PRETENDING To Be Her BOYFRIEND

Episode 4

Henri hand over a script to Nathan after a long day of taking pictures and he opened the book briefly but is unable to make any sense of it

"Today is the first reading for the script with you, apparently it has been given to Juan for a while now and he already signed the contract" Henri explained to him but Nathan throws the script away on the floor

"How long do I have to do this nonsense?" He yelled at him and Henri trembled.

He turned to glance at him and is more shaken at the sight of fire in his hand, Henri quickly stop the car and turned around again to calm him down

"I already sent people out to look for him, we will find him very soon" he assured him and Nathan calms down for a minute retracting the fire.

"Cancel the contract" he growled causing Henri to shudder at the trouble they might get into

"I am afraid we can't do that or we will get into trouble and we can't use money from you to pay for the breach of contract, it will be suspicious to others" he quickly reminded him but Nathan still isn't convinced

"I heard Miss Valentino is also going to star in the movie as a main character, why don't you take this opportunity to get close to her and see if you can get information that will help us to find the pendant sooner" he suggested and Nathan calmed down hearing his reasoning

"You have been unable to see her after that day at the office anyways, you can take this opportunity to amend things and get her to open up to you" he continued when he saw that his persuasion worked and Nathan agreed slowly.

Henri heaved relieved and continue to drive down to the venue where the reading is taking place, Nathan got out of the car hoping to have find the pendant before the whole filming starts and head inside together with Henri

Almost everyone that should be there has arrived and it seems like they are all waiting for him to arrive

Nathan greets everyone briefly not mindful of the confused looks on their faces and head to sit at the space assigned to him, Henri apologize on his behalf to everyone and pleaded silently to him to play it cool till they finish before leaving the room

"Since everyone is here now let's start" The director in charge, Lucas announced and begin by introducing himself

"Sorry am late" The door opened interrupting them and Valentino step in apologizing

She was hesitant about coming for the reading or backing out after what happened at the office but decided not to let it get in the way of her work and only managed to get here now

“Who do we have here? Miss Wood” Irene’s assistant, Sonya mocked and everyone sneered at her except a few others

Nathan turned his back when he heard her voice and is quick to notice her swollen and sad eyes; it looks like she hasn't slept well at all

“How brazen of you to appear here after failing to steal the lead role, you really are desperate to embarrass yourself"Jeanne, one of the actresses mocked and pull her chair away to prevent her from sitting down

Valentino hung her head low listening to them and Nathan could feel that she is about to cry again, other people in the room begin to point fingers at her accusing her of trying to steal the lead role by lying about her relationship with Juan.

"Director, I told you I don't want to stay in a room with people who are shameless, I want her out of this place immediately" Irene, the lead actress whose role is supposedly almost stolen by Valentino voiced and asked her assistant to throw her out

Sonya was quick to rush over to her and pull her to the door to get rid of her, the script in Valentino’s hand fall to the ground as Sonya dragged her and she bent down to pick it up but Sonya step on her hand and throws the script out of the room

“Get your hands off her” Nathan roared, his tone frightened everyone in the room for a second before they realize it's him

He stood up from his seat and walk up to Valentino pushing Sonya out of the way as she falls heavily towards the door.

Everyone is shocked to see him stand up for Valentino after denying to the public that he has nothing to do with her and the two have just known each other for a while.

“What do you think you are doing? Are you sure you want to stand against me because of her?" Irene asked also standing up from her seat and fold her arms across her chest.

Not only is she popular but she is also the number one actress in the country and anyone who offends her will find it difficult to make it in the industry

“I dare anyone of you to lay hands on her” Nathan repeated and stare digger at them.

Everyone remain seated and didn't dare to move including Sonya who immediately crawls away, they have always known Juan to be kind and nice and never saw him get upset or try to flaunt his power

"Are you really desperate to be a prince charming saving the damsel? Too bad you won't be able to help her" Irene said not backing down and turned to Lucas

"Seems like you have to choose between having me in this movie or letting her stay, I can't stand seeing her ugly face" she threatened confident that the director would never pick someone who is nothing over her

A faint cry escaped from Valentino’s lips and she took a step forward to renounce her participation in the movie.

"I am sorry for being a nuisance to everyone, I will leave immediately" she said and quickly turned on her heels to leave but Nathan held her hand back to stop her

"Seems like you will also have to choose between having me leave the set along with her or letting her stay" he declared to them and everyone looks at him in disbelieve

"What do you mean?'Irene questioned surprised

"I am grossed out by your ugly face and don't want to stay in the same space with you" Nathan answered and turned to Lucas who stood stupefied

"If Valentino isn't going to be in this movie then I am out of it too" he repeats to him and match out of the room with Valentino

Valentino stare at Nathan's back in disbelieve as he dragged her out, she soon came back to her senses and freed her hand from his hold running away from there.

Nathan tried to stop her not expecting her to let go but she ran fast and disappeared in the corridor, Henri comes to him wondering why he is out so soon and why Valentino took to her heels.

"Go and get the car ready" Nathan simply said to him and hurried towards the place where he knows Valentino must have gone to hide

He hesitate before going inside the girl's bathroom and knock calmly on the only locked door calling her name but she refused to open the door

Nathan heard two voices approaching the bathroom and immediately hides in the next bathroom beside Valentino.

"Seems like Juan has finally lost his mind after returning back, I can't believe he walked out on everyone because of a nameless actress" someone said among the two girls that just entered to retouch their powder

"He has never cared about anyone but himself in the past so why would he suddenly stand up for her today, could it be that their relationship is as others say" the other person responded

"I don't think that is it, didn't he confirm to everyone a few weeks ago that she is just a stalker obsessed with him? How come their relationship has developed within such a short time?"

"Maybe he has a thing for stalkers, who knows" the second person said and the two laugh heartily then left the bathroom afterwards

Nathan heard the door beside his open and also came out of the toilet, Valentino turned on the water to rinse her face thoroughly

"Here" Nathan hand the tissue to her but she decline and picked one herself.

"What are you doing here? You don't want others to see you with a stalker do you?" She said obnoxiously

"I think it will be the other way round, this is the female bathroom" Nathan replied finding that her behavior when she is with him is quite different from her fearsome looks while in front of others

"What are you trying to do? Do you really think putting on such an act will make a difference?" She turned to him suddenly furious and tries to read him but couldn't

Ever since he became famous and is praised by all, this is the first time he will speak up for her in public and even hold her hands in front of everyone.

Despite his many despicable attitudes to her, Valentino couldn't help but feel excited deep down like a hopeless lover

"I wouldn’t act like an i***t who is obsessed with you anymore, since you want so much for me to leave then I will disappear from your life" she said in one breath and slaps away the tears in her eyes

"I don't ever want to see you again" she yells in his face

“I won't break up with you" Nathan retorted surprised by how sharply the words came out of his mouth