Wife by Day, Boss by Night

“Why should I give her the money?” Brian shot back the question. He hadn’t said anything about lending Madelyn a hand from the get–go.

He walked Natalie through the situation in detail, not out of charity but as a heads–up to keep her on her toes lest her tough approach tipped someone off that she was off–kilter.

He paused, then added, “Grandpa will have his say on this. I won’t meddle with it.”

Natalie pondered his words silently, not making a sound.

She suspected Brian had pieced together that she was Annika.

The online buzz about Madelyn’s plagiarism scandal had cooled down a notch the following day.

Natalie had a friend quietly remove the incriminating post at the top of her feed.

Two hundred million dollars landed in her account not long after the deletion. She quickly checked the transfer. As expected, it came from Davis‘ account. Brian hadn’t touched this mess with a ten–foot pole.

Only a fool leaves money on the table.

Natalie eyed the hefty sum that had padded her balance, her eyebrows lifting slightly.

Three hundred million had come easy, and she saw no reason to turn it down. Besides, the fiasco had two days in the limelight, with netizens doing their audio comparisons. Whether her friend scrubbed the evidence, the scandal was brewing on its own steam.

Madelyn’s career was on the ascent, but this debacle must rattle her standing in the music

biz.

“Did you see the latest from the International Music Scene?” Rosie sidled up, whispering to Natalie.

While speaking, she handed over her phone, displaying a list of local singers invited to an upcoming international music festival.

There were ten invites, and Madelyn’s name was conspicuously absent.

Madelyn was supposed to be the grand finale.

Rosie had a hunch about Natalie’s connection to Annika. Otherwise, why would she send her to deliver a SIM card to Gavin and consult a lawyer?

Rosie gave Natalie a knowing look before continuing, “I heard Victoria’s Secret had Madelyn on the shortlist to perform, but that’s up in smoke now. They have crossed her

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name off the backup list.”

“Several deals Madelyn had in the bag are falling through. I bet ad agencies won’t touch her with a ten– foot pole for endorsements now. She’s taking a hit.*

Natalie gave Rosie a sly smile, staying quiet until she finished, then asked, “What’s on the menu for today? Once we wrap the shoot, let’s grab a bite.”

She was determined to stick with Rosie through thick and thin.

Rosie was a keeper for a friend. First, she was Gavin’s sister and Natalie’s agent. Second, Rosie was different from the rest. She wasn’t calculating, and her sincerity made her a friend worth keeping.

They were wrapping up the final scenes at Heartland College, with the next couple of days being less hectic. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“The ice cream parlor by the supermarket has a Friday deal. Buy one and get the second half off. Wanna grab some?” Rosie tempted her after they finished a scene.

Midday, Natalie was indeed feeling the heat under the heavy costume.

“Count me in,” Natalie replied, having promised Rosie a treat. She got up and made her way to join her.

Thrilled, Rosie linked arms with Natalie, and off they went.

The campus was quieter on Fridays, with fewer classes and some students skipping home early. The ice cream shop was nearly empty.

Natalie wasn’t a big–shot actress and wasn’t bothered by the possibility of being snapped in her costume. She stood with Rosie at the counter, mulling over the ice cream flavors.

“The chocolate one is real good, or you could mix it up with the chocolate and vanilla swirl. Our chocolate is straight from Belgium – super smooth and creamy,” the server introduced to them enthusiastically.

Natalie weighed her options. If she went all–in on the chocolate, she could kiss dinner goodbye and starve by midnight,

“Make it a swirl for her,” a familiar voice sounded behind the counter.