Chapter 19 A new CEO
Ariel
I still can't believe Richard committed suicide, or at least that's what the media believes.
Former CEO of Star Entertainment, Richard Kingsley, was found dead in his secret holiday home after a week of getting exposed for his crimes. Speculations of suicide.
I sat back on my couch in the living room with the news still playing in the background and just stared at nothing for a while. So this is what he meant when he said it was nothing to worry myself about.
A cover-up of suicide. You know, now that I think about it, It made me wonder what narrative they had given for Alan's death or what narrative they will give for my death when or if I mess up the task they have given me on Anastasia Coleman.
It's been two days since I went to the Grand Meridian, and I've been googling everything there is to know about her even though they had left that file from the other night with me. The documents that contained her basic information, including that picture.
Well, according to the Internet, her full name was indeed Anastasia Coleman, as the documents had said. Her industry name was Anna Cole also, and she was 26 years old. Hey, first thing we have in common. We're the same age.
Next is that she's a model. A supermodel, in fact, with a career that started at the young age of 6, so she's been in the industry for 20 years.
She's a Capricorn, in case she is someone who is into astrology and all that. Has three cats. I have none, but maybe I could get one before the party.
There's the mole she has on the right side of her torso, which she felt the need to discuss in a Rogue interview at a point in time. If I'll be honest though, it was the male interviewer who had been a creep.
She's 5'9, so pretty tall. I'm not that tall. What else? Blonde hair, grey eyes, nice figure – okay, that wasn’t important, but maybe it could be important.
Oh, and her favourite colour is blue, another thing we have in common. Apart from that, there's nothing else. Both her parents are very much alive, in contrast to my dad, who is dead, and my mum, who is down with cancer. I don't think that is exactly conversation material when we meet.
I'll just stick to astrology and favourite colours. Hopefully that draws her in.
And back to Richard...
I was about to turn off the news, riled up enough by the pictures of his face that kept getting plastered over my screen when my doorbell rang.
I jumped, surprised, since I had not been expecting anyone, but if it was anyone I knew at that door, it was Jonas. And when I opened the door a second later, it was him, looking at me with concern.
"Have you seen the news?"
I moved to the side to let him in while nodding. "Y-yes, about Richard. I...I'm surprised."
"Me too. Like, I've known Richard for how many years now? Ten, and he has never struck me as the type of person to commit suicide."
Oh fuck. I felt my stomach twist into knots. "So you're saying there's foul play?" Okay, that sounded so high-pitched.
"No." He turned to face me, surprised. "No... Just surprised that he did that... and used a gun. I mean, he has always hated guns."
I fidgeted with my fingers, nervously. Does that mean he knows something is wrong?
"Oh okay." He walked further into the living and made a beeline for the counter when he saw something. "What is this?"
I peered behind him to see what he was looking through and felt my stomach drop when I sighted the documents the Kael guy had given me at the Grand Meridian.
"Nothing!" I said with that high-pitched voice again as I ran to grab the papers from his hands, and I tucked them under my arms roughly while he just stared at me.
"Why are you with a picture of Anna Cole?"
Fuck, he saw the picture, but also he knows her? I fought the urge to ask him that particular question and just shook my head. "Nothing. I was just..." What do I even say?
"Why are you here?" I asked instead as a way to deflect from the issue. He moved his head, quite taken aback. "What are
"You showed up here, so I'm guessing there's a reason. Is it because of Richard?"
He nodded his head slowly. "Yes... but also to discuss your comeback plans. There has been an appointment of a new CEO and creative director. It's still under wraps within the company, but he called me in today and said, "You need to start... again."
"Oh." A new CEO.
"He handed me a list of things you're to start doing from the 15th, which is tomorrow." I watched him closely as he dipped his hands into the sling bag he had on to bring out a sheet of paper. He handed it to me.
"First is a live. Instagram, TikTok. Whichever." He continued as I scanned through the printed paper. "It's been a long time since you've done anything on your socials."
"Next is to start working on new music, a single, probably a collaboration. I've contacted one of our producers who you'll start working with within the week. And right before your release..."
I read the third item on the list.
Attend the Vanity Fair party.
There it was. The task. The reason I might lose my life if things don't work out. I felt my body tense up at the memory of his threat. "Do you really want to know what will happen?"
"Then promotions." Jonas concluded, oblivious to my inner turmoil.
"Hmm..." I handed him back the paper. "Did they send an invite already?" I mean, that's one of the important things for these events, right?
"Huh?" He looked up from his phone, which he had brought out at some point to do something. "Who? Oh, Vanity Fair."
"Not yet, but he said not to worry about that, that you'll be on the list."
Oh.
"Right, he also said to see him in his office as soon as possible. I'm guessing to familiarise yourself with him."
For some reason that made me instantly uncomfortable.
He wanted to see me? Why? So he can take one look at me and decide that it would be better to just pimp me out to those damn investors.
I was wrong. It was worse.