Winning My Ex-Crush

Fenella’s POV

“I don’t want to give up,” I said on the sofa.

“Yes, I know,” Jessy whispered softly.

Although I said that I wouldn’t give up and that I would fight to avoid the project, my current body posture was not convincing at all, not even to a child. I sat on the sofa with both knees bent to my chest. My hands caressed my toes, while my chin rested on my knees.

Honestly, I wish I had the strength to turn back time. Everything that happened in my life was misfortune that I wished I could avoid. In reality, regrets came too late. I had already put my signature on those damned contracts.

Jessy himself sat beside me. He massaged his forehead and admitted to having a severe migraine despite taking a painkiller. Everything worsened because now Mike asked for a break from their relationship.

“I still don’t understand what he means by taking a break from the relationship. What do you think it means?” I asked Jessy with a furrowed brow.

“Oof, I wish I knew. Maybe he wants to keep his distance from me for a while.” Jessy shrugged and shook his head.

“You’re keeping your distance, but your statuses are still exclusive.” I turned to Jessy with a stern look this time.

“Yes, maybe. I really don’t understand either.”

We fell silent again and pondered on our own. Guilt immediately consumed me until my chest felt tighter. I only knew that this was all Alan’s doing.

Maybe this is his way of pressuring me and Jessy-good Lord, Mike even lived with Alan, so he probably listens to him. Plus, with the threat that Alan will fire Jessy if our project fails,.

“I tell you, you should be firm with Alan. Just cancel the contract and return the car and money,” Laird walked in from the balcony after putting out his cigarette.

“As for the money, I’ve spent about 30% of it to buy new clothes and other things.” I bit my lower lip and realized I wouldn’t have enough money to pay the fine.

“You can borrow some money from me first.” Laird shrugged.

“Oh, no. You need money to build Rackers Bite. I don’t want to mess up your collaboration project with the big developers,” I shook my head. I knew how hard he saved to fund his company.

“Rackers Bite won’t go bankrupt just because I lend you 50, 000 USD.”

“No, Laird. I don’t want to burden you, Dave, or Rowan. You’re already strict enough with your expenses.”

“I can borrow from my dad.”

“No! That’s even worse!” I firmly rejected it. Laird’s relationship with his father was already bad enough, plus, with what happened with Rebecca, begging for help would only add fuel to the fire!

We fell silent again, lost in our own thoughts. Laird had read through the contract between Gene, me, and Mallory’s condom brand several times. There was only a chasm in front of me and a pack of hyenas behind me. There was no escape route, and any move, other than completing the contract, would harm me.

I gazed at Laird, sitting on the floor, leaning against the balcony door. His eyes narrowed, looking at the clock on the table, and his hands fiddled with a cigarette box. I turned to see Jessy beside me. His condition was even worse, with migraines and anxiety gnawing at him, causing him to bite the edge of the sofa cushion like a madman.

“What are we really afraid of?” My question suddenly echoed in the room. My sharp voice immediately snapped the two men out of their reverie.

“I mean, it’s just an ad, nothing more. No matter what the product is, I’m just a model showcasing the item and following the script.”

“How can you say that? The ad concept is extremely vulgar. Do you want me to see you acting out a scene of you having sexual intercourse with Alan in front of the whole world?” Laird growled.

“It’s all just acting, and I don’t actually have real sexual relations with Alan.”

“You said earlier that you wouldn’t give up. So, what’s this?”

“There’s no other way! Do it once, finish it all, and then move on. I can come out fine in February. My reputation remains intact, Jessy doesn’t get fired, and you don’t have to see the ad.” I spoke quickly.

“Do you think Alan will let you go that easily? You’re too naive, Fenella. I’m sure he has planned many things even before you realized that you fell into his trap.” He hissed as a warning.

“Who knows what he has planned if you really work on this project with him? After this, what’s next? He may have devised another plan for you to have actual sexual intercourse with him.” He snorted and once again hit the cigarette box against his palm.

“Yes, Fenella. This is not worth defending.” Jessy nodded repeatedly while wiping the corners of his watery eyes.

“Can’t you think of something to avoid all the plans he has laid out? Come on, Laird, you’re smarter than me.” I pleaded desperately with him.

The man fell silent again and continued to play with his cigarette box. I sighed deeply and reclined back on the sofa. What Laird said had some truth to it. After interacting with Alan several times and tracing all the events up to now, I felt Alan had indeed planned everything meticulously.

Somehow, he knew that Jessy and I would not read the contract in detail. He knew I would be torn between the temptation of maintaining a good reputation and continuing my career in the fashion world or sacrificing everything to preserve my relationship with Laird. He also knew that, no matter what, I wouldn’t be able to fight him.

Moreover, I still couldn’t sacrifice or neglect Jessy! He was my friend and my agent, and his mother was undergoing cancer treatment in the hospital. I couldn’t let Jessy be fired without a decent income. How could Alan know that Jessy has also become my strongest weapon now?

“Alright, if you want to finish the project, I won’t resist and won’t watch it as you said. I’ll just suck it up, as they say.” Laird’s voice broke the calm in the tense and gloomy room.

“Are you sure?” I asked, and my forehead wrinkled.

“Weren’t you the one who requested it? Just do it once, finish it, and then move on. Jessy won’t be fired, and you won’t have to pay any fines.” He nodded his head.

“But?” I knew Laird wasn’t done.

“Do you know why Alan is so good at planning and reading your movements? I think it’s because he has been secretly investigating you. He knows your personalities and habits well.”

“Are you saying he’s been stalking us? How can that be?” Jessy’s mouth hung open at his analysis.

“I don’t know about that yet. At least now, I’m sure he’s applying ancient warfare philosophy. Know your terrain to win the war.” He stood up, his eyes now shining brightly.

“All this time, we’ve been slapped around by him. He knows everything about us, but we know nothing about him. We don’t even know if he really has a family relationship with Amy, right?” He asked me.

“I’ve tried asking him, but he dodged the question.” I puffed out my cheeks and sighed irritably.

“Of course, he won’t admit it so easily.” He snorted.

“We will investigate him, his family, how he runs his business, his circle of friends, and everything about him. After we gather that information, then we will strike back.”

He walked to the middle of the room, his hand cutting through the air as if he were giving a persuasive speech to convince me and Jessy. He was selling his idea, and I was intrigued.

“How will we strike back?” I asked.

“We can find any information to use against him so that he won’t act up again.”

“Are you saying we’ll blackmail him?” Jessy took a deep breath.

“But he also holds my secret about the unauthorized driving incident from yesterday. What if he threatens to report it, and I get jailed because of it?” I asked as I clenched my fists into the sofa cushion.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“If he admits that in front of Prosecutor Golden, then he will be dragged to jail for the longest time compared to all of us as the mastermind. The coward he is, he won’t dare to do that.” Laird shook his head firmly.

“So, what should we do?” I swallowed nervously.