Page 2 of Meet Me In Winterberry

I frown at that last one, clicking on the article to read what people are saying. Apparently, I’ve been seen crying at the cafe around the corner. I literallyjustfound out and haven’t even left my place yet. Unbelievable.

After reading a few more articles, I’m ready to throw my phone out the window, but it starts ringing with a call from my agent, William. My thumb hovers over the green button, but I don’t press it. I’m in no mood to deal with anyone, not even him. And Ilikehim.

Thirty seconds later the voicemail notification lights up.

“Penelope, darling. I’ve seen the news,” he says with an English accent. William grew up in England and moved to the United States when he was twenty-one to follow the American Dream. Now he’s an agent to the stars. Over the years, he’s also become a friend.

“Darling, I need you to call me back. We need to get ahead of this and get a statement from you to protect your image.” There’s a brief pause. “Don’t worry about him, Pen, you'll find someone way better than that douchebag. Okay, call me.”

There’s no way I’m calling him back, as much as I may adore him. I don’t care about my image. I care about myheart,which is now broken into a million pieces. Some people may not have thought the relationship was real, or that we were in love, but I was.

Truly in love.

From the moment my parents died when I was thirteen, my life hasn’t been my own. I was forced to move in with my Gran who lived right outside of New York City, in a small town in New Jersey. I knew no one, didn’t make friends easily, and couldn’t wait to leave.

Gran tried the best she could, but she was in her eighties and didn’t have the patience for a teenager. With no siblings or other family members to set an example, I fell into the wrong crowd in high school. I was rebellious and stupid, partying in the city and failing my classes. By the skin of my teeth, I graduated. A week later, Gran died.

For the first time in my life, I was eighteen years old, out of school, and completely alone.

Her house was paid off, so luckily, I was able to live there until I figured out what to do. To make ends meet, I waitressed at a local restaurant and worked inside the Gershwin Theatre on 51stStreet as an usher. It was there that I fell in love with acting and performing.

A couple years later, I started taking more waitressing shifts so I could afford acting classes. Once a week, I would take the train into the city and attend an early morning improv class. It was the best hour of my week.

In fact, that’s where I met my best friend Georgia, who was also interested in becoming an actress. She went a different route and became a social media influencer while I took any role I could in movies and TV shows on the East Coast. Yep, I was definitely a person murdered on Law and Order: SVU before I got my big break.

For years, I sent in my headshot and went on auditions, even when I knew I’d never get the part. Deep down inside, I knew that eventually, someone would see my talent. I knew I was meant to be an actress, and the right role was out there for me.

Finally, at twenty-five, I landed a starring role in a popular superhero movie and my career took off from there.

I was thrust into the spotlight that I had desired for so long. I walked red carpets, wore designer clothes, had thousands of followers on Instagram, and earned more money than I thought was possible.

I was happy.

But it was also a lonely life. Always on the road, living out of hotel rooms more often than not, and surrounded by people who I never truly got to know.

Until I met Drew.

I'll never forget the day I first laid eyes on his handsome face. We were on the set of a movie that I had the lead role in, and he played my love interest. I was so taken aback by how incredibly good looking he was that I forgot my lines. Literally. My mind went completely blank, and I just stood there like an idiot.

At the end of shooting, Drew asked for my number, and we went on our first date a week later. The internet went crazy when we debuted as a couple—on the red carpet of the movie premiere—and we were the new It couple. We couldn’t go anywhere without paparazzi behind us or fans wanting to take pictures with us to post on social media.

We got completely swept up in the madness and were engaged two years later.

I thought I had it all. Everything I could ever dream of. But now, I wonder how much of it was actually real.

I ball my hands into fists so tightly that my nails dig into my palms, and I shake them at the ceiling.

“Real funny, Universe,” I yell. “I’ve had about enough with you!”

With a sigh, I tug on the belt of my robe to tighten it around my waist, my phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out to see who’s calling. When I see Drew’s name, an unfamiliar sound, like a murderous growl, escapes me. I can’t believe he has the audacity to call me.

The asshole has something to say apparently. As much as I’d love to answer and give him a piece of my mind, I ignore the vibration and let it go to voicemail. I can’t give him any more of my time. He doesn’t deserve it.

Against my better judgment, when the voicemail icon pops up, I hit play and put it on speakerphone. His voice fills the penthouse and sends chills up my spine.

“Hi baby, it’s me—”

I hastily tap the delete key before I hear another word.

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