Reality

Chapter 6

Dread immediately washes over me the second my alarm clock goes off. With a groan, I roll over to sit up and shut it off, flopping back down onto the mattress after.

I stare up at the hotel ceiling, having no motivation to get up and start this day. Still completely blind sighted the other day, I don't know if I'm even fully recovered enough to tackle today—as if I'd ever be ready to tackle today at all.

Today is the day the PR plan for Alex and Addison goes into full effect, today just so happening to be Alex's album release party. For the past few days everyone has been preparing to execute the whole plan, wanting their relationship to be announced and teased to the world flawlessly.

The past few days have been a slow antagonizing blur. Since finding out about Alex and Addison, it's all that's been shoved down my throat. Every second of the day seems to revolve around them and how our teams are going to work together to execute everything to benefit each other. I know this is my job, now, but God I wish it wasn't.

It would be so easy to up and quit, but how can I do that without a proper explanation or excuse? It's not like I can blurt out all that happened in the past. Airing out dirty laundry like mine to everyone else would just be foolish and unprofessional. Plus, I love my job and I feel like Greg would fall apart without me. Nine times out of ten I'm his right hand woman, which is why it still hurts that he didn't mention anything about this plan to me beforehand.

But still, how do I work with the man I despise and the man I was completely in love with? Especially when I'm sure the both of them hate my guts.

I let out a groan of frustration, resting my forearm over my eyes. My brain swirls with ideas of what to do, but every plan comes up short. Again, I want to just up and quit, but I'll be damned if Chris wins again.

Determined but still reluctant, I finally roll out of bed a few minutes behind schedule due to my thoughts being on overdrive.

Once I'm finished with my shower and fully dressed, I go down the hall to give Addison her wakeup call. I'm a few minutes late, but not late enough to put a huge dent in our day.

Reaching her door, I knock a few times and wait for her to answer. After thirty seconds I knock again, hoping she's not being occupied by an all too familiar dark haired, blue eyed male.

The sound of footsteps at the end of the hall catch my attention, and I turn my head to find Addison walking down the hallway digging in her purse for her room keycard. Her hair is a little mussed and she's wearing the same multicolored striped sundress she was wearing yesterday.

"Oh, hi. Sorry," she says bashfully, a small blush tinting her radiating skin. She brushes past me to open her door and I follow her inside.

"You weren't here last night?"

"No, I was with Alex," she confirms my suspicion, making my stomach twist. "I think the paparazzi got a pleasant surprise when I left his hotel this morning." She smiles triumphantly.