Off-key Lovers

( 6 ) | ???? ??? ???? ☆|

Her voice is sharp. Biting. Furious.

I expected this.

I welcome it.

“What the fuck were you thinking, leaving me that voicemail? Were you even thinking at all?”

I exhale, rubbing my temple. My voice comes out hoarse.

“I was drunk, Scarlett.”

“Oh, no fucking shit. You think that makes it better?”

Silence.

Then-

“Do you even realize what you've done?” she continues, her voice lower now. “You handed the world exactly what they wanted. You made them believe in us again. And you know what that means, right?”

I swallow.

Because I do know.

It means every interview, every award show, every fucking thing we do from now on-

It's all going to be about us.

And the worst part?

I'm not sure I mind.

Not when her voice still feels like home.

Not when she's the only thing that still makes my blood burn.

“Tell me one thing, Nash,” she says, voice quieter now.

“Did you mean it?”

My chest tightens.

My grip on my phone trembles.

But before I can answer-

She hangs up.

And I'm left with nothing but the sound of the dial tone.

And a truth I can't outrun.

Because yeah-

I fucking meant every word.

--

Scarlett Bianci

The second I hang up, I grip my phone so tight my fingers ache.

I close my eyes. Breathe. Try to steady the adrenaline still flooding my system.

But it doesn’t work.

Because Nash Armani meant every word.

I know it. I felt it.

And that? That’s the problem.

I turn back to Ophelia and Helen, who are both staring at me, waiting.

“He answered,” Ophelia says flatly.

“He did.”

“And?” Helen presses.

I shake my head. “Nothing. He was drunk. He doesn’t even remember.”

A lie. A blatant one.

Ophelia squints. “Scar-”

Helen cuts in, all business. “It doesn’t matter what he meant. What matters is how we respond. Right now, the entire industry is watching.”

She’s right.

The story is everywhere. Nash and I are trending in six different countries. His voicemail? Millions of plays already. My song? Viral.

And I have no control over the narrative.

Not yet.

Helen sighs. “The label wants you in meetings all day. We need a statement, a strategy, and a decision on how to spin this.”