Carlos eased the car to a halt outside Models. The tall building never failed to steal her breath. Jennifer sank into the seat, thoughts tangling like vines she couldn't pull apart.
She scolded herself for the reality check she had given Vincent an hour ago. The man did just see his mother after two decades and that must have ripped old wounds open and she had added salt to injury. She sighed loudly unaware Carlos watched from the rear view mirror. His voice caused her to jump slightly.
"Heavy mind Ms. Jennifer?" He asked.
Jennifer shook her head. "Anxious" she said.
"About what?" If he could remember correctly she nailed a performance still being talked about on the media, if he could guess she'd be a pleasing sight behind those doors.
"I'm worried about him." Her head was buried and she played with her nails.
Carlos smiled, was this déjà vu?
"His mother has that effect on everyone."
"Will he be okay?" She looked up at Carlos. The man sighed before speaking.
"Frankly. I don't know. But what I do know is, he has a skin thicker than his father and boy was his father a man. He's a Moretti he'll be fine, but most importantly" he made eye contact with her. "He's Vincent."
The sheer faith he had in him stoned her. She smiled. Part of the sickening feeling in her gut disappeared.
"But something tells me that's not the thing eating you." He read her mind.
She exhaled loudly.
"People think I'm the person the media paints me to be. I've heard some of the models say hideous things about me" She looked at him again.
"What if I walk in there and they think I don't deserve any of this—or that I got my way in without working for it." Her voice trailed off in the end.
Carlos unbuckled his seat belt and turned to face her in the back seat.
"I've lived long enough to know two things. You don't listen to people, that's one. Two, the only person to tell the world who you are is yourself" He nodded to her.
"And for you having to work hard to get something? I don't believe in that. Hardwork is rewarding, true. But there's also a thing like being a natural at something. There's nothing wrong with that. Its a gift."
His words weighed more than gold. She smiled. Was Vincent aware of how important this man was?
"Thank you. That makes me feel so much better." Jennifer smiled. She climbed out and shut the door. Carlos leaned toward the passenger door.
"And remember, when the options with dealing with people are all off the table, there's always punching. You break a jaw and keep the rest in line."
She was laughing even before he finished that philosophy. She watched the car speed down the street before turning to the door.
"If it isn't the favorite model of the week." Cassandra slammed into her. She caught herself before they toppled.
"Not going to be that if I break my ankles" Jennifer steadied herself.
"Here, this one's on me" Cassandra handed her a cup of coffee.
"How did you not spill this?" Jennifer said. Words came easier now; the tongue-tied girl weeks ago felt like someone else.
Cassandra leaned forward with a crooked smile. "When you have to hold your fingers in place and stitch a helm for hours you'd learn co-ordination" she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
They walked into the building. Just like she had expected, the atmosphere of the room changed.
People looked up from notepads toward her. Some whispered to one another. She had no way to tell if it were positivity or criticism. She just walked.
Cassandra had been saying something and she turned to her.
"Here, see this? Girl the US attorney General landed you a review." Cassandra held out her phone.
Jennifer hadn't seen that. Vincent's arrest was all that she thought about throughout the weekend and she didn't check her page. Cookie had set up an Instagram account for her.
She checked her phone. She had a thousand followers in the span of four days and the US attorney was one of them. Was this a good sign?
She bumped shoulders with Cassandra inside the elevator.
On the twenty floor it stopped and more people joined. Jennifer recognized them all. They were the A list models. They chattered atop their voices. The topic of discussion was about the Garden of Grace and how the judges never let anyone buy their way in. Of course this was to rattle Jennifer and despite Carlos's words she was being rattled.
Cassandra nudged her. "Don't listen to them."
One of the girls—Natalia—heard it. Natalia was tall, slender and had blonde hair. Her voice started off on a high note, her words? Mean.
"I shouldn't be surprised this four eyes of a weirdo would be your friend around there." She looked pointedly at Jennifer.
Jennifer swallowed hard. This was the kind of confrontation she was avoiding. Her heart started to race.
Cassandra, offended wasn't going to let that slide.
"You're the one to talk? Your game sucked so bad I needed another pair of eyes to see it" Cassandra fired back.
It got two of the girls to cover their mouths in shock.
Natalia's face was swollen and red from the insult.
"I'm not the one who warmed a bed to get my way in."
"More like you had no bed to warm your way in" Cassandra jumped on her again. "Is that why you try so hard?" She added. Jennifer squeezed her arm. She didn't want trouble. But like a magnet trouble always found her.
"So you're not just a hand-me-down wannabe model but also a tied tongue." Natalia avoided Cassandra, she was bent on breaking Jennifer.
Jennifer tried to speak. Cassandra stopped her.
"Are you afraid of some competition Natalia? Is that it?" She faced the girls.
"Afraid? Oh please" Natalia chuckled. But her voice failed her at the end. Just what Cassandra needed.
"You speak so much about the Garden of Grace and you failed it three times in a row" She paused briefly to enjoy how the whites in her eyes shifted from the insult.
"If not for Abigail Veloura Models wouldn't have brought that title home." Cassandra added. She wanted the words to sink into Natalia's followers.
"You are all talk and no show." "I remember you being like this with Abigail when she first got here. With her you used her failed relationship."
"With Jennifer you're using this scandal around her—but we both know you're a big coward with nothing to show for after six years in modeling" Cassandra readied for the last blow.
"You should work at a drivethrough. I'm sure serving burgers won't be too hard."
Those words landed like hot knife through butter. It cut Natalia is so many pieces they started to fall off, first were her tears.
She couldn't hide them and as soon as the elevator opened she dashed off, running towards the restroom.
The other models too shaken by those words and how savage Cassandra sounded—retreated without further trouble.
"Jesus!" Jennifer exclaimed. She had thought Cassandra to be a sweet and shy girl who even came off as a nerd when she talked about her work.
"I'm sorry." She exhaled sharply. "But that girl has been asking for it."
They reached the end of the Hall and turned into the showroom.
Cassandra shrieked in excitement. The man who hovered around Felicity had been her crush since she started work at Veloura Models. But their words were so far apart the feeling stayed only a fantasy. Jennifer though almost frowned at the sight of the man.
Felicity looked up from the notepad. She smiled brightly "Jennifer just right on time. This is William Conrad and he'd be working with us against the Garden of Grace."
"What?" Both Jennifer and Cassandra exclaimed. One disappointed the other ecstatic.
"Jennifer Lawrence. The one making me proud of this investment" William's grin was wicked like a fox's. Jennifer didn't like the way his eyes sized her up. She excused herself and bolted out of the room.
"Oh poor girl will be stepping into the spotlight soon." Felicity laughed.
"Of course. Excuse me." William walked off.
He passed Cassandra so fast she held back her words.
He didn't see Jennifer in the hallway and instinctively knew she would be in the restroom. He hovered at the sink. Water rushed and stopped and the door opened. Their eyes met.
Jennifer froze. When did he follow her?
William grinned "We haven't properly introduced ourselves."
Jennifer answered immediately "We don't have to".
She didn't like the way he smiled and licked his lower lip. The way he puffed his chest to exert his masculinity. Even the way he talked. His voice was flirtatious.
"Oh" he said softly. "We don't have to be enemies. I'm just looking forward to working with a rising star."
That smile was still plastered on his face. He stepped closer and offered her his hand for a shake. Jennifer didn't take it. Scandal already dangled around her head for involving with one man. Another wasn't coming to ruin this for her.
"I'm not looking forward to working with you." She said firmly. She was laying the tone now to let him dismiss any funny thoughts he was having.
William simply withdrew his hand and smiled. "I'll have to make a better impression then." He walked out.
Jennifer watched her reflection from the large mirror on the right side of the room. What did he want with her?
One of the toilet doors opened and jumped. Natalia stepped out. Both women looked at each other with mixed emotions.
Jennifer scared the girl had heard her conversation with William and Natalia—a devilish smirk on her face. She said nothing and walked out.
***
Across town ablack SUV pulled up outside Moretti Homes. Michael Salvatore stepped onto the curb followed by his game man, Alfred Nate—his new assistant sales director. The two went back as far as college roommates. They pursued the same career and one always dropped the other a life line when either was drowning.
Inseparable they were and strong but the thing with bonds like this were the weak points which could be used as a liability. Rattle one enough and sins fell like apples. Marcus Lee was aware of this which is why he waited against one of the large pillars of the entrance.
He approached the men. "Michael Salvatore." He said with enough authority to let the men sense trouble.
"Marcus Lee. But you gents know me as the DA." He let them see his small smirk. He was their worse nightmare.
Both men exchanged glances. "What do you want?" Michael asked. His voice revealing his uneasiness.
Marcus produced a white folded paper which he waved menacingly before the two men.
"You've been busy been lately. Swiss accounts, quiet transfers—you've got quite the side hustle" Marcus leaned in "Relax. I'm not here to arrest you. Not yet."
Michael felt his pulse spike.
"Don't look so nervous. I'm not here about Father Andrew." Marcus smiled. He sipped from the coffee cup in his hand.
"I'm here because I think we can help each other. You made a mistake. Everyone does. The question is—how much is your mistake going to cost you?"
If Michael hadn't fully grasped that this was the start of his reckoning—he did now after that line.
"Let's not waste our time. I know about the ten million, and I know about Vivian Holman. Mrs Vivian Holman."
Michael's body stiffened. Alfred tried to digest the situation but the facts were not chewable.
"Oh, that's got your attention" He sipped the coffee again. "Now here's how this works—you testify that those transfers came from Moretti's order, and I make your little problem disappear"
"I have no idea of what you're talking about."
"Oh Michael but you do. He doesn't" Marcus pointed to Alfred.
Michael pushed past him toward the door. Marcus chuckled silently and shook his head.
"All I need is your word Michael. Tell the court what I need to hear and this conversation never happened" Marcus walked to him hand held out his business card.
"Think about it Michael. By tomorrow morning I either have your cooperation—or your confession"
Michael took the card. Marcus turned to leave but stopped.
"You've got a family, Michael. Let's not ruin it over pride."
Marcus walked away down the streets. He was smiling to himself. His first pawn was down, now he had his on the next one.