“Seems we’re done here, and lunch is up so we should head back to set,” she answered simply. “Am I mistaken?” Fiona blinked her eyes in confusion.
Oh.“Yeah, you’re right. I mean, no, you’re not mistaken.” Levi had found this outing stale but that had nothing to do with Fiona. “Wow. This conversation was amazing.” He called on the waiter by the door for the check.
Fiona fixed the skirt of her dress, straightening the wrinkles at the back. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Though I’d still love to meet your girlfriend.”
Levi handed the check back to the waiter after he came and then offered an arm to Fiona to leave the premises. His bodyguards left their posts by the table to join them.
As they stepped into the crowds of paparazzi, Levi put on his sunglasses, reflecting on everything they had discussed. Amber wanted the world to know about them. The fake relationship had to go.Oh, but what if it backfires and everyone hates her like what happened with Jenny?Mindsets had changed and peoplewere more conscientious, but he still feared for Amber’s safety.The worst that could happen is she’d get hate online.But Amber wasn’t the online type of girl, so things would be fine.But what about the movie?Fans would see it anyway. He needed to put his foot down here.It might be taken badly.For him to first declare dating one girl only to prove it was all fake? They’d receive bad publicity over this.Rachel says all publicity is good, but this just seems shallow and weird.He would need to think about this and bring it up with Rachel.This is her fault anyway. Putting me on that show just for me to fall in love.He sighed in discontent.
“…dirty cheater!”
Levi heard the words the second he slipped back to reality. “Huh?”
He was assaulted by aggressive flashes as he stood with Fiona by their escort vehicle. One of his guards had just opened the door for them.
Fiona didn’t go in. She too appeared stunned by the remarks of the paparazzi.
“Why was Amber Sheridan at your apartment complex, Marks?”
“Movie stars want to have it all!”
“Fiona, do you know what he does while you’re not around?”
“Where’s Amber, Levi?”
“Levi, why was she there? Tryna win double withThe Love Raffle?”
Levi’s vision expanded and the crowd seemed to thicken. “Hey, wait!”
Fiona grabbed his wrist. “Rule number one of showbiz. Never talk back to the paparazzi.” She shoved him into the black SUV then climbed in right after.
Levi was dazed as the car took off. He shut his eyes to adjust them then turned his body to look behind him. Through the backwindow, he saw the paparazzi on the pavement where they left them. Only a few gave chase but just for a moment. Eventually, they got swallowed up by other moving bodies on the street.
Levi’s breaths were loud all of a sudden. He recalled Rachel’s vague threat the other night and pressed his fingertips to the middle of his chest.
“Are you okay?” Fiona’s hand was on his shoulder.
Levi didn’t understand. Had someone seen Amber on her way out? How long had this been known? How had Rachel not told him? Was he in trouble? He ripped his phone from his pocket to check for messages, hands shaky and breaths wild.
“Relax, Levi. It’s not the end of the world,” said Fiona.
Her voice was distant. He flipped through messages until he found Rachel’s. She’d sent this a while ago.Video.The caption over the attachment wasIt’s going viral. That was all Rachel had to say? Was she mad?
He tapped the video and was horrified to see Amber’s face on full display.Who is this person?How had they seen her?No, no, I’m not a cheater, I swear.Their whole publicity stunt was in jeopardy and so was his career!Okay, I’m overreacting. Overreacting.
He needed to text Amber to see how she was doing. To the public, they would both seem like the bad guys.Giving them an actual reason to hate her. Oh God.What was the protocol here? Would Rachel help him or was she tired of him?Oscar called it and Rachel knew this would happen but I still…
Another message came in from Rachel.
Levi held his breath to read it.
We need to talk.
Chapter 16
Amber felt like a shell of a person after filming today.
She forced her weight against her door to push it open, then flung it closed behind her. Working with zero hours of sleep on a demanding set was a bad idea. Everything from her eyeballs to her forehead was either aching or pulsing. Pair that with the scare of this morning and she was ready to fall over.