Rise of the Billionaire actress

In a detached house, far from the city, Deloise spent her time reading, strolling the little town, and thinking of her next port of action.

She remembered that day. How she called Doris with snot running down her face, and her life scattered beyond repair. She was sent here to get herself together.

The first few days were spent crying and wallowing in everything that had befallen her. While the following days were spent thinking of the multiple ways her life could have been if she did things differently.

As time progressed, she became empty. Nothing seemed to matter anymore and she couldn’t tell if it was a good or bad thing.

Regardless, she went about her life, doing mundane things and hoping to find the will to live again. With her progress, she doubted she was anywhere near ready.

Doris called with news on her visit and she didn’t know what to expect. Other than the regular check-ins, they hadn’t seen each other since that awful night. It was their first time meeting after shit went down with her mother.

Deloise mentally prepared to see her, Doris’ coming was a tell-tale that she needed to get her shit together, and return to work. That is, if she still had one.

Three knocks signaled Doris’ arrival.

“Hey.” Deloise greeted with what she hoped to be a decent smile. “Come on in.”

Doris walked in with a smile, her eyes took in her form and Deloise held her breath. “You look decent, thank God.” Doris remarked and took her in a hug. “I was so worried you’ll be miserable- I mean- you are. No offense, but it’s better than I ever imagined.”

The smile that bloomed on her face couldn’t be hidden, “I’m glad I don’t look as bad as you imagined, Doris.”

“Don’t say it like that- you make me sound bad.” she remarked and headed straight to the kitchen, “I hope the house is to your taste.” She took a glass of water and Deloise was reminded the property was hers.

“Awesome, it’s so relaxing. I feel like I’m on a vacation.”

“Great to hear that you are doing good,” she sat down, “Tell me, how do you feel?”

Of course she saw that coming. Suddenly she didn’t feel as confident in her answer, “I’m alive. That should count for something.”

Doris spoke with narrowed eyes, “Have you seen the news?”

“No. I don’t feel like knowing what terrible things they are saying about me, thank you very much.”

“How long has it been since you saw the news? Oh God, I’m guessing you aren’t updated on the latest events.”

That caught her attention. “What latest events?”

“Don’t look so interested, it isn’t anything exciting.” she sighed, “The good news is, at least it isn’t about you. Not directly.”

“Okay, can we get to the point where you actually say something about it?”

“It’s about Aaron.”

Deloise suddenly lost words. “That’s interesting..”

“Interesting is right.” Doris said and pulled up her phone, “He has been on the news for the past few weeks. Apparently, someone deemed it interesting to tell the world he is an illegitimate son of his father.”

She recoiled, “That’s not good… how is he doing?” she dared to ask, debating reaching out to him later.

“Pity, that’s not all.” She handed over her phone to Deloise. “Apparently, he also gets down on Stella.”

Deloise couldn’t hide the displeasure that clouded her face on the picture of Stella and Aaron, coddled up in bed, scantily clothed. “Where did you get this?”

“On the internet, amongst the many others. I guess there was some truth with the rumors, they definitely have something going on.”

Her eyes didn’t leave the picture, she suddenly felt like a fool. “As far as I know, we were supposed to be in a relationship when this picture was taken.” She said, recognizing the band on Stella’s hair.

It was from that night. She finally found the reason he didn’t follow her, he didn’t care because his hands were full. They were probably intimate while she stayed up all night wondering if she had overreacted to the kiss.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means we were supposed to be a couple, an exclusive couple.” She gritted and Doris’ jaw dropped.

“I thought it was a stunt?” She retracted, “You told me it was a stunt.”

“It was, and then, it wasn’t. Long story short, he might have cheated on me, and that’s okay. I didn’t think we’d work out anyway.”

“You know, at first, I sympathized with him. But now, I think it serves him right if he cheated on you.” Doris shook her head, “I’ve long learned that things are not always as it seems, There are always other factors that play behind a single picture. Believe it or not, sometimes, a picture isn’t all there is.”

“Like I said, don’t care. Whatever we had was doomed from the start.”

Doris shrugged, “That aside, News making waves is that he got into a relationship with Ellen Parker.”

“Who?”

“Aaron. I’m a bit skeptical on its authenticity, I mean, there’s got to be some hiccups somewhere.”

“There’s no hiccup.” Deloise said, “It’s clear he isn’t a one woman man. And that’s fine. Can we please not talk about him?”

“I’m sorry.”

“No problem,” Deloise sat up, “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Doris nods, “It’s about my scandal. Do you perhaps have an idea who-”

“Did the dirty work? Yeah. It’s that bitch Stella Davis. How she got the information, I don’t know, but it’s her, I see a hand of the Preston’s in it too.”

Deloise leaned back, unsurprised at the information. If there was one person that hated her guts, it was Stella. At least someone is living up to expectations. She rolled her eyes at the thought of Aaron’s double standard life.

“How are things with your mom?” Her breath caught at the mention of her mother. Of course she was going to ask. “How did things go down? I know it didn’t end prettily but-”

“I didn’t give you the details.” She interrupted, “Turns out they weren’t far from the truth. Daniel is my father, it was hard to retain my disbelief when I met him on my mother’s bed.”

Her jaw fell to the ground. “I’m sorry you had to find out like that.”

“Don’t be. It wasn’t your fault.”

“It wasn’t yours either. You didn’t say anything about your mom, did she take it well? You being an actress, I mean.”

Deloise laughed, “You don’t know her. She’d rather disown me than accept me as an actress.” she huffed, “It’s such a funny situation seeing she’s fucking the greatest of them all. I’m done with her lies and manipulation. We’re better off this way.”

“How about Daniel? He’s still your father, are you just going to cut him off?” Doris struck a nerve.

“I don’t even want to think about that. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he is my father. Daniel Greenwood, the man I’ve looked up to for a major part of my life actually has the same blood flowing through my veins.”

Doris smiled, “Well, that’s a great way to look at it. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. You were made to be an actress.”

“I used to be so sure of that.” She muttered, “Right now, I don’t even know who I am.”

“It might not seem like it, but you will get through this.” She handed over a phone to her, “Daniel has been calling.”

Deloise perked at that,

“He’s been trying to get a hold of you. He says wants to talk.” Doris smiled. “I’ve put in his number, alongside others. Call him whenever you feel like, and don’t be pressured.”

She took the phone, at a loss for words.

“I’m handling everything with work so you can take your time. Find yourself again.” she held her hand, “Take your time, but not too long. I’ll be a call away.”

Doris left and she returned to solitude. With the information and power in her hands, she decided to bite the bullet and put a call across to Daniel before she chickened out of it.

It was long overdue anyway.

“Hello?”

“Who’s this?” Daniel said in an impatient tone.

Deloise was tempted to drop the call but she answered, “Deloise…”

“Deloise?” his tone turned soft. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Thank you for calling me.”

“I just wanted to ask one thing. One simple question.”

“Loise..”

“It’s Deloise to you. Are you going to answer me or is this a mistake?”

“Go on.”

She breathed, “Why did you find her and not me?”

“What?”

“Why did you seek out my mother and not me? Did you even care-”

“I swear it’s not what you think. I didn’t – I didn’t even know I had a child. S-She didn’t tell me…”

Deloise let out a wry laugh, “She’s really the epitome of evil, isn’t she?”

“No she’s not. She had every reason to believe I was a man unworthy of knowing you. J-just, Just don’t take it out on her. She loves you too much and everything is my fault.”

“You realize you are defending a woman that lied to your face and hid your child..”

“I failed her, I failed you both.”

“Goodbye.”

“Please! Please don’t punish her for my sins. Don’t punish yourself either.”

Deloise ended the call feeling worse than she did.