"Of course. The second you leave me, all you can afford is a plane ticket. Can't even buy yourself a decent change of clothes."
"Vivienne, don't say I never gave you a chance. That director's next film? I've already been offered the male lead."
He tossed a slinky evening gown into my arms.
"Put this on. Keep him happy tonight. Get Bianca the female lead. Do that, and I'll marry you tomorrow. We'll get the certificate first thing."
The meaning hit me all at once. My eyes went wide.
"Anthony, don't flatter yourself. Who wants to marry you? If you're so desperate to help her, go sell yourself. Why should I be Bianca Whitmore's stepping stone? She's not worth the dirt under my shoes."
His face went cold.
"Today is the second anniversary of the day Bianca and I met. I promised her I'd help her land that role so we could stand side by side in this industry."
"And after last night, faking your own kidnapping to smear her name, you owe her. Consider this your compensation."
He held up his phone, waving it lazily in front of me, a smile playing on his lips that carried no warmth at all.
"Vivienne, your grandfather back home has a heart condition, doesn't he?"
"If you don't cooperate, I'll leak your intimate photos across every platform on the internet. How do you think the old man will take it when he sees them? Think his heart can handle it?"
"And even if it doesn't kill him, you can't exactly afford his medical bills, can you?"
My fists clenched so tight my nails bit into my palms.
My parents died when I was young. My grandfather was the only family I had left.
He was getting older. His heart really was fragile. We'd been careful with him for years.
The slightest shock, the smallest provocation, could be the end.
And Anthony was shameless enough to use that against me.
I closed my eyes. My teeth ground together before the words came out.
"Fine. I'll do it."