Regina’s eyes darted longingly to the doors again. At that moment, she wished she had left everything the way they were, rather than diving into it without warning. She’d underestimated Rina, and now, she was going to have to pay dearly for it. But Regina couldn’t allow anything to happen to her career. It was all she had to her name and knew that she would be nothing without the fame that came along with it.
Unlike Rina who had always been a force to reckon with, even after her retirement, and still causing a buzz everywhere after she got blacklisted, Regina was aware it would be the opposite for her. She would fizzle out almost immediately, and no one would remember she used to exist at some point.
Rina looked smug as she leaned back on the seat, ringing the bell on the table for her second course. She had all the time in the world to play this little game, and she wasn’t even in a rush to end it. Regina, knowing her future was in Rina’s hands at that moment, knew there was nothing else she could do than play according to her tune. Looking around in panic, she threw herself to her knees before Rina, despite the amount of eyes watching them. Phones were whipped out almost immediately, like the diners had been waiting for something dramatic to happen.
“What are you doing?” Rina questioned softly, pushing away from Regina as she tried to touch her dress.
“I’m so sorry,” her voice broke. “Please, Rina. I promise not to do anything like that again. I’ll ask my PR team to take down every mention of that painting from the internet, and I will send a letter to the agency to consider your application again.”
“How about a public apology for slander and defamation?”
“What?” Regina looked up at once. “Rina…”
“It’s Ms. Power to you,” she corrected. “And look around you. Everyone here probably already has a video of your heartfelt apology. It won’t make any difference making it public. I think I want a conference. Invite major TV stations over and let there be a live broadcast. It should be up on your Instagram page as well. You know the internet carries a lot of weight around here.”
“Please,” Regina gasped, pressing back a sob. “My reputation online means a lot to me. I can’t possibly…you have to understand.”
“Well, my reputation meant a lot to me too. You should have thought about that before going online saying whatever you felt was right. Now, it’s my turn and I’m not backing down.”
Regina slumped on her knees, tears prickling the corner of her eyes. “Don’t do that,” Rina whispered, leaning towards her slightly. “You will ruin your makeup.”
The waiter chose that minute to return, her expression faltering when she met Regina on the floor. She gingerly placed both plates of Pan-Seared Salmon with Asparagus, the scent mixing with the avalanche of perfume scents in the air, then cast a questioning gaze at Regina.
“Oh, her?” Rina was having so much fun with it. “Just ignore her. She’s going through a tough time currently and just needs to let it all out. She will be fine in a couple of minutes. Our apologies for any inconvenience this is causing.”
“Of course not.” The waiter was quick to wave her hands in her face. “You can do whatever you want to do, ma’am. My job here is to ensure you are as comfortable as possible.”
Rina smiled at her. “Thank you.”
The waiter disappeared from sight again, and Rina returned her attention back to Regina. “So, have you thought about it? What do you think?”
“Ri…Ms. Power,” she whispered but didn’t know what to say next. Pleading didn’t look like it was going to have any effect whatsoever on Rina’s decision. Her mind was made up already, and it would take a lot to change it.
“And after that,” she continued, delving into her meal. “I need you to be my eyes and ears in Scottsdale Entertainment. You have to answer me any time I call. And you will be doing any other thing I demand of you. Are we good?”
“And if I don’t?”
Rina chuckled. “You know what would happen, Regina. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“Have you always been this way?”
“What way?” She placed the glass of wine the waitress had poured earlier between her fingers, taking a slow slip.
“Mean. Heartless.”
“That is all you, Regina, and you know that. If I’m being mean to you, it is only because you brought it upon yourself. I tried to warn you so many times, but you thought you could take me on. I am an angry woman, Regina, who has had every single thing taken away from her. I have nothing to lose anymore, so if I come at you with claws, understand that I am going to sink them deep into your skin until it hurts. And even then, I won’t stop, until I see you cry in pain.”
Regina shuddered at the vivid image painted by Rina, and the irony of the situation was palpable. It was strange to imagine that the same person who wielded so much venom against Rina could be frightened by something she said. She reached out for Rina again, holding her shoes. “Please, Rina. Don’t do this to me. I can do any other thing you want but not this.”
“Argh!” Rina kicked her softly, enough to get her hands off her shoes but not hard to push her to the floor. “You’ve made me lose my appetite.”
“Rina…”
“I’m done here,” she murmured, wiping her hands and the sides of her mouth on the napkin. “Get the bill, will you? And I will be expecting the press conference very early tomorrow. Make your calls tonight. You sure can get that working, can’t you? Same as your apology on your page. And expect my call. It might be sooner than you expect.”
She waved with a grin and sauntered out of the diner, her head held high and her confidence unmatched.