Crossing Boundaries [COMPLETE]

Master of His Fate

The air in the hotel room was thick. Although no one was speaking, anyone witnessing the dagger stares among the people inside would have difficulty breathing.

Chris's right arm was stretched out through the length of the sofa's rest, his left hand tapping his phone against his thigh. Across him, his manager, whose face was crimson red, glared at Chris. If only eyes could emit fire, Brandon would have turned the actor into ashes by now.

Through gritted teeth, the manager spoke. "Say that again?" He flew from LA the day before for the movie premiere.

"I'm going back to Boston in a few hours." Chris's voice was unwavering.

Megan and Josh, the agent who was peeved at Evans when he arrived in New York, sat listening to the two. No one dared talk.

"I no longer have any engagements here. The couple of days was just in case some shows here would invite me as their guest. Which, by the way, I asked Megs to turn down." He stood as he made his way to the bed, where his things were sprawled over. He continued packing.

Brandon was now even more inflamed by Chris's bullheadedness. Since he managed him, the actor never broke protocols.

Brandon followed him. Megan and Josh remained glued to their seats. "What is wrong with you, Chris?" The heat in his tone was coupled with frustration. "You have always followed schedules to a T. Now, all you've always talked about is going back to your hometown!"

Without looking at his manager, "I just need to be there, okay?" He continued filling his luggage with his clothes.

"Is this about the woman they're talking about in the rumors. Tell me. Is there truth to what's being said?"

Chris did not reply. The rustling of shirt being folded was the only sound that could be heard. When he had placed everything in the trolley, he turned to his manager. This time, his blue eyes were glum. There was a certain heaviness to his breathing that cannot be mistaken. "Just trust me on this one, Don. You said so yourself, I have never gone against schedule... Just this time, let me."

Brandon turned his back on him, the thuds of his footsteps would have echoed over the room if the floor wasn't carpeted. He proceeded to talk with Megan and Josh, their conversation, audible to Chris but incomprehensible. When he was done, he went straight for the door, leaving the three behind.

*

"What's another day, Chris?" Josh's voice was mild. At first, the actor's recent change in attitude threw him off for a loop. But after Megan had told the agent what really was going on, and because it was Chris and Chris had always been a good person to all of them, Josh started to support him.

"It's another day of not getting answers. That's what it is." The reply was brief.

"It's also another day to get the real answers you need before going to war," Megan retorted. "Look at it this way, Chris. You go back there today. Who would you press for answers? Your friend, when you, yourself, said you don't believe she could do it."

Chris crossed his arms on his chest, his forehead creased. He hated to admit it, but his publicist might have a better idea, regardless of the fact that he now knew she hid what the PI found out the other night.

The truth was, Jimmy called Megan the night before the premiere to tell her about Mike's plan to exploit Tiffany for money. Again, the investigator called yesterday afternoon to confirm that the ex-husband owed money from the bank he was working for.