Chapter 7

"Good." Said Heather without any emotions as she pours orange juice in a glass.

Stacey just got home and saw her sister in the kitchen.

"Is that all you will say?" she asked her. She is trying very hard to control herself.

After all the things she had to go through just to save her from going behind bars, the word good is the only thing that her half sister will say?

Heather just shrugged her shoulders. She put back the carton of carrot juice in the fridge before she turned to her.

"What do you want to hear from me Stacey? You want me to say how grateful I am cause you saved my ass?" she asked sarcastically.

Stacey balled her fists.

Get a grip on yourself ! You know how bitchy she is! She told herself.

"Well, my bad. It's so stupid of me to expect any gratitude from you. This will be the last time that I will save your ass , you ungrateful brat!" she angrily said.

"STACEY!" their mother's shocked voice thundered in the kitchen.

Heather's expression change. She looks so hurt and almost in tears. She must have seen their mother coming while she has her back to the entrance of the kitchen.

"Mom! Did you hear what she called me?" she asked their mother with a quiet sob.

Stacey closed her eyes for a moment.

Gosh! Here we go again! She thought.

"How could you say such things to your sister? It was you who offered to do anything to help! Have you forgotten that?" their mother asked her with knitted brows.

Stacey slowly faced.

"Ma, do you know what I had to do today?I was almost naked during the pictorial! I even had to do an interview and pretend that I am someone I'm not. I had to force myself to casually answer questions that for me are too personal and vulgar. And that's not the end of it! This week, men will feast their eyes on my still photos where I am wearing almost nothing! Then my dear sister here won't even say thank you?" she asked while swallowing a sob.

Her mother's face softened but then, Heather ran to her. "Mom! You know that it was an accident. I was just so scared cause I didn't want to go to jail. I didn't want any of those to happen!" she cried.

"We know that honey but you should thank your sister." Mrs. Williams said.

And the best actress award goes to Heather Williams!

Stacey shook her head as she wiped her eyes full of unshed tears with her hand.

"It's okay Ma. No need for her to say thank you." She said before walking out of their kitchen. She heard her mother called her but she just ignored her.

***

"I am itching to grab all your sister's hair and slap her non-stop!" Eve, her bestfriend since elementary, said.

They are in her friend's unit. Eve lives alone in the city because her family is in the province. She has a band with four members where she is the bassist and the other female member is the vocalist. They regularly play in a bar which she and Blake own. They are cousins.

"Girlfriend ! I have been telling you that Heather is deliberately putting you in trouble but this is too much! This is the worst so far!"

"I know. Once the magazine is published, it will really change my life.I don't even want to go to work anymore because Tyler is a subscriber of that magazine." Stacey said sadly.

Eve stood up to get some more chips in the kitschen.They are sitting in a cross-legged position on the carpet.

"Well, I have to agree. It is kind of awkward if your boss sees your photos, specially your centerfold. What's worst is, he is not only your boss, he is also wooing you! " Eve said as she sat down again with the chips.

"That's what I have been thinking too." she sighed as she munched on some curls.

Suddenly, Eve straightened her back . "Girlfriend! Maybe this is a sign!" she excitedly exclaimed.

"Sign? What sign?"she asked with a frown..

"We are planning to get rid of Leah, our vocalist. She is always late even for rehearsals so she always makes mistakes during performances recently. Even Blake is already pissed. I know you can sing. Would you be her replacement? It's only temporary."

Stacey let out a light laugh and shook her head from side to side. " Nope. I don't want to be the laughing stock of your customers ."

"Come on! You are good! In my opinion, you are even better than Leah! And even if what you say is true, no worries! You won't sing Celine Dion's or Maria Carey's songs! With your alluring face and body, you will captivate your audience! I bet on that! "

She bit her lower lip. "I really don't know Eve..."

"Just try it! If you don't really like it, no hard feelings! You can quit any time! You can sing tomorrow night! We will pay you! I can't wait till Blake hears this! I am sure he will approve!" Eve's eyes twinkled.

***

"Stacey? What's this?" Tyler, her boss asked . He sounds really surprised as she expected.

"Irrevocable resignation." She said.

Tyler called Mara, his secretary.

"I don't want to be disturbed. I am in a meeting with Miss Ledesma." He said in a little chilly voice then hang up.

"Why? Did I do anything wrong? Why are you resigning" His handsome face is full of questions and his eyes are sad.

Stacey sighed as she looks at his features. Her boss is also very attractive but he is more like the Mr.Nice Guy type. But recently, she is more attractive to guys with rugged good looks and bad boy persona.

"You didn't do anything wrong. I just want a change. Sorry Tyler." she finally broke the stare.

He stood up and sat down on the chair opposite her.

"Please Stacey. Don't quit. If you want, I will give you more days off. Or less working hours."

She shook her head." You can't do that. It will be unfair to the other employees. "

He leaned forward without touching her. This is one of the things she likes about him. He never take advantage or make a pass at her . She told him that she wants a boss-employee relationship inside the office. After office hours or during the weekends, he can woo her or ask her out on dates.

"Is there anything I could do to change your mind?"

She pouted her lips. "I'm really sorry."

No one spoke for a few seconds after that. Then he sighed.

"Well at least, I could woo you every day now." he said.

***

"WHAT?" Nick asked in an irritated tone.

His secretary just told him that Stacey resigned from Con Ad.

"Are you sure?!" he asked again because he can't believe what he just heard.

"Yes sir. Would you like me to call them again?" she asked.

He sighed heavily. "No need.Thank you."

What the hell is happening? Why the fuck did she resign? Did her boss who is her lover too got angry because she posed for a men's magazine?! He asked himself.

"Why the hell am I wasting my time with that gold digger? DAMN IT!"

He angrily kicked his table and threw some of the papers on his table in the air out of annoyance.

***

"Uhmm. I think I am going to throw up from nervousness Eve."

Stacey looked at what she's wearing.

She is in a pair of black leather pants with matching sleeveless leather top. The garments are like second skin.

"Girlfriend! You look fab! Don't be jittery! Besides, this is just a trial. Here, have some alcohol." Eve said before handing her a shot glass with tequila. " This will calm your nerves. You have to look and act sexy because your image is an alluring diva. I know you can do this!"

Stacey heaved a sigh and drank the alcohol. Blake came inside and grinned when he saw her .

"Hello Miss Hotness!" he looked at her admiringly.

Eve's cousin wooed her years ago but she turned him down. She didn't like his types before although now, her preference in men had changed. Blake is very good looking too and he has a big tattoo on his arm so a lot of women find him really hot just like Mr. Grouchy . The latter seems to be a hot bad ass too but from the elite class. Eve's cousin might be her type now but she can't imagine herself falling for him. He has a girlfriend already who is a flight attendant and they have a three year old son. Blake's parents who are in his hometown, take care of the kid since the mother is always out of the county. Her relationship with him is just platonic now though sometimes they still talk about the old days for fun. Nothing serious.

"Ready?" he asked her and Eve before he took their hands.

"YUP!" They chorused.

(inside the dressing room after the performance)

"Told you that you will be a hit! This is the first time that the audience went that wild! " Eve said after their performance.

Stacey sang three songs of Rihanna.

She smiled. She really did it and she feels great!

"I think I kind of like this." She admitted to her friend.

By performing, she can release her stress . Anyway it's only a few hours a night. She is just playing a role while on the stage so she can manage doing that. She can always go back to her real self after her performance. Being a sultry pop singer is better than posing for a men's magazine.

"Does that mean that you will be singing for us regularly? Eve asked with a wide smile.

Stacey let out a light laugh. "I will try it for several weeks. Anyway I am totally jobless so this will be okay for the mean time. "

Eve clapped with glee ."This calls for a celebration!!"

***

Nick is pissed. He now regrets agreeing to come with Billy and Jim. They are in a bar and his friends have women with them whom they just met minutes ago. They are all in one table.He doesn't like the way one of the women looks at him. He is not in the mood for a one night stand.

" I will go ahead. ." he said sounding annoyed.

"Mate! Don't be a spoilsport! ! Rina here wants to get to know you better."

Billy was talking about the woman with short hair who has been eyeing him.

He ignored Billy and stood up from the chair. "I really have to go. See you tomorrow at the office Jim." He told the other man before going out of the bar.

He is angry with himself. The gold digger's face and body has never left his mind.

"DAMN IT!" he cursed as he walks to the parking area.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw something.

***

Stacey is on the opposite of the street. She is leaning against Blake's car.

Eve is rubbing her back gently because she had too much to drink. Blake got her bag in the dressing room. She forgot it due to her state. She wanted to throw her cookies few moments ago but she feels a little better now. Blake will also take her home because Eve's fiance will pick her up. They will go out on a date.

"Are you sure you are okay now?" Eve asked.

She nodded. " I will be fine."

Blake got out of the bar with her bag.

"I will take care of her. Please check the inside again and tell Caloy to lock the back door and turn off the lights and switches." he told his cousin.

"Okay. DO take care of Stacey and be sure that you take her home and not somewhere else! " Eve joked with a grin.

" You and your crazy mind Eve!" Stacey said and shook her head from side to side but with a small smile.

Blake chuckled too.

When Eve left, Blake came near her, "Are you okay? Miss Hotness? Next time watch your drink okay? "

She just nodded at him.

"Okay.Let's go." he said then held her elbow to help her get inside his car..

That is the scene which Nick just saw.

"BLOODY HELL!" he muttered angrily as he glares at them.

He's pretty sure that this man is not the gold digger's boss.

How many men is she f*cking?! He asked himself with disgust on his handsome face.