A TEMPTING ARRANGEMENT

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Of course not, the timing isn’t right! He couldn’t know she married Archer yet

Archer knew exactly what she was thinking, he took the phone from her and pressed the answer button, he placed it against her ear.

"Jesus Andrea where are you right now?" he sounded out of breath causing Andrea to freeze.

"I’m visiting Damien, and my mother is something wrong?” Andrea asks calmly looking at Archer. Archer crosses his arms, his eyes narrowed on her phone.

"So, you’re saying you aren’t aware of the incident with Pink?" Tate asks in a patient tone.

"What’s wrong with Pink? I haven’t been on my phone for the past couple of days, I’ve been busy with my family. What’s going on Tate?” Andrea asks, sounding innocent and curious.

"There’s been a leak in the shoot, they’re saying you stole Lacy’s shoot with the help of your father. I need you to return to the company, I’ll arrange for you to hold a press conference clearing the company’s name and yours as well.” he says.

Andrea’s eyes turn to slits. A press conference? She knew exactly what he wanted her to say. He wanted her to clear his mistress’s name. She wasn’t as naïve as she used to be. People were used to her being the mean girl. She wasn’t going to play his game anymore.

Did he really think she was still that naive?

“I won’t be able to get to the company today...” Andrea says before hanging up the phone.

Throwing her phone on the bed Andrea lets out an annoyed sigh.

"I could take care of it for you if you want…” Archer suggests.

She shakes her head. “I’m just thinking my first move through. I’ll strike back. I want them to think their plans working.” Andrea smiles at Archer giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Let’s go have breakfast…” she suggests.

Archer smiles. “We should see what they’re saying online about you…” he tells her.

Andrea shakes her head. “Not now. After breakfast. One needs brain food…” she tells him.

He smiles. “Okay let’s get you feed. We all know how you are when hangry.” He teases.

Andrea pulls her tongue out at him. She calls room service. She had half the day in Ireland before she was set to return him. Archer was in Ireland in another month, she was going to use the month to move her stuff into his house, better her relationship with her parents and brother. She adored her little brother, but her father didn’t think Tate should be close to him.

The two had breakfast together and it felt like old times, they enjoyed their day sightseeing and had lunch together before it was time for Andrea to leave.

"Come on, I’ll drop you off at the airport. I do hope you remember the promise you made…” Archer says seriously.

Andrea puts the last of her things in her bag before looking at him. She knew he was referring to her being faithful and not falling for Tate’s tricks. She wasn’t going to.

The drive to the airport was quiet, Archer put the radio on, and I miss you, I’m sorry by Gracie Abrams came on and Andrea started singing along.

Archer smiled, happy, she wasn’t upset about Tate’s betrayal anymore. He was curious about how she planned to turn the tables on Andrews. He wanted nothing more than to watch everything Tate Andrews built go up in flames. He would have loved to do it himself, but he knew better than to step on Andrea’s toes.

When they got to the airport Archer stayed with Andrea until she boarded. “I’ll visit you while you’re in London.” He tells her.

She nods.

She hugged him. “I’ll see you… I’ll get your house keys from your assistant like you said. I’ll get a moving company to move my things in… I promise not to do it myself…” she smiles indulgently. She knew it was what he wanted to hear.

Andrea boards her plane. Sitting in business class. It was empty and she was grateful. She needed to get her thoughts in order. Now she was alone. She knew she was going to have to brush up on her acting skills. She was going to start the biggest poker game she’d ever played in her life, she had to keep her card hidden until the very last play. Tate thought they were playing Chess. Too bad for him, he didn’t account for her trying to surprise him.

He would have gotten away with it for years if she didn’t. A wave of disgust hits her. She couldn’t understand what she saw in Tate, he was a lying son of a b***h who used her to further his career and used her trust fund to start his business.

Andrea let out a sigh. She checked her emails. Finding one from her manager, she found a PI and he started following Tate… She emailed her back telling her to prepare for a press conference and set her the video of Tate and Lacy together in the hotel. She said to hold onto it until after the press conference.

When she landed a car was waiting for her, Archer got a car to pick her up from the airport and drop her at her parents’ house. She was surprised by his thoughtfulness. She didn’t want to go back to the apartment she shared with Tate just yet.

She called him when she got to the house.

“Hey…” he sounded sleepy.

“I’m sorry. Did I wake you?” she asks. Checking the time. It was night here which meant it was around 1 in the morning by him.

“It’s okay. Are you at your parents yet?” he asks.

“Yes, I just got to my room. Everything okay on your end?” Andrea asks.

“Yeah, everything is going smoothly here. I’ll be watching the press conference so put on a good show for me…” he says.

“Oh, stay tuned… Go back to sleep. We’ll talk in the morning…” she tells Archer.

“Okay… Keep me updated…” he tells her.

Andrea hangs up placing her phone on charge before placing it on her bedside table.

She was alone, her parents stayed in their Miami home through the summer, and only returned to this place during the rest of the year. Damien was at summer camp. He lived and breathed hockey, shocking all of them.

She fell asleep on her bed and not in. She didn’t even shower.

When she woke up the next morning, she got ready for the day. Dressed to impress. She wore a long white shirt dress with black cursive writing on it. She wore a pair of black heel sandals and a black LV purse.

Her blonde hair curled in beach waves. Her make up made to look natural.

And she was ready for the day, she had her driver Denver picks her up. He drove her to IC. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She hasn’t even gone online yet; she didn’t want to see what people were saying about her. She already knew what they were saying about her. She didn’t have to be a genius to know what they thought of her.

People were always looking for reasons to hate her.

When they arrived at IC, Denver opened her door for her. Shen entered the building through the back she knew the front was swarming with paps.

The staff gave her ugly looks. They always did because she was sleeping with their boss and about to marry the bastard. They all loved Lacy, so it wasn’t new to her, and they thought she actually did this.

Andrea ignored them and made her way to Tate’s office. When she walked in, she was surprised to see Tate in his office.

When did he land?

Tate turned and looked at her. “How was Miami?” he asks.

She frowns. “I didn’t say I was in Miami?” she says softly.

“Some paps saw you at the airport last night. You didn’t come to the apartment.” he says.

"I stayed at my parents’ house last night. I had to drop a few things. So, tell me what’s going?” Andrea asks changing the subject.

She takes a seat in front of his desk.

"People are saying I’m favoring you. Giving away other models’ gigs to keep you happy. They’re saying you’re using your father’s influence to get jobs for the company then I steal all the jobs from the other models. I think you should step back from the Pink shoot and give it to Lacy in the meantime.” He tells her.

Andrea crosses her arms. Before she would have blindly followed this man. But she wasn’t the woman she was just a few days ago. “I got that contract fair and square. I could have Pink release the exact same statement. Why should I give away I shoot I worked my ass off to get?” Andrea asks.

Taken aback by her response, Tate stares at Andrea for a few seconds. “We have to get ahead of this. You’ll get more shoots, right now giving this one away is a smart decision.” He speaks.

"I said no Tate. Look for another way. Besides Lacy is working on a shoot in Ireland…” Andrea says.

Tate sighs holding his head. He felt a headache coming. He knew Andrea could be stubborn, but she’d never been stubborn with him. “How about this, we’ll just hold the press conference saying you’ll drop it to appease the media, but we get you a better shoot, I’ll speak to a few of my contacts to get you LV, I know how you wanted to work with…” he tells her.

Andrea doesn’t say anything. She knew he was lying to her. She thanked her lucky stars she recorded this conversation. “Tate, I don’t want to break a contract with Pink, everyone wants an LV shoot, and I want to work for my spot, not through favors.” She looks at him thoughtfully.

"It’s too late for that now, Pink has already decided to pull their contract with you, they’re going with Lacy…” he tells me. “I know this is a big ask but I need you to hold a press conference, we’ll be married soon away, I’m trying to save the company our future. Think about our children. Maybe it’s time you think about retiring?” he asks.

“So, you want me to take the blame for everything just because I’ll be your wife? Tate that’s lying to the public. I haven’t even been around for the last week. How could it be my fault for any of this?” I ask.

“Andrea!” Tate warns me. "You need to think about your next answer carefully. This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t been so stubborn all the time. People wouldn’t believe every scandal about you, every negative thing about you…” As soon as those words left his lips, Tate felt he had gone too far.

He sighs walking over to Andrea he pulls her into his arms, but Andrea pushes him away. “I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. I’m your employee at the moment. Not your fiancée…” Andrea says standing up.

“Andrea…” Tate sighs.

Tears ran down Andrea’s face. “Okay I’ll do it. This is the last time I’m doing this for you. I will never do anything like this again.” Andrea warns.

Tate let out a sigh of relief. He smiled. “I promise love. This is for us; this is for our future and children.” He tells her.

"The press conference is at two this afternoon. I’ll give you the script in a minute, then we’ll go over it. Then I’ll leave you to go over it alone.”

Andrea wiped her tears. She just realized this man never loved her. He really only ever thought of Lacy. How had she never seen it? She felt so stupid.

Andrea left Tate’s office. She went to her own. She didn’t want to be around anyone while she gathered herself.

Once alone she stopped the recording, sending it to her cloud. She then sent her assistant a message to get her a phone, a burner. She was going to expose the bastard.

She phones Karen, her manager "Karen, he is going to use me as the fall guy.” She was trying her best to calm herself down.

"So, what’s the plan?” Karen asks excitedly.

"The press conference is at two, I’ll follow their script, while the press conference is underway, I want you to release the hotel pictures..." Andrea tells her.

"I’ll get it done. I’ll release the pictures anonymously. Should I come up with a few good headlines as well?” she asks.

Andrea lets out a chuckle. “No, juts upload the pictures. I have an idea of how want this to play out…” Andrea says.

“I can’t wait for your next move…” Karen says before hanging up.