Chapter 57 What to do.
Vincent
I did head to the cabin once I made sure Frank wasn't going to die any time soon from the impact the gun had made on the back of his head. He'd seemed fine from the outside and had been breathing by the time I left, and I'd remembered to grab the painkillers from his pockets too before popping another two into my mouth.
I cleaned my sweaty palms on the hospital cloth I still had on and tried to blink away the memories of the accident I'd had just a few days ago as I drove down the empty road.
It wasn't an easy task.
I had to think. Strategize. What do I do? Where do I start from? How much does the enemy know? And who can I trust at this point?
I kept mulling over those questions, the answers eluding me each time.
Well, for now, I was going to go to the cabin. Grab a few clothes and equipment and then—
I screeched to a stop when I got to the clearing in front of the cabin, or should I say, what was left of the cabin?
I was flabbergasted.
They knew about the cabin too???
I stared in disbelief at the ruins in place of where the cabin used to be. How—why? Why the fuck would they…
I wrapped my hands around the wheel and felt the veins pop in my neck as I tried to rein in my anger.
Really? After everything I did for him. He was going to stab me in the back like this.
I shook my head and pondered what to do. It was obvious. No place was safe at this point, especially if it was Kael that was selling me out.
He knew everything. Everywhere I could possibly lay low as well as my movements. I'd… trusted him. Even though my father's warning had rung through my head a million times.
“Never trust anyone but yourself.”
He was going to catch up with me in no time if I remained predictable. I have to switch things up.
I whipped my head around when a leaf crunched nearby. Everywhere was dark, so I couldn't really see anything or anyone if that was a person.
Fuck.
I shifted the gear into reverse and zoomed out of there without thinking.
What the fuck was I going to do now?!
Ariel
"Okay, let's hear it," Jaden, one of the main producers I would be working with for my album, said as I hovered my hand over my laptop.
Jonas had been the one to coerce me into this.
“Come on. Isn't this what you've always wanted?”
“Don't worry, it's going to be fine.”
“Everyone is going to love it. I love it.”
“Ariel!”
He had basically countered every argument I'd put forward on why I thought releasing one of the many demos I'd written wouldn't be a good idea.
For one, it's way softer and more… vulnerable. It's nothing like any of the other music I'd released under Richard before. It was more likely to be a flop than a success because no one would like it.
“Come on." I got jolted back to reality when Jaden spoke again.
Ugh, whatever. Fuck it. I literally don't care anymore.
I tapped on the play button and mentally prepared myself for the rejection I knew was coming.
The studio went pin-drop silent when the song finished playing a few minutes later. Well, it was mostly just I, Jonas and Jaden in the studio, but still, the lack of reaction was killing me.
“Well…” Jaden started. “...That was good.”
Good?
“It could use some work, but it has potential.” Okay, not the reaction I would have loved, but it has potential. Yay.
“Send the file to me as soon as you can, and I'll see what I can do.”
“Okay.” I wanted to slip into the floor.
“Hey.” Jonas said once Jaden left the studio.
“I told you it was a bad idea.” I interjected before he could speak.
“Come on. We both know Jaden doesn't say much. This isn't your first time working with him. That's how he literally is.”
True, but it didn't make me feel any better. In Richard's words, and I know I shouldn't be taking what he said to me in the past to heart, but—"Your “Your songs aren't any good. All they have is potential, and I'm not ready to invest my money in potential.
“Ariel.” He said as I packed up my laptop to go.
“Let’s just… drop it. We have a shoot to meet up with in about an hour, no?”
“Yes. Yes.” He replied a beat later.
By the time we finished for the day, it was already 10 pm. “Should I order you something?” Jonas asked as a driver drove us back to my apartment building in the company work van.
“No, it's fine. I'll just make a sandwich or something.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“I am.” I added when he gave me a look.
“Are you still thinking of what Jaden said?”
I glanced up from my phone to see him still giving me that look. “No.”
I truly wasn't, because something else was on my mind right now. Something I'd managed to forget about for the past few days until his message popped up on my phone a few hours ago.
“Right, are those reporters still following you around?” He asked after a few more minutes of silence. Finally, the van took the turn into the parking space in my building. We stopped for a bit at the access point.
“Yes.” They haven't stopped since that goddamn article came out, and I'm genuinely tired. It kept making me think about him—my whole situation with Gen. Yuri—and it was making me anxious, especially with the silence from Vincent.
Jonas cursed. “I thought it would have died down by now.”
"Well, it's my first full-blown scandal, so..." The van came to a stop in front of the glass door leading into the building.
“Hopefully news about the album snuffs it out.” I picked up my bag and proceeded to open the door.
“And you’re sure you're telling me the truth?” I glanced back at him. “About not dating anyone...”
I rolled my eyes. “I already said I'm not.”
I jumped onto the ground.
“Well, see you tomorrow then. Remember 9 am.”
I nodded. “Yup. See you.” He waved as the van drove away, and I waited for it to make the turn out of sight before heading to the door.
I need a fucking shower, a warm meal and a —
A hand suddenly shot out of nowhere to cover my mouth while simultaneously pulling me into a dark corner.
Oh God. What the fuck is this now?!