Falling for the Chase

Episode 2: Beauty & Brains

This chapter is dedicated to avalynwoods for being the biggest shipper of Valentina & Chase since TAH. Thank you, sweetie.

Episode 2: Beauty & Brains

Valentina told herself that she would hold back but she just couldn't resist it anymore with the way he was looking at her.

His eyes were laced with malice and unhidden pleasure at her embarrassment.

Ray Parker stood between her and the co-star as the woman took a threatening step towards him.

"Don't."

"What the hell do you mean?" She blew up before pointing an accusing finger towards the egotistical prick. "Don't you see that he's doing it on purpose? How hard is it for him to push me in the right direction? He's doing this to get as many takes as he can in order to not only embarrass but hurt me!"

"You need to calm down, Valentina." Her manager warned with an unshaken disposition.

Then his true nature came out when he continued on.

"Maybe if you hadn't turned him down so harshly after he invited you out to dinner then he wouldn't be looking for revenge."

"So it's my fault?" She asked with a challenge but he wasn't a fool enough to take it up.

"Nothing ever is my dear." He replied passive aggressively before wiping at her bruised elbows with a wet cloth.

Her eyes screwed shut in pain as it touched the area. She had been pushed down so many times during the scene that immature co-star and her were to shoot that the woman had lost count. He was playing her boyfriend who found out that she had cheated on him after many years of being together. It wasn't her most likeable role but it made money and that was all that mattered.

It has been almost three years since the actress has been a part of Golden Entertainment and she had been counting the seconds since then.

When she had learnt on the night of the masquerade party that it was going to be difficult to cut ties with them it was like being struck by lightning.

It would have been a lie if she said that she hadn't gone directly to the drawer holding her important documents that night and searched for the contract. A part of her was still hoping that what her manager had told her about the overlooked clause had been a lie but it was there - comparatively smaller than the rest of the words on the page - but it was still there.

Valentina remembered the feeling of betrayal she felt but also disappointment in herself for being so stupid.

Now that time has passed and she had groveled along with such low quality management, the woman had survived long enough to build herself in the industry, taking on whatever projects were available. Though it had been hard and she spent many nights crying herself to sleep, her name was now known by a handful of professionals which was more than many had expected in this short span of time.

Yes, she wasn't crazily famous but it was to the degree of having her nail enough roles to save money to get herself out of Golden Entertainment's palms.

It only needed approximately another year's worth of work in order for her to fully get her freedom.

Before then she had to bite her tongue and endure against all odds but that didn't mean bastards like Bradley Baker were going to take advantage of her.

Taking a deep breath, Valentina's head snapped to the side upon hearing the production team call for another take.

"Let's make this a successful one, okay Bradley?" The director demanded from her co-star, sounding just as fed up as the actress was on the inside.