Chapter 10

Olivia's POV

I sank into my living room couch, listening to the voices of Ava and Elijah as they scolded me about the events of that night at the restaurant. As pictures started circulating, capturing the moment where I forcefully pulled Zoya's hand away from Anne. The internet was abuzz with various rumors, none of them directly implicating Zoya and me, but rather focusing on Anne, who was portrayed as an unhappy fan that we had mistreated.

The online community seemed to be divided in their opinions. Some argued that celebrities should have the right to enjoy a peaceful dinner away from the frenzied fans, while others accused me of being arrogant and not sparing a single moment for a devoted fan like Anne.

I felt the weight of the situation settle upon my shoulders, regretting my impulsive actions that had unintentionally thrown Zoya into this mess.

"I think Liv was right to defend her friend," Elijah interjected, coming to my defense against Ava's anger. "However, I do acknowledge that she could have handled the situation differently to mitigate the potential backlash."

Ava sighed, shaking her head in disagreement. "Zoya could have handled herself fine, Elijah. Sooner or later, Zoya's sexuality will become known, and that revelation will undoubtedly shift the rumors in a different direction."

Elijah's curiosity piqued. "Zoya's sexuality? What do you mean?"

Ava pointed to her laptop, where a picture was displayed. "She identifies as gay, and I have no issue with that. But just imagine how such news could affect the current rumors that are circulating."

Elijah let out a dismissive laugh. "That's absurd. It's common knowledge that Olivia and I are happily married," he asserted, taking hold of my hand and affectionately kissing it.

A fire started to simmer inside me, fueled by Ava's mention of Zoya's sexuality. I couldn't believe she would bring it up in this context.

"Some things are simply off-limits," I finally spoke up, my frustration bubbling over. "We cannot control the spread of rumors; they are an unfortunate part of our lives. However, it is your responsibility, Ava, to handle them swiftly and effectively. But I will not allow you to take any unseemly actions or exploit Zoya's personal life for the sake of quelling these rumors."

"But it's my job," Ava argued defensively.

"It may be your job, but it is my life!" I exclaimed, my voice firm. "Let me make this clear - we will not discuss this matter again. Do not bring up Zoya's sexuality in any future discussion we may have. It is not our concern, and if anyone attempts to make an issue out of it, they are simply displaying homophobia. We will not entertain such individuals, and I refuse to let you turn me into one."

"Olivia, I understand your desire to help this girl, but please don't put yourself at risk in the process," Ava said softly after a moment of silence.

"I will do as I please, Ava, and if anything goes wrong, it will be your responsibility to fix it. After all, that's what I pay you for. But don't think for a moment that just because we're friends, I will let you dictate my life. You know how much I despise that," I replied, my hands clenched into fists.

"Liv, please calm down. No one is trying to control your life. We are only expressing genuine concern," Elijah interjected, attempting to diffuse the tension.

"Thank you for your concern. I've duly noted it," I retorted sarcastically. "Now, if you're finished, please call Michelle and ask her to meet me at Clint's agency at 2."

"Clint's agency? Why are we going there?" Ava asked, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"We aren't going there, Ava. I am going with Michelle to review Zoya's new contract," I stated firmly as I walked away, not waiting for any further explanation or questioning.

I entered my room, shutting the door with a heavy sigh. My love for acting has always been unwavering, but lately, I've grown weary of the constant scrutiny and overthinking every aspect of my life. Nothing feels truly mine anymore, not even my own thoughts. It's frustrating to face repercussions within the walls of my own home simply for helping a friend. The exhaustion has become overwhelming. If I weren't bound by contract obligations, I would escape from it all for a year, seeking solace far away from the chaos.

Zoya's POV

I glanced at my watch with growing anxiety. It was already 2 o'clock, and I couldn't afford to miss out on the opportunity to sign this important contract. Olivia had assured me she would meet me here, but she was running late, and I couldn't decide if I should text her or not. Perhaps she had simply forgotten, and I didn't want to make things awkward by bringing it up.

Feeling a sense of urgency, I made the decision to enter the office and not risk losing my chance. I convinced myself that I could handle reading and understanding the contract on my own; it couldn't be too complicated. As I stepped inside, I couldn't help but notice a shift in how people treated me. Finally, I was no longer seen as a third-grade actor.

"Zoya! Please, come on in," Emre greeted me warmly, opening the door to his office.

"Hey, Emre," I responded, still not entirely accustomed to this new treatment. Normally, he would keep me waiting for hours.

"I'm glad you could make it, especially now that you're a busy star and all," he chuckled, a laugh that made me feel slightly uneasy.

"I can hardly be called a star," I admitted, nervously rubbing the back of my head.

"Well, let's change that," Emre said, sliding few papers in front of me with a mischievous grin.

I carefully held the contract, desperately trying to make sense of the legal jargon written within its pages, all the while attempting to conceal my confusion.

"It's mostly just standard legal language, really. You can go ahead and sign it. This is an upgrade from your previous contract, ensuring higher priority in future casting decisions and better pay," Emre explained, guiding me to the spot where I needed to sign.

Before I could respond, a knock on the door diverted our attention. My heart skipped a beat as Olivia entered the room accompanied by another woman.

"Wow, Olivia! What an honor. Welcome to Clint's agency," Emre exclaimed eagerly, shaking her hand.

Olivia reciprocated with her usual warm smile before making her way over to me, taking the seat beside mine.

"I know I'm late, but you should have waited, or at least called me. You know I don't have your phone," she softly scolded, gently squeezing my shoulder.

"I thought you had forgotten," I admitted, feeling a blush creeping up my cheeks.

"Of course not," she whispered reassuringly, as Emre settled back into his seat.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" Emre inquired, addressing Olivia.

"Actually, Michelle and I are here to assist Zoya with understanding that" Olivia pointed towards the contract lying infront of me.

Emre's expression faltered, an unmistakable mixture of anxiety and frustration briefly flashing across his face. In that moment, I had an inkling that there might be more to this contract than initially met the eye. It was as if Emre was desperately trying to hide something from me, raising a sense of caution within me about the true nature of what I was about to sign.

"It's just a simple contract," Emre chuckled nervously.

"Michelle can be the judge of that," Olivia said, passing the papers to her lawyer.

Olivia glanced at me reassuringly as we anxiously waited for Michelle to review the contract.

"I'm afraid there are many clauses in this contract that my client disagrees with," Michelle said, her gaze fixed on the papers scattered before her.

"We'll need time to review this and get back to you with our terms," Michelle added confidently, and Olivia rose from her seat as if Emre had no choice but to agree.

"We need her to sign now. This is a one-time offer," Emre insisted, looking at me expectantly. I looked to Olivia, panic welling up inside me. I couldn't afford to lose this opportunity, but I trusted that Olivia knew what she was doing.

"Well, I guess we'll have to find her another agency. I'm sure mine would be interested in signing her," Olivia said, gesturing for me to stand up. Despite my head screaming with anxiety, I followed her lead.

"We can give you a day to review it," Emre said, pausing to consider.

"I'm afraid a day won't be enough to go through this contract and make the necessary adjustments," Michelle said firmly. I stood there, feeling lost amidst the confusion.

"We'll get back to you when we're ready. If you don't mind, of course," Olivia said, her tone hinting that she didn't care whether he minded or not.

"Sure," Emre said, trying to force a smile.

"Perfect," Olivia said happily, opening the door for Michelle and me to leave.

"What the hell happened?" I whispered to Olivia.

"Not here," she said, looking around. All eyes were on her.

After leaving the agency, we left behind the prying eyes and entered the relative privacy of Olivia's car. As Michelle sat beside me, Olivia turned to her.

"That's a 15-year exclusivity contract," Michelle explained, glancing at Olivia after noticing my confused expression.

Olivia then clarified, "Basically, it means you're not allowed to accept any job offers or work in any role unless it goes through them. And on top of that, they would take a hefty 50% cut from your earnings."

I couldn't help but feel a mixture of shock and disgust towards Emre for attempting such a manipulative agreement. "So, they would have complete control over my career and take half of my earnings?" I stated incredulously.

Michelle nodded, adding, "And that's not all. There are several other problematic clauses in this contract. It needs a complete rewrite."

"So what do we do now?" I asked, feeling confused. Does this mean I won't sign the contract? What if I never receive any other offers?

"Don't worry, we'll let Michelle handle this for you," Olivia reassured me, as if she could read my thoughts.

"I'll let you know when it's finalized," Michelle told Olivia, just as Noah stopped the car to drop her off at her law firm.

"I guess that's when I thank you for coming to my rescue?" I chuckled.

"And that's when I scold you for not waiting for me," Olivia raised her eyebrows playfully, finding amusement in our banter.

"It would have been a mistake if I signed it. I know that, and I appreciate your help, but I am scared of losing this opportunity," I sighed, expressing my worries to Olivia, knowing she can guide me through this.

"Part of being successful is knowing the difference between a chance and an opportunity," Olivia said, resting her hand on mine, causing me to lose my train of thought once more. "A chance often involves more luck than preparation. An opportunity, however, is something you get as a result of a situation," she continued, but her words seemed confusing, and I gave her a perplexed look, unsure if it was because of her sudden touch or her wording.

"My point is, you've worked hard to get where you are. Even if you miss this chance, you'll have plenty of other opportunities, and you have me to help you," she said, smiling warmly.

"I have you," I repeated, loving the sound of those words.

"By the way, did you see the pictures circulating the internet?" Olivia's voice turned serious.

"Yeah!" I exclaimed excitedly. Olivia looked at me with surprise before bursting into laughter.

"Why are you so happy about rumors of us being mean to fans?" she asked curiously.

"Correction, it was you being mean to a fan. But as for your question, I'm excited because it means being in the same picture as you, obviously," I said matter-of-factly.

She took a few seconds to look at me, then started chuckling again. She shook her head slightly, biting her lip as if she thought I was being ridiculous, but I didn't care. All I could think about was how incredible she looked right now.

"Give me your phone," she said, opening her hand for me to place it there. I slowly handed my phone to her and watched as she opened the camera app.

She draped her arm over my shoulder and pressed her lips gently against my cheek. I felt a surge of heat and electricity course through my body, and before I could react, I heard the camera click.

"And before I forget," she said, typing something on my phone. After a few seconds, her own phone started ringing.

"Now I have your number," she said, returning my phone to me. I remained dazed, unable to process everything that had just happened in the last few minutes. It was all too overwhelming for my brain.

Olivia lopez is going to end me one day.