Chapter 18: A Deal With the Devil

Nicholas’s POV: A deal with the Devil

My uncle was a devil. You heard me right. A literal devil without the horns and the wings. At least he had the spider tattoos scattered across his back to prove my point.

Don’t ask me how I know their location.

He was just a few years older than me. Not more than five actually. But when you had a grandfather who couldn’t keep his dick in his pants, this was the outcome.

“What movie are you starting in currently?” The devil asked as I took my seat in his office.

“Come on Uncle, won’t you at least acknowledge the fact that your most brilliant and favorite nephew is here to see you?”

“You are my only nephew”

Ouch. But he was true though. In my generation, I was the only guy with a total of eight cousin sisters. Talk about a family tree.

“I called you something serious. How many movies are you starting in currently?”

With how stern he was, it was truly serious.

“Did something happen in Shanghai, Uncle?”

The look he gave me was enough for me to keep my mouth shut.

“Currently, two reality shows and one talk show. Plus…”

“Cancel all of them”

I paused as my brain processed his command.

“What?!!! Uncle, do you know how much I am going to pay for a breach of contract?”

“You make it sound like you were a born in a mediocre family”

“Uncle not like that!!!!”

“I will pay for the breach of contract and make sure your reputation doesn’t take a hit. What do you say then?”

“Why do you want me to cancel all my contracts Uncle?”

“You are going to take on the male lead for a movie I invested in.”

“Awwnn. Uncle wants me to help his movie”

“Your Aunt is the female lead”

What the fuck! Did I just hear my devil of a uncle right? Aunt!!! As in wife!!!! Wait till my mum hears this!!!

“Don’t you dare think of telling your mother yet”

How did he know what I was thinking about?!!

“Cause you are a lunatic. That’s why. She’s going to be female lead of the movie. I want you to act as the male lead. And not only that, you are responsible for her safety on and off the set as well.

“So I get to act as a bodyguard then?”

“You are not allowed to glance at her for more than thirty minutes. You are to stand at least three fear away from her unless the situation calls for it. And no one, I repeat no one is allowed to harm even a single hair on her head. All her food are to be poison tested to make sure there are no issues. As well as all her make up equipments. Am I clear?”

If I didn’t know better, I would say I was in a soap opera and my uncle was an obsessed motherfucker.

A motherfucker he was. But obsessed, hell nah.

“Uncle who is this woman?”

I watched him look at a hand painted picture, framed and kept on his desk. I hadn’t even noticed the picture in the first place. And in that moment, I saw my uncle genuinely smile. The kind of smile that made him less of a devil and more of an angel.

Who was this woman and how did she manage to turn my uncle into a lovesick fool?

“She doesn’t know my feelings for her yet. She still thinks everything is purely transactional. So be careful of whatever you utter in front of her. Nicholas, I’m placing my prized possession in your hands. Do not let me down”

At that moment, I understood the gravity of my uncle’s words. This wasn’t a mere infatuation. He was in love with this woman. And obsessively so. And I ask again for the third time, who was this woman who conquered Adrian Cole? The most dangerous man I had ever met.

“I will try my best Uncle.”

“I don’t need you to try your best. I want you to give it your all”

He was mean when he made the last statement. And every time I think I have at least had an understanding of the huge task, my uncle seemed to make it more hard to understand.

“I will put in my best uncle. Rest assured”

My uncle pulled out the script from his desk and handed it over to me to glance Quite frankly, if everyone on the cast there in at least eighty percent of their efforts, then this movie would be a huge success.

But there was a problem. There were a lot of intimate scenes in this movie. And if my deductions were right, I had to act all these out with my said Aunt. That my uncle has been talking about.

I raised my head to glance at him. He was still gazing at the picture, except his time he was lovingly caressing the picture with a tender look in his eyes.

Yup. I was going to be dead meat if I tried or thought of acting out this with his woman.

“Ermmm, uncle have you gone through this script?”

“Yes. Numerous times even”

“Then you know of the ermmm. Hmm hmmm”

I scaratched my throat as I thought of the words to complete my sentence without provoking the sleeping beast.

“The intimate scenes?” He asked as he glared at me.

‘Dearest Uncle, you were the one who chose me for this role remember?’ I cried internally.

“Yes…” I gulped as I continued. “Have you thought of the intimate scenes yet?”

“I already talked to the director. We both have a similar build and facial resemblance. I will be your double for all intimate scenes”

I give up as I raise both hands up. Shameless. This old geezer was shameless. And the weirdest part was he was actually smiling at his idea.

A goner.

“The privat jet is ready to take you to Shanghai. Everything you need is onboard”

Shanghai? Don’t tell me…

“Uncle, was she the reason you went to Shanghai?”

“They are about to shoot the movie sequel so you have to be there soon”

“Who shoots a movie sequel first?”

“They encountered issues on their first day there which moved the sequel to come first”

That explains it then.

“Keep up your cold persona. At least that will be enough to keep her safe if people knew she was your person.”

“You can count on me Uncle”

And just like that, I was on a plane to Shanghai.

“Your uncle told me you would be coming but truly I didn’t believe him. Thank God he was able to convince you.”

Remind me why so accepted this role again?

Oh yes, my devil of an uncle forced me to. This was why I hated working with kiss ass directors. They kept on gushing about it. The fact I was their male lead.

I gave a sign to the lady doing my make up and even she was lost.

Sighing internally, I glanced at the mirror. I was good to go. I stood up and made my way out much to the disappointment of the director and make up artist.

I walked out and heard the excited chatters of everyone. I ignored them all as I saw an ethereal goddess sitting on a chair and reading what seemed to be a script. No doubt for the movie.

She was so beautiful. And amazing. Her dress hugged her in the right places while her raven black hair covered half of her fair face as it cascaded down.

“Are you Lila Monroe?” I asked as I walked up to the goddess before me. Ready to shoot my shot as I prayed for a negative answer.

“Yes” she answered in a confused manner as my breathe hitched. Alarm bells sounding in my head as I remembered my uncles gaze on her portrait in his office.

“Hello Sister”

I shouted as I mentally face palmed myself. Goodbye cold persona as I saw my personality fly out of the window.