Reading Online Novel

Billionaire’s Trust(18)


“Oh my God! Oh my God! Shut up! Are you serious Maddie?”

“Yes,” I said, as I began to relive the moment all over again in my mind. “It was incredible. I said ‘yes’, Katy. He told me he loved me and I said ‘yes’!”

“Oh Maddie, honey!” she cried.

Like literally, Katy started to cry. Of course, that made me do the same. Before I realized what happened, we both blubbered and sniffled our way through the next few minutes as I told her the whole story.

“That’s amazing, honey,” she said as I finished. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve it. I love you.”

“Thank you, Katy. I love you, too.”

“Well?” she said. “When’s the big announcement? Are you having a party? What’s going on?”

“No,” I answered as I shook my head. “Nothing right now. We’ve decided to hold off for the time being. Oh, which reminds me, you can’t tell anyone. Okay?”

“I won’t,” she replied. “I promise."



MADDIE

It had been about a week since I’d come home from the hospital. With each day that passed, my strength returned. In fact, I felt so well I decided to pay a visit to the studio and check in on the current state of the production. At the rate I was going, it wouldn’t be long before I’d be able to work again, and I didn’t want to keep Susan or the rest of the crew waiting one day longer than needed.

In fact, well over a month had passed since I’d had any contact with Susan or the crew. I felt terrible about it, of course. My only hope was they’d all find a way to forgive me after I came back to work and enough time passed. In any case, I showed up to the studio in the middle of the morning and made my way to the soundstage.

Yet as soon as I came upon it, it was obvious something was wrong.

The entire set was completely different. I didn’t recognize anything about it. For a few moments, I wandered around looking for signs of anyone familiar. It appeared as though I’d arrived during a break in shooting, so I didn’t see any crew members right away.

Just then, I noticed someone and I called out.

“Excuse me!”

A thirty-something looking man with a bulky pair of headphones wrapped around his neck stopped in place and turned towards me. He raised his eyebrows in my direction. His non-verbal cue suggested I’d interrupted him, so I hustled over to where he stood.

As I approached, I continued, “I’m sorry for bothering you, sir.”

“Mmm, hmm,” he replied with his eyebrows still tented in an expectant position.

At last I closed to within a couple of feet of the man.

“Yes, could you tell me where Susan Milton is?”

He considered my question for a moment before shaking his head. “Never heard of her.”

Wrinkling my brow, I leaned away from him a bit.

“Um,” I began. “You know, the director for this picture. Susan Milton? Can you tell me where I could find her please?”

“No Susan Milton directing here,” he said. “You sure you’ve got the right lot?”

For half a second, I considered the idea I didn’t. But, I’d been here so many times there was no way I’d mistake it. I shifted my line of questioning. I explained what the movie was about, the last time I’d been there and anything else I could think of to help him understand. Nothing worked. Exasperated, I asked a final question.

“Um, well, how long has production been going on for this movie?”

The man shrugged. “I dunno. A few weeks. A month.”

“What about the set that was here? What happened to it?”

“I have no idea. They probably dismantled it when they wrapped.”

“No, no. You don’t understand. Filming never finished. That’s my point. I’m the lead actress. The picture’s not done.”

The man leaned against the wall behind himself and chuckled. “So, you are the lead actress and you’re asking me where the set and crew of your movie went? Lady, no offense, but that sounds crazy.”

“Uh!” I fired back as my hands curled into balls. “I’m not crazy. Just… do you know anything at all?”

As he finished his sarcastic guffaw, he shook his head. Pushing himself off the wall, he continued, “Look, how many more ways can I say this to you? I don’t know anything. Isn’t there someone you can call?”

I chewed my lip as I listened to him. Yes. That was it. A simple call would straighten this whole thing out. Why hadn’t I thought of it! I looked down and focused my attention on the inside of my purse. Scanning pocket after pocket, I pulled out my phone at last.

“Yes, I do have someone I can call…” I began, as I looked back up towards him. But during the time I’d fished around inside my bag, the man had walked away. In my distracted state, I hadn’t even heard him leave.