Page 134 of Worth Every Moment
I keep my head down and get to work. Filming is a new experience, but I immediately know I’m going to love it.I made a good choice. It keeps me busy, and even working with Michael Drayton isn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. He’s very talented, which makes my job easier, and he’s complimentary about my acting, which, as it turns out, isn’t nearly as wooden as Mum claimed.
Every day, when I wake to a world where Seb is no longer mine and my heart aches like a bruise from the loss, I pledge that I will not allow him to ruin me. This is not going to destroy me, and going forward, he will not factor in my decision making.
Seb Hawkston is not going to impact me at all, just like Amy said.
So when Michael Drayton asks me out, I say yes. He ticks all the boxes. High profile. A Hollywood powerhouse. One of the most famous men in the world with more clout on the other side of the Atlantic than Mike Tyson in a boxing ring. I’m not a fool; I know he doesn’t care for me, and I feel nothing for him. Well, nothing beyond the admiration for a decent colleague who’s brilliant at his job. In terms of dating, he’s all about the image, and it’s good publicity for us to be seen together. A reallife relationship between the actors who play the main parts in a movie can do wonders for box office numbers.
So when he suggests the Hawkston Mayfair as the venue for our first dinner date, I say yes to that too. After all, I’m emotionally done with the Hawkstons, so what does it matter if I darken the door of one of their hotels?
It breaks my heart to even think it, but it doesn’t fucking matter at all.
47
SEB
The Hawkston Mayfair is buzzing tonight, teeming with people dressed in all their finery, and Diana and I are no exception. I’m in black tie and she’s in a full-length peach silk gown and another pair of Erica Lefroy shoes. She has them in every colour, and every time she wears a pair it’s another fucking arrow to my heart, and I have to pretend I’m not dripping blood with every step. I take a breath and focus again on Diana.My fiancée. Her blonde hair is in a tight updo. She looks beautiful, and I’ve told her so, although I don’t think she believes me.
“This is it,” she whispers as we take the steps to the grand entrance. “After tonight, we’ll be free. You can tell Erica you love her and live happily ever after. Cinderella and Prince Charming.”
I don’t dare hope this is the case. Diana might have all the evidence we need to prove that my father is a ruthless prick who’ll go to any length to get what he wants, even screw over his own children, but there’s no guarantee Erica will ever take me back. Either way, we have to get through tonight’s event first to find out. My father and Antonio Marchetti are presenting thenew hotel to the board and shareholders at an elaborate dinner. I will not celebrate before we’ve pulled this off.
“And you?” I ask Diana. “Will you be all right?”
Something uncertain flickers in her gaze, but she chases it away. “Oh, yeah. I'm a big girl. I’ll be fine. Let’s stick to the plan.”
In the lobby, Matt and Aries greet us. Jack Lansen and Elly are here too; Elly’s even ditched her cowboy boots, and she looks less pop star and more society girlfriend. Kate and Nico are still on an extended honeymoon, which is probably just as well because, although Nico’s forgiven me for my behaviour at his wedding, I’m not entirely sure he’d approve of what I’m about to do.
Diana begins chatting with Matt, allowing Aries to sidle up to me and whisper, “Have you heard from Erica?”
“She’s not talking to me.”
“When are you going to tell us what really happened? Matt’s been pestering me about it ever since. Said you refused to explain.”
I could have gone to Nico and Matt, but something held me back. Pride, most likely. I didn’t want them to know how my father had played me, using me in a way he would never have done to them. Tonight, Matt will find out and he’ll likely let Nico know too. But at least it’ll be because I’ve chosen to do it this way, and I’m not going to them with my begging bowl, asking for help. Diana and I have done this ourselves, with a little assistance along the way from the members of her father’s household that Diana has charmed or won over and convinced to help us.
Everyone takes a glass of champagne, except for Aries, who opts for water, and we take our seats in the ballroom, where circular tables surrounded by gilded chairs are set out, and elaborate floral arrangements decorate each table. Diana and Ipart with the others as we go to the front of the room to take our seats with Dad and Antonio Marchetti.
Dinner is an awkward affair, my thoughts distracted the whole time as I try to make conversation with anyone but Dad. Diana, on the other hand, is chatting away, smiling as though she’s completely at ease. If she’s nervous about her dad discovering what we’ve done, she doesn’t show it.
Dad and Antonio take the stage, and a hush falls over the room as they run through the plans for the project, huge images flashing on the double screens behind them. I have to hand it to Dad—it does look amazing. The Hawkston Mayfair is impressive, but this new hotel will dwarf it.
Too bad he’ll never fucking get it.
When they finish, returning to their seats at the table with us, the applause is profuse, and for a sliver of time, guilt pervades me for what I’m about to do to my father, to Antonio, to Diana, and to everyone here. But the toxic hatred I feel for the man sitting opposite me overrides it. Dad might be old, and likely to die of a heart attack at some point, but I hate him with a fury that would burn bone to ash. Aside from the love I feel for Erica, it might be the purest emotion I’ve ever felt.
I catch Diana’s eye, and together we stand. Dad glances at me, a questioning eyebrow disappearing beneath his grey hair. I offer no explanation and escort her to the stage. The applause falters, then slows. I glance over to Aries and Matt, Jack and Elly, who are watching with curiosity.Fuck, this room is full of people.
“Good evening,” I announce. “Diana and I are honoured to be here. As you may or may not know, our union was an essential piece in the execution of this deal. We owe it to our fathers for bringing us together.” I raise my champagne glass and Diana does the same. “So we’d like to formally thank them both.”
Glasses are raised and cheers ripple through the ballroom.
“Unfortunately,” I continue, “Diana and I have some bad news. We don’t want to get married, and we want no part of this dirty hotel deal.” Gasps sound and whispers begin. “We think it only fair that you are all informed of events that took place in the run up to the agreement of this deal, and how Diana and I ended up involved. But before we begin, Diana.” I turn to her. “Is there anything you want to add?”
She steps forward. “Only to say that I agree with everything Seb’s said. And Dad,” she says, glancing over at her father, whose steely expression rivals my father’s for coldness. “I won’t marry a man who has been forced or manipulated into it. If I ever get married, I want it to be for love.”
Another round of shocked murmurs begins as I press the button on the remote control hidden in my jacket pocket. It might not be a gun, but it’s a trigger I’m willing to pull, and it’ll all but kill Dad. Glossy images of the new hotel flicker on the big screens behind us, changing to the images we’ve loaded up in advance.
I don’t turn. I know what’s there. Me and Dad, seated in the booth at Diana’s father’s restaurant, flicking through the fake images he had made up. Diana’s father’s had high quality camera footage from every angle in that restaurant, and I’m sure the audience can see the images. We blurred out the offensive parts and identifying features on the young woman, but left enough to make it obvious exactly what was intended. Beside me, Diana turns to see the footage, squinting and recoiling from the screen.
