Chapter 96

Chapter 96
Olivia's POV

The moment my phone rang and Ava’s name flashed on the screen, I knew it wasn’t going to be a friendly chat. I exchanged a wary glance with Zoya, who sat beside me, scrolling through her own phone, probably seeing the same headlines I was avoiding.

I sighed and answered. “Ava.”

“Liv, we need to talk,” Ava’s voice came sharp and urgent, cutting straight to the point. “The studio is not happy with how this is blowing up. They’re talking about finding someone to replace you if we don’t get ahead of it.”

I leaned back into the couch, my fingers tightening around the phone. “Replace me?” I scoffed. “Let them. My contract’s up in a month anyway.”

Ava was silent for a beat. “Olivia, don’t start—”

“I’m serious,” I interrupted. “I’ve been unhappy with this agency for a long time. I’m counting down the days until I’m free. So no, I’m not going to bend over backward for their damage control plan.”

A frustrated sigh crackled through the line. “Look, I get it. But you need to think about your career.”

I rolled my eyes. “I am thinking about it. And it doesn’t include working with an agency that treats me like a PR disaster instead of a person.”

Ava tried again, her voice gentler this time. “Just... don’t make any rash decisions, okay? We can fix this.”

“I don’t need fixing, Ava,” I snapped, the exhaustion bleeding into my tone. “I need to be free.”

Before she could say more, I ended the call and tossed my phone onto the table with a frustrated sigh.

Zoya looked up, concern etched into her features. “Ava?”

I nodded. “She’s worried about the studio, saying they might replace me.”

Zoya bit her lip, hesitation flickering across her face. “I got a call too.”

My stomach tightened. “Your agency?”

She nodded slowly. “They... suggested it might be best if I put some distance between us.”

My chest ached at the thought. “And what did you say?”

“I called Michelle,” Zoya replied, referring to my lawyer. “She reassured me that my contract protects my personal choices. They have to support me, or they’ll be in breach of contract.”

Relief washed over me. “I knew Michelle would come through.”

Zoya reached for my hand. “I’m not going anywhere, Olivia.”

I squeezed her hand back, but the lingering fear in her eyes told me just how much pressure she was under.

I found myself pacing around the apartment. The news articles kept refreshing, every click feeding my growing unease. The photo of Zoya and me leaving the set had spread like wildfire, and no matter how many times I tried to ignore it, I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone close was feeding the press.

I scrolled through social media, reading the comments that ranged from supportive to brutal.

“Elijah deserved better.”
“Honestly, I’m not surprised. Olivia’s been distant for a while now.”
“Zoya and Olivia have been a thing for months. It was obvious.”
"I think they look perfect together, let love win"

My hands trembled slightly as I set the phone down. The weight of the world outside our little bubble was creeping in faster than I could hold it back.

I walked over to the window, staring out into the city lights, searching for answers in the blur of headlights and distant sirens. My gut told me that this wasn’t just a random leak. Someone was pulling the strings.

A sudden thought hit me, and before I could stop myself, I grabbed my phone and dialed Ava again. I needed answers.

She answered after a few rings, her voice clipped. “Olivia.”

“Who leaked it, Ava?” My voice was steady, but inside, my heart was racing.

Ava sighed heavily. “Liv, not this again.”

I pressed the phone tighter to my ear, pacing faster. “That’s not an answer, Ava. Someone’s feeding them information, and I want to know who.”

There was a pause on the other end. “I’m doing everything I can to handle this,” Ava finally said, deflecting.

I frowned, pacing faster. “Where are you right now?”

She hesitated. “Why does it matter?”

In the background, I heard it—Elijah’s voice, faint but unmistakable. My stomach turned.

“You’re at my house,” I said slowly, realization hitting me like a brick. “With Elijah.”

Ava’s tone remained eerily calm. “He asked me to stay. His health—”

I cut her off, anger bubbling to the surface. “Ava, you’re my manager, not Elijah’s. Your job is to look out for me, not play babysitter for him.”

“I’m trying to keep things from getting worse,” she shot back. “He’s hurting, Olivia.”

I clenched my jaw, my grip tightening around the phone. “And I’m not?”

Silence stretched between us.

“You need to figure out where your loyalties lie, Ava,” I said coldly before hanging up.

I stared at my phone, the screen reflecting my own frustration back at me. I had always trusted Ava, but now... now I wasn’t so sure.

Zoya walked up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “What did she say?”

“She’s still with Elijah,” I murmured, leaning into her warmth. “And she won’t tell me anything about the leaks.”

Zoya sighed, resting her chin on my shoulder. “That doesn’t sound good.”

“No, it doesn’t,” I admitted, closing my eyes for a brief moment. “And it’s making me wonder if she’s been feeding the press this whole time.”

Zoya pulled back slightly to look at me. “You really think Ava would do that?”

I hesitated. “I don’t know. But she’s definitely hiding something.”

Zoya nodded slowly. “Then maybe it’s time we stop trusting her.”

I turned to face her, my hand resting on Zoya’s cheek. “You’re the only person I trust right now.” She smiled warmly at me before giving me a warm kiss on the back of my hand.