One in a Million Sneak Peek

One in a Million sneak peek

Chapter One

Sophie

Sometimes…I hate my life.

I was exhausted from the long flight, my feet hurt, and after eight hours in this new designer push-up bra that didn’t live up to its claim of being ‘the most comfortable bra for today’s working women’, the girls were dying to be set free. But first, I had to shuffle through the hoard of reporters that had somehow found out I’d arrived in New York City a day ahead of schedule.

I took a second to compose myself. A moment’s peace from the constant photos, questions, and minor harassment from reporters was too much to ask for. I knew this. I was a celebrity; this was part of the job. But it would be nice if for one day, it could just…disappear. I sighed as I gripped the corner of the door frame and stepped out of the car. I was a professional, so instead of throwing my sunglasses on and making a beeline inside the hotel—which was what I wanted to do—I smiled and waved.

“Miss Winters”—The camera flashed beside me—“is it true that you’ve already signed a contract with Dreamscape for the sequel to your new movie?” The reporter moved closer, shoving a recording device in my face.

“I’m going to have to ask you to step back, ma’am.” Charlie, my bodyguard, inched his large frame between me and the growing group of press gathered outside the Marquis Hotel. Charlie was big in stature. From the expression on his face, you’d never guess that he was a big teddy bear. He crossed his arms, creating even more distance between me and the reporters.

I moved through the crowd towards the hotel entrance. “Miss Winters…Miss Winters.”  I glanced in the direction of their desperate pleas. I turned my head and posed, giving another small wave. I smiled the way I’d been trained—not too big, but just enough to let my teeth show, don’t blink—and paused long enough to allow for my photo to be taken.

The doorman grabbed the large brass handles and pushed open the glass door of the Marquis Hotel. I was hit with a blast of cool air. A contrast from the hot, humid New York temperatures. It was nearing the end of September, but New York was still unseasonably hot.

Charlie followed close behind me with my luggage in tow as I strolled up to the front desk. A woman waited, her uniform neatly pressed and her hair wound up in a tight bun so not a single hair would fall out of place. “Good afternoon, Miss.” She glanced up at me from her computer screen. “How can I help you?” She smiled.

I gave her a slight nod. “Hello, I am here with Mr. Knox.” The receptionist’s smile didn’t falter when she recognized who I was, though I did see it in her eyes. “My arrival should’ve been prearranged, although I’m checking in a day early.”

The expression on the woman’s face remained unchanged. Of course, I’d assumed there’d already been gossip circulating amongst the hotel staff that the Sophie Winters would be staying in the same hotel suite as Zavier Knox. Her lack of surprise confirmed my suspicions. Which also explained the group of reporters and paparazzi that were camped right outside the hotel doors. Thankfully, the Marquis Hotel was upscale enough to have staff members in place to ensure nosey reporters remained outside.

“Not a problem, Miss Winters.” The woman behind the desk cleared her throat. “You and Mr. Knox are staying in the presidential suite on the twelfth floor. Here are your keys.” She handed me an envelope with a keycard. “Would you like me to call and inform Mr. Knox of your arrival?”

I glanced down at her nametag. “No thank you, Helen. I’d like to surprise him.”

“As you wish.” Helen gave me a nod. The corner of her lips twitched up. “Mr. Powell will help you with your bags and show you to your suite.” She gestured to the man in uniform standing beside her.

Mr. Powell, an older gentleman dressed in a burgundy uniform, stepped from behind the desk. He leaned towards Charlie to reach for the luggage, but Charlie waved him off. “This way, Miss Winters.” He led us to a smaller elevator located adjacent to the main elevators. I hadn’t stayed at the Marquis before, but like many of the high-end hotels in New York city, this place had a designated elevator that went to the penthouse suites. It was one of the most expensive hotels in the city, which was why Zavier booked it. ‘Zavier Knox didn’t settle for anything less than the best.’ Those were his words, not mine.

Mr. Powell swiped the keycard, and the elevator moved. Charlie turned to me. “Your interview will be at Rockefeller Studio at seven. I’ll be back with the car to pick you up at six. Is there anything else you need before then?” The elevator dinged and the doors opened.

I shook my head. “No. Quinn was sending over my wardrobe today. I should be fine, Charlie.” A smile warmed my face in anticipation of seeing Zavier again. It had been two weeks since we’d seen each other. Two weeks had passed since he left my family’s vacation property in Italy and returned to New York. Sure, we had talked over the phone, but I missed being with him. Especially since our relationship was still new, despite what the tabloids had printed.

We stood outside the ornate metal door at the end of the hall. “Okay, I’ll leave you for a bit. Call me if you need anything.” Charlie touched my arm before he turned to leave.

“Thanks, Charlie.” I couldn’t suppress the smile on my face, followed by the wave of nerves that swept through my body in anticipation.

The bellhop slid the keycard in the lock, swung the double doors open, and led me into a large extravagant room. The heels of my brand-new Louis Vuitton pumps clicked loudly over the marble floors. “I hope everything is up to your satisfaction.” He placed my luggage near a chair in the lounge area and waited. “Is there anything else you will be needing?”

“No, this is wonderful.” I slipped him some cash before he left.

I walked over to the couch and placed my purse on it. It was nice to finally be able to relax. The scent of lilies filled the air. On the side table sat a large floral arrangement. I smiled. Attached to the vase was a small envelope with my name written on it. I wondered if these were from Zavier. My heart skipped as I picked up the card.

Hey Girl,

So glad that you’re back. Your outfit for this evening will be delivered by the dry cleaners this afternoon.

Can’t wait to catch up with you so you can tell me everything!!!

Loves, Quinn

I smiled. Not only was Quinn my personal assistant, but she was also my best friend. That girl got me. I pulled my cell phone out of my bag and sent her a quick text, thanking her for the flowers. Then I lifted the handle of my suitcase and began to wheel it towards the bedroom.

“Zavier?” My voice echoed through the large room. The bedroom doors were closed but I could hear someone shuffling behind them. It was almost noon, but it wasn’t unlike Zavier to sleep in late, especially when he wasn’t filming. “Zavier.” I lowered my voice as I opened the door so I wouldn’t startle him. “Baby, it’s—”

I stopped mid-speech, startled by the flurry of activity on the other side of the door. Zavier was beside the bed throwing on a pair of pants while someone was under the covers, still asleep. It took me a heartbeat to recognize the person sleeping in the bed. A tangle of red curls flowed over the bunched-up blankets.

My heart stalled.

No.

Despite her messy hair, I’d recognize that shade of red anywhere. Nova Lockley. My breath escaped my lungs in a way that made it sound like I had gotten punched in the gut. I felt like I’d gotten punched in the gut. My eyes drew to Zavier, and I saw panic in his eyes. I knew what that panic meant.

Why me? And why with her? Nova. Freaking. Lockley. My arch nemesis. She had stolen one of my roles in a previous movie, and now it looked like she had stolen my man as well.

I felt the room start to spin. He could have anyone. He had me. So why did he have to have her as well?

I stormed out of the room. There were so many words I wanted to hurl at him in that moment. So many thoughts raced through my head. I hated him. I hated that in one moment he had ripped out my heart and smashed it into a million pieces. I hated that I had trusted him with it in the first place. I hated that I had taken him to meet my family. I hated how stupid I felt standing there in front of the two of them. And most of all, I hated her.

“Sophie, wait.” Zavier raced after me. “Sophie, this isn’t what it looks like.” He grabbed my arm and forced me to stop.

“Really? That’s not Nova Lockley lying in bed in there?” I bit the edge of my lip to hold back my tears. “Because that’s what it looks like to me.” I reached down and gripped the handle of my suitcase and pulled it behind me. The wheels bumped over the marble tile as I rushed towards the door.

The sound of Zavier’s bare feet trailed me. “She needed somewhere to crash for the night.”

“Oh, I see, so she crashed in your bed?” I said without turning around.

“Sophie, if you give me a minute to explain.” Zavier touched my arm.

My heart fluttered at the sound of the desperation in his voice. I paused and finally turned to him. “What, Zavier? I should give you a minute so that you can come up with some story about how nothing happened between the two of you? You expect me to believe that?”

“Yes. We were at a casting party last night. Nova had a few too many drinks and Darius was getting a little handsy. She needed a place to crash for the night. That’s it.”

I studied his face, searching for a glimmer of truth in his chocolate brown eyes. Maybe nothing had happened between the two of them. Maybe he was trying to be a good guy. Everyone knew how handsy Darius could get when he had some alcohol in him. He’d even tried it with me once or twice.

Before I could even respond, Nova appeared in the doorway of the bedroom with the blanket draped around her. “Zavier, is that room service?” The sound of her voice grated me like nails on a chalkboard. “Baby, hurry up and come back to bed.”

Baby? I wanted to throw up.  I narrowed my eyes at him, willing him to speak another lie. But in that moment, he knew that I knew. I grabbed my purse off the chair and pushed my way to the door. I swung the door open so fast it hit the wall with a loud bang.

“Sophie, wait!” He grabbed my shoulder and swung me around. “Sophie, come on.” He shrugged. “It’s not like we said that we were exclusive.” The corner of his mouth twitched up.

In that moment, I couldn’t find the words I wanted to scream at him. Instead, I felt my hand reach up, and I slapped him across the face. The palm of my hand stung. We both stood there, stunned for a moment as the skin on his cheek turned a shade of red in the exact shape of my hand.

Zavier brought his hand to his cheek. “You crazy bi—”

“How dare you,” I cut him off. “I took you to meet my parents.” In that moment I couldn’t even stand the sight of him. As I turned and ran down the hall, I pushed past two housekeepers who had emerged from the suite they were cleaning when they heard the argument. At the end of the hall, a woman peeked out her door to see what the commotion was. Great, that’s all I needed—witnesses. Unknown spectators to my own personal humiliation.

The elevator took a million years to arrive, and I pressed it frantically as if that would somehow make it come faster. By the time the elevator doors slid open, my hands were shaking. I reached into my purse and began to dial Quinn’s number. What do I say to her? Zavier cheated on me. How would I get those words out without crying? I couldn’t even think about it, let alone admit it to another human being. At least not yet.

The elevator made its descent to the lobby. I tried to gather my composure as the doors opened like the curtain on a stage, and I was not prepared for the audience on the other side. The lobby was crowded, but still, it was unlikely I could blend in. I averted my eyes from the receptionist, Helen, who I knew was watching me from her post behind the desk. I started toward the exit, not even sure where I was going, only that I had to get away. But through the windows I could still see a small crowd of press waiting out on the street. What were they waiting for? Didn’t they have places to be? Lives that didn’t revolve around Sophie Winters?

It was clear I couldn’t leave the hotel, so I diverted my direction and headed towards the restroom. It was empty. I sighed, finally catching a break.  My reflection in the mirror showed that not one of my golden curls were out of place, and apart from some smudged mascara in the corner of my eye, you wouldn’t even know that I had just gone through one of the worst experiences of my life. I turned on the water and dabbed the corner of my eye with a piece of paper towel, then reached into my purse and pulled out my favorite pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses and slipped them on my face.  Unzipping my suitcase, I rifled through it, pulling out a new outfit. If I was going to try and sneak out of the hotel without being noticed, I was going to need a wardrobe change. I went into the stall and slipped on my change of clothes.

When I was finished, I pulled out my phone and dialed Charlie’s number.

“Charlie here.”

In the past ten years Charlie worked with me, he had always answered the phone the same way. “Hey, Charlie.” I tried to keep my voice even and calm. “Where are you right now?”

“Sophie? Is everything okay?” There was an edge of panic in his voice.

“Yes, everything’s fine,” I lied, trying to ease his mind, even though I now regretted giving him the afternoon off. Charlie was great at his job, but he often reacted like there was a five-alarm fire whenever he detected even the smallest amount of distress. “I just remembered that I wanted to pick up another pair of shoes before the banquet tomorrow. Are you nearby?”

“I’m headed out to Brooklyn to visit with my mom. I could swing back and pick you up if you wanted. With this traffic, I’d probably be about fifteen minutes.” The sound of car horns honked in the background.

I tapped my fingers on the bathroom counter. Fifteen minutes seemed like a long time to hide out in the stall of a public restroom. “That’s okay, Charlie. I’ll see if Quinn has a pair I can borrow. Say hi to your mom for me.”

“Okay, see you later.”

Charlie hung up and I stared at the phone, contemplating who was next on my list of phone-a-friends. My fingers lingered over Quinn’s number, but I couldn’t do it. I wasn’t ready to relive the awful moment when I found Zavier in bed with Nova Lockley. I couldn’t bring myself to be interrogated—despite her good intentions—by Quinn. At least not yet.

I opened my phone and searched rideshare companies. I went down the list and stopped on the ad for Lux-ride; high-end luxury vehicles, guaranteed to get you to your destination on time and in style. That sounded promising. I opened the app and entered my information. Minutes later, I had a confirmation.

Lux-ride: Thank you for using Lux-ride.                                                      

Your driver: Marcus, will arrive in approximately five minutes in a black A7 Audi.               You will receive a confirmation text once your driver arrives.                                         

Enjoy your Lux-ride!

Five minutes. I sighed. Five more minutes and I could escape this nightmare. I zipped up my luggage and threw my phone in my purse and exited the stall. Moments later, a woman walked into the restroom. I turned my back to her and washed my hands. When I was done, I slowly dried my hands and made my way into the lobby. The crowd had thinned out. But my luck hadn’t changed because the group of reporters were still camped out in front of the hotel.

I made my way over to Helen, who stood behind the desk, not looking a bit surprised to see me back in the lobby so soon. Did she know? Was she aware that Zavier had the infamous, evil Nova Lockley up in his suite right now? Were all the hotel staff aware and potentially gossiping about it behind my back?

Bile rose up in my throat. They had to know. Celebrities didn’t get to have secrets. Suddenly, it felt like everyone was watching me.

“Miss Winters, is there something not satisfactory in your suite?” Helen gave me a polite smile.

That’s one way to put it.

This woman should be in movies. There wasn’t a crack in her professional façade. “Everything is perfect, Helen. Thank you.” My smile matched hers. I would not let these people see me melt down. I could handle public scrutiny. I’m an actress; it’s what I do. “I’m stepping out to pick up a few things.” I leaned in closer to the desk. “Do you happen to have another exit I could use? Something a little less…conspicuous?”

That’s when I saw it. The flash of pity in her eyes. It was only a fraction of a second, and then it was gone and replaced by a smile and a nod. I had hoped, if only for a second, it was because she had pity that I couldn’t leave the hotel like a normal person. That maybe she felt sorry for me because there was always somebody waiting for me, watching for the moment I did something that they could photograph and sell for a profit. But as we turned to leave, I saw one of the staff members turn to another and whisper in their ear. That’s when I knew I was wrong. They knew about Zavier. How long had he been seeing Nova behind my back? The person being cheated on is always the last to know—the fool.

Zavier Knox had made me the fool.

“This way, Miss Winters.” Helen’s voice had lowered as she led me around the desk and through the staff quarters.

I felt the tips of my ears turn pink as I followed behind her. Staff members in their pressed uniforms gawked at me as I passed by in the hallway. I heard a muffled ping from my phone that was tucked away in my purse. I let out a sigh.

“Do you need me to call anyone for you?” she asked.

“That won’t be necessary, I have a driver waiting.” I touched the side of my purse. We drew closer to the glowing red exit sign that hung over the doorway.

The metal door groaned as Helen pushed it open, and the bright daylight shone into the dim hallway. It led out into the alley. I squinted, allowing my eyes to adjust as I headed towards the busy street, searching for my driver. Half a block up, I could see the black Audi waiting.

I wheeled my suitcase over the black asphalt, pausing only for a second when I got to the sidewalk. So far no one had noticed my exit. I turned and quickly made my way down the block.

“There she is!” someone called out behind me. “Look, it’s her! It’s Sophie Winters!”

Heaven’s sakes. I picked up my pace, moving as quickly as my high heels would allow me towards the car. My luggage bumped behind me over the uneven sidewalks, slowing me down.

“Miss Winters! Miss Winters!” a small mob of people called out from behind me as they ran to catch up to me.

I was only about twenty feet from the car now, so I broke out in a sprint. I even considered leaving my luggage behind for the vultures, but I doubted even that would slow them down. When I reached the car, I yanked the back passenger door open and hurled my luggage into the back seat. I jumped in and slammed the door behind me.

“Just go!” I shouted to the startled driver. “Go, go, go!”

He turned and looked at me with a million questions written on his face. “What—”

“Drive,” I cut him off. “967 Heritage Park South.” I shouted the address at him. The reporters began to crowd around the car.

“Sophie Winters, what’s the reason behind your quick exit from the Hotel Marquis?” A reporter banged on the window of the car trying to get me to look in their direction. “Does it have anything to do with reports that Zavier was seen spending time with a certain redhead last night?”

A deep scowl formed on the face of my driver, and another reporter banged on the door of his car.

“I’m sorry about this. I’ll give you double your fare price. Please, drive,” I begged him.

His dark brown eyes gave one last glance over the growing crowd of reporters before the car started to move. The tires let out a squeal as the driver pulled out into traffic. I sighed and set my purse down on the seat beside me, glancing back as the reporters dispersed into the street.