Metaphorize

"Tyler Rylan." He turned in his place to see the bare, slender legs of someone he had to draw back to see. "How has your stay been?"

He got to his feet at once, kicking over the pitcher of water he had finally managed to find. "Ms. Reign?"

"Don't call me by my name," she said through her mask as she took measured steps into the room, tapping her phone rhythmically on her palm, "you don't equal the level to."

"Madam-"

"That's better."

"-I seriously have got to go, I've been here too long!"

"How long do you know you have been?"

"Long enough to see the Clock go round several times."

"Ah," her eyes seemed to smile as she nodded, "I gave you the privilege of having a Clock."

"This is no privilege!" He rasped, causing her smiling eyes to freeze as she halted abruptly to gaze icily at him. 

"You don't raise your voice at me," she warned, shaking her head languidly, "don't dare it." 

Tyler swallowed as she resumed walking, trying to restate his words.

"I m-mean," he cleared his throat to steady it and continued, "it's unlawful to keep me here against my will, there are people out there worried about me."

"Like who? Nobody cares about some failure in form of a Second-class Lawyer." He turned hurt eyes to her. She added, "I suppose," without batting an eye. And he realized she was just playing mock niceness.

She really was Jasmine Reign. But, why would she keep him here? What did he do to deserve a freedom cut short?

"I did tell Laura not to go against you, but she wouldn't listen." She tipped up a brow. "I swear I did."

"Then why didn't she listen? Aren't you her Lawyer?"

"Madam, you've got to believe me…"

"And you've got to understand me, Tyler!" She cut him off, throwing her hands about. He stared. "I mean, you're a… 'Lawyer' and you must have dealt with thousands of people who don't value intelligence, so… You've surely got to understand." She ended, causing him to run a hand through his hair in frustration as he sighed.

Why wouldn't she stop using his Degree against him? Gods! What would he say to make her understand? 

Jasmine just looked back, crossing a leg over the other as she sat. She knew what she wanted, of course. 

It just didn't make a lot of sense that someone as egoistic as Laura Lorins, would bring herself so low to Marrying a Second-class Lawyer nobody knew. But, even if that didn't take part in the list of things she was proud of, wasn't she supposed to listen to her Lawyer, who technically had more knowledge in these things than any ordinary person would?

Jasmine had her sources, and from the things she found, Laura and Tyler seemed too secretive about stuff that went on between them. Nobody would hide something so deeply, they didn't want discovered.

"Madam…"

"You want to leave or not?" He stared, not believing she could really let him go so easily. But, Tyler nodded with skepticism. "You will, only if you tell me what I want to know. And give me proof," she let him ponder it, "will you?" Her lips curved in a smile as he slowly nodded. "Good. Now first, what has your relationship with Laura been?"

*****

Jan peered into her Office the next Morning. 

"Want to take a look at the Head-lines?" She asked, hardly hiding her smile, but Jasmine shook her head.

"Why fuss about something I did myself?" She asked right back, leaning leisurely against her seat. "Just get back to Work, Jan, just… Get back to Work… And call me Briana." 

-----

"She did it."

"Nobody else would." Waylen readilyagreed, his eyes fixed on the screen. "But seriously, how did she find out when we never did?"

"I have no idea." He answered in amusement, a tremble of laughter in his voice.

The thing he had an idea about, however, was that Laura was going to be losing a hell of money; she had Jasmine paid, had to pay the Court a fine for wasting their time… And had to have him paid for Breach of Contract.

Dylan looked the Contract over again as he waited for Laura to get to his Office.

Single Signees, wasn't that what it stated?

She was supposed to be completely single.

No Spouse, no Kids, just… Single. 

He did understand part of why she must have done it; the popularity. Because people wanted hot Actors they could totally flirt with, with no worry about intimate side characters.

But, she had signed it deceitfully, which directly was a Breach. And now, what was he seeing?

"That you've got 13 year olds," he said, looking her over calmly after sending Waylen out, "where do you want to start explaining this stupid show of cunningness from, Lorins?!" He slammed down the remote in front of her.

She jerked back involuntarily, still in disbelief. 

How in the World did everyone find out?! Who must have done… Laura's eyes hardened.

"Jasmine Reign!" She bit out, grinding her teeth against each other in frustration.

He looked at her incredulously. "Keep someone out of your problems this once, Lorins, you messed yourself up."

It was ironic how she was being punished for the same thing she had started, falling into the very pit she had dug for someone else. But, now wasn't the time to show her detest, no. She leaned forward in her seat, reaching out to clasp Dylan's hand in both of hers.

"Sir," she purred, her lips turned down pitifully, "I only wanted to get enough to help my Family with, I swear. You would have done the same if you were in my shoes, I…"

"No, Lorins, no, no, no," he cut in, pulling his hand out of her sweaty grasp. She let them fall to her side in embarrassment. "There are some things you shouldn't metaphorize. You get me?" 

She stared at him in confusion. "Should not metaphorize? Sir!"

"Incomparable things. Like you and me. Don't dare it."

"I… I…"

"You, Lorins, are getting out of my Company this instant." He said unfeelingly.

She didn't waste time breaking into tears as she classes his hand again, her tears wetting it rapidly. "But, I don't want to!"

"Yeah, but you have to-"

"I beg of you, don't kick me out like this!"

"-You're going majestically, or you want Security here?"

"Sir, please!" She was by his side in a moment, clinging onto his leg for her dear Job.

Dylan sighed in frustration, trying not to hurt her as he tried to kick his leg free. 

"Stop this madness, Laura." 

He didn't want to be mean or brutal, but it was lots better than going bankrupt for her; Dylan knew how the Public worked, she had cheated her way into the Entertainment Industry and now the truth was out in the open, there would be talks and hates from members of the Public for not giving justice if he allowed her remain. It was either she went, or the Company vanished.

And hell no, Laura Lorins wasn't worth that much.