THE RULES OF FAME

Chapter 9 - Blackmail

Peyton Bell

I walked into the studio, and the first thing I noticed was the look of intrigue the receptionist gave me. The PR team told me it was necessary, but I was not so sure. Eddie has been going around like crazy, not really paying attention to what has been happening in the studio, and I was trapped in something that I didn't want to, but it happened.

Oh, yes! It happened and was plastered in every media news outlet with a different variation of the same lie: "Music producer Peyton Bell and Shanty in a romantic escapade..." "Will Hanty be saying I DO soon?" "Music industry power-couple!" "It is finally out! Peyton and Shanty, the new music lovers,"

I called it, bull-f*****g-s**t, but the PR team was having a blast with the media attention. I climbed up the elevator, and when I walked onto the floor where our studio was located, people kept staring at me. I hated the attention.

"Mr. Bell..." the studio's receptionist smiled at me.

"Good day, Lilly," I said, and she nodded.

"Sir, you have a visitor," she said, and my heart pounded in my chest. If she didn't know who the visitor was, maybe Vanessa was back, and she wanted to slap me for the Shanty thing... God, I hope that is the case, because I would happily allow her to slap me, and then I would kiss her until her lips get swollen. I miss her terribly, and deep down, even when I am afraid to say it out loud, I love her.

"A visitor?" I asked, and Lilly smiled.

"Yes, I took her to conference room one, but she insisted on going to your private office," Lilly said, and I nodded.

"Any other message?" I asked Lilly,

"Yes, there have been a lot of calls requesting an interview... I took the messages and told them that we would get back to them," she said, and I nodded.

"Get all of them to the PR team; they will know what to do," I said. "Your sister called, she said she is alone, Mr. Louvier is in Los Angeles in a high-profile case, and she wanted to know if you would like to have dinner with her," Lilly said, and I smiled. Amanda, my sister, was the best mother my niece and nephews could ever have. She is strong as hell, and oh! So nosy. I love her to pieces. We have been through hell and back, and now that we are both settled and on track, we always make an effort to catch up regularly.

Thomas and Amanda have a 5-year-old boy, named Tobias Louvier, and a 2-year-old girl named Arianna Louvier. Yes, they wanted to call their firstborn Timothy, but after Leon made fun of the name, calling him "Little Timmy" from a Christmas Carol, they changed it to Tobias. "Call my sister and tell her I'll be there at 6, and that I will take sleep time tonight," I said, with a wide smile. Arianna and Tobias are the best kids ever, and I loved little Arianna; she looked a lot like Vanessa. Blond wavy curls, big doe blue eyes, pouty lips... that kid was entirely a Louvier, and I adored her for that.

"I will, Sir," she said, and I nodded. As I walked down the hallway, my personal assistant joined me.

"Sir," he said, and I rolled my eyes. The guy was my age, and I had insisted he call me by my name.

"Sir," I lifted my eyebrows,

"Sorry, old habit..." he said, "Peyton, we have a scheduled recording time at 9 am with the BBoys band, and then we have a meeting at noon... Studio time at 4 pm," Lou said, and I nodded.

"I'll be out of here by 5:30, and reschedule whatever thing is left with them for tomorrow... we are making great progress, and an early night will be beneficial for all of us," I said, and he nodded.

"I will let their management know," Lou said, and I nodded.

I stopped outside my office, "Lilly told me I had a visitor," I said, and he nodded.

"Your girlfriend," he said, and my chest pounded...

Vanessa? Is Vanessa here? Maybe that's why Amanda was inviting me over, to have us both there with the kids... Maybe she wanted to give me a surprise, and Vanessa went ahead and showed up here unannounced.

I barged in, my mind reeling, my heart pounding, my smile bright and wide. I felt as if life was returning to my body when the woman in the chair stood up and turned around. "Shanty," I mumbled and stopped on my tracks.

Shanty was not my girlfriend; she was a PR stunt... No, my woman, the one who has my heart in her has been and still is Vanessa Louvier... an ascending actress who is making a name for herself in the industry.

"Wow, your smile faltered. Were you expecting someone else?" she asked, and I took a deep breath. "Yes, Vanessa," I thought, but didn't dare voice it out.

"I'm busy," I said, sitting on my desk, and she perked up.

"I wanted to surprise you, maybe have a little fun before we start working on my new record?" she said, and I squinted my eyebrows.

We didn't have anything scheduled, and we never had "fun" with each other. I have made sure to keep things strictly professional with her and other female artists, for that matter. Shanty looked at me with expectations, eagerly, and I took a deep breath. I was a train wreck, but I was not an asshole.

"Look, Shanty, I am busy, I have a full day ahead, and later I have a family commitment," I said, and she smiled.

"Maybe it is a good opportunity for me to get to know them?" she said, and I squinted my eyebrows. A PR stunt didn't involve family introductions.

"No, the kids are on a strict schedule," I lied, and she sighed.

"I am starting to think that you don't want them to know about us!" she said, and my head turned around.

She was aware that last night's date was only for PR purposes, and today, she shows up here, with the whole expectation of a full-blown relationship, as if that had been the agreement.

"Shanty, I think our PR team has our schedule managed. I believe you should check up with them. When are we meeting again?" I said, and she huffed.

"Don't you get it? The only reason I agreed to this PR stunt was because I want you, and now that the public knows we are together, nothing is stopping us from making it a reality," she said, and I shook my head.

"Shanty, this is strictly business..." I pressed, and she huffed. She stood up and then, at the door, smiled at me sweetly.

"Peyton, Darling... have you ever thought about what the media would say if I came forward and revealed that this was just to cover up the trail of messy scandals you have left behind?" She smiled, and I took a deep breath.

"Are you threatening me?" I said, livid.

"I am just stating facts," she said, and then turned around.

"I'll see you tonight... ta, ta..." She waved her fingers and stepped out of my office.

I slumped on my chair and pressed Lou's buzzer.

"Peyton?" he walked in.

"Cancel everything... and get Eddie, Leon, and the f*****g PR team here ASAP...." I barked and he lifted his eyebrows.

"I am not going to allow that b***h to blackmail me," I mumbled, and Lou looked at me with curiosity,

"Blackmail you?" he asked,

"Yes, the PR team picked the wrong woman for the stunt, and now it is backfiring... I am not going into a relationship with her, and I am not going to see my career and reputation ruined because of this stupid idea they had..." I said, and Lou nodded.

"I'm on it..." he said, and before he could exit my office.

"And Lou, I count on your discretion," I said, and he nodded.

"Peyton, I'll always have your back," he said, and I smiled. He was a superb assistant, but he was also a good friend.