Despite my ambition and the pursuit of my dreams, I have never resorted to using anyone as a means to achieve my goals. It just so happened that I crossed paths with Scott, the person I admire the most, and getting to know him on a personal level only intensified my affection. Deeply caring for him beyond his fame, I found myself falling even more in love with him. To document the reasons behind my affection, I poured my heart into a book, chronicling our journey from the very beginning.
However, I purposely withheld certain elements about it, and kept from from mentioning any names, including his, or any of his friends and family within these pages.
To my astonishment, my boss somehow tended to re-read the entire manuscript and began suspecting that I was somehow referring my story to an actual person within its pages.
"Tell me, is it you? Are you the woman in this book, Danni?" Mitch questioned, with curiosity, and I couldn't bring myself to admit the truth. "I have no idea what you're talking about," weaving my web of lies. But Mitch's insistence grew, and a touch of anger colored his tone. "I don't need to repeat myself, Danni. Deep down, you know exactly what I mean."
A surge of guilt washed over me after then, and I decided to come clean. "Yes, it's me," I confessed firmly, unable to maintain my facade any longer.
And now that I had acknowledged my role in the book, Mitch wasted no time bombarding me with questions. "Did all those occasions happen when you were on vacation in Austin? In Hawaii? And you met this famous Hollywood actor? Who is it?"
I averted my gaze, overwhelmed with regret. "It was Scott Clinton," I confessed, my voice tinged with remorse.
Citing Scott Clinton's name triggered an outburst of acrimony and shock from Mitch. His emotions were tangible. No matter what I say or do now, I cannot undo what has already been written and published. The book is about to be sent out, and there's no going back. As I glanced at my boss, disappointment still etched across his face, I couldn't help but draw parallels to the disappointment I had caused David.
But everything changed for us when my book skyrocketed to become a bestselling novel. Suddenly, my boss began speaking to me again, his excitement evident as he reveled in the success brought about by my supposed "stupidity."
"Have you finalized the script for this book?" Mitch questioned, his tone almost pleading, desperately hoping that I had completed the task. But as I faced him, I come to realize something and uttered the sentence I lately knew was rather full and not just a way of excuse. "No," I confidently replied, "I've decided that turning his story into a ridiculous movie isn't what I want. It should stay within the book."
"But you could earn so much more if we turn this book into a film. That was our strategy from the beginning, remember?" Mitch sarcastically countered, clearly not concerned about the integrity of the story or Scott's perception of being the protagonist.
Nonetheless, I agreed to remake my book into a movie, still dubious about it. After all, I felt compelled to do so, as Mitch always hungered to showcase his connections with film producers and bask in the admiration of his friends in the industry. My options were restricted, and I found myself succumbing to his desires despite my reservations.