Page 126 of Shout Out To My Ex

‘Six years, give or take…’ Paloma responds.

‘Oh my god. I was the ring-in. She was using me as a red herring. She didn’t give a fuck about furthering my career.’

‘Leo, that may not be the case,’ I offer.

‘You’re being too kind,’ he says, insistent. To himself, he says, ‘Deep down, I knew something was off and now I know why.’

‘And don’t forget: the real fiancé is Robbins’ lifelong friend,’ says Marie, brows raised. ‘She may even have introduced them.’

At this, she shrugs, her lips pursed, so I’m assuming this is conjecture, not fact – though it tracks with the rest of this morning’s revelations.

Serena Robbins better hope we never meet again. I may be little, but I amfiercewhen it comes to protecting my loved ones. I once kicked a much older boy in the bollocks because he made fun of Cassie’s boobs at school. Totally worth getting detention for.

‘La situation,’ Marie continues, ‘est très compliquée. This is why it takes me so long to untether the threads.’

‘Untangle,’ corrects Nasrin.

‘Oui, as I said. Many connections, manylies. It is a giant mess.’

‘A giant mess,’ Leo echoes wanly, and I rub a hand along his arm. I wish there was something more I could do. I can only hope the agency really does have a way out of this.

A phone starts ringing and, as often happens in a group when a phone rings, everyone checks theirs despite the distinctive ringtone.

‘Mine,’ says Leo feebly, reaching into his front pocket. He swallows hard when he sees who’s calling. He holds it up for us to see. ‘It’s Aunt Serena.’

‘Wait as long as possible, then answer it,’ says Paloma, already on the move and heading to the door. She signals for Leo to follow, and I instinctively rise from the table to go with him.

We follow her into the office next door, where she snatches a pad off the desk and scribbles something. She hands it to Leo as he answers.

‘Hello, Aunt Serena.’

I read the note over his shoulder.

You have a new publicist – me.

I look to Paloma and she nods assuredly. Leo is listening to Ser and although I can’t make out everything she’s saying, I detect her soothing tone and catch snatches of reassurances – ‘everything’s under control’ comes up at least twice. Eventually, Leo must tire of her shit, and he sets the phone on the desk, pressing the speakerphone button.

‘Aunt Serena,’ he says, interrupting her faux-soothing monologue about his ‘best interests’. She prattles on a few moments longer until he raises his voice. ‘Aunt Serena,stop talking.’ She does. ‘Listen to me. I’m in a meeting right now with my new publicist and you’re on speakerphone.’

‘But you can’t?—’

‘Nope. It’s my turn to talk.’ His rage infuses the air in the spacious office and I’m barely aware that Poppy joins us.

‘I know what you did,’ he says, his voice a low growl. Ser is so quiet, I wonder if the call has dropped, but Leo continues regardless. ‘I know that Franzia is someone you created, just like Lorenzo, and all about the French billionaireandhow they’re engaged. I know youusedme.’

‘Leo, listen…please.’

He huffs out a breath from his nose, his complexion now red with fury. ‘Go on then. Make your excuses. How about I roll camera so we can submit your performance to the Oscars?’

‘That’s unfair?—’

‘Is it?’

‘Hey, I worked my arse off to get you where you are.’ Ah, there she is – the cutthroat publicist who creates personas from thin air. ‘And now you’re accusing me of collusion? What the f?—’

‘Serena, this is Paloma Martinez-Pérez. I’m advising you that your former client has now engaged my services and will no longer be needing yours. We’ll have the paperwork to you by close of business today, New York time.’

‘So, you won’t let me explain myself?’

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