Mission Impossible: Royal Deception

Chapter 9

Tom sat in his trailer on the set of his latest film, the vibrant Los Angeles sunshine streaming through the windows, casting warm rays across the room. He ran a hand through his tousled hair, staring at the stack of scripts scattered across his desk. Although he was in the middle of a busy filming schedule, his mind kept drifting to Jeanna.

Just as he picked up his phone to check for updates, the familiar sound of gossip from the nearby crew caught his attention. A few crew members were huddled together, whispering excitedly, their expressions animated. Tom leaned closer, trying to catch snippets of their conversation.

“Did you see Jeanna’s performance last night? It was incredible!” one of them exclaimed, eyes wide with admiration.

“Yeah, I heard it was her last show, but she announced that she’s not done with Broadway yet! She’s such a star,” another added, enthusiasm bubbling over.

Tom’s heart quickened as he caught the mention of Jeanna’s name. He focused intently on their chatter, his curiosity piqued. The news of her performance and future plans was music to his ears, but he was also curious about the specifics—especially what happened after the show.

“Did you see the paparazzi swarm her afterward?” a third crew member chimed in. “They were all over her!”

The other crew members laughed, one adding, “They probably wanted to know if she was dating anyone! She was with some guy, right?”

Tom’s stomach tightened at the mention of a “guy.” He had seen the photos of Jeanna with Justin circulating online, but he hadn’t expected to hear about it from others. Jeanna had always been fiercely independent, and he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of protectiveness wash over him.

“Yeah, I think his name is Justin,” another crew member said. “He was right by her side the whole time. They looked cozy!”

Tom’s brow furrowed. Coziness? The word struck him like a jolt. He could picture it all too well—the way Jeanna could light up a room, how she could effortlessly draw people in with her charm. It was something he had seen countless times.

He grabbed his phone, the screen illuminating his face as he searched for the latest headlines. His heart raced as he scrolled through photos of Jeanna and Justin, their laughter captured perfectly in those fleeting moments. There was one photo of them leaving the theater, surrounded by flashing lights, Jeanna’s smile radiant and carefree. Justin stood beside her, a confident grin on his face, his arm casually draped around her shoulder.

Tom swallowed hard, an inexplicable mix of pride and jealousy swirling within him. She looked happy, and that was what mattered most to him, but the thought of her with someone else gnawed at him.

Suddenly, the trailer door swung open, breaking his train of thought. His director poked his head in, a broad smile on his face. “Hey, Tom! You ready for your scene?”

“Yeah, just a second,” Tom replied, forcing a smile. As the director left, Tom couldn’t shake the feeling of unease settling over him.

He tried to focus on the script, but his mind kept drifting back to Jeanna. He remembered their late-night talks about dreams and aspirations, how she was so determined to make her mark on Broadway. The way her eyes sparkled when she spoke about performing, how genuine her passion was—it was infectious. And yet, here she was, seemingly moving on without him, forging a path with someone new.

The sound of the crew bustling outside pulled him back to reality. Tom took a deep breath, trying to clear his head, but every time he closed his eyes, he could see the way Justin looked at her, the way she leaned into his warmth. It was a stark reminder that Jeanna was not just his childhood companion anymore; she was blossoming into a star in her own right.

Tom stood up, shoving his phone into his pocket. He knew he needed to focus on the task at hand. As the crew called him to the set, he pushed thoughts of Jeanna and Justin aside, determined to immerse himself in the character he was portraying. Yet, in the back of his mind, a voice whispered that this was far from over. Their paths were intertwined, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he would see her again soon, perhaps sooner than he thought.

As the cameras rolled, Tom delivered his lines with passion, but his heart wasn’t fully in it. In those fleeting moments between takes, he found himself lost in thoughts of Jeanna and the whirlwind that awaited her on Broadway, wishing he could be a part of it, wishing he could protect her from the attention that came with fame—and from the potential heartbreak.