As the front line workers began to learn about what had happened in the boardroom, they began to feel distraught. Lilly tried to convince them that they didn't need to worry and that they could trust Kylie to keep their best interests in mind. Unfortunately, though, they were driven more by fear than by hope, and their worries became complaints.

Many of these employees were already disgruntled. They'd sighed on expecting to be employed immediately and, the longer it took to get work, the unhappier they were with Garcia entertainment. There was talk among them to quit or stage a walkout.

​​

Eventually, this all back to Kylie, and she said, "Fuck 'em. If they don't want to be with us, offer them three thousand dollars, and we will consider their contracts null and void. If they don't want to work with me, then I don't want to work with them.

The next day, Lilly took Kylie's offer to the disgruntled actors and actresses. Unfortunately, many of the people who would have liked to leave were afraid that it was a trap. They worried that if they took the bait, Kylie would have them blackballed from the industry. In the end, only one man stepped forward, and as he took the check, he said, "Please tell Kylie that I am sorry. If I didn't need the money, I would stick it out."

When the other actors and actresses saw that it was safe to accept the money, they stepped forward one at a time. Some were angry, but most were respectful. They accepted the money and wished Garcia Entertainment the best of luck.

Kylie looked up as Elizabeth and Lily walked into her office. She sighed and asked them if they'd received their payout yet.

"I want to stay."Elizabeth replied shyly, "and Lily wants to as well."

Lily laughed, and she said, "I have a man who supports me anyway. Even if Kylie doesn't pay me for the next year, I'll be okay."

Kylie laughed along with Lily, and once everyone was gone, she looked at Elizabeth and said, "Pack your things and come to Hamorna with me tomorrow."

"Why?" Elizabeth wondered.

Lily laughed, and she said, "Don't be dumb. Kylie is going to take you to work with her, and she is going to make you popular."

Hearing this, Elizabeth burst into tears of joy. "Thank you so much, Kylie!"

Kylie waved her hands and said, "It is no big deal."

Elizabeth looked at Lily and said, "You are such a lucky dog!"

Fannie gave the accounts book back to Kylie to sign her name on, and when she was done, she said, "Kylie, I've seen your Instagram. What's happening? Do you know how envious I was when you were with Ethan? I've never had anything like that before!"

"Don't lie to my face," Kylie laughed. "I know that you love Nate."

Fanny's face turned red, and she looked at the ground shyly. "I know that I can't hide anything from you!" she said. "I'm afraid, though. I have heard that if there is a man who has never fallen in love before, he can turn into a monster once love finds him."

Kylie frowned and she said, "That may be true, but I am not with Ethan or William. Don't believe everything you read on the internet! Ethan's heart belongs to Dora, and William is single.

"Some days, I worry that I will die alone," Kylie admitted. "A spinster. I once thought that Ethan and I would be together forever, but it wasn't to be."

Fannie shook her head, and she said, "That man must be out of his mind."

Kylie's heart tightened as she thought about what her friend had said. Ethan had a way of breaking through her defenses, but he was a monster, a liar, a cheat, and a cad.

When Kylie returned to William's house, she was surprised to see that there were guards doing security rounds along with the property's parameter. They hadn't been there when she'd left, but they looked like they meant business. As soon as she set her sights on the house, one of the guards approached her. "Are you Kylie Finch?" he wondered.

"Yes," Kylie replied. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," the guard replied. "Go on in."

"Thank you," Kylie replied as she walked away from him.

Inside, William was doing the dishes. When Kylie walked in, he turned to face her and asked her what she wanted for dinner. Kylie said that she'd like pizza but, first, she was curious about the guards. "What is that all about?" she wondered.

William sighed, and he said, "I hardly ever stay here, so I never needed a security team before. Now, between Ethan and the paparazzi, I just don't feel safe when I'm here. Never mind that, though. "The anniversary of my father's death is just around the corner. Are you free? Would you come to the ceremonial with me?"

"Is this your plan to introduce me to your parents?" Kylie wondered with a cheeky look on her face. "Because I am still not your girlfriend, and not even as a lark!"

"If you don't want to meet my parents," William replied, "you don't have too… If I don't, though, it may be more awkward than you realize."

Without replying, Kylie picked up the phone and dialed the number of a pizza place that she knew of. The phone rang three times, someone answered, and then she was put on hold. Kylie frowned and decided to go to her room while she waited. She was in a fairly good mood and excited about having pizza, but she knew something was wrong the moment she walked into her room. Her Hello Kitty Suitcase was on the bed, and she had not brought it with her here. By all accounts, it should have still been under the bed that she'd shared with Ethan.

Kylie approached the suitcase with trepidation, and when she got to the bed, she popped it open. Inside, she found all of her belongings that she'd kept with Ethan. Of course, she knew that she and Ethan were through, but the fact that he'd brought this over made everything feel so final.

Kylie raised her head and tried not to cry. "Get control of yourself," she whispered. "You are stronger than this."

Suddenly a voice came from her phone: "Amazing Pizza, can I help you?"

"No!" Kylie screamed, right before she disconnected the call. "I need a bath," she cried.

Kylie lay in the bath with her eyes closed. The room was utterly silent, and she found that she was able to shelf her troubles, if for only this moment. As she relaxed, she didn't have to think about how Ethan had schemed his way into her life, repeatedly, or how she might not be safe because of him.

Kylie took her phone out and found her last conversation with Stars. He had told her that he had fallen in love with a married woman. She had been in a good place then but, now, Kylie believed she was no less miserable than he was.