Fame & Passion

Chapter 7: Blameworthy

February 25th

Valentina woke up before anyone else at home, but not by choice, it was 7 A.M and Sylvia, her manager, was blowing up her phone with calls.

She didn't have time to even say hello when she picked up the phone, "Valentina Isabella Monroe, can you explain to me why the fuck there's pictures of you walking around London half naked at 2 A.M all over the internet? Have you changed careers to become a hooker and forgot to tell me?!"

Oh god.

"Are you not going to answer? What the fuck, Valentina? What were you thinking?"

"I- I don't know, I just-"

"You weren't thinking! That's why, i'm flying to London to meet with you urgently, you better have an explanation by 11 A.M." She said before hanging the phone.

Valentina had fucked up, she couldn't believe she had done something some done just for the heat of the moment, she was a smart girl. She knew Sylvia was more than just pissed at her, she's never heard that woman talk to her like that, in that tone.

The evening passed and no matter how little sleep she got, she couldn't close her eyes again. Valentína spent an hor just laying in her bed, thinking about nothing and everything at the same time.

Eventually she decided that laying like a starfish all day until the time of the meeting wouldn't make anything better, so she decided to get up and go to the kitchain.

It was 8 AM, so her family was already up, they all greeted her, but kt was awkwar, she kne they knew.

Valentina made herself a plain black coffee, she felt that if she put anything else into her body she would throw up. She sat at the table, sipping into her coffee, everyone was silent.

She sat at the kitchen table, her mind a whirlwind of anxiety and regret. She took slow sips of her black coffee, hoping it would somehow provide the clarity she desperately needed. Her family greeted her with a mix of concern and awkwardness, knowing that something was amiss.

"Good morning, Val." her mother, Elena, said, her voice gentle but laced with worry.

Valentina managed a weak smile in response but didn't trust herself to speak. She didn't want to reveal the mess she had made.

Her younger brother, couldn't contain his curiosity. "Have you seen those pictures of you on Instagram? You're cover for all of the gossip magazine "

Valentina's heart sank at the mention of the dreaded photos. She hadn't dared to look at them, dreading the sight of her own reckless actions. She shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "I honestly don't want to see them, Sylvia called me furious this morning, she's flying to London."

"Valentina, baby, what happened last night? How did it escalate to this? You are a smart woman, you are starting a new path on your career, you can not be doing things like this!" Her mother sounded harsh, but she was worried about her daughter, she just wanted the best for her.

"Mom, please save it, I don't want to hear it. I'm aware of what I did, I really don't want to talk about it."

Her family exchanged knowing glances but respected her wishes. They knew Valentina well enough to understand that this was a sensitive subject. The weight of her recent actions hung in the air, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere in the kitchen.

As Valentina continued to sip her coffee in silence, her mind raced with thoughts of Sylvia's impending arrival and the difficult conversation that awaited her. She knew she had to find a way to explain her actions, but the shame and regret still loomed heavy in her heart.

At exactly 11 o'clock, Sylvia rang the bell at the Monroe residence. Elena welcomed her and quickly guided her to the office, where Valentina was waiting, her expression a mix of anxiety and guilt.

Sylvia wasted no time and got straight to the point. "Valentina, we need to talk about what happened last night," she began, her tone stern and unyielding. "I received a call from Tree Paine, and let me tell you, she was furious. She demanded that we have a conversation about this situation because it's affecting both of your names."

Valentina's gaze fell, and she nodded. She knew she had brought this upon herself and now had to face the consequences.

But Sylvia wasn't finished. "Now, can you explain to me why you didn't mention anything about that bitch making you sign an NDA? You should have consulted me."

Valentina hesitated for a moment, then sighed deeply. "I- I thought I couldn't tell anyone! It's called "Non disclosure" for a reason."

Sylvia leaned back in her chair, studying Valentina intently. "Valentina, you've worked hard to build your career, of course the people around you helped, but you've done all the hard work.
And we both know you were the first one who wanted to hide your sexual preference from the public since the day you started, so I really don't understand why you keep giving them all these reasons to speculate? You've never done anything like this."

Valentina met Sylvia's gaze, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions, she couldn't find an answer.

Sylvia continued, her voice firm. "You know I've never told you what to do with your personal life, but I need you to understand something very important right now; Taylor Swift might be a superstar, but she's not the right person to have around you at this moment. The way this incident reflects on you, especially after hiding your orientation for so long, is a major blow. We need to focus on damage control, and having Taylor Swift in the picture won't help. You need to think about your reputation and your career."

Valentina absorbed Sylvia's words, her mind a tornado of conflicting thoughts and emotions. She knew that her manager was right, but it didn't make the situation any less painful. She had to face the consequences of her actions, and it meant distancing herself from the enigmatic Taylor Swift, whose allure had led her into this mess in the first place.

As Sylvia continued to offer guidance and advice, Valentina realized that she needed to make some difficult decisions about her future, both personally and professionally. The path ahead was uncertain, but she was determined to navigate it with strength and resilience, no matter the challenges that lay ahead.

The rest of her stay in London wasn't as pleasant, the three days passed shortly, she didn't try to get out of her house, she didn't have energy for that, and now she started to feel that there would be a paparazzi everywhere she went.