His Debt

23rd Debt

Bad Timing

        “YOU HAVE TO read this,” Nelly said, handing her the newspaper.

        Devon looked up and stared at her quizzically. She wasn’t fond of reading the tabloids, knowing that majority of the contents were full of lies. Nelly knew that Devon wasn’t the type of person who’s interested with the latest events and happenings around her—she just didn’t care enough, especially when the matter didn’t involve her. “What’s this about?” she asked.

        “Just read it,” her manager instructed.

        Devon grimaced in refusal and put the cup of coffee on the table, but Nelly gave her a firm stare, stubbornly insisting that she must read it.

        Hesitantly, she accepted the newspaper and flipped through the pages lazily. Nelly furrowed her brows and told her to turn it into the 7th page. It was the entertainment section; the page was filled with juicy gossips of celebrities from the showbiz world. 

        She skimmed through the articles intently, and her eyes finally caught the sight of her name and Chase’s name; an article about the two of them consumed half of the page. “Oh, shit,” Devon cursed as she analyzed the article she read in the newspaper.

        The title printed ‘Chase Millinsky’s New Sweetheart?’ The lead stated that the two of them had been secretly seeing each other for a month now, and that they’ll star in a movie together. On the content, the so-called ‘author’ claimed that, according to his source, the two of them were spotted kissing each other a few times. On the right side of the article, there were pictures of the two of them kissing—the ones taken from the sensuality workshop.

        She gritted her teeth furiously and crumpled the newspaper in vehemence. “Who the hell is this ‘source’?” she asked irately.

        “I don’t know,” Nelly replied.

        “We need to find that source,” Devon said, her tone encapsulated with rage. “And whoever he is, I’ll make sure to wring his fucking neck and strangle him so hard that he’ll find it hard to breathe.” Threat laced her tone; most of her threats were meant to come true, because Devon was the type of person who’d stick to her words.

        “Don’t do anything impulsive, Devon,” Nelly told her.  “I think this is a publicity stunt for the promotion of your movie,” she theorized.

        “Whatever this stunt is for, just so you know,” she started, “it. Is. Ruining. My. Life.” She gnashed her teeth and clenched her fists.

        Right now, she wanted to punch someone.

        Nathaniel was the type of person who’d read the newspaper every morning. She surmised that he probably knows already about that article, although a part of her wished that he didn’t flip the entertainment section of the newspaper. Their relationship was already rocky, and if ever he knew about her and Chase, it’ll surely fuel the complication.

        She paced back and forth, massaging her forehead. “What should I do now, Nelly?” she asked, her eyes marked with distress at the situation. She wasn’t asking Nelly as a manager, but rather, as a friend.

        “I’ll contact the publisher,” Nelly advised. “And we’re going to have to do a bit of harmless bribery.”

       

• • •

       

        NATHANIEL CRUMPLED the newspaper and hurled it on the wall. His brows constricted incredulous at what he had read; it was an article about Devon and that guy whom he’d seen with her the last time. He hardly read the entertainment section, but because of Devon, he was compelled on doing so.