CHAPTER 37: THANE’S RESOLVE

Cassie made her livestream later in the day, finally announcing her one year break, placing the blame on her attacker.

Once the news went viral, all of her fans increase the slander on Brooke online, some even going as far as to slap Brooke’s picture on a tombstone.

Watching the Livestream on her way home, Sadie couldn’t stop her tears from flowing. She tucked her phone into her side pocket, careful not to put it in the one with a large hole in it.

Stepping inside her small apartment, she tossed her things and went into the kitchen to whip herself something to eat.

But when she went through all her drawers, she realized that she was out of everything.

"Damn it!" She cursed, staring at her account, there was barely much in it.

She poured herself four glasses of water, hoping it would make her stomach full enough to forget the hunger she was feeling.

"It hurts." She moaned, as she curled herself up into a ball, on the small bed that gave her back pains if she laid straight.

To keep herself from thinking about food, she went online to busy her thoughts, but all she saw was hateful comments.

Salty_Vibes_Only420: Why hasn’t anyone sighted that bitch? Is she an actual witch?

Slaying_it_24_7: Is the police in this country f*cking useless?! A crazy person is on the loose!

Yaaaas_Queen_202: #BROOKEUNALIVEYOURSELF!

Sadie turned her phone off, "This isn’t fair." Everyone at the agency knew that Brooke was not that sort of person but were too afraid to release a statement and cross the president the wrong way.

Sadie recalled, that Brooke was the only one who stood up for the staff when Cassie maltreated them.

She also knew that whenever she did that, work would always just pop up for her, and she’d end up spending extra hours at the office.

"I wonder where she is? I want to see her, I know she’ll need someone to be on her side now more than ever." She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

Her thoughts were cut short when her phone vibrated, she picked it up and saw it was a message from the production company that scouted her.

"What?!" She sprung up from the bed, staring at the text.

"Their president wants to meet with me?" She gasped. Apparently, even despite her rejection, the president of the production company wanted to personally see her and discuss the role.

The message stated that she was free to discuss her feedback on the script and the character she would be playing.

And even an advance pay after accepting the job and signing the contract!

Sadie couldn’t believe her ears!

"Maybe...Maybe with this I have a chance!"

********

Gilbert slipped quietly into the private hospital room, that Thane had been admitted to. He held back his sadness, when he saw Thane on life support.

"Young master, I’ve spoken with the doctors and they say you are unfit to travel in your condition. At least not for another month." Gilbert announced.

Thane closed his eyes, as he forced his body into a sit up, "I refuse. Brooke’s audition is in a week. I can’t miss it."

"There’s nothing we can do. The doctor is already covering this from your parents, if Mr and Mrs Grayson found out you were back in the country and hospitalized, you would be forced to stay for a year." Gilbert reasoned with him.

He went on, "Miss Brooke is a capable woman, she will do fine with or without your presence at the audition."

Thane’s anger swelled in his chest, "I know that damnit! I just wanted to be there, next to her, not here over something so trivial!"

"Sir, with all due respect, your condition wouldn’t have deteriorated this much if you didn’t neglect your health and overwork yourself." He lashed out, something that surprised Thane.

Gilbert had never spoken back to him, not once in all his years of working for him.

"You have always been careful and responsible, so no one had to worry. Can you imagine how everyone felt when you were found passed out on your work desk?" Gilbert continued his scolding.

Thane could see that he had made the people around him worry, something right from his childhood he always hated.

He tried to apologize. "Gilbert I’m sorry-"

"How could you forget to take your medications?! Are you a little kid? What would Miss Brooke say when she finds out?! Maybe I should report you-" he went on and on, getting a bit carried away.

Thane exhaled softly. "Have you found my phone yet?" He asked.

Gilbert huffed, ’The young master is hopeless.’ he recalled when Thane regained his consciousness last night in the hospital.

And how he first of all asked for his phone to call Brooke and let her know he wouldn’t be able to make it home.

Gilbert had to lie that his phone was missing, so he could focus on his treatment.

But looking at Thane, he was surprised he could even move, talk less of speak.

"It’s charging." He told the truth, "I’ll have it brought to you as soon as it’s full."

"Thank you, for everything, I’m glad you’re my assistant." Thane said with all sincerity, it made Gilbert blush to receive praise from his boss.

But he didn’t get carried away and asked what had been on his mind.

"Young Master, why don’t you tell Miss Brooke the truth about your condition? I think she would be able to handle it." He suggested, but Thane’s eyes darkened.

"No. I don’t want her to worry. She’s at an important phase of her life, I won’t burden her even more." He declared.

"But, keeping this from her would hurt her even more-" Gilbert’s voice trailed off before he was interrupted.

"No, I only want her to see my good sides," Thane said firmly, Brooke’s face etched in his mind. "She deserves happiness after everything she’s endured."

His expression twisted in a mix of pain and resolve. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Even if it means I can’t be a part of that happiness myself."