52. The It Girl 🔥

"Monica, you don't have to keep watching it!" I snatched her phone out of her hand.

"The blogs are going to eat this up," Monica smiled, "That girl in the video is going to make a lot of money."

"She's gonna get five minutes of fame and social media shame," I told Monica.

"Cousin, you acting like it's you in the video with Ricky Santana."

I looked at Monica as she took her phone back. Whoever said a lot can happen in a week, knew exactly what they were talking about.

Monica and I shopped for a few more hours before getting something to eat and going back to the Rivers' Residence. By that night, the woman in the video was identified as Aja Frost.

I went to the studio on Tuesday. Reporters and paparazzi were crowding the entrance of the RiSe Tower. After wrapping up my vocals for the final song on my album, I headed to the restroom. Normally, it would be empty, but I heard someone talking. I don't think I can keep walking in on conversations like this.

"...I don't know how it got recorded or got out. I just want it gone."

At the sound of her voice, I knew it was Aja.

She sniffed, "I don't know, I don't know... You know I'm not like that. That's not my brand. I don't know, Tina. Please stop asking me."

I cleared my throat to make my presence known as I went into an empty stall.

"Tina, I gotta go... Okay. Bye." Aja ended her phone conversation.

I'd wanted to call Aja, but how do you call someone after witnessing a private act caught them on social media? I mean, Aja made sexy songs, but her overall appearance was very girl next door. Honestly, I've never seen Aja in a revealing outfit unless you consider crop tops revealing. She always reminded me of the late 90s or early 2000s pop and R&B singers.

After leaving the stall, I froze when I saw Aja looking at her reflection in the mirror.

Our eyes met.

She quickly turned around to face me. "Hi, my love!" She tried her best to sound like her usual self, but I could hear the hurt in her voice.

"Hi, Aja!" I went to wash my hands. What do I say? What do I say?

"No need to avoid the elephant. Everyone's seen the video," she told me.

I dried my hands with paper towels. "I'm so sorry this happened."

Aja sighed, "I want to strangle him, Jae. The worse part is we dated for two months and that was the first and last time we slept together."

I was not prepared to hear this.

"Ricky treated me so good up until I learned I wasn't his one and only. Some woman sent me a recording of them talking."

At this point, she was definitely unloading on me.

"Aja, we can talk about it, but somewhere more private," I suggested.

She chuckled, "You're right. We can go to one of the empty offices on the 18th floor."

"I thought floors 18 through 30 were reserved for other businesses," I informed her.

Aja shook her head, "That's just what employees are told. Ricky and Anaya hold a lot of meetings, parties, and other events on those floors."

I wish Monica was here!

Aja and I got on the elevator and took it to the 18th floor. It asked for a key or card swipe in order for the doors to open. Aja took off her bracelet that was full of cute charms. One was a small key. She inserted the key under the floor numbers, and the elevator doors opened.

As we walked down the dark corridor, the lights came on. She guided me down another hall and used a different key on her bracelet to unlock the door.

We walked inside and the lights came on to expose a simple furnished office. There was no computer or devices to be found, just a desk and two chairs. We occupied them.

Aja nearly collapsed her upper body onto the desk. "I've been up since 4 in the morning trying to figure out how to face the public with this stupid video. I even smoked a cigarette."

I chuckled, "I didn't know you smoke."

Aja sat up. "That's the second time I've smoked this year. It's the stress of everything."

I nodded my head. "You said a woman sent you a recording?"

Aja took a deep breath. "It was the morning after Ricky and I were together. I woke up and the text was on my phone. I listened to it, and Ricky was telling her some of the some things he would tell me."

From just the way Aja talked about him, I had to ask. "Did you love Ricky or...?"

Aja covered her face. "I know how it sounds and how it looks. Yes, he's like 30 years older than me. Yes, he's dated a lot of women before me and after, but I really fell for him. He wanted our relationship to be public, but I knew how people would see it. They would think I was a golddigger."

I asked, "Do you think he loved you?"

"I know for a fact that he still loves me. Part of me believes he didn't record us. I think it was a setup."

"Have you talked to Ricky?" I was starting to feel like a detective. I can't wait to take this information back to Monica.

Aja seemed to be lost in thought as she stared blankly.

"Aja?" I called her name after several seconds.

"Oh, I'm sorry. What did you say?" She smiled at me.

"Have you talked to Ricky?" I repeated.

She began to cry. "I can't... I don't want to see him, right now." She covered her face.

I got up from my chair and walked over to Aja. I squatted down and rubbed her back. "It's going to be okay. Have you talked with your family?"

"My parents don't talk to me. The closest family I have is my aunt - my mom's sister. She doesn't have any kids and sorta adopted me as her own. She's mad at me for even dating Ricky. She doesn't trust him."

"Aja, I don't like seeing you like this. Why don't you go home for the day?"

She sniffed as she wiped her eyes. "I'd die if I go home. My therapist suggested that I get out the house."

The more I listened to Aja, the more I appreciated my family. I know they'll always have my back.

"Like, my heart literally feels like it's breaking. I've never felt like this before, Jae."

"Just breathe, Aja. Try not to think about anything, right now. Just remain calm. Okay?" I was not prepared to handle an emergency.

Aja nodded her head as she began to loudly inhale and exhale. A few minutes passed before Aja was completely calm. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," I comforted her. "I hope you know that no matter the situation, you'll always have my support. I know this isn't easy, but you're really handling this a lot better than I think I would." I stood up straight.

"Really?"

Then, I thought about A.B. "Actually, I was taught that whenever I'm going through something, I should go to God in prayer."

"You pray?" Aja asked me.

"Not as often as I should, but every time that I have, I get this overall peace. I don't know how to explain. And don't think of it as a three wishes or even a religious thing. It's about having a conversation with God, where you go to Him humbly, recognizing His power and love to not only hear you but heal you as well." I don't know where those words came from, but I could definitely take notes.

Aja arched a brow at me, "What God do you pray to?"

Caught off guard by her question, I didn't know how to answer the question. I guess I've always assumed that people only talked about one God when they said God.

"It doesn't sound like Christianity since it's not religious. Is it a spiritual thing? What books can I read about it?" Aja was firing off with the questions, but I was not prepared.

I took out my phone and pulled up my contacts. "You would get better answers from this incredible person." I gave A.B.'s phone number to Aja. "Call him and ask him anything you want to know about God. He helps me a lot."

"What's his name?"

"Jace."

Soon after, we left the office and got back onto the elevator. As we were going down to the main floor, I asked her, "Do you know about a hacker that Anaya and Ricky have been trying to pay off?"

Aja looked surprised. "How do you know about the hacker?"

"I overheard them talking about it. Anaya was more upset about it. Ricky didn't seemed bothered. I think they know who the hacker is, but the hacker may have a lot of dirt on them. That could be why they're paying her off." I shrugged.

"Her?" Aja glanced at me. "Hold on." Aja quickly went through her phone. Then, she pressed a button.

"What's my name?" Ricky asked.

"Ricky Santana," the woman whispered.

"And don't forget it. Anything you want, it's yours. Is that right?" He asked her.

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, Daddy."

"Lee, I'm gonna make you a star. You're gonna be the biggest, brightest star in the entire universe."

"Ricky, I don't care about that. I just want you. Why can't we go public with our relationship?"

"We will."

"When? Today? Tomorrow?"

"You know I'm busy right now. Aja Frost just released her second album. Her birthday party is less then a week away. I told you to be patient."

"Yes, Daddy."

The recording ended.

Aja said, "We had already been exclusive for over a month at that time. He gave me so much on my birthday, including this bracelet. Whoever sent me this, knew when to record and when to stop it. For almost two years, I've been trying to figure out that voice."

The elevator doors opened right on time.

I almost gave myself away with how fast I was walking.

"Where are you headed off to?" Aja tried to keep up with me.

"All done with my meetings for today. Gonna head home. You?"

Aja sighed, "I'm going to order food and talk to my aunt." Aja took my hand and squeezed it. "Thank you for listening, my love."

"Anytime. Call me if you need anything," I told her.

Aja waved at me as we separated. I hope my facial expression didn't expose me, because I knew exactly who that voice belonged to.

That night, I was finally able to share everything I'd learned with Monica.

"Everything points to her, Jamie," Monica snapped her fingers. "Can you imagine the kind of dirt she has on him?"

"Not just him, but Zeke, too," I reminded her.

"Girl, how many times do I have to tell you? It's time to get out of this house and get your own place."

Monica was right, yet again. I wish Zeke was back already, but he won't be here until next week.

On Wednesday, A.B. called me, and I told him about everything Monica and I discussed. A.B. said he would look into buying some property in L.A. so I could have a place to stay. My heart cannot take this amount care from him. He said it was for allowing him to stay at my place. Heart eyes, anyone? 😍

Thursday and Friday felt like one massive day, because another private video leaked of Ricky Santana and another woman. Fortunately, the woman's face couldn't be seen, but it was bad that Aja's song was playing in the background. I was starting to believe that the hacker was going to come after everyone, and I would be next.

The meeting with the label was one of the fastest I'd ever been in. All the sponsors had pulled out of endorsing Aja Frost. If it were initially her and I for the deal, they only wanted me for the deal. I declined those. Even though Aja told me I didn't have to, I knew she was glad that I didn't accept them. It was my way of showing her that I had her back.

I asked her had she talked with Ricky. Aja said she's only talked with her aunt, her therapist, and her lawyer. She's been advised to keep a low profile, stay off social media, and cancel all performances until further notice.

I talked with my parents, because they had learned about the situation from watching the news. They wanted me to come back home with Monica, but I couldn't. Monica stayed with me over the weekend so I wouldn't be by myself. She would be leaving on Monday morning.

Zeke was coming back on Tuesday, and my first televised performance was on Friday. I still hadn't had the chance to rehearse for it. So much was going on that I forgot about my second single debut. My song "Home" shot up to number one, and the pressure was on.