Page 89 of Off Script

“Tilly and I broke up. Mainly because I still haven’t gotten over you.”

“Well, I am over it.” Her denial should have been enough to end the conversation but Daniel continued pleading with her.

“Come on, Jada. You honestly think Tristan will be any better in the long run? The man’s a dog. He’s only using you to make himself look good.”

“And he’s going to drop you the second he gets bored,” Angela chimed in as she sidled up to them and looped her arm through Daniel’s. “Seriously, you should take Daniel back. Tristan will only make you cry. We’re just trying to help you see reason.”

“That’s funny coming from you, Angela. The entitled princess of Hollywood wants to talk to me about seeing reason? The same woman who berated and belittled me on set day in and day out—even before Tristan became an issue between us?”

“Jesus, Jada. That happened ages ago.”

“Try weeks.” Jada shook her head in disbelief. It was pointless standing here arguing with this woman. Angela lived in a world with no accountability and nothing Jada said today would change that.

“So, I was rude, and you were a boyfriend thief. That doesn’t change the fact that I came here to tell you something else. Something way more important.”

“Thanks, but I’m not interested.” Jada started to walk past them, but Angela’s next words chilled her to the bone.

“Not even if I know whoSip That Tea’s mole is?”

Jada froze, her throat closing up as she became speechless with fear. She didn’t dare ask the question on her lips, “Which mole?” Had Angela only found out the identity of A. C. or was this her way of ratting Jada out too? Looking into the blond beauty’s knowledgeable gaze, Jada couldn’t be sure. Either way, if this was a vendetta or Angela’s attempt at a redemption tour, the truth would break whatever real connection Jada shared with Tristan. The mere thought of him acted like a beacon as Tristan’s sharp voice pulled her back to reality.

“What the hell are you two saying to her?” Tristan came up, protectively standing between Jada and the interlopers.

“Nothing. Just having a little chat. But I think I’ve left Jada with enough things to consider. Ta-ta for now. Congrats on the mediocre action flick, Trist,” Angela said as she steered Daniel away.

“You okay? Do you want to go back to the hotel?” Tristan asked her, worry creasing his brows. All Jada could do was nod silently, still too shaken to speak. Once they’d reached the hotel room, her mute demeanor had put Tristan’s anxiety at an all-time high.

“Jada, please. Talk to me. What did they say to you?”

“Nothing that wasn’t true,” she said numbly.

“What do you mean?” he asked, sitting beside her on the bed. She couldn’t bear to have him that near to her. Not when she was realizing how she was never going to escape the truth about what she’d done or the fact that she and Tristan were not a real couple. They weren’t in love. They were . . . nothing.

“Jada, talk to me. Do . . . do you still have feelings for Daniel?” Tristan asked.

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then don’t go near him anymore. If he bothers you again, come get me. I won’t let him hurt you again,” Tristan said. He tried to pull her closer but she resisted, shaking her hand out of his grasp.

He was getting almost as worked up as she was, although for different reasons. His was jealousy, while hers was . . . well, a plethora of things. Aside from Daniel’s and Angela’s harsh words scarring her, Jada couldn’t shrug off her dark thoughts. Tristan would never forgive her for hiding her connection toSip That Tea. And honestly, Jada would never forgiveherselfif she kept stalling and let Tristan eventually find out about her deception from Angela or the Tea Twins.

As Tristan stared at her with such earnestness, Billie Holiday’s words from Jada’s fever dream echoed in her head.When youstart with deceit, it will never turn out the way you hope it will.Imaginary Billie had been right, and now was the time. Time to blow all of this open and face the truth.

“Who are you to talk about hurting me? This is all a big game to you,” she said. While it killed Jada to do it, she reluctantly fell into a new role: the backstabber. It was the only way to save face, to prepare her heart for Tristan’s future hatred.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Tristan frowned.

“I’m talking about several things. Like how you don’t actually care about me. How I’m not your real girlfriend. How this is going to end soon. I don’t understand why you’re pretending like I matter to you. We both know that’s not true.”

Tristan didn’t get the chance to refute her argument as she went full steam ahead, driving their relationship further off the tracks. Ready for things to go down in flames.

“Maybe it’s the whole being an actor thing. But guess what? You don’t have to play the role of the doting boyfriend when we’re alone. Unless it’s about the sex, which you can get from someone else anyway.”

She could see it. Rage and hurt boiled up inside Tristan, marring his strong features. She could practically hear his thoughts. Is that what she thought about him? Yes, for now, it had to be.

“All right.” Tristan nodded before going on slowly. “So according to you, I’m a callous bastard who doesn’t give a shit about anything, and I’m only using you for professional and sexual gratification. Do I have that right?”

“Something like that, yes.”

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