The Billionaire's Pet

She Was Just a Woman

Lotus was hardly bothered about the Director because she knew that with this show of power, he wouldn’t dare to go against her. 

Sonny Vales called Lotus two days later in his office to discuss the script. He also called the Director Tan Smith to talk about the new male lead. The Writer, Line Producer and Production Manager were already present there. Most of the development had already taken place, only the final stage of script locking was going on when Natasha Wayleigh decided to pull away. That is why Lotus had to be called. With her demand of getting a new lead actor opposite her, Sonny Vales knew that the film screening would delay but this wasn’t new for him. 

Lotus arrived in time and saw that Tan Smith was already sitting in the office along with Sonny Vales. Tan was saying something while Sonny was listening to him intently. As soon as she opened the door, Tan stopped talking, which made Lotus frown at him slightly with suspicion. Natasha must have already told him about how she was thrown out of the movie. Even if that was the case, Tan wouldn't be foolish enough to mention that to Sonny and put an axe on his own career, she thought. She looked at Sonny who immediately stood up and greeted her with a huge smile. 

“Lotus!” exclaimed Sonny as if he had won a lottery. He had offended her by throwing her out of his film and now that she was back, he was in no way going to repeat the mistake. He knew how prominent she was and the weight she carried in the industry. 

He held her hand and gave her his chair to sit. Lotus smiled and sat there grandly like a queen. She crossed her legs and looked at them elegantly. Wearing a light blue colored shirt paired with striped black and white pants, she looked like a diva. 

“We are waiting for the scriptwriter to come so that he can read the story for you,” informed Sonny. “We really need to lock the script and move ahead.”

Lotus nodded with a smile and glanced at Tan who was looking as though he had eaten lots of bitter gourd. He had become silent the moment Lotus had stepped in the office. 

Sonny started the conversation. He gave her the names of the people to choose from to help her backstage including makeup artist, special effects makeup artist, set director, wardrobe stylist and her costume designer. The list that he had given was exhaustive and all of them were known names in the industry. Sonny wanted everything and everyone to work in tandem with her to achieve the best visual aesthetic for the role that she was playing. 

While she was listening to Sonny her secretary called her. “Madam, the Hampton Family lawyer called. He wanted to talk to you on urgent basis. Should I ask him to call you now?” 

Lotus sighed. She had already decided to go and meet them so why not take his call. After all he was the only man who insisted her presence there. “Okay…”

The secretary ended the call and Lotus started looking at the list. While she was scanning it and ticking the names of her choice, Tan couldn’t help wonder that Lotus wielded so much power on a male dominated movie industry that she was now choosing names of such important support staff also. Even though he was the Director and a prominent one at that, he felt it was safer to stay quiet and agree to her demands. 

Lotus’s phone buzzed. She looked at the unknown number with a frown on her face and picked the call. Kian - The lawyer. 

“Good morning Miss Lotus,” said Kian. 

“Good morning.”

“Miss Lotus, as already informed by your grandmother, I hope you are coming for the Will reading.”

“I don’t want to.” 

“It is extremely important. Please reconsider,” he said and ended the call. 

Lotus liked it. No nonsense talk. 

She went back to the list. Her mind went back to two days back when she had returned home after meeting Natasha Wayleigh. She was feeling too low and her grandmother Martha had called. Interrupting her thoughts, suddenly the door opened and to Lotus’s surprise, Zion Taffeta walked in. ‘Hadn’t he been informed that he was going to get replaced?’ thought Lotus and looked at Sonny.  

Sonny’s face became pale. He had actually forgotten to inform Zion Taffeta.  He pursed his lips and looked at Lotus with guilt all over his face. 

“I came to know from Tan Smith that Natasha has been replaced with Lotus, so I came here to confirm it. He also told me that there is script reading going on, so I came to check if there was no change in the script,” said Zion, feeling every bit nervous on the inside. “Even though you are willing to replace Natasha Wayleigh, I have no objections,” he said looking at Sonny. He perched opposite him right next to Tan.  

Zion was expecting Lotus to create a show over seeing him suddenly but when he saw that she was absolutely quiet and didn’t speak a word, he thought that she was quiet because still had feelings for him and looked forward to work with him. After all they had a lot of romantic moments in the past. His nervousness calmed as a look of authority flashed across his face. He felt how much this foolish girl loved him still.

“There will be some change in the script,” replied Lotus confidently while glancing at the Zion’s bitter expressions. Then she looked at Sonny and said, “Can I have some coffee?” 

“Sure!” he said and pressed the bell to order coffee. 

Zion stared at Lotus. “But how can you change the script? The script has already been locked,” he spoke a little loudly and Lotus turned her face to look at him. After all, this girl was under his spell. If he would put his foot down, she would comply.

‘What an i***t he is’, thought Lotus with a sigh. “There will be several changes in the script,” she muttered under breath. He really had birdbrains. Was he clinging on the fact that she was in the past, once, in ancient times, in prehistoric times was infatuated by him? Now that she thought about it in retrospect, she thought perhaps she had a special feeling towards the upcoming talent…

Tan looked at her as if challenging her to take an action on changing the script now that Zion Taffeta was here and he knew that Zion would not let things go so easily. Tan scoffed and grinned. 

When Zion heard Lotus he shouted, “This is unacceptable.” He looked at Sonny and said, “I will not accept any changes in the script!” 

Sonny was about to open his mouth when his secretary entered the room with coffee. 

Zion Taffeta picked his coffee cup. His face was red with anger. He looked towards Sonny and Lotus. How dare these two go against the male lead of the movie? But as he took the first sip, he realized that Lotus looked unnerved with the situation. He had thought she would melt seeing him after so long and after the fact that he showed his willingness to act with her. But now he wondered as to whether she was ignoring him? He narrowed his eyes. What was going on? Why didn't she fetter even a little bit? Why was Lotus unnerved by his tantrums?

Judging the situation, Zion Taffeta suddenly said, “Can I have a private word with Lotus?”

Sonny shook his head, sighed and looked at Lotus. She nodded at him slightly with confidence in her eyes. He got up to leave and motioned Tan and others to follow him. Tan was too buoyant inside. He knew that Lotus was about to get a good scolding. He knew that even though she forced Natasha out of the movie, she could never do that with Zion. 

When all of them left, Zion Taffeta turned his gaze at Lotus and said, “I heard what you did with Natasha Wayleigh. I am willing to give up on Natasha and work with you again." He said as if Lotus was a scum who was dying to work with him. If we appear in this movie together, we are going to get flooded with offers and it would be extremely profitable to both of us.”

Lotus stared at him with wide eyes. This man had gone beyond imagination. 

“Zion Taffeta, are you on drugs?” she asked with wide eyes. How could he even think that she would get back with a chameleon like him? She kept her coffee mug on the table beside her and said, “You and Natasha have been hooking up behind my back from a long time and you think I am dying for your love? I am disappointed in you. You surely overestimate yourself. Did you think that just because I was emotionally entangled with you at one point of life, I would listen to you spewing nonsense now?” 

It was his time to look at her with eyes as wide as a football field. She was just a woman. 

Lotus moved forward and rested her face on her hands. With a cold smile she looked at him and he could feel his skin lined with goose bumps anticipating the unknown.

“You have been kicked out of the movie because of my recommendation,” said Lotus softly. “And if you are going to make any fuss about your expulsion from this movie in the media, I will make sure that you don’t get any more roles in other movies as well.” 

Zion Taffeta could feel the hammer of those soft words on his career. His hands started shaking.