Book one | Alexa Harvey, a celebrated actress known for her fierce independence and uncompromising nature, has always steered clear of the sports world. But when her latest film role requires her to shadow Jude Bellingham, a rising football star wit...
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Alexa sat in the cramped office, the air thick with tension as she faced the producers. She had just finished explaining everything that had happened with Diego—how he had crossed the line, how uncomfortable she felt, and how she couldn't work with him anymore.
But instead of the support she had hoped for, she was met with blank stares and hesitant murmurs.
One of the producers, a middle-aged man with thinning hair, finally broke the silence. "Alexa, we understand your concerns, and we're sorry that you've had to go through this, but you have to understand... Diego is a crucial part of this film. He's one of the main draws for the audience."
"We're too far into production to make any major changes," another producer chimed in, her tone sympathetic but firm. "Replacing him would set us back months, and frankly, the studio isn't going to allow it. We can't afford that kind of delay."
Alexa's hands balled into fists in her lap, her anger bubbling just beneath the surface. "So, what? You're just going to sweep this under the rug? Pretend it didn't happen?"
The producers exchanged uneasy glances, clearly uncomfortable with the confrontation. "We're not saying that," the first producer said cautiously. "But we need to find a way to move forward. We can talk to Diego, make sure he knows that his behavior is unacceptable, but we can't pull him from the project. It's just not feasible."
Alexa's jaw tightened, her teeth grinding together as she fought to keep her composure. She felt utterly betrayed, like the ground had been pulled out from under her. She had expected them to stand by her, to protect her, but instead, they were more concerned about the bottom line than her safety or well-being.
"Is that all?" she asked coldly, her voice sharp enough to cut through the tension.
The producers looked at each other again, clearly uncomfortable with her tone. "We'll do everything we can to make sure you feel safe on set," the second producer offered weakly. "We can arrange for you to have someone with you at all times, if that would help."
Alexa shook her head, her disappointment turning into something darker, more resolute. "Don't bother," she said, standing up abruptly. "If you won't do anything to protect me, then I'll protect myself."
She didn't wait for their response. With her heart pounding and her hands shaking, Alexa stormed out of the office, her mind racing. She couldn't believe they were willing to let this slide, that they were putting Diego's career above her own safety.
But she refused to let it break her. She had come too far, fought too hard, to let this take her down.
As she walked out of the building, the evening air hit her like a shock, the coolness seeping into her bones. She needed to get away, to clear her head, and there was only one place she wanted to go.
Jude's.
She drove to his house in silence, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles turned white. When she finally arrived, she sat in the car for a few moments, taking deep breaths to calm herself. She didn't want to unload all of this on Jude, not now. They had been through so much together, and she didn't want to add to his stress. Not when he had a big match coming up.
