Chapter 5

• "I wanted to taste your lips," Evan admitted, his tone dripping with playfulness. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his remark. Before I could respond, he asked, "Supper?" and led me to the kitchen.
• To my surprise, there was a bowl of ice cream on the counter. Without waiting for my reply, Evan grabbed a spoon and started feeding me. I enjoyed the romantic gesture and didn't stop him. After a few spoons, he broke the silence with a complaint, "You mean..."
• "What? What did I do?" I asked, genuinely confused.
• "I've been feeding you for like ten minutes, and you don't even ask me to have some too," he stated, sounding a little disappointed. "I've never fed anyone; it's always been the other way around," he said.
• I replied, "Well, if you get another spoon." He looked puzzled. "I don't want to eat your saliva; that's disgusting," I stated.
• Evan shrugged and said with a touch of sadness in his voice, "Alright, I'll just keep feeding you." He gently raised the spoon to my mouth and tried to put on a fake smile to encourage me to eat. I teased, "I could get used to this."
• "You better, because after signing that contract, it's going to be every day," he revealed.
• I was taken aback. "Wait, what contract?" I asked as I got up from the counter. "We need a contract to make sure we're good," Evan explained. "What do you mean by 'good'? Does this sound like a movie to you? Do you think this is Fifty Shades? Oh, what's next, the red room? Do I look insane to you?" I blurted out in one breath.
• Evan tried to soothe my concerns. "I've never watched Fifty Shades before, but I would be happy to see it with you," he calmly said.
• "Excuse me?" I retorted.
• Evan reassured me. "Chill, it's just the contract, Amy. I promise that's the only reason. My lawyers and label require it...see." He gently cupped my face, and surprisingly, I didn't flinch away.
• "You can go through it, terms will be negotiable. William will take you through the steps, and you can negotiate your terms there. It's going to be okay, and this will be a boost for your social media," he explained, convincing me. I nodded as he held me in his arms.
• "I've seen the followers I got because of that video you tagged me in. I can't believe I hit 2 million Instagram followers in a few hours," I admitted, still in his arms.
• "But they keep tagging... hmm, yeah, Sophia," I said.
• "She's nobody compared to you," Evan interjected. "You're different, confident, and kind. She can't compare to that," he stated, looking straight into my eyes.
• "I know that...how do you think I got here, but who is she?" I asked. Evan quickly changed the topic. "A nobody, you sleepy?" he said. Not wanting to push the issue since I had no right to pry, I nodded.
• After Evan washed the plates, he kindly walked me to the guest room. "Everything you need is in here," he said, and I nodded. "Have a good night, Amy," he said and kissed both my cheeks, my hands, and my forehead. I thanked him and wished him a good night in return.
• Evan added, "If you hear footsteps, it's my guards checking up on you," and I smiled. I closed the door and entered the room. It was spacious and well-furnished, with a large flat-screen TV, a computer, and a video game console. There was a cupboard, which I immediately opened, and I was met with a pleasant surprise. It was filled with clothes, shoes of all types, bags, jewelry, and even nightwear. It was overwhelming, but what truly astonished me was the picture on the bedside wall. It was a painting of me, which left me wondering how and why.
• I caressed the painting for a few minutes and then proceeded to the bathroom to get ready for bed. There, I encountered another surprise. The bathroom was stocked with all my favorite brands, from lotions to toothpaste. Even the towels and face cloths were in my favorite color. "Of course he did," I sighed to myself, realizing how considerate Evan was being.
• After preparing for bed, I lay down, but before drifting off to sleep, I decided to check my phone and see what was happening on social media. I navigated to Instagram and went straight to Evan's profile, looking for the post where he had tagged me. Scrolling through the comments, I noticed that he had been actively responding. One comment stood out: "She's pretty and real, keep her," to which he had replied, "I will."
• Most comments were congratulations on his latest post, but I also noticed that some people were tagging a woman named Sophia. Not wanting to get involved in any potential drama, I refrained from looking up Sophia's profile. It was clear that Evan's post had garnered significant attention.
• I then checked my own profile and was astonished to see that the last post I had made had received over a million likes and around a hundred thousand comments. My follower count had skyrocketed to three million. My direct messages were flooded with collaboration offers, including one from Skims, Kim Kardashian's brand. However, I didn't want to rush into anything, especially given my budding career as an editor. So, I ignored the messages and focused on getting some rest.
• Early in the morning, I headed straight to the kitchen, my appetite ready for breakfast. As I entered, I noticed a man who was clearly not Evan. He had a caucasian appearance, and he was in the process of preparing breakfast. I decided to strike up a conversation.
• "Good morning," I greeted, taking an apple from the fridge and leaning on the counter, waiting for his response.
• "Good morning. Can I have that bowl?" he responded and asked for the bowl of mixed eggs as he leveled the oil in the pan.
• He continued, introducing himself, "My name is William. I'm Evan's lawyer, but most importantly, his best friend." His smirk added a certain charm to his rugged appearance.
• Taking a bite from my apple, I asked, "Where is he?"
• "He has a meeting with his manager, discussing his upcoming tour," William replied.
• "Tour?" I asked, surprised.
• "Yes, he's going on tour around November," William confirmed. "I'm here to make you breakfast and help you sign the contract," he added.
• I nodded in acknowledgment, realizing that the day was already off to an interesting start.
• After breakfast, I offered to help clean up, but William refused, explaining that Evan had specifically asked him not to let me do anything.
• "He said I shouldn't make you do anything. That's why I woke up so early," he added.
• A few minutes later, William returned with a glass of orange juice. He handed it to me, and I expressed my dislike for orange juice, not expecting him to insist.
• "He said I should make sure you drink it. It's in the contract," he explained.
• I couldn't help but find this requirement a bit ridiculous. "That's ridiculous," I complained.
• "If you don't take the juice, you'll have milk," he stated.
• "What about guava juice? I prefer guava," I suggested.
• "Guava is not that healthy," he responded.
• Resigned to the situation, I agreed and sipped the orange juice in one go, even though I truly didn't like it.
• After a few minutes, William returned with two envelopes, which I assumed contained the contracts. He handed me one envelope and a pencil. I couldn't help but think of the movie "Fifty Shades."
• "Don't worry, there are no sex positions required here," William teased as he sat across from me.
• "What?" I asked, puzzled by his comment.
• "Calm down, you will not need to sleep with him anyways," he reassured.
• "You also watched 'Fifty Shades'?" I asked, surprised by the reference.
• "Everyone has seen it; Evan even got a music placement in the movie," William explained.
• "Really? He told me he never saw the movie though," I said, recalling what Evan had mentioned.
• "Yes, Evan isn't into romantic movies. He's a busy guy," William clarified.
• "I see. How come his song isn't in the movie?"
• "Oh, he had the opportunity but didn't take it. He was offered a tour deal, which gave him valuable exposure to the music industry."
• "Let's get back to the contract. We'll read through it together, and if there's anything you don't understand or want to change, let me know. Although, I'm sure everything is quite clear," he explained. I nodded and began to review the contract.
• "Part B should always tag part A on Instagram posts... So, every post I should tag him?" I asked, a bit perplexed.William nodded, "We can negotiate the terms. This is just to make it look real. It also says that part A is required to like and comment on all the posts."I raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think that might seem a bit desperate? People might figure out it's just for show."William reassured me, "They won't. But let's scratch out the Twitter retweets. You don't have to retweet his posts." I confidently agreed, "I don't need it." "Okay, that's scratched out," William acknowledged."What's this part about getting involved in social media commercials, only the ones that part A agrees to?" I inquired.William explained, "You've received deals, right? You should only accept those that part A approves." I didn't mind that part, considering I wasn't particularly eager to become an influencer.Then, I stumbled upon a confusing clause. "Wait, in section 3, point d, it says part B is not allowed to get involved with anyone, and the same applies to part A, only when needed... What does that mean?" William clarified, "Social media cheating drama brings attention to celebrities. So, when part A feels it's needed, we can create a fake cheating rumor with someone you like, and you'll have the opportunity to do whatever you want with him."I voiced my concerns, "Don't you think this could ruin my career?" William replied, "Amy, your salary here is more than your current job offers, $150,000 a month. I was shocked when Evan asked me to add that amount since it was initially supposed to be a $50,000 deal a month."My momentary gold-digger tendencies came to the surface, "What? So much for this?" William reminded me, "You have a lot to benefit here."As we continued, I was surprised by the requirement to record TikTok shorts with Evan—ten posts a week. William explained that the TikTok account was already set up, with around 10,000 followers. I'd get a call from my social media manager soon, who would handle content promotion and ideas. The contract was for five years, with an option for renewal. However, either party could terminate it with a legal reason. The contract also included a confidentiality clause, with potential legal consequences for breaches. With the pen in hand, William asked if I was sure about signing. I was more than sure and signed both my part and Evan's. It was a significant opportunity.
• Evan entered the room, looking slightly disheveled from what appeared to be a gym session. He glanced at the signed contract with a proud smile and then noticed the interaction between William and me, particularly when William touched my hand.
• "Done!" Evan exclaimed after signing both his part and mine.
• William gathered his belongings and prepared to leave, "Ava was mad when you called me to come so early, i left her in bed, so she asked me to invite you for dinner, she's not taking no for an answer" William said kissing my hands to which Evan just nodded but as he was about to exit, Evan's demeanor shifted. He'd been upbeat about the contract earlier, but now a hint of discomfort crossed his face. Evan's possessive nature began to take over. His displeasure was evident as he led me to the kitchen sink.
• "It was just a kind gesture, Evan," I tried to explain, understanding his concern but he didn't seem to be in a listening mood.
• "I don't care," he declared in a low tone, his eyes locked on mine. Then washed my hands after drying them he spoke "Nobody can kiss these hands, only me." He kissed my hands, revealing his jealousy and his growing attachment to me.