Chapter 5
'I'm really sorry Hils. Book me in a rehab'
Hilary just continued to look at her silently , creeping her out in the process.
'Hilary..' She began, only to be cut off by a hand gesture from her.
'I'm not gonna book you in Cheryl. This is probably the only wise move of yours in the past 2 years'
Nicola, Nadine and Cheryl stared at Hilary like she had lost her mind.
'The press already got pictures of the wedding Cheryl. So we can't deny that. Think of it this way. You've been attacked for being a homophobe. Getting married to a girl might actually improve your image'
'And will destroy me career. How is coming out as gay gonna help our career Hilary? Don't be absurd'
'Right now you or the girls have no career chez. Do you remember when your last no 1 was? Let me remind you. 3 years ago. You haven't even made to top 10 in the past 3 years. Do you know how many times I had to practically beg the record label not to pull the plug on you girls?'
They winced in unison.
'This might increase your LGBT fan base. You have to accept that they make more than half of the groups fanbase anyway'
Cheryl nodded silently agreeing with her.
'Besides keeping you as the responsible married woman in the public eye will help vanishing your alcoholic image'
'Geez thanks hills' Cheryl flinched hearing the brutal truth. She knew she was an alcoholic but it hurt to hear from Hilary. Which is why she flipped everytime she mentioned rehab.
'So you want me to be in a pretend marriage with this girl I don't even know?'
'It's good for your image and the groups image Cheryl. What is the public gonna think if you apply for divorce now. Everyone would know you were boozed out of your mind while doing that. You'll become the laughing stock chez'
Cheryl sighed. She couldn't disagree with Hilary. She had a point. She had already been arrested twice for drunken driving. This would only further confirm her as a raging alcoholic.
'Okay hills. I'll do it'
•••••••••••••••
'You married Cheryl *Ducking* cole?'
Kimberley wanted to slap her. Like seriously. If one more time she was asked the same question she was either gonna slap her or jump off a bridge or do both.
A knock on the door stopped her from taking a disastrous decision.
She opened the suite door to find a middle aged woman dressed in expensive business attire looking at her.
'Are you Miss. Kimberley Walsh?'
'Yes I am'
'Good'
••••••••••••••
'You want me to be in a pretend marriage with her? Excuse me, but are you out of your mind?'
Hilary's face remained stoic and expressionless.
'You'd be surprised to know how many celebrities are out there with this kind of arrangement. For their own comfort. A marriage of convenience'
'How many?' Sarah asked and was silenced by Hilary's stoic face looking at her.
'Convenient for who? For Cheryl I'm-so-drunk-I've-gotten-arrested-twice Cole?'
Hilary winced. She would have missed it if she wasn't looking. She clearly cared about the girl to some extent.
'For her, yes and yourself too.'
'How is that?' Kimberley asked sarcastically.
'Don't think I've come in here extending a proposal without completely researching about you. I know you have just lost your job. I know your biggest dream is to buy the house your family lived in. The house that your father gambled and lost. The house where your grew up. The house that holds your happy memories'
'Home' Kimberley whispered as she bit her trembling lips.
'I know you were saving money from your job to buy that house. Trust me girl, it would take you another 20 years just to save up for the deposit and by then the deposit amount would have increased by three fold.'
'Why are you doing this?' She whispered.
'Like I said it'll be a marriage of convenience for you both. She gets her popularity back, you get your happy memories back. We'll pay you double the price of the house for this year you will live with her. The house will be bought by our management once you sign the contract and will be held in store for your until you satisfy your contract fully. If you back out the contract any time, we will sell it to someone else'
'I-I need to think about this'
'Kimberley don't listen to this witch. I'll buy you the house. I can sell mine and get you that one'
'You won't have a home then' Kimberley squeezed her hand touched by her friends words.
'I'll take my leave then. This is my card' she said dropping it on the table, 'if you don't call me by 5 tomorrow I'll take it you've declined the offer'
Hilary knew that she couldn't have bought this girl for money. She wouldn't be a good business woman if she didn't know what to use to persuade someone. She hoped this worked. She needed this to work. The girls needed this to work.
Sighing, she shoved her briefcase in the limo and instructed her driver to drive back to the office.
