Page 14 of Billionaire's Second Chance

“Where have you been, Damon? I have been trying to get a hold of you all morning.” His voice was a deep baritone, almost menacing. The kind that compelled you to listen whenever he spoke.

“Well, here I am," I rejoiced, looking at my watch, trying to decipher what 'all morning' meant.

This view from the balcony never grew old. The Los Angeles skyline dipped in the distance beyond tall building clusters. A city built on wealth and desires—my city.

“Are you celebrating something?” My father inquired.

I smiled and shut my eyes.

“I'm a happy man, Dad. What's wrong with that?” I joked.

“What’s wrong is you always find a way to drag the family name in your mess,” he scoffed.

I rolled my eyes. “What have I done this time, Dad?”

“The same thing you always do—let your philandering interfere with business. This should be the last time you give out roles for sexual favors if you’re not smart enough to hide your dirty linen.”

A sledgehammer dropped in my chest. I walked closer to the balcony and leaned against it.

“What are you talking about? What sexual favors?” I lowered my voice, looking over my shoulder to ensure Lily wasn't around.

"Oh, come on, Damon," my father raised his voice. "You announce your lead role, and hours later, you're kissing her at some parking lot? Do you realize how stupid you look? Like you only cast people you sleep with. You look like a joke!"

Shit!

“Look, Dad,” I began calmly. "Who I date or cast is my business."

“No, Damon, all of this ismybusiness. If not for me, you'd be a nobody," he paused to catch his breath. "I also have a reputation to uphold. I would never dare cast my girlfriends. Why do you think you can afford that luxury?"

“She’s not my girlfriend—” I felt my forehead.

“Cut the bullshit! If you’re serious about your reputation, you better learn where to draw the line between the bedroom and the set,” my father yelled and hung up.

I remained frozen, my eyes darting over the city.

“So, I'm not your girlfriend?” Lily stood behind me, wearing only her lingerie from the night before.

“I had to say that to him. Someone took pictures of us last night, and it’s all over the internet right now,” I explained calmly and reached for her hand.

She pulled away. “Whydidyou give me the role?”

“You got it, Lily. Isn’t that what matters?” I was going to turn her into a star. If she could do that alone, she wouldn’t be in my bed now.

“I thought you loved me,” she sobbed.

“Love?” I chuckled, and my eyes bulged.

Her face turned white. She stepped back, turned, and ran off.

“Lily,” I yelled after her, but she was already in the bedroom.

I took a sip of my now-cold coffee and whipped out my phone. I didn’t scroll twice before seeing the picture, causing me all this headache.

"If you want a role, just date Damon Alexander!"the headline read, making my stomach churn.

There was no denying this one. It wasn't the first time I had slept with one of my lead actors, but this one was causing a bigger splash than anticipated.

As I walked into the bedroom, Lily was packing up. When she saw me, she beat her fist against a pillow and tossed it to the floor.

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