CHAPTER 105 y The Angel


    Joy


    My expensive acting lessons were finally paying off. I had the people at a standstill. Everyone looked


    on, seemingly frozen in time, eagerly awaiting my response.


    If only my acting coach could see me now, he’d probably be impressed. It was such a pity I couldn’t


    send him a video of this to show him how much progress I have made. Maybe after all of this was over,


    I coulde over and we couldugh about it over a bottle of his favorite Italian red.


    During the first four weeks of our almost four month acting course, I believed Francesco, our instructor,


    was a hack. That was until one of his beloved students, an A-list celebrity, came knocking on his door,


    interrupting our private lessons at his posh Beverly Hills estate.


    For the first time, Xavier sat starstrucked, blushing to the roots of his hair, while mustering the courage


    to meet the female celebrity. She politely waited for him to say something,


    noticin


    e moving, however nothing seemed toe out of his mouth. I smiled


    r while I took Xavier by the elbow to urge him to his feet so we could


    e famous actress.


    ntinued to struggle with his words, I nudged him gently with my elbow, hoping provide him the small


    push that he needed. It worked. He finally said hi. As much as ed tough at his reaction to her, I didn’t


    want to embarrass him. Plus, I knew acesco wouldn’t approve especially when such an important


    person was with us.


    So, I continued to smile politely instead and waited for introductions.


    “She is one of my masterpieces,” Francesco eximed in his thick Italian ent and high- pitched


    voice, obviously proud of what the actress has aplished. “Just like you, she did not know how to


    act. But look at her now, an award winner.” He picked up a paper bound screeny from a table


    nearby. “Come. Let us give them a sample.”


    “Of course, Francesco, but there is no need for a screeny,” the female actress said, waving off the


    paper bound manuscript. “I’m guessing this one needs some encouragement?” She eyed me with


    interest.


    “Si,” Francesco answered in his native Italian, the disdain apparent in his voice. I was having trouble


    from the very beginning. “This one is not interested in movies. She wants to learn. how to lie.” The


    actress nodded her head, acknowledging the situation.


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    CHAPTER 105 y The Angel


    “You’re an honest person,” she said. “In my line of work, I appreciate honest people, however


    Francesco here hates your type. He believes honest people have difficulty ying pretend.” She sat


    down on the couch across from Xavier and I, gesturing to Francesco with one hand for something to


    drink while with the other, she motioned for us to sit back down. “You have


    to see it in a different perspective. Pretend isn’t a lie, it’s imagination. As we all know,


    imagination is conjured by our psyche and whatever is created by our mind can’t all be a lie.


    Because if it were all a lie, than all of it would be impossible to achieve. Right?”


    “Right,” Xavier answered quickly, without even taking the moment to think. I turned to stare at him, my


    eyebrows raised in shock. Xavier was obviously captivated by her, hanging on to her every word. I


    actually felt a bit jealous.


    Unlike Xavier who was eager to please, I paused and contemted her words. After several moments,


    I finally nodded my head in agreement to her argument. What was impossible decades ago was


    possible now. Thanks to innovation and little imagination.


    you want to learn to lie?” She asked, leaning back against the cus hions.


    nce,” I told her honestly while trying to lie. I kept a straight face and made sure my


    vas devoid of all emotion. Her eyes scrutinized my appearance while I gazed at her,


    ty praying she would think I was lying.


    ou almost had me, but I can see the iciness in your eyes. It’s an improvement nheless.


    What did he do to you?” She asked.


    “They,” I corrected her. “They raped me.” I tried to control my anger as I answered her, but I


    felt my face heat up.


    The actress shook her head in disbelief, not expecting the answer I gave her.


    “I would want vengeance too,” she said apologetically as Francesco came with a bottle of wine and a


    couple of sses in his hands. “Francesco, she has deep-seated anger.”


    “I know, but she must learn to control some of that anger if she is going to face them,”


    Francesco said.


    “What’s your name?” The actress asked.


    “Joy.” The actress smiled, amused.


    “You are such a contradiction. You have such a beautiful face and you are blessed with a


    name which means immense happiness, but in reality, you have so much anger and hate


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    CHAPTER 105 y The Angel


    inside. Tell me, Joy, what will make you feel happy again? She asked nonchntly.


    “All of them dead by my hand,” I said, smiling warmly. This time she pped her hands.


    “Now that sounded like a lie, because you used your attributes to shield your true intent,” she


    remarked. “I guess now you know why I’m here. Francesco called me over to show you


    your the necessary tricks to fool your audience. But to tell you frankly, your pretty face and pleasing


    voice should be enough to fool anyone. All you have to do is y the angel, Joy, and they will never


    suspect that you’re the devil.”


    “y the angel?” I asked.


    “In sher films, the killer is usually the one who everyone least suspects. The goody two shoes, the


    innocent virgin, the prettiest girl, the cool guy. All of them share one distinct characteristic… they are


    perceived by the audience as either perfect, naive or angelic…. intrinsically good. And that, Joy, is what


    you need to portray. To be the one who everyone least suspects. An angel.”


    The actress’ words echoed as I looked down at Liam’s pleading gray eyes. He didn’t know I killed those


    men at Ma’s. No one knew. Truly, I am the one who everyone least suspects.


    An image of Liam’s dead body seated in front of his desk shed through my mind, blood. dripping


    from a wound at the back of his head inflicted by his own gun held tightly by one of his limp cold hands.


    On his desk his tablety showing the headline of the town’s newspaper announcing his involvement in


    the rape of Joy Taylor as well as the death of young Joan Summers via documents found from the


    coroner’s office. Liam Cohen’s death would be deemed a suicide, wiping thest of the Cohen


    bloodline from this earth.


    With him and his father gone, I would inherit everything.


    Just thinking about it made me very happy. So happy, tears began to well up in my eyes


    again.


    Now all I had to do was say yes.


    Say yes, Joy.


    “Y-yes, Liam… I’ll marry you.” My voice was barely audible, but as soon as the words came out of my


    mouth, everyone erupted in an ear-splitting apuse.


    Liam slipped the diamond ring on my finger. It was a perfect fit. I could see the smug


    satisfaction in his gray eyes as he stood up and twirled me in the air.


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    CHAPTER 105 y The Angel


    When my feet finally hit the pavement again, I nced at Xavier, Sebastian and Cristos. Xavier looked


    on like a proud mentor while Sebastian and Cristos looked extremely happy.


    The three of them, including Dan, congratted us to the absolute joy of everyone.


    *Engagement party at my houseter,” I told each of them as they kissed me on the cheek.


    That’s right… y the angel….


    The angel of death.


    Noah


    While everyone cheered, I froze. I didn’t know how to react to what I just heard.


    It wasn’t possible. Virtue said yes?


    “Well, she said yes,” Jack said, sounding defeated. “We better go over and offer our congrattions.


    That’s what friends do in situations like this. We hope for the best.”


    I shook my head. I couldn’t be happy for them. No, this was all a lie.


    “This is probably a farce… just to get Liam votes for his re-”


    “You think Virtue of all people would agree to take part in a ploy so Liam can get reelected?” Jack


    asked, cutting me off. “Liam ask


    her to marry him and she said yes in front of so many witnesses. There is no way that this is a scam,”


    Jack argued.


    “Jack, he asked her at the grand opening of her store knowing there would be a crowd. And


    ow Chip and let’s not forget that Chip was with Dan when he picked up the ring. We all know Virtue are


    practically inseparable. It’s impossible she didn’t know that this was going to happen,” I reasoned out.


    “So cry me a river, Noah,” Jack scoffed, not wanting to listen to any of my arguments. “If whatever


    you’re saying is true, then maybe they won’t get married. Until then, let’s be good men and offer our


    congrattions.” He gave me a sideways nce, his brow furrowed. “What is it with you anyway?


    Aren’t you seeing Nicole?”


    “No. Nicole and I are just-” Jack chuckled, my denial expected.


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    15:09 Sat, Mar 30


    CHAPTER 105 y The Angel


    Remember that Christmas during our freshman year in college when Cris started dating Lisa? Nicole


    broke into his car and shed his leather seats,” Jack said. “I, on the other hand,


    you know made the mistake of sleeping with her after Liam and Cris’ victory party and do what she did


    when I told her it was just a one night stand? She went to my mother at her school and told her I had


    an STD. Sure, she didn’t do sh it like that to Liam, but that’s because Liam has enough power to bury


    her. So, if you don’t love Nicole, you better end it…. now. She’ll probably put some negative reviews on


    your website, but hey, you’re the only contractor in this town.”


    I wanted tough, but I kept a straight face. I didn’t want Jack to know I knew about all that.


    Of course I knew Nicole had abandonment issues and I also knew all the problems Nicole gave them


    after they used her and threw her away. I was the one who helped-her do all that s hit to them. Cris had


    to spend so much money to have his car fixed while everyone stayed clear of Jack not wanting to catch


    whateve r sexually transmitted infection he had,


    I had so many clever ideas, yet my cleverness never seemed to work on Virtue and Chip


    Why is that?


    Anyway, I wasn’t worried about Nicole. I had her where I wanted her.


    “Come on,” Jack mumbled as he nudged me in the ribs. “Let’s act like gentlemen and congratte the


    newly engaged couple.”


    “Sure,” I said, knowing there was nothing else I could do for now. If this was a lie like I believed it to be,


    no wedding will happen. They’ll just keep telling people what they want to hear until they get sick and


    tired of lying.


    But then again, if this wasn’t a lie, I had to do something before they say their I do’s.


    I had more tricks up my sleeves.


    I Virtue will never be Mrs. Liam Cohen…


    on saranten


    Over my dead body.


    516


    Sat Mar 20!


    CHAPTER 105 y The Angel


    Chapter Comments


    Morgan


    POST COMMENT


    Noah is most likely the one who gives Pete his orders… I wouldn’t underestimate him.


    Elizabeth Johnson


    I can’t fathom Noah out. Pete is a degerate sick psychopath, Chris is a weak sick abuser, Jack and


    Liam are both pathetic cowards Noah seems to be more calcting…


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