Wildly Driven

Chapter 75

"The photos have come up really well." Simon Whittaker said, turning in his chair as he went through his laptop. "You were right about not showing the face thing. They love the mystery."

I nodded my head, letting out a small smile play. "I'm glad it worked out." I said, crossing my left leg over my right.

I had been to their studio twice that week doing a photo shoot and there was no one who was more than happy to not show their face than me. My face reeked of sadness and agony that no one could come up with words.

Without my face in it, I was sure that the photos had come up really well. I was asked to come meet the head to collect a few royalties that they were generous to give me. I had bagged that chance not wanting to let it go.

My economical conditions had come down with the latest turn of events. I had stopped going to the café, not able to manage time to find a new one in between my self pity. Most of my earnings were taken into the tracks account, leaving me only enough to buy daily needs.

So when Whitaker said that he was giving me a royalty, I jumped up my room and drove right there.

"Though we could have improvised it, it seems better on those magazines." Cole Wills said and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Though I had never seen those photos myself, I knew it was alright.

Though he was holding a grudge against me, he had cooled down a little considering how much profit that mystery girl had gotten him. He was too shy to tell me that he had forgiven me though. But in a way, I had understood.

"May be we can work it out in the next shoot." I said.

"So, here's a cheque for your hard work, Scarlet Stone." Simon got up from his chair and respectfully handed the a cheque to me. "Good job. I think we should celebrate."

I followed his movements and took the cheque in my hands. I was only a few minutes away from crying. With Dad's medication list on my hands, I didn't know how I was going to pay for that. But with this amount, I knew I could survive this month.

Another guy who was very well dressed came up and held a glass of champagne to all three of us and then left. Though I was in need of a little cheaper drink to get my foul moods out, I held the classy glass in my hand and raised it to them as a salute and pressed it to my lips.

"Scarlet," Cole started and I turned towards him to see what he had to say. "I heard something about you participating in a race."

"As a racer that's what I do to earn a living." I said evenly.

The hesitant and the scary girl was long gone. I was now shooting daggers with my own eyes. Anyone who didn't know me didn't have a chance to stay and chat. It was even surprising for me to think how I had changed so much in such little time. Then again, the circumstances had changed me.

"Heard it was illegal." Cole said slowly, twirling his champagne in his glass. I looked at him with platonic eyes, not giving anything away. "You do have put your signature on that contract, right?"

"Yes, I remember." I said, planning another perfect line to kill his other doubts. "And yes, it is illegal."

Simon and Cole both looked at each other. They held their gaze for some time and then nodded then head before turning to me.

"Then what I think is right." Simon said. "Isn't the race with Ashley Matthews?"

If I was the old Scarlet, then I would have sat in his chamber with wide eyes looking at them and wondering how in the world that they had got hold of that information. I mean, with the way Ashley moved, it was hard for me to tell what was going on in her mind, let alone think what she wanted to do next.