Ivy sat beside Director Tim, watching Anna perform. What she did brought relief, mostly to Director Tim. This time when he gave Anna instructions, she followed suit, leaving no room for mistakes. She completed her final scene without flubs, and the filming progressed quickly. After she was done for the day, the director announced a dinner break, and the two actresses decided to spend the time together.
“That was really nice of you. I didn’t expect you to help me after the annoying things I said to you,” she said with guilt, fiddling with her spoon. “Sorry about my… you know… I really don’t know how to control myself sometimes…” She quickly realized the word ‘sometimes’ wasn’t true. “Yeah… all the time.”
“You shouldn’t have lashed out at the cleaner or physically attacked them. It’s understandable you’re upset, but your reaction was definitely over the top…” Ivy responded, more like a scolding. If she were in that kind of situation, she knew exactly how to mentally handle the gossip.
Anna smiled awkwardly as she recalled the way she behaved. She was one foot away from also physically attacking Ivy if not for Ivy’s sensible words that pierced her heart. She wanted to make up for her behavior. “I’ll be by your side while you shoot today.”
Ivy chuckled; Anna’s soft sides were apparent, and the delicate look in her eyes was even more amusing. “You don’t have to; you should rest after the hectic day.”
Anna shook her head. “No, I insist; it will distract me from recalling how he cheated on me…” Her expression turned bleak, which made Ivy wonder… “Who…”
‘Did George cheat on her?’ Well, that isn’t so surprising; after all, that’s what he does-bang them and then abandon them; women were just his fun tools.
“My ex-fiance…” She replied; it was totally not what Ivy thought. She began to feel sorry for her; another heartbreak was bound to come sooner or later. George was not the faithful guy Anna thought him to be.
“My ex is feigned in front of the media, making me look like the cheater. Whereas he was the one who… I shouldn’t talk about this.” She gulped her whole drink at once, stuffing a mouthful of her steak.
Ivy felt like laughing but she refrained, still a small smile curved up her lips. “Are you eating away the pain?”
“I think I am…” She solemnly replied.
“I know how you feel.” Ivy placed her hand on her wrist to comfort her.
“I don’t think you do; it hurts watching the one you love f*cking another woman right in front of you…” She said, almost at the brink of tears.
Ivy smiled. “You have no idea…” She had an idea of how she gave up on her career for a man, only to find out he was just a tool used by someone else to ruin her life. If she hadn’t found out that day, maybe the worst would have happened. Dave and Irene clearly wanted her destroyed by all means. “You don’t know the intense hatred I have for cheaters. Wipe those tears away; they will only make you look weak.”
Anna sniffed and wiped her tears with the tip of her finger. “It was supposed to be the best day of my life, but he ruined it. Right there in our engagement party, he cheated on me, with… I don’t want to say it.”
“He’s gay?” Ivy guessed.
Anna was quite surprised she guessed right. “Yeah, f*cking homosexuals…” She rolled her eyes in disgust. “The PR team gave up on helping me, they tried to hide the scandal but they backed off all of a sudden, he must have threatened them; he’s so good at that.”
“What family is he from?” Ivy asked; he seemed to have control over her agency to such an extent.
“The Blacks.”
Ivy snorted; though they are a very influential family, they can’t be compared to the Andersons.
“Even my manager abandoned me; it would be a matter of time before Stephen replaces me,” she released a sad laugh, thrusting her plate with her spoon. “I was so furious when I found out; so I threatened to expose him; unfortunately for me, a swift turn of events happened; my scandal was released instead.”
Ivy allowed her to let out her sorrow. She seemed to have lost hope; with her ex manipulating the media and her agency abandoning her, she felt there was no way she could suppress her scandal by herself.
“Hey, calm down, okay? Drowning in your problem wouldn’t bring a solution.” She touched her shoulders. “There are ways you can overcome; you just have to find it.”
Those sensible words again hit her; she smiled. “Thanks, Ivy; I was so blind for not seeing the gem you really are.” She clutched her abdomen. “Ouch… let me go use the restroom; my bladder might burst soon.” After drinking so much soda, her bladder was filled to the brim. Ivy, seeing her silly behavior, couldn’t hide her laughter.
*****
Anna hurried to the restroom; after she was done, she came out only to find one of the cleaners at the corner of the corridor. She had a brush in her hand, but she wasn’t cleaning; instead, she was relaxing on the wall. As Anna was about to walk past her, her voice made her stop dead in her tracks.
“You know, if I were in your shoes, I would have made sure she gets the taste of her own medicine.”
Anna looked at her closely; the female looked to be in her mid-twenties, with black short hair and average height. “Who are you referring to?”
The girl smirked. “You know who I’m talking about.”
Anna thought for a while before she realized who she was hinting at. “Ivy?”
The girl scoffed and turned to face her. “I thought you were dumb.”
“Excuse me.” Anna frowned, displeased. She wanted to say something else before the girl cut her off.
“A tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye. That’s what you should give her.” Anna finally understood where she was going; she wanted her to get back at Ivy for exposing her relationship, but she was a few minutes late.
“What do you want?”
The girl smiled. “I want…”
Someone suddenly interrupted before she could finish her sentence. “Woah, Kate; you never cease to surprise me.” Kate jolted in shock when she saw the one she had been trying to avoid ever since.