Page 90 of Harmless Scandals

“What?”

“This performance has to be for someone. Who is it for?”

There was a beat of silence, confirming her suspicions.

“There is a reporter here, but?—”

“Take me off speaker or I’ll hang up.”

“You should just hang up,” Mick said. She glanced at the guys. Adam nodded. She knew that was what Nicola would suggest. No, Nicola would have gotten hold of the phone and blocked the number. But she had to let her mother know exactly where they stood.

“Okay,” her mother said. Serenity heard the difference in the sound on the other end of the phone, telling her that her mother had turned the speaker off.

“I want to get one thing straight with you, Mother.”

“I just wanted to talk to you. It’s been over ten years since I’ve seen you and I’ve missed you every minute.”

“You missed my money every minute.”

“Kayleigh.”

She cringed at the name. “My name is Serenity. Use it, or I hang up.”

Her mother’s sigh could be heard on the other end of the phone. “Okay, Serenity. I understand you’re in a relationship with two men. You never could seem to keep yourself contained to one man.”

“So, you call me after all these years just to insult me?”

“I didn’t insult you.”

“You called me a slut.”

“I did not.”

“Yeah, you did, but you did it in that way you have. It doesn’t sound like an insult but it is.”

“That was not my intention.”

It was, but arguing about it would only keep her on the phone longer.

“Listen up, Mother. I do not want any contact with you whatsoever. I have no interest in doing any interviews. I won’t ever act again, and even if I wanted to, you would have nothing to do with it.”

“Kayleigh—”

“My name is Serenity,” she said from behind clenched teeth. “Now that everyone will know that, I won’t hesitate to take out a restraining order…again. I will do it and make sure every reporter in Hollywood knows. Worse, I will make sure up and coming actresses know about you. That’s what you’re doing now, right? You’re a talent scout?”

“I work for several studios.” Her voice had turned mulish.

“How many of them would keep you on if they knew about our past? Do you still give kids valium, or have you moved on to OxyContin?”

“I have never done that.”

“Really? Because I’m certain the rags don’t care. Stay away from me, from my men, from everything to do with my life, or I will ruin yours. Do you understand?”

Another long moment of silence.

“Okay.”

“Goodbye, Mother. And don’t ever call me again.”

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