Beautiful People | wlw

Thirty-five: Backstage

"Lily is backstage right now doing makeup for the models?" Vera's jaw would have dropped if it wasn't already on the floor. "The audacity. Why? And who the fuck let her in after what she did?"

"Maybe she thought no one would notice her." Jay shifted the straw in his drink with delicate fingers, the last fringes of smoke eddying.

"I mean, she'd be right. She's basically invisible half the time."

Jay snorted. "Cove only mentioned it because they wanted to know if my situation with her was over. I kind of vented a bit the last time we talked. Probably why we never got past talking, to be honest."

Vera tugged at one earring as her mind sifted through all the ways she'd imagined tricking Lily into confessing that she had leaked the photos. The catfish plan would be difficult to execute in person. Maybe that was for the best. Exposing her would just be petty revenge unless there were actual consequences.

With a frown, she glanced back at the auction items. That big nude painting from Carmen's collection had twinged her memory. Something about the first day she had arrived in Hollywood and felt so out of place in the actor's luxurious home.

"Jay," Vera said, slowly. "When I started with Carmen I had to sign this horrific non-disclosure agreement. I swear that thing weighed more than me."

"Why are you giving me traumatic flashbacks about Carmen's NDA?"

"Did Lily sign it, too?"

His eyes widened. "Oh, shit."

"Leaking those photos would be a problem for someone who signed that agreement, right? Maybe we can't do anything about her, but if Carmen wanted to sue someone for violating an NDA..."

By the time she trailed off, Jay was nodding vigorously. "We need to get backstage."

Around them, the crowd pressed towards the seats surrounding the catwalk. The VIPs had already settled in the front row. Moments later, half-hearted applause broke out as the host stepped up on stage under rising spotlights. She was a comedian well known for including at least one period joke in every set, and Vera wondered how they'd managed to book her on such short notice.

"Who's ready to have a bloody good time?" the host joked, to a chorus of groans.

At the reminder that this event was, in fact, a fundraiser, uncertainty crept in. Vera's scheming had caused trouble before. It seemed wrong to let Lily work uncontested at an event organized by the two people whose private business she had put on blast to the world, but if Vera got kicked out of a charity fashion show for snooping around backstage, she might never live it down.

After an introduction absolutely dripping with menstrual puns, the comedian wrapped up with a flourish. Then Carmen sashayed onto the stage to wildly enthusiastic applause, followed a moment later by Marina.

They were obviously capitalizing on the infamy of the Venice photo leak and the fan investment in their months-long feud to benefit the charity. The headlines wouldn't hurt Carmen's Oscar campaign, either. Just like all their public appearances, there was an element of performance in being here together, even if they looked genuine as they waved to the crowd. But Vera couldn't help feeling like she was seeing something real in the joy on their faces when they looked at each other. Maybe being outed hadn't damaged their relationship, despite all their public denials.

Wait- she squinted. If she wasn't mistaken, they were both wearing designers she had recommended to them, Marina with bows all down her arms and Carmen in a geometric-print playsuit and thigh-high boots. Her heart buoyed like someone had tied a helium balloon to it.