And if I’d been in Sarah’s position? Knowing that she was spending time—hours and hours—with other men? It wouldn’t have taken me a few days to break—I would’ve ripped their fucking arms off within minutes.
After a hot shower, I dress and then gaze down at her sleeping form on the bed, her hands tucked under her cheek, a smile playing at her rosy lips. And this time, I just don’t have the heart to wake her. I brush her forehead with my thumb and kiss her there. With a sigh, she snuggles down under the blankets, and that’s how I leave her—warm and safe and happy.
It’s gray skies that greet me outside, and storm clouds gathering over the water. Vanessa’s already down at the docks when I arrive; I find her in the white staging tent, making notes on a clipboard. She looks up when I come in.
“Good, you’re here. And early—that’s a first.”
She speaks quickly to one of the crew members, and then he leaves and we’re alone.
Vanessa’s skin is a pasty pale and she looks even thinner, sharper than when we first met. It’s obvious she had food poisoning too. “How are you feeling?”
She shrugs. “I’ll live. But we’re on a super-tight schedule now—there’s no wiggle room for screwing around, okay?”
“Yeah, about that . . .”
“And I was thinking for tonight’s glass-slipper charm ceremony—you should send Penelope home.”
“Why Penny?” I ask, just out of curiosity.
Her ice-blue eyes seem almost white in this lighting—devoid of any color. “Because that leaves Laura and Cordelia for the final episode. Beauty versus the Bitch. It’ll be like Team Edward and Team Jacob all over again—people will eat it up.”
“Penny’s nice.”
Vanessa shrugs noncommittedly. “She’s more of a party girl. She’s nice, but Laura’s a fucking saint.” She makes a note on the clipboard. “So you’re good with that?”
I fold my arms and lean back against the table. “Vanessa, I’m not going to film any more episodes.”
Her eyes snap up. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Things have changed. This isn’t a good fit for me anymore.”
“This is about Penelope’s sister, isn’t it? The quiet one.” She shakes her head. “Always the fucking quiet ones. Fine, whatever—I really don’t care what you do at night or who you spend your time with, but you are going to hold up your end of the agreement. I have given months of my life for this show—you’re not screwing that all up for me now, Henry.”
I knew she’d be pissed, so I keep my voice calm and direct. “I’ve already made my decision.”
But then Vanessa says something that stops me cold. “For Sarah’s sake, you may want to reconsider.”
Slowly, I move closer to her. “What does that mean, exactly?”
She crosses her arms, elbows pointing. “It means Sarah Von Titebottum signed a release—any footage we have of her is ours to use however we like. And I have a lot of it. I could tell a very interesting story about little Sarah. How she schemed and connived her way into the show as her sister’s assistant, even though we didn’t want her. How she seduced and stole you, not just from the other girls but from her own sister. You’d be amazed at the picture that a little editing and some background music can paint. The other girls will back me up—at least some of them—and by the time I’m done, anyone who watches will think Sarah is a nasty, selfish, vapid, backstabbing bitch.”
My jaw clenches tight enough to snap. “But none of that is true.”
Vanessa shrugs. “This is reality TV, Henry. What does truth have to do with it?”
My palms go damp and anger pricks under my skin like electric sparks.
Vanessa paces the room, then looks at the ceiling and speaks almost philosophically. “I don’t think that would go over well with your people, if you actually decide to marry her. And if you don’t, the tabloids will have a field day. Which will probably exacerbate her ‘problem’—those spells she has.” She shakes her head. “It would be very difficult for her.”
Then she slides forward, her voice lightening. “Or, you can finish the last two episodes.” She gestures toward the boat. “A few hours on the boat with Laura, dinner in front of the fireplace with Cordelia, and then the finale. No one will be surprised if, after the finale, you part ways amicably with whoever gets the diamond tiara—it happens more often than not in this business. You’ll honor the agreements you signed, and we both get what we want. And then, you and Sarah will be free to ride off into the sunset. Happy endings all around.”