Family Drama (3)

"Mr. Salazar. Fancy meeting you here." She gave the man a mocking smile.

"You're as disrespectful as Aaliyah and your mother mentioned. Shouldn't you be calling me father?"

"According to you, you only have one daughter, and her name is Aaliyah. Why would I call a stranger father?" Valentina retorted coldly.

"Valentina!" Antonio restrained his anger. He couldn't believe that this was his daughter, that depressed, moody, weak girl speaking to him like this.

"That is my name. There's no need to yell, I can hear you perfectly fine. What do you want?" Valentina rolled her eyes and stared at him expectantly.

 Antonio gritted his teeth before ordering her. "Give up this role."

"Pardon me?" Valentina asked him incredulously. She couldn't believe that he had said such foolish words to her. Was he on drugs or had he lost his mind due to old age?

"Give it up. I know that they are praising you for that rubbish music video you were in where you were probably exposing your body like a low-class whore but this is a serious film. Aaliyah is taking this seriously since this is her dream and career. She doesn't need an overhyped, irresponsible, opportunistic individual like you who willingly sells her body to the public tarnishing her reputation. Give up the role and hand it to Elena Piero. Then properly return back home." Antonio ordered her.

Antonio had convinced Marco Piero to invest in the film and Black Rock Entertainment with the promise that Aaliyah would be able to get his daughter the second female lead role and eventually a main female lead role in another film. But who knew that Jonathan Starling would not only be difficult to work with, but he was also very picky about the female cast members and shot down everyone they sent to audition for the second female lead, including Elena Piero. When Anotonio received news from Aaliyah that Valentina had gotten the second female lead role, he felt it was a blessing in disguise.

Since she was a Black Rock artist, they could just replace her with another artist from the same agency. Although the man had been hesitant, Antonio had successfully convinced Marco Piero to buy a majority stake in the film, that way he could control the end-to-end vision and please his spoilt brat of a daughter. Remembering all the times he had seen Elena Piero whine and complain and harass his sweet, innocent Aaliyah, he felt disgusted but continued to befriend the man. After all, money was money and the man had a lot of it. 

Aaliyah had convinced him to make the cast replacement announcement at the opening ceremony to force Valentina to see the error of her ways and force her back to the family. Since he could simultaneously allow Elena Piero to take Valentina's role, please Marco Piero, and control his wayward daughter as well he agreed. Yet, things were not going the way he planned. Not only had he found out that Platinum Entertainment secretly bought the rights to the film, but he also found out that they were trying to openly poach Valentina, a small-time artist like her, and provoking 'Him', her father. He wouldn't have that. Rather he had to fix this situation immediately!

Although many currently knew Marco Piero as a powerful businessman, his past couldn't be more clear to Antonio. Marco Piero used to be a mob boss but was in the process of cleaning up his image. Still, the old habits of the man came out when he was angry. Remembering the fierce look and whispered threat that Marco Piero had given him, Antonio firmed his mind up. He would force Valentina out of the role and deliver it to Marco's daughter. As for Platinum Entertainment? Forget about them. This was just one of many little battles they fought with each other and he was sure that Platinum Entertainment wouldn't waste money on defending a small-time artist and her little role.

As Antonio remembered Kaiser Grayson's smug expression and the arrogant tone he used to talk down to him, he felt his anger rising. That was another young man drunk on his power and family reputation that needed to be put in his place but he would deal with his daughter first.

As he looked into Valentina's eyes, he swore he could see Kaiser's smug smile expression as she smiled at him.

When Valentina heard the crazy stream of words coming out of her 'father's mouth, she had to do a double take. This man was making assumptions about her and her work without even bothering to look at it first. And now he was asking her to give up her hard-earned role? Dream on!

Quirking her lips, she openly mocked him.

"Oh? You want me to give up my role to Elena Piero? Is that why you got Marco Piero to donate money? So his daughter could move up and take my role? If she auditioned, then the role she was assigned was the role she got. If she wants a better role, she can go buy one elsewhere since I'm not giving up mine. If your precious daughter Aaliyah doesn't want to work with me, she can get a female lead role elsewhere. It's not as if Black Rock won't dump it in her lap." Valentina sneered as she looked at his irate face.

"Valentina! You shut your mouth!"

"I guess I really need to thank Kaiser and Roman Grayson as well as everyone in Platinum Entertainment for purchasing the film. At least they want to protect the integrity of the film for the people who worked hard to get their roles. Well, now that I think about it if Elena Piero bought her role, who's to say Aaliyah didn't buy hers." Valentina narrowed her eyes maliciously.

Slap!

Valentina's head snapped to the side, and she immediately felt her face throbbing and some blood in her mouth. Straightening her head, she shot a glare at Antonio Salazar that sent chills down his spine. Before she could say anything, his hand snapped forward again and hit her face.

As her head snapped to the side again and she almost fell over, Valentina felt herself get angry.

She had been peaceful, calm, and nothing but polite. Yet these people wouldn't leave her alone. First, he demanded she give up her role and when she refused to obey, he dared to hit her?? Did he think that just because he contributed some sperm to make her had the right to abuse her? Dream on!

Furious at the audacity of the man, Valentina immediately bunched her fist up and punched him in the eye with all of her strength.

Antonio Salazar could only reel back in shock.

"You freaking brat! " Antonio roared as he clutched his eye. Although there wasn't much strength behind the punch, the fact that she had dared to hit him shocked him to the core. This was his daughter! His weak, gloomy, suck-up daughter, who always looked longingly for his affection! And she had dared to hit him!

His hand that was raised to slap her again hesitated and seeing it Valentina gave him a cold smile reminiscent of a certain someone and held her fist up again.

"You dare to hit me? Your father?" Antonio Salazar glared at her.

"Since you dared to hit me why can't I hit you back? And please, don't call yourself my father. I don't claim you, Mr. Salazar. In fact, if I could shed this name and pour out anything that came from you I would."

"You craven common whore. You have no class. How dare you hit me!?"

"The exact same way you hit me. And I'm warning you, if you dare to touch me again, I'm going to start screaming that you tried to grab me and then assaulted me when I said no. Want to guess who they'll believe at first glance? Shall I cause a scandal for your only daughter Aaliyah? Her father came to threaten a poor actress at an opening ceremony. I think that makes a great headline." Valentina glared at him. Because it was dark and her lip was torn and bleeding, she had a demonic air when she smiled.

"You!" Antonio gritted out.

"Heh." Ignoring him, Valentina marched toward him as he slowly backed away against the door, "Or should I expose that I'm your daughter, that Aaliyah is the cuckoo bird that occupied the nest, and the Salazar family is full of evill, cruel people who would rather harass their blood daughter than show her love and compassion even though she is sickly and grew up poor? Shall I expose what I've been going through at Black Rock? Should I expose what Aaliyah does to others behind the scenes? Sure, I might completely destroy my reputation and career but I'll make sure to destroy hers as well. What do you think? Father? Do you want to try it out?"

"Bastard unwanted child. You're the curse and scourge on my life. You would continue to slander your sister when she has done nothing but be charitable to you, when she is your biggest cheerleader behind closed doors and continues defending you. Wicked ungrateful brat."

"If what she does is considered charity, she can keep it. Regardless of what you say, this role is mine. I earned it and I'm keeping it!." 

"If you don't quit your role, just know that you'll be cut off financially. I know you think that Platinum Entertainment wants you, but I know for a fact you can't afford to break your contract and your skills are too mediocre to enter their agency. Give up your role now and beg for forgiveness or face the consequences."

"I'll take my chances. If you want to cut me off, then cut me off. I'll make do. Until then, leave unless you want me to start screaming." She ordered and after cursing at her one more time, he basically ran out the door.