When they'd confiscated your phone? That's my problem? Did you believe for one second I'd accept this kind of nonsense?"