by Tia Wylder
I rolled my eyes. “I doubt it,” I said. “Jenny Brigham is going to win. Everyone loved her performance in that movie about the teacher who works with those poor kids.”
Barnes laughed. “That picture was a blatant grab for an award,” he said. “And it might win the best picture, but you’re going to win best actress.”
I flushed. “Coming from you, that means a lot,” I said softly.
In the three years that had passed since our second wedding, Barnes and I had really come into our own as Hollywood stars. He’d become one of the most successful directors in California, after directing a trilogy of romantic-drama films that had set a huge trend in filmmaking. And not to brag, I hadn’t done too poorly, either. After six months of working on Heaven Cove, I’d been picked up by a major studio and asked to star in a romantic comedy. That had been the most fun I’d ever had, and I’d gotten on so well with the director that he’d asked me to come back for two sequels. Tonight, I was up for a different award – my role starring as a single mother in a movie about what it really means to have a community around children. Personally, I’d found working on the picture to be pretty dull, but as Barnes would say, it had been total award-bait, and I knew that even if I didn’t wind the Film Board award, I’d still receive a lot of varied offers when it came to my next project.
The Film Board Awards were being held at a beautiful hotel in downtown Los Angeles. As our limo waited in queue for the red carpet, I reached over and squeezed Barnes’s hand.
“I love you,” I said breathlessly.
“Nervous?” Barnes raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have anything to worry about, Gianna. You’re going to win by a landslide.”
I flushed. “I hope so,” I said. “I really do.”
Barnes chuckled. “We’ve really made it,” he said in a low voice. He leaned over and kissed me.
“And I couldn’t be prouder. You make me so happy.”
“You make me happy, too,” I said. “I never thought I could be so happy.”
Our limo inched forward, and I looked out the window, hoping that we were next in line.
“Have you heard from your parents?”
I wrinkled my nose. “No,” I said. “But I did hear from Diane – she’s in college now, in Vermont. She’s really happy.”
Barnes nodded. “Good,” he said. “When she’s done, maybe she can come out here like she always wanted.”
I rolled my eyes. “I love Diane, but she’s turned into a totally different person,” I replied. “If she came out here, she’d never shut up about how we’re all capitalist pigs who love material possessions and money and killing the environment.”
Barnes laughed. “Sounds like she’s really come into her own, then,” he replied.
I nodded. “Oh, she definitely has,” I said. “Trust me on that.”
Our limo rolled to a stop, and the doors were flung open by smiling young men in tuxedos. I didn’t even have to fake a smile – I was so excited and happy that I grinned on my own as I climbed out of the limo, waving to my screaming fans. Barnes followed right behind with his hand in mine. As we walked inside, I felt a huge rush of nervousness wash over me. An usher showed us to our seats, and I looked around the arena, awe-struck. This wasn’t my first time at an awards ceremony, but it was my first time as a nominee, and I couldn’t believe how much different it felt. I felt like instead of being one of the crowd, I was finally one of the special people – one of the people whom everyone admires and envies.
But deep down, I knew that wasn’t because of my looks, or even my acting abilities.
It was because of the wonderful man at my side, who loved me unconditionally.
When the awards started, I leaned back in my seat and waited anxiously. They went through a whole slew of winners before getting to the acting awards, and it was almost three hours later that I began to tense up once again.
When Tony Romero, a famous singer, stepped on stage, I knew the time had come. He grinned as he walked over to the podium.
“Tonight, I’m here to announce the Film Board Award’s Best Actress,” he said, mugging into the microphone with a bright white smile. “And while it was tough – very tough – the board had a clear winner.”
Barnes reached for my hand and squeezed. “This is it,” he whispered into my ear. “This is your moment!”
“The winner of this year’s Film Board Best Actress goes to…Gianna DiFaba!”
For a moment, I felt as if my heart had stopped. Then Barnes yanked my hand and grinned. Mechanically, I got out of my seat and walked on stage. Tony shook my hand, then leaned in to kiss my cheek as he handed me the small golden trophy.
“I’d like to thank so many people,” I said. “Everyone who has helped me – and everyone who has tolerated my primadonna behavior!”
The audience laughed.
“But most of all, I’d like to thank my husband, Barnes Harrington,” I said. “Because without him, I never could have done it. I feel like the happiest woman in the world.”
The audience clapped and cheered.
“And it’s with mixed feelings that I announce my intent to retire from the screen, just for a while,” I said, staring right at Barnes and smiling. “Because I’d like to start a family with my husband, and I want to make sure that our children grow up with a loving mother who is always there.”
Barnes’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious?” He mouthed towards me.
I grinned and nodded, not wanting to let the audience in on our private moment. Warmth spread through my body. Finally, a family with Barnes! I thought happily. I couldn’t wait to get back to my seat to kiss my husband…and to talk about potential baby names.
“Yes,” I said into the microphone as the crowd – and Barnes – went wild. “I am a truly, truly blessed woman.”
As the crowd applauded me off stage, I knew that I’d finally found my perfect fairy-tale prince.
The End
Beautiful Revenge
PROLOGUE
A heart monitor beeped mournfully across from me as I watched, helpless, while my sister’s life slipped away. Nurses had come and gone, and a doctor had given me the, “it’s out of our hands now” speech hours before. So, the only thing left to do was sit quietly, holding Josie’s hand, and wonder where the hell everything had gone so wrong.
I had been sitting in my studio apartment, studying for a Criminal Law exam, when my cell phone rang, startling me. It was two in the morning, and no one ever called me this late. I was in my second year of law school, and everyone who knew me knew better than to bother me while I was studying. But I didn’t recognize the number, so I answered, half-asleep and immersed in a world of sentencing hearings and mens rea.
“Is this Ava Webber?” a gruff voice croaked out on the other end of the line.
“It is.”
“Miss Webber, this is Sergeant Johnson of the LAPD. I’m sorry about the late hour, but I’m afraid I need you to come to the hospital at once.”
I didn’t process anything he was saying. I was too tired, and somehow, I wasn’t convinced the conversation we were having was real. “What? Why would I come to the hospital? Who is this again?”
“Sergeant Al Johnson of Los Angeles Police Department. Miss Webber, your sister Josie has been in a terrible accident, and you are listed as her emergency contact. It is imperative that you come to the emergency room at Cedars-Sinai immediately. I will be waiting for you to discuss things further when you arrive.”
And with that, he hung up, and I sat in my desk chair, not processing what I had just been told. My sister Josie was my only family; our parents had died when I was just a teenager, and Josie had taken care of me until I turned eighteen. Since I left for college, and then law school, we hadn’t seen each other as much as I would have liked, but she would always call me when something was wrong. The idea that she was hurt… and scared… alone in the hospital?
I left my books and any thought of my test the next day and sped over to th
e hospital in my run-down old hatchback. As soon as I got to the hospital, an older, distinguished man in a gray suit walked up to me when he heard my name.
“Miss Webber?”
I nodded, a sick feeling building in my stomach.
“I’m Sergeant Johnson. Miss Webber, about four hours ago, your sister Josie was spotted driving erratically in the Hollywood Hills. A witness reported seeing her take one of the curves at around 70 mph, and her car flipped off the side of the road and into the canyon. Her car was wedged between a pair of trees and some rocks, and it took the rescue team considerable time to extract her. You will have to get an update on her condition from her doctor, but it doesn’t look good. I’m sorry, Ava.”
The world started to spin around me, and the Sergeant caught me before I could hit the floor. It took another hour before they would let me see Josie, and when they did, I thought I might pass out for real. She was barely breathing, her chest only rising and falling intermittently. Her face looked like she’d gone ten rounds with a prize fighter, and her arms were both secured in traction because it appeared they’d decided to cast her in her current state was premature. The only reason I didn’t burst into tears right away was that I was afraid Josie might hear me.
Hours passed until I could see the sun coming up through a tiny window in the back of Josie’s room. I felt my starting to doze off when a groan brought me back to consciousness. One of Josie’s eyes was open, looking around the room in a panic. When it rested on me, she seemed to calm for a second. I jumped up from my seat.
“Jo? Honey? Can you hear me? You were in an accident. Can you speak? Can you tell me what happened?”
She groaned again but took a deep breath. “Ava… He cheated on me. I loved him, and he…”
I got closer to her and tried to make sense of what she said. “Who cheated on you, honey? What are you talking about?”
“My boyfriend,” she whispered. “Zachary Graham. He cheated on me. He broke… my heart.”
Her eye closed again, and she let out a long sigh. Suddenly, the heart monitor stopped beeping and switched to a high-pitched squeal, which brought nurses and doctors running from all directions. A nurse shoved me out of the room and slammed a door in my face. All I could do was watching, powerlessly, as my sister’s heart stopped beating for good.
At that moment, I had no idea who Zachary Graham was, but one thing was for sure…
He was going to pay for what he did to my sister.
Chapter One
Six Months Later
A meticulously-dressed receptionist watches me suspiciously as I re-organize my application packet for the thousandth time. I am sitting in the lobby of Harper, Graham, and Graham, the premiere entertainment law firm in Los Angeles. Thanks to my straight A’s and two years’ worth of pro-bono work, I had easily gotten to the final stage of summer intern interviews. What no one at the law firm knew was that I wasn’t really here for the experience of working for an entertainment lawyer. My plan was to get out of school and go to work for a non-profit, make a difference in the world. No; I am here because this is the law firm where Zachary Graham is a partner, and I am planning to get revenge for what he did to Josie.
My plan isn’t terribly sophisticated, or brilliant even. I am just going to do to him what he has done to my sister: lure him in, then break his heart. I am lost in thought, thinking about how I am ever going to pull this off when the receptionist clears her throat haughtily.
“Miss Webber, Mister Graham will see you now.”
She scowls at me again, and I force myself to suppress an eye roll. The receptionist follows me to the giant mahogany door and opens it as if I’m not intelligent enough to figure out a door for myself. I give her my biggest, sunniest smile.
“Thank you so much for all of your polite and generous help. I’m not sure I could have managed these last ten minutes without you.”
I shut the door behind me with a thud and thoroughly enjoy the annoyed look on the receptionist’s face. Then, I take a minute to revel in my victory and only turn around when a snicker draws my attention. And when I see the source of the snicker, I think my heart stops dead.
A man is sitting behind a giant glass desk, a gorgeous man. He is wearing a perfectly-tailored gray Armani suit that fits him like a glove, and the light color sets off his beautifully tan skin. His hair and his eyes are dark, and he has a smattering of five o’clock shadow that defines his granite jaw. His arms are crossed over his chest, which gives me a very clear view of his full biceps and the strength of his broad shoulders. The fact that he is laughing at me shows off just the slightest crinkles at the corners of his eyes, sparkling hazel eyes that are twinkling with an air of mischief.
I know I am just standing there staring, but I am not quite sure what I am supposed to say. Luckily, he fills the silence.
“I’m sorry about her. My regular assistant is out sick, and I had to borrow my brother’s. He’s far less particular about politeness.” His voice is smooth and warm like honey, deep like the thunder rolling away after a storm.
I continue to stand there, a little more confused than is probably warranted. Finally, he laughs at me again and points to the plush leather chair in front of his desk. “Please, sit. You must be Ava Webber?”
I nod, knowing I am making a fool of myself by not speaking. But there is something about his eyes… they are making me stupid. He leans forward, with a curious eyebrow raised.
“I have to ask. Are you here for the intern position or is the building hiring a mime for the lobby?”
That snaps me back to reality. Right. Don’t screw this up. You have something to accomplish other than just getting a job.
“I’m sorry, I was just already running over answers for potential interviews questions, and I got ahead of myself. I tend to always be thinking one step ahead, formulating plans. It’s a blessing and a curse.” Great interview answer. Keep it up, girl. Zachary Graham just continues to smile at me.
“Well, I’ll be honest with you, Miss Webber…”
I hold up a hand, and try to subtly bat my eyelashes. I want to make it clear I am an attractive woman who is interested in him but avoid coming on too strong. “Please, call me Ava.”
“Ava,” he says as if he is relishing the taste of my name on his tongue. “While we have had a handful of qualified applicants, there hasn’t been a single person who has come in here with your unique brand of skills. Between your grades, your charity work, that application essay… You’re not just the one to beat. As far as I’m concerned, you’re hired.”
My jaw drops. I did not expect it to be this easy. “I hate to negotiate against myself here, but are you sure? I honestly expected there to be a few interviews, or that you’d want me to meet the other partners. I suppose I just didn’t expect it to be this… easy?”
Zachary winks. “Oh, nothing about this will be easy, Ava. You’re in for a challenging summer full of complicated real-world work, and long, late nights. But when I know someone is a right fit, I know. And you, Ava Webber, are a right fit.”
There is something deeply sensuous about his choice of words, and I feel a tingle travel up my thighs and to my core. What the hell are you doing? Focus! Remember why you’re here!
Zachary stands up from his desk and walks over to me, extends his hand, and I nervously accept. My hand disappears inside of his; it is huge and strong, and his long, tan fingers envelop my own. That same tingle I felt a second ago sparks when our skin touches, and I can tell he feels it too because the glimmer in his eyes increases ten-fold. I pull my hand away and tuck it under my leg, not wanting to give away that I am remotely attracted to him. Not yet, anyway. Not until I can use it to my advantage.
He sits on the edge of his desk and crosses his legs at the ankles as he studies me. His legs look long and powerful, and I must force myself not to follow their lines up to his…
“So, Ava. You know what we do here?”
I clear my throat and try to regain control of my sens
es. “Yes, of course. Entertainment law, focusing on burgeoning musical careers. Several of the current highest charting pop and hip-hop musicians are your clients.”
“All accurate, but we’re so much more than that,” Zachary says with a sly smile. “We’re a full-service agency, and we also help with PR, management, and finding our clients the absolute best producers and studios to work with our clients. It’s not just about the law here. It’s about people. Is that something you’re interested in?”
No. Not remotely. I want to protect the rights of foster children or stop the slaughter of dolphins in Japan.
“Oh, of course! This is my dream job. I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d rather be.”