Bed of Nails

Chapter 42

But I knew I was fighting a losing battle.

I switched off my alarm, which has been constantly ringing. It was already morning. I lifted my hand and stretched. I wanted to let go of all my pent-up anger for today. Today was a big day, and I will not let anything come in between them. Not even a mess of my life. I took a hot shower, and it relaxed my sore muscles. It made me feel good. It was giving me new energy to face the world. As usual, I got ready and left for my office. I decided to have only coffee because I wanted to be in the office soon. I had no time. It was going to be a long, busy day. I was so excited for today. I saw all the preparations going on. My interns were careful when putting dress racks in the car. 

"Excited guys," I asked the girls, and they showed the same excitement as me. I walked inside my office, and everyone was busy. 

"Big day, guys, so make sure to be extra careful." I clapped my hands to get their attention. 

"We need to be at the venue soon," Evylen said while collecting all the bags of accessories we were going to use today. I helped her. 

"Did you have your breakfast?'' Aria asked me while looking at me with a raised brow. I smiled at her sheepishly. She moved her head. 

"I knew it. like always, you would be so excited, forgetting everything," she said with a look of displeasure on her face. 

"I don't know when you started taking care of your eating habit." Evylen had the same look on her face. Both of them know me well. 

"Here, I ordered some sandwiches for the team," Aria said, handing me two sandwiches. I took it with a thankful smile on my lips. 

"It tastes so good," I said in between my bites. I gobbled them down in a couple of minutes. We soon left for the place where the show was going to take place. We had to check all the rooms that were assigned to us. Models, we've already given the address, so they have to report on time. The place was hustling with all the fashion lines who were going to be on stage. Makeup artists arrived soon, and they started to do make-up. Noah's line was first, so make-up artists started with their makeup. 

"Guys, tell us if you need extra fittings or cover-ups. I don't want any malfunctions on the stage," I said, taking extra caution. Some models go on strict diets in order to look extra skinny and end up losing inches in the last few days. We have to cover them with last-minute fitting. Dress malfunctions are not new things, so we have to be extra careful. It brings up the model who walks confidently even with malfunctioning clothes, but it puts the brand's name and reputation down. 

"Grace, please try calling Erick. His secretary is not picking up the call." Aria came running to me with a distressed look on her face. My face became sour when she said that. 

"I will kill him if he tries to mess with me today," I muttered under my breath before pulling my cell phone from my back pocket. I had to first unblock his number before calling him.

The phone kept ringing, and he didn't pick it up. What is this man doing? Why is he getting on my nerves? I called him again. He picked it up after two rings. 

"If you had a memory loss, then let me remind you that today is the day we have the show," I said with a clenched jaw, trying my best to swallow my anger. I threatened him, but instead of him, I heard the female voice. 

"Hello," a woman answered his phone. At first, I thought it was the wrong number, and I was about to cut it, but what she said next made me stop. 

"Wait a minute, I will call Erick," she said in her soft voice, and my body went stiff. 

"Erick, your cell phone has been ringing constantly, so I picked it up. It looks like your boss is on the phone. Come out of your room and take it before she fires you. It seems urgent," she yelled in a muffled voice. I think she was covering the speaker with her hand. She is at his house. My heart started to beat fast with so many troubled thoughts flooding my head. Here I'm going crazy, and there he is having fun with women in his house. I started to feel a bitter taste in my mouth. 

"Just a minute. He will be here," she said apologetically, and then I heard some rumbles before I heard his stiff voice from the other side. I swallowed the lump and opened my mouth to threaten him, but nothing came out of my mouth. My breath became shallow, and my mind went blank. I cut the call. He was with some women. Yesterday he was kissing me like a mad possessive man, and the next day he was with some women in his house. 

"What happened? Did he answer the call?" Aria asked while looking at me with hopeful eyes. 

"I-I." Nothing came out of my mouth. I couldn't form a sentence. My heart was gripped with a painful grip, and I found it hard to breathe. Aria raised her eyebrow as if asking me what he said. I could see worry in her eyes. 

"I was able to contact his secretary." Alice came running with her cell phone in her hand. 

"What did he say? Is he going to make it?" She asked with a distressed look on her face. 

"He was stuck in an important meeting. He will be here soon," she said with a huge smile on her face. 

"Thank God." She sends thank-you prayers to God, and she doesn't even believe in him. I pulled myself together. It was no time for me to think about the mess of my life. I had more important things to deal with. I took a deep breath. 

"Chop chop, guys. We don't have much time left. Get in line. The show is about to begin," I said, getting ready for the first line of the show. Erick came after half an hour. My team immediately started to work on him. 

"Grace, you need to go on stage too. Are you planning on going with plain jeans and a top?" Aria scolded me. She had my dress in her hands. 

"I will be ready in five minutes. Don't worry," I assured her, and I kept fixing Noah's collar. Like I said, it took me only five minutes to get ready. I wore my signature black-less dress and kept the makeup minimal. 

"You look smoking hot in red," Evylen whistled, making me smile at her. He walked out of his changing room at the same time. He was done with his makeup, too. As soon as his eyes fell on me, he stopped in his tracks. My breath hitched looking at him. He looked so good in our designs. 

"Guys, get ready!" Evelyn shouted, and it made me look away. I kept avoiding him the entire time. Ignoring his burning eyes whenever I help Noah with his dress or makeup.

"Best of luck," I said to Noah when it was time. He kisses my cheek before getting in line. I didn't know he was going to kiss my cheek but I still slimed at him. I felt draggers on my back when he did that. Noah did a great job on the ramp. Now it was his turn. He was the showstopper, so he was supposed to go in the end. He stood beside me. 

"You let him touch you again. I think you have taken my warning lightly?" he said in a dangerously low voice. 

Next time I see him touching you, I will fuck you hard in front of him and make him see how pretty I make you scream.

Those words rang in my ear, making me shiver in the hot backstage air. I swallowed hard and took a deep breath before looking at him. 

"Mind your fucking business," I said, looking straight into his eyes. His jaw clenched when I said that. There is no one to tell me what to do. My heart stopped beating for a second. He made me more nervous than I already was. 

"I will fucking show you my business once this show ends," he once again said in his dangerously low voice, looking straight into my eyes. His cold blue eyes moved all over my length. They lingered on my bust more than needed. He clenched and unclenched his jaw as if trying to control himself. He looked into my eyes challengingly. My heart was gripped in fear of what was coming next for me.

"Be ready to scream pretty."

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