Page 52 of Her Billion Dollar Groom

That’s another thing I miss about the mansion. Microwave meals just aren’t the same.

I get a cab to the event, and the whole time the driver drones on about how much he loves my music. Usually, I love interacting with my fans, but right now I’m really not in the mood. I try my best to be polite to him, but mostly I let him gush at me.

He tells me he’s excited about my new release, and I thank him for his loyalty.

Though I really, really do not want to get out onto the red carpet, being in this cab is stifling and I can’t stay here for another second.

The moment I step out of the cab, a photographer points and screams my name, and suddenly a million journalists and their pet photographers descend on me.

“Eliza! Eliza, over here!” they call out.

I plaster on my very best smile and grit my teeth. I need to get to the door, then this can all be over.

“Eliza, where’s Jason?” one of them yells. I pretend not to hear.

“Is it true that you and Jason are going to break up?” shouts another.

“No!” I snap, unable to help yelling back.

And this eggs them on further.

“Eliza, you say you and Jason are happily married, but we haven’t seen you together. Where is he?”

“My husband has important work to do,” I retort. I take another step down the carpet, clenching my fists to try and survive. I have to get to the door.

But the press doesn’t get the idea. “Eliza, there’s a rumor that you’re cheating on Jason. Would you like to respond to that?”

Suddenly, I see red. “How dare you accuse me of something like that?” I scream, marching over to the barrier. “Who said that?”

Like the cowards they all are, none of them speak.

“Come on. Accuse me of being a cheater to my face, I dare you. Jason has done nothing but be loyal to me. Why would I betray him by throwing that in his face?”

“So, the rumors of your divorce are completely unfounded?” A brave woman finally asks.

“You can quote this. Jason and I are in this for the long term. Our marriage means more than your crap attempts to create gossip. Why don’t you print that on your blog?”

I march away without looking back. Journalists are relentless when they know they’ve gotten under your skin. I’m nearly at the door when someone yells, “There’s a rumor that Jason was seen with another woman three days ago. Do you think he would cheat on you?”

I storm back over to the barrier and shout, “You people are all the same! You all think that my private life is any of your business when it’s not. How dare you think you can be involved in my business? How dare you think you know Jason or me. How? How could you?”

Suddenly, my lungs constrict like I’m short of breath, and I stumble, grasping for the barrier. As my vision starts swimming, everyone clamors around me, asking if I’m all right, but my tongue is lolling around in my mouth and my knees are falling away from beneath me. The crowd doesn’t help. They’re suffocating, a wall of people pressing into me, clouding over me like a darkening sky. The world spins dizzyingly.

And that’s the last thing I remember until I wake up in the world’s ugliest hospital gown.

CHAPTER 29

JASON

I’m in the middle of a meeting when my phone rings.

I ignore it. What else am I meant to do in a meeting? But in truth, seeing that it’s from Eliza doesn’t make me want to answer anyway.

She’s not really someone I want to talk to lately.

I turn the volume down to mute and return my attention to the meeting. I hate meeting online like this. I find it so easy to lose my focus.

But ignoring Eliza isn’t enough to make her stop. I get several texts in quick succession.

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