WALK ME DOWN THE AISLE

* Chapter Fifteen *

To my astonishment, my boss somehow tended to re-read the entire manuscript and began suspecting that I was somehow referring my story to an actual person within its pages.

"Tell me, is it you? Are you the woman in this book, Danni?" Mitch questioned, with curiosity, and I couldn't bring myself to admit the truth. "I have no idea what you're talking about," weaving my web of lies. But Mitch's insistence grew, and a touch of anger colored his tone. "I don't need to repeat myself, Danni. Deep down, you know exactly what I mean."

A surge of guilt washed over me after that, and I decided to come clean. "Yes, it's me," I confessed firmly, unable to maintain my facade any longer.

And now that I had acknowledged my role in the book, Mitch wasted no time bombarding me with questions. "Did all those occasions happen when you were on vacation in Austin? In Hawaii? And you met this famous Hollywood actor? Who is it?"

I averted my gaze, overwhelmed with regret. "It was Scott Clinton," I confessed, my voice tinged with remorse.

Citing Scott Clinton's name triggered an outburst of acrimony and shock from Mitch. His emotions were tangible. No matter what I say or do now, I cannot undo what has already been written and published. The book is about to be sent out, and there's no going back. As I glanced at my boss, disappointment still etched across his face, I couldn't help but draw parallels to the disappointment I had caused David.

But everything changed for us when my book skyrocketed to become a bestselling novel. Suddenly, my boss began speaking to me again, his excitement evident as he reveled in the success brought about by my supposed "stupidity."

"Have you finalized the script for this book?" Mitch questioned, his tone almost pleading, desperately hoping that I had completed the task. But as I faced him, I came to realize something and uttered the sentence I lately knew was rather full and not just a way of excuse. "No," I confidently replied, "I've decided that turning his story into a ridiculous movie isn't what I want. It should stay within the book."

"But you could earn so much more if we turn this book into a film. That was our strategy from the beginning, remember?" Mitch sarcastically countered, clearly not concerned about the integrity of the story or Scott's perception of being the protagonist.

Nonetheless, I agreed to remake my book into a movie, still dubious about it. After all, I felt compelled to do so, as Mitch always hungered to showcase his connections with film producers and bask in the admiration of his friends in the industry. My options were restricted, and I found myself succumbing to his desires despite my reservations.

As I sat in my chair with the glow of my laptop illuminating the room, I focused on the words flowing across the screen. Memories of Scott's voice echoed in my mind, urging me to continue typing. Each keystroke seemed to transport me back to the moments we shared when happiness filled the space between us, untainted by judgment or outside influence. But then, as if the walls of nostalgia came crashing down, reality rushed in. The sting of rejection resurfaced, reminding me of the pain I felt when Scott turned me away, choosing someone else instead.

How could I have been so foolish to believe that I meant something more to him and that my love was enough to make him hang around? In that instant, a wave of clarity washed over me. I finally understood the depth of my stupidity and how blind I had been to my love for him. I had allowed myself to become so consumed by my feelings for Scott, so hopelessly enchanted, that I failed to see the truth. And now, as I reluctantly continued to write the screenplay for my book, I couldn't help but question if I was making yet another foolish mistake.

For so long, I had kept my feelings for Scott hidden, buried beneath layers of denial and pretense. But no matter how hard I tried to move on from it, he still lingered in my thoughts like a haunting melody, his presence magnified through the lens of his carefully curated social media posts. Every glimpse of his charismatic facade carried me back to those moments when I reveled in the simple joy of seeing him in front of me, an oasis of happiness in the darkest of nights.