The Billionaire's Little Miss Superstar

Standing At the Peak

Letherbridge.

“And… CUT!! That's a wrap!”

Chloe breathed in relief when she heard the words she had been yearning for the last three hours. Drenched in water, her teeth chattered from the cold. It was in the middle of autumn and the weather had not been so friendly to her. Five years have already passed since she moved to the glitzy Letherbridge but the volatile temperature still gives her the sniffles when the seasons are about to change.

“Gosh! Are you okay? You’re freezing!” Mae, her assistant, cried worriedly as she placed a coat over Chloe’s shoulder. Sliding a hot pack in her pale and trembling hands, the young lady went to dry her hair with a clean towel.

Chloe smiled albeit shivering. Her face was white as sheet and her lips turned into an ugly purple shade.

“I’m okay, Mae. Relax. It’s part of the job,” she muttered.

“I’ll believe you if you don’t have that ugly look on your face, Chloe. Let’s go. You need to take a shower lest you catch a cold.”

Chloe halted in her tracks, watching the staff pacing back and forth as they cleaned up the set from the pieces of equipment they used for the shoot. They had just finished filming the music video for the main track of her upcoming album. Brandon Schwimmer, her boss and music producer, along with the creative team of the company, came up with a rainy autumn theme. It matched the premise of her song collection, so Chloe did not find any problem going along with it. The process went smooth as planned until that night. They only had to get a few takes for an outdoor evening scene that was scheduled to last until midnight. Unfortunately, it lasted until half past two in the morning due to an unknown technical problem.

No wonder Mae was fussy.

“We should bid them goodbye before we leave.”

Regardless of the blunder, Chloe thought it was impolite to leave without saying a word. Moreover, she was not the only one who worked overtime. It was not a question that everyone was feeling tired and cold.

“You and your concerns!” Mae chided, grabbing her arm and leading her back to the warm protection of her nanny van. She handed her artist a warm thermos and said, “Don’t worry. Molly had already bought warm drinks and snacks for everybody. She will handle the rest. She told me to take you back to the hotel as soon as the filming is over.”

Molly was Chloe’s manager. The woman was very protective of her artist and did not have an ounce of tolerance for s**t. She had no qualms about rebuking those who were unprofessional with their work.

“What’s this?” Chloe asked, opening the flask, and taking in the scent of the liquid.

“Ginger tea! I added lemon and a bit of honey, of course.”

Chloe scowled. She hated ginger tea.

“Come now, don’t give me that face. You know perfectly well what will happen if you refuse to warm your body in this weather. Molly will torture me if you get sick.”

Settling in her seat, the warmth coming from the heater brushed Chloe’s cheeks. A moment passed and her tensed jaws started to relax while she slowly sipped the herbal concoction.

Her work depended heavily on her endurance and resistance. Hence, she always made sure she was in good health. Otherwise, she would not be able to function properly in her tight schedule. As much as Chloe wanted to take long breaks, she was afraid she would not be able to afford the penalties. Moreover, she would never hear the end of Molly’s nagging if she happened to skip any of her appointments.

Besides, making money was such a fun thing to do!

“Fine. Stop fussing,” Chloe spoke, shaking her head. She looked in the rearview mirror and told the driver, “Jeff let’s go back lest Mae create another scene.”

Chloe was afraid her assistant would go on a rampage if they stayed longer. Mae was two years younger than her and had a short temper. She was fiercer than a Siberian tiger when she was pissed and docile as a purring kitten when she was calm.

The artist was still traumatized by the memory of her assistant cursing the filming crew from two years ago when she caught a fever for staying too long in the snow.

Mae huffed angrily. “I’m just happy it’s over. Imagine if you must stay in those wet clothes for another hour. The technical team is out of sorts today!”

“Come on, things happen. I’m sure Molly will tell Brandon about what happened. There’s no use getting mad now.”

“I heard her scolding the staff and the creative team earlier. Good for them. This is not the first time. They are treating you poorly even though you’re basically paying their wages! It makes me mad.”

The artist laughed. “What can I do if you’re already angry for me?”

“Chloe! You’re not a rookie anymore. You’re a superstar with three platinum albums. You earn hundreds of millions and the breadwinner of the company. You don’t have to be so nice to those people who did nothing but showed you disdain.”

Chloe smirked and raised an eyebrow.

“Noone’s bold enough to say anything to my face. If someone does, I’d give them a piece of my mind. For now, we just have to observe patiently and see what happens.”

“Mae, you’ll get wrinkles at this rate. You’ll grow old fast,” Jeff chimed in. He was a plump, lively middle-aged man. He was dependable and having him behind the steering wheel everyday eased Chloe’s mind.

Eyeing Jeff in the rearview mirror, Chloe caught him smirking playfully. She was very close to the driver and Mae. Ever since she moved to Letherbridge, they have always been around whenever she needed help – whether it involved work or her personal life. They were tight-lipped and she was grateful to them. In her heart, they were like family.

“I’m quite famished, Mae. Would you mind grabbing me some of my favorites?” Chloe asked hurriedly, changing the subject. Her head throbbed in pain as she leaned back in her seat while staring out the window.

“Huh? But it’s past midnight. Molly will kill me if you get bloated.”

“So, what? The shoot’s over. I can take a little break.”

Mae paused while giving it a thought, then nodded.

“Alright. I’ll order takeouts when we arrive at the hotel.”

Chloe grinned. “With extra cheese, please.”

“I know!”

The drive to the hotel took a little less than fifteen minutes. Chloe urged Jeff to go home and get rest. She did not have anything on the following morning so her staff could use a few hours of good sleep.

Mae sent her back to her room before settling in hers. After a warm shower, Chloe dried her hair while enduring a ghastly headache. Fumbling, she took an aspirin from her bag and settled under the sheets after eating it. She fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

The following day, Chloe woke up with a splitting headache. The smell of disinfectant wafted into her nostrils, making her frown. She thought she was dreaming until she opened her eyes and saw the white ceiling and interior. She tried to remember how she ended up in a hospital but failed.

“You're awake!” said a familiar husky voice.

It was Jack, her best friend.

Humming in response, Chloe tried to get up and felt a piercing pain in her right arm. When she tilted her head, she found that she was on a drip. She winced.

“Stop moving!”

With a few big strides, Jack stood next to her bed. In a few swift movements, he helped her adjust the head so that she reclined comfortably.

“How long have I been here?”

“You’ve been sleeping for almost ten hours now. Your assistant was frantic when she called and told me that you lost consciousness and was burning up. Tell me, Chloe. Is it so hard to take care of yourself?”

Chloe gulped, unable to refute. She hated it whenever her friend chastised her.

“It’s just a cold. I’m fine now, aren’t I?”

Jack sneered. His gaze was penetrating and she found herself flinching guiltily. Chloe was aware of her mistake. She knew she should have informed Mae that she was not feeling well. Inwardly, she admitted that she had become complacent with her health. If her assistant had not checked on her, her brain might have been fried by now!

“Where’s Mae?” she asked, scanning the private ward, trying to avoid getting scolded.

“I sent her back and told her to rest. Do you have any idea how worried we were? If you don’t care about yourself, at least think about the people around you, Chloe Brooks.”

Rolling her eyes, Chloe shrank back under the sheets. She knew she was at fault and Jack wouldn’t stop his badgering if she tried to reason her way out. Shutting up was the only thing she could do for now. Like a turtle, she hid under the blanket with only her eyes peering outside.

Jack let out a deep sigh and reached out to her forehead. The crease between his brows eased after a moment which made Chloe secretly feel relieved.

“The doctor said you’ll be fine after getting the drip. We can go this afternoon and you can rest in your place for tonight.”

She raised an eyebrow. Wasn’t she supposed to attend a party that night?

“Brandon called and said you should recuperate before the release of your album. He wanted you to be in perfect condition. He also told me that Molly will move your appointments so you have peace for a week.”

“A week? For real?” she exclaimed, wide-eyed.

Jack hummed and bobbed his head,, grinning mockingly before flicking her forehead.

“I almost had a heart attack when Mae told me you’re in the hospital, you know. Silly girl!”

Chloe chuckled and then pouted.

“Stop overreacting. I’m okay now. I took an aspirin before sleeping so I feel a lot better. And you should know that your nagging is a turnoff. Who will date you if you keep that attitude of yours?”

Jack let out a wide grin. There was a sparkle in his eyes that made Chloe cringe. She knew perfectly well what that expression meant. When her gaze landed on the man’s reddened ears, she was certain she had hit the jackpot.

“Y-You… Are you having a one-sided crush again?” she questioned.

Jack rolled his eyes. Why did this friend of his always think he was some incompetent guy who only had one-sided affection? He was no longer that simple bartender from the past!

“Excuse me. Your friend is a handsome eligible bachelor. I’m not someone who would dwell on a person who never showed interest in me. Besides, this time, this girl was the first to invite me on a date. She’s sweet and very pretty.”

The smugness on Jack's face was evident but she couldn't care less. She was more interested in knowing about the lady he was talking about. With her curiosity piqued, Chloe asked Jack a few more questions as they ate their lunch. She could see the excitement in her friend’s eyes when he talked about the woman. Deep inside, she wished that it would work this time.

After all, Jack was a man approaching his thirties now. It wouldn’t be such a bad thing if he dated seriously with marriage in mind. Compared to when they were still in Wellington, he was now a capable gentleman with a net worth of millions – thanks to his skills in investing.

“If things go well, I’ll bring her home one day.”

“I’d love to meet her!”

Chloe took a nap and was checked by a doctor before getting discharged. She felt a lot better than the previous night. With Jack’s support, they got into the VIP elevator to avoid the eyes of the public. Donned with a black wool coat and a baseball cap on her head, she maintained a low-key appearance. She was a public figure and her life as a celebrity was clear as crystal. She had taken care of her image carefully to make sure her privacy was respectably kept. Stirring an issue was the last thing she wanted to do.

Relaxed, Chloe leaned against Jack as the latter held her shoulder. She was no longer dizzy and the headache had gone away. But the chill in the air made her knees weak.

“We’ll get you home in no time,” Jack whispered reassuringly.

She nodded slightly, looking at the elevator door slowly closing. But before it could completely shut, a burly man rushed to catch the lift. In goodwill, Jack reached out for the open button.

Two more tall and buff guys went inside the lift. It was easy to assume that they were bodyguards.

“Boss,” said the man who first came and gestured for someone to get inside first.

Chloe lowered her head and focused her gaze on the floor, not wanting to be recognized by anyone. She could see the expensive leather shoes halting a few feet from her. When she heard a man hum in acknowledgment, she felt her nape tingle as if she was electrified. In a mere seconds, there were already six people inside the enclosed space.

Chloe and Jack exchanged glances. The VIP elevator was either for big shots or celebrities. They found the encounter nothing out of the ordinary. Besides, it was not their first time meeting someone with bodyguards in tow. Even some high-profile celebrities had two or three.

Silence ensued when the doors shut. For some reason, Chloe could not contain her curiosity as she tried to get a glimpse of the man in the center who was referred as the boss. Two bodyguards stood behind and one in front while she and Jack were on the right side. So, when she raised her head, she caught a familiar sight that made her entire body tremble in shock..

She choked.

What are the odds?