Coaching My Ex’s Rival To Stardom

4

Cynthia

I still couldn’t believe Kade’s audacity even after alighting the cab and paying the driver off. The entire conversation we had in the cafe still felt bizarre, and I wasn’t sure of why I was still feeling a slight warmth between my legs.

My mind traveled back to the conversation we had. Did Jaden really lie about not messing with his drug test? I didn’t question it in the past, but now that I’ve seen how cruel Jaden actually is, the truth was more than obvious.

Jaden ruined Kade’s career back then, out of jealousy.

They had always competed and Jaden had always passionately hated Kade for being way better than him in everything, and he had been the happiest when Kade got kicked off the team. Till now, Jaden still talks about his severe hatred for Kade whenever he remembers him.

My mind returned to the fact that he still remembered my favorite pie. I wasn’t sure of what to make of that. Kade was someone I used to hate so much for constantly messing with me back in highschool, and seeing him today reminded me of the sheer anger his mere presence used to evoke in me.

While his offer sounded nice, it didn’t sound like what I needed. And did he seriously think I’ll sell out my team to him? They were like family to me, having coached them for over three years. They’ve all sent me sweet messages expressing their sadness over me being fired.

Which is why I’m gonna be attending the fundraiser function tonight. I’ll show up for my team, and try to get my job back. This is what I need to do now, instead of playing revenge with Kade.

~~~

Everyone wouldn’t expect me to attend the function tonight, they’d expect me to be broken and crying. Even though all my luggage was right outside my shared apartment with Jaden by the time I got to the door, even though Jaden had also wiped out our joint savings account, leaving me with nothing but cents. Right now, I have no house, no savings, no job, but I still arrived here with my head held high, and looking my best.

And right now, as I made my way into the function, dressed in a blue flowing dress, and strutting with faux confidence, I felt powerful.

I could feel so many eyes on me. People instantly began to point at me, whispering to each other, but I acted completely unbothered, while everything within me was screaming in panic.

As I looked around the room, I was startled to see Kade in the crowd, standing between two equally hot men, clad in a black suit and holding a glass of champagne. His long hair was slicked back, revealing the sharp curve of his jaw and he looked bored as hell. My cheeks flamed when his eyes locked with mine and as his eyes slowly raked over me, for some reason, I quickly looked away.

I kept searching the crowd, and then I finally caught sight of my team across the room and a grin broke out on my face as I waved at them, relieved by the familiar faces.

But they didn’t grin back. Instead, they just stared back at me like I was a stranger.

Maybe they didn’t recognize me?

But that thought sounded ridiculous to me.

Just as I contemplated approaching them, two people suddenly stepped in front of me, towering and in security uniform.

“Ma’am, you have to leave.” The first guy politely spoke, nodding at the entrance where the press were gathered.

A few people were already stopping to stare, and I felt uneasy.

“Why? I have an invite.”

“We were just given orders, ma’am. Your presence is making certain people uncomfortable.” They glanced sideways and I followed their sight, not surprised to see Jaden standing there, his hand laying by Ashley’s hips. Ashley was in a black stunning dress, matching his black suit.

“You heard them. Get out. You’re making people uncomfortable here with your creep ass.” Jaden spoke, his loud voice echoing loudly and attracting more attention.

“I’m not a creep, Jaden.” I spoke loudly, determined to pass my words across the entire room. I need to defend myself one way or the other. “We dated since high school, Jaden. We dated till you cheated on me with Ashley. Why are you lying about that?”

Whispers instantly filled the air.

“Could that be true?”

“They really dated? After all, they attended the same high school.”

“Oh my goodness, is that really true?”

Jaden’s face was a mask for fury. “Shut you, you shameless liar! Desperate enough to lie about us dating? How can I date someone like you? You’re basic, ugly and pathetic.“

His words were a sharp knife ripping through my heart.

Without hesitating, I whirled around and faced the rest of the team who’ve been staring the whole time.

“Guys, tell everyone the truth, you all know we dated, right?” I asked, watching as they all looked away, avoiding my gaze.

“They can’t agree cause you’re f*****g lying.” Jaden barked, then he crossed the room till he was standing in front of them.

“Did any of you ever see Cynthia and I dating?” He asked and to my horror, I watched as they all slowly shook their heads.

“Did she not usually try to rub herself over me when she thinks neither of you were present, which made each of you uncomfortable in different ways?” He asked again and as they all nodded again, I staggered from shock, unable to believe what was happening.

My team has also picked a side. Their captain over me…

My team whom I believed were like family to me.

As the entire crowd began to talk at the same time, the security guys grabbed me and roughly led me out of the room.

My eyes landed in the direction I previously sighted Kade.

He was no longer there.

Outside, the press swamp over me, one wild question after the other.

“What do you have to say about the controversy surrounding your name?”

“News on the street about you being a predator. Is that true?”

“Did you really pursue this job just to be close to Jaden Quel?”

“Have you f****d Jaden Quel yet?”

“What do you—”

I roughly pushed past them and ran, my entire body shaking and angry tears springing into my eyes. If I had any hope that my career wasn’t fully over, tonight just showed me that I was fully finished.

Despite me trying to blink the tears back, they still trailed down my cheeks. I hate crying because it made me feel weak, but I guess everyone has a breaking point and this was mine.

And all of this hurts so much cause I didn’t do a single thing aside from falling for the wrong person for years.

I sniffed and wiped my cheeks, glad that the paparazzi weren’t chasing after me. But why would they anyway? I wasn’t interesting and I was gonna become stale news in a few days from the looks of things. Forgotten, and my career, six foot under.

I angrily wiped at my eyes again just as my phone vibrated in my clutch. I stopped by an alleyway and leaned against the wall there, and as dejectedness washed over me, I fished my phone out.

An unknown number sent me a single text.

Unknown: What’s your answer gonna be?

After rereading the text twice, I just knew that this was Kade despite not knowing how he got my number.

I swallowed, my chest physically hurting. I have no money, no house, no job. Literally nothing.

I typed a response back.

Me: I don’t know.

Unknown; isn’t your answer already obvious enough to you?

Unknown: everyone has abandoned you, including your precious team.

I swallowed as the image of my team agreeing to everything Jaden asked over and over again, flashed through my mind. I never expected them to ever do that.

I typed back a response, my breath bated.

Me; if I agree to your deal, Will you really help me crush Jaden?

A few minutes passed, then he responded.

Unknown: meet me here.

Unknown: [addresses attached.]

I knew it was stupid and that I should head back to the agency building so I could get my things and start looking for where I’ll be staying from now on. But I walked down to the attached address cause it wasn’t that far, while feeling numb all over.

I sighted Kade as I arrived in front of the mall. He was leaning against a pole by the side, smoking a cigarette and looking dark and dangerous. He was still in his suit— but his jacket was missing, and his dark eyes slowly raked over me as I got closer.

“You look beautiful, koi fish.” His deep voice drawled.

I stopped breathing. Then I shot him an annoyed look. “Stop.”

He rolled his eyes as he pushed off the pole, leisurely striding towards me. “It wasn’t a joke, koi fish. You do look beautiful. Sexy even, with this f*****g killa bob. I bet Jaden couldn’t stop looking at you.”

A bitter laugh left my throat. “Yeah, he paid me more than enough attention when he humiliated me… and stop calling me that.”

“Dumb little koi fish, still too blind to see what’s right in front of you.” He sighed out and as I bristled, he stopped in front of me and snagged my jaw, unexpectedly jerking me close and knocking the breath out of me.

“I bet if you had agreed to my offer and then we attended that function as a couple, he’d have been so mad, he’d wanna get you off my arms so fast. He’d get so mad if I held your waist like this back there…” as he spoke, his other hand suddenly snaked around my waist, tugging me flushed against his chest and making my heart hammer against my ribs.

“Orif I kiss you stupidly in front of him, he’d undoubtedly get so mad…”

My mouth has gone dry and I was panting for some weird reason before pushing against his chest till he let go of me. I exhaled deeply, my whole body felt hot and my heart was racing.

His intense eyes bored into mine, and he ran a hand through his hair as he spoke almost lazily. “So, I take it that you have your answer now, yes?”

I swallowed, staring at my feet for a few seconds before I looked up at him again, clearing my throat.

“Do you still have talents? Do you have what it takes to become a star?” I asked, and a grin stretched out on his face as he stepped close to me again.

“I think you know the answer to that, else you won’t be here right now.”

I scowled. I hate that he was right.

He leaned even closer. “Don’t I radiate enough star power already? Or is it till I f**k you and make you see stars?”