Part 2Rejecting My Secretly Toxic Ex Boss

I always knew Carter came from ridiculous, generational wealth. I knew his family let him study fine arts and film directing in college just to give his resume a trendy, intellectual sheen.

But I had no idea he was actually directing feature films now.

And not just student films—he had semi-famous actors on his set, and he was currently tearing them to absolute shreds.

Max, the guy who had recruited me online, had told me to just call him Max. When I pulled him aside, I whispered, "Max... is Carter actually a brilliant director?"

Max knew exactly what I was really asking. He chuckled, shaking his head. "These are premium scripts bought out by Kensington Media. His family’s conglomerate is fully funding this. They bought him a multi-million-dollar playground so he wouldn't get bored."

I processed that quietly.

Before I could ask anything else, Max shoved me toward the monitor village. "You're up, kid. Go!"

Carter was in the middle of annihilating his leading man. "Could you possibly be any more agonizingly cheesy? You’re supposed to be a brilliant detective, and you’re playing it like a cheap gigolo at a discount bachelorette party."

The lead actor looked like he had just swallowed a lemon whole.

Not pausing for breath, Carter swiveled his death glare to the supporting actress. "In the last five minutes, has a single facial muscle moved? Your father died, your boyfriend dumped you, and you found the murder weapon, and you gave me the exact same vacant stare for all three."

The actress’s eyes welled with tears.

"Excuse me—" I interrupted, stepping in with a paper cup of coffee, right on cue.

The two actors shot me looks of profound, life-altering gratitude.

Because now, it was my turn on the chopping block.

Carter slowly looked up at me, a mocking sneer forming on his lips. "Don't tell me... you brewed this with water from the L.A. River? It smells like a biohazard. What beans did you use? What was the water temperature? Did you put vanilla syrup in this? You know I despise sugar."

When I just stood there, silently absorbing the verbal beating, Carter scoffed.

"Looking at you in that thief's getup, I'm half convinced you poisoned it. Go make another one. If it tastes like this again, you can take your little allergies right back to the emergency room."

"…Okay," I squeaked.

Seeing that he was about to turn his wrath back onto the poor lead actor, I threw myself into the line of fire. "How about I just brew five different cups, and you can pick the one you tolerate?"

The air on set evaporated.

Carter let out a dark, breathless laugh. "Are you mentally deficient? Did Max hire you just to shave years off my lifespan?"

He rubbed his temples, his voice dropping to an eerie, terrifying calm. "You can leave right now. And on your way to the hospital, have them drain the water from your brain."

According to Max, any normal assistant would be crying in their car by now.

But I was built different. I was a professional. My emotional tolerance was vastly superior to the average Hollywood intern.

"Carter, stop it. Why are you being so mean to everyone?"

A bright, melodic voice cut through the tension. A stunning woman in full wardrobe and flawless makeup glided onto the set, a serene smile on her face. She naturally stepped in front of the two terrified actors, shielding them.

Max had briefed me on this. If there was one single person on this earth immune to Carter’s rage, it was the leading lady of this film.

She came from a family with just as much old money as the Kensingtons. According to the gossip, casting her as the lead was just their families’ very expensive way of forcing the two of them to spend time together.

Carter’s lips tightened, but the storm clouds in his eyes noticeably dissipated.

Sensing her victory, the woman pressed her advantage. "I’m going to run lines with them in my trailer. The great director can enjoy his coffee and give us ten minutes."

She took the rejected cup of coffee straight from my hands and held it out to Carter.

He stared at it for a long, heavy moment. Then, he took it.

The actors looked at her like she was the second coming of Christ and practically sprinted toward her trailer.

Using the distraction, Max yanked me behind a lighting rig.

He shrugged, popping a chip into his mouth. "See? The power of the childhood sweetheart. Unbeatable."

Childhood sweetheart...

I lowered my gaze, staring at my scuffed sneakers.

In the three years I dated Carter, I had never once heard him mention a childhood sweetheart.

It hit me with a dull, hollow ache. I truly never knew him at all.

I took the water bottle Max offered, pulled down my mask for a second, and took a sip. "If she’s here to keep the peace, why do you need to hire people like me?"

Max rolled his eyes. "Blair is an A-list star. She can’t be playing referee every five minutes. Having a human shield on payroll is way more efficient."

I nodded slowly. "Makes sense."

Max handed me the bag of chips. Since Carter was currently distracted by Blair’s presence, I actually got a moment to breathe. I munched on the snacks, deeply grateful to have the mask off for a second. The condensation was starting to break me out.

Max leaned against a production crate, looking at me curiously. "You know, you’ve got a nice jawline. Good nose, pretty mouth. Why are you doing a crap job like this?"

"The money is great," I said honestly.

"Fair point."

He seemed eager to keep chatting, leaning in to ask me something else when a low, freezing voice drifted over our shoulders.

"Enjoying the picnic, you two?"

Max practically dropped the chips. "Just taking a five! We’re done, back to work."

At the sound of that sickeningly familiar voice, a shiver ran down my spine. Not daring to look back, I fumbled with my mask, frantically hooking it back over my ears.

But I wasn't fast enough. From a few feet away, Carter's dark eyes narrowed slightly.

"Are you sure you have an allergic reaction?"

Max jumped in, chuckling with the desperation of a man trying to defuse a bomb. "Oh, yeah, she’s got these nasty, peeling hives on her cheeks. From far away it looks fine, but up close, it’s honestly grotesque. Didn't want to ruin your appetite, boss."

To sell the lie, I hunched my shoulders and gave my cheek a gross, aggressive scratch.

Carter immediately looked away, thoroughly repulsed.

A moment later, he clicked his tongue. "Get over here."

Max and I shuffled over like scolded school children.

Carter pointed a long finger at Max. "Go tell the location scouts that the exterior shoot is delayed by two hours."

Then, he pointed that same finger at me. "You. Go keep an eye on Blair. And make sure that... whatever his name is... the lead actor, doesn't sit too close to her."