Chapter 9

  Star woke up late. She expected it as she had slept late the previous night. She cleaned up and went downstairs to have a quick snack while she made notes of what she wanted to do that day. She had no plans to go into her studio. Lounging around and probably sketching a concept for a sculpture she was planning on making. Lunch with her husband was still on her agenda. He had said the previous night that he would not shut her out. She hoped that he would keep his word.

With a little bit of food in her stomach, Star went to her studio and picked up her notebook. She sat herself in the living room, turned on the television to some romantic drama she was not intending to pay attention to. Star settled herself on the couch cross legged and rested her notepad on her raised thigh. She had just begun gliding the graphite tip of her pencil over the paper when her phone chimed. She gave a customary glance to the now lit up screen and noticed Octavia had sent a group message. Star opened the message and realised that her friend was leaving the country again in a few days and wanted a girl's night out before leaving. It was going to have to be Star, Charlotte and Octavia as Xiamie explained that she had to leave the country for a personal emergency.

Lucien texted Star informing her that she could wait for him in his office so when she got there, she waited in his office. She was surprised when his assistant brought them lunch. She had thought they'd eat at the café in the mall facing his office. The woman refused to look at Star who'd muttered her thanks bemusedly. Lucien walked into the room a few minutes later.

"Oh, good the food is here." He mumbled as he tugged at his tie in an attempt to loosen it.

"Are you very busy, today?" she asked him.

"We were a little behind on a project but I think we got it sorted out, now." Lucien told his wife as he sat down on the couch and went through the cartons of food that had been brought up.

He took one and gave it to his wife and then took a similar one for himself. Star opened the contents of the container to discover there was spaghetti and meatballs in it. She smiled and took a fork.

"You ordered from Hot Silverware?" Star asked a she poked into her food.

Their food was her guilty pleasure especially their spaghetti meatballs.

"Oh, I won't be home for dinner tonight." She remembered to tell her husband.

"No?" Lucien asked looking at her curiously.

"The girls and I are spending the night out before Octavia leaves the city." Star explained cheerily.

"Well, that's fine but keep safe." Lucien told his wife.

"Don't worry," Star said around a mouthful of pasta. "You know we never get rowdy."

Lucien smiled at that. No one dare approach the women because they had hidden security detail on them. His sister was a well-known actress and Star was the one of the wealthiest people anywhere. It would be stupid to not expect danger at any moment and prepare for it. Their city was one in which the wealthy and the superstars would walk freely but Lucien and Star's father liked to be on the safe than sorry end of things.

With lunch out of the way Lucien went back to work and Star went to her cousin's gallery. She was surprised to find her sister-in-law's car there. Octavia wasn't much of an art lover. Star remembered their last fishing trip and grinned. Her suspicions may be true after all. Her friend and her cousin. The most unlikely couple and in her mind, the cutest.

She was about to drive off and give them the privacy she thought they needed, when she saw her friend angrily get out of the building and into her car. Octavia was so into her emotions she hardly noticed Star's car a few spots the same parking lot. Star could tell that her friend looked upset.

She got her phone out and dialled her friend. Octavia hung up on her and Star dialled her again as she rushed to get out of her car. Octavia then noticed her friend. She had an "oh crap" look on her face and then it morphed into resignation. Fine she mouthed to her friend and got out of her car.

"Can we talk somewhere else?" she asked looking back at the gallery.

"Don't try drive off." Star uttered after giving it a thought.

"What do you take me for?" Octavia asked.

"You're the one sneaking around with my cousin." Star told her.

"Ha!" went Octavia, "Have you forgotten how you held a secret crush for my brother for years?"

Star blushed at that reminder.

"And you couldn't keep it a secret too." Octavia didn't resist adding.

"Oh, my word!" Star covered her face and Octavia smirked.

"Meet me at the beach." Octavia said and got into her car.

Star got into her car and followed her friend. When they got there. The beach was completely deserted except for a couple running with their dog. Octavia walked across the sand and to the water front. Star followed her quietly not saying anything.

"When did you break up with that other dude?" Star asked.

"That was just for publicity." Octavia's voice was mater of fact. "We broke it off a couple of months ago."

"Oh," Star didn't know what to say and her friend grinned at her.

"Surprised?" Octavia asked her friend.

"I never figured you to be the type." Star responded. "But it makes sense. You're not exactly the sunny side type of person."

Octavia laughed heartily at that.

"So…" Star didn't know how to ask. "You and my cousin…" she struggled then asked. "Are you in a relationship?"

"Not exactly, no." Octavia was smiling at her friend's awkwardness "We have an understanding."

"Do you love him?"

"No. We don't love each other."

Star shot a look at her friend and Octavia laughed.

"Not everything is about love, Star. In fact, I never want to fall in love. Not ever!"

"But why?" Star asked.

"I'd rather be whole that to have had loved and live with chunks of my heart missing." Octavia's face was blank. A wave got too close to their feet and they instinctively moved back.

"It's not always like that." Star tried.

"Look at you, still advocating for fairytales." Octavia reached out and patted her friend's cheek as if she was a child. Star glared at her friend but couldn't hold it for long. Her lips twitched and Octavia smirked causing Star to smile right back.

"In your own way, you're as bad as Richard. We're the same age, you know!"

"Don't compare me to that clown." Octavia said but there was only humour in her voice.

Later after the girls had stood at the beach until the chilly weather became too much, they drove to their favourite hangout spot and waited for Charlotte.

The three girls entered the trendy club and began their night of dancing and laughing. They were all driving so they opted for virgin drinks in the VIP section. Star, Octavia and Charlotte spent enough time between the dance floor and chugging mocktails that when they were tired, hungry and ready to leave, Star's bladder wanted to let go of its load urgently.

She told her friend where she was going and rushed to the little lady's room. When Star was done relieving herself, she got out of the little stall and was surprised to see Ayanda Hill waiting for her by the sinks.

"I thought I recognised you." Ayanda said snidely.

"Who wouldn't?" Star asked her tone flat and lacking any emotion, her face perfectly schooled.

She noticed that Ayanda's hand were out in the open and she only had a phone in her hands. It was safe for her to wash her hands.

"A lot of people actually." Ayanda responded and Star smirked. "A lot less than those who don't even know your name or existence."

Ayanda's face flushed with anger then she visibly controlled herself.

"I did not come to you for a chat." She said feigning nonchalance then waited for Star to respond.

Star lifted a brow and said nothing.

"I am here with an offer," Ayanda said. "I want you to leave your husband." She said and Star's laugh bounced around the walls.

"Why would I do that, pray tell?" Star was enjoying this.

"Because I am planning to write a book." The woman said triumphantly.

Star kept grinning and refused to answer her face read like a book. She was mocking the other woman.

"A tell all." Ayanda attempted.

Star kept her smile in place although the actual humour had died and was slowly being replaced by dread.

"It will have images." Ayanda said. "Leave him and I won't publish it." and she walked out of the room her hands shaking and her head held high. Leaving Star in the powder room to drop her smile and take a few breaths looking for calm to be back in her. She got anger instead and decided to work with it.

Who did that dirty little nobody think she was? She had gone after her husband and was now she had the nerve to come to Star like she had some negotiation ground? Star balled her hand into fists and resisted the urge to shout. She had to remind herself that this was a night out with her friends and so she put on her emotionless mask and left the lavatory to join her friends.

"What happened to you in there?" Charlotte said jokingly. "We were about to start betting on whether you fell in or not."

Star smiled at her friend as they collected their things and went to their cars. They were going to get some food and watch a movie.

Star spent the rest of that night wearing a happy mask but inside it was a lot of turmoil. There was no way of leaving her husband but she needed to find a way to deal with the troublesome Ayanda.

Was she telling the truth about there being picture? Pictures of what exactly? Her heart hurt as her mind went over all of the possibilities. Was Lucien aware that his mistress had taken pictures? Dis he consent to that? Was he the one who took the pictures? Did he send them to her? What would she do if that book came out? What would she do if the possible pictures came out?

How does she deal with this? What does she do? When the movie was ending Star decided to contact her family lawyer. Whatever involved her husband involved her.

She would put on her big girl panties and deal with this however cleanly she could. She wondered how Ayanda got in the club to begin with and then decided that was not the important question.

How had Ayanda gotten that close to her? Why had she gone through the effort to threaten Star. Was she really that dense? Star had enough power behind her to swat the woman like a bug and that is what she intended to do now. Star had thought that taking away any major opportunities from her as punishment was enough but she was not bright enough to stat away. She had the audacity to tell Star to leave her husband. What the nerve!

She was brave Star could give her that, but she didn't have enough brain cells to rub together.

When Star sat in her car getting ready to drive home, she sent a short email to her lawyer outlining the problem and asking for guidance on how to handle it. The woman as far as Star knew, had not broken any laws yet but she hoped there was a way to block the writing and sale of the book. She hoped there was a way to make sure the "tell all" did not tell anyone nothing! She wanted for Ayanda Hill to get out and stay out of her orbit.

When Star got home, she was surprised to find her husband in the living room working on something on the couch. His laptop was on his lap and he had some papers around him on both the couch, and coffee table.

"Did you have fun?" he asked looking up at her.

"Yes," she said with a genuine smile. "We went dancing, had some dinner and then finished off the night at the movies.

Lucien put his laptop aside stretched out his arms and his wife found herself admiring the muscles in his arms and back. He was her husband and she would never let go of him. She belonged to him and him to her. It did not matter if he didn't realise that yet. He would one day and that was enough for her.

"He began picking up his papers and Star wondered if he'd had anything to eat. Some times he got so caught up in his work, he dismissed offered food and later forgot altogether.

"Did you eat?" she asked him.

"Yes." He answered then paused to actually think about it the said "No."

Star grinned at him knowingly.

"Go put away your work and I'll have your meal warmed up."

Star warmed up the food in the microwave and served it to her husband whose tired face looked up at her with gratefulness.

This is a glimpse of what it can be. She thought dreamily. This is what you can have with this man.

She resisted the urge to kiss his forehead and went upstairs to get ready for bed. The memory of Ayanda coming to her made her furious again.

She thinks I am weak. I will show her what happens when one messes with a Marks. She will regret it for as long as she lived.

No one made demands of a Marks and came out unmarked.