Fallen Actress' Comeback: Torn Between the Director and the Mafia Lord-Chapter 35: You’re Not Alone

Chapter 35

~Xena’s POV~

Xavier and I sprang apart like teenagers caught doing something illegal. Xavier cleared his throat. I covered my face, retemding to rubbing my palm down before turning to face my daughter.

"I’ll, um... take her," I muttered. "I’ll be right back."

Xavier chuckled as I left with Skai. I could bet he had his signature smirk on his lips.

Putting Skai to bed took all of two minutes. She fell asleep hugging her giant teddy bear, completely unaware of the chaos she’d interrupted twice.

When I returned to the living room, Xavier was already near the door, shirt and jacket on, cap in hand, like nothing we did in the last two minutes mattered.

"You’re leaving?" I asked quietly.

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. If I stay longer..." He looked at me, a slow, knowing smile forming. "...I won’t want to leave at all."

My heart tripped. Part of me hoped for more now that our little chaotic disturber was asleep, but there was no way in hell I was making the first move, nor was I going to ask him for sex.

I masked my sadness with a smile. He opened the door halfway, then looked back.

"Goodnight, Xena."

"Goodnight, Xavier."

He stepped outside, walked a few steps, then glanced back again — a look that said he wasn’t done with me. Not even close.

And as the door closed behind him, I realised I wasn’t sure I wanted him to be done with me either.

I walked over to the door and shut it, then leaned back against it. "Oh goodness, Xena. Get a grip."

After making sure everything in the house was right, I went for a bath, calmed myself even though the spot between my legs ached.

By the time I was safely tucked into my bed, I picked up my phone, wanting to thank Xavier for today.

I noticed a text message and immediately checked it when the first two letters of his name popped up on my screen.

However, I was a little bit disappointed. Rather than Xavier, I saw Xade’s name.

Xade: Hey. Good evening. Trust you’ve been good. Just a reminder for your shoot tomorrow. Don’t be late.

I reread the message, my mind hinting at his last words, ’don’t be late,’ and recalling how he reminded me that all of my actions reflected on him.

Me: Sure, thanks.

I typed and hit the send button.

I decided to check social media to see the buzz for the upcoming movie when my phone rang.

My first thought was that it must be Xavier, probably calling to inform me he had gotten home.

I halted, my fingers hovering over the green answer icon.

It was an unknown number ,and honestly, I wasn’t sure.

"What of it wasn’t Xavier?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

I heaved a deep sigh and answered the call, not sure what to expect.

"Hello, Xena. My name’s Slade. Skye’s twin." A deep, calm voice reverberated from the phone.

My eyes widened for a second, and I quickly shot into a sitting position on the bed.

"Slade. Oh my God. Good evening. Thank you for calling."

I felt a hint of a smile in his tone. "Anytime. I apologise for getting back to you late. Work seemed to have loved me more these days."

My cheeks pulled back in a smile. "No need to apologise. Thanks for reaching out."

"Oh, I hope I did not disturb your sleep?"

"No. You didn’t."

I bit my lower lip, my eyes darting about my room, thinking of what to do.

"Alright. I will arrange a meeting when I touch down tomorrow, but for now, I’d love a good briefing on this case."

I shifted upright properly and pulled my blanket over my lap. "Okay... where do I start?"

"Let’s start from the beginning," Slade said, his voice smooth and businesslike through the phone. "Preferably with the first actionable wrongdoing. I need a clear timeline."

Right, timeline. He sounded exactly the way a lawyer should.

"Walk me through everything. What happened with your father, the payments, and the scandal. I need a full picture before I decide on the best legal approach."

I inhaled slowly, sitting straighter on my bed even though he couldn’t see me.

"Okay," I began. "I started acting when I was twenty. My real name is Xena Winters, but I’ve always valued my private life, so I used my middle name and my mom’s surname—Rhia Rael."

"Your alias," Slade murmured in understanding. "And this was agreed upon with your father?"

"Yes. Back then, I was signed under my father’s talent management company. He managed my contracts, my shoots, my public image... basically everything. He supported it."

I rubbed my eyebrow when he didn’t say anything and continued. "And since he handled most of my early career paperwork, I didn’t question much. Even when I noticed he took more than the agreed percentage as my manager... I let it go. He was my father."

"Noted," Slade said a bit firmly, as if already filing mental documents.

"Things were good for a while. He got me roles I loved... and some I didn’t, but I still took them. My career was on the rise, and I was about to become an A-List actress."

I swallowed, remembering the blow, the emotional whiplash.

"And then... four years ago, I was twenty-three when everything crashed. A scandal hit. A private video of me was leaked online. Except I never filmed it, nor was I aware I was being recorded with a stranger. There was no consent. I was set up and drugged."

"Do you know the source?" Slade asked.

"Yes." My jaw tightened. "My cousin Joan. She hacked into my social media accounts the same night the video was posted. She also emptied my bank balance, everything I’d saved."

There was a short silence on the line. Not shocked. Slade didn’t sound easily shocked, more like controlled displeasure.

"Continue," he said quietly. "And I am guessing you have proof?"

"Honestly, no. I overheard her on the phone, but I had nothing to confront her with, plus I was emotional. My phone wasn’t even with me either."

"I see. Go on," he urged.

"My father didn’t believe me. Or maybe he did, and chose not to care. He kicked me out, cut me off, denied me, said I brought shame to the family." My throat tightened, but I pushed on. "He also withheld my final pay from a movie I shot, five hundred thousand dollars plus a seventy-thousand-dollar completion bonus."

"Did you ever sign anything waiving your right to that payment?"

"No."

"Good," Slade said. "Keep going."

"The other day," I said, the memory making my chest tighten, "I went to his house to ask for what I’m owed... and for help." I exhaled shakily. "Someone important to me, my nanny, the woman who raised me, was scheduled for surgery and I needed help paying for it."

"And he refused," Slade said flatly, not a question.

"He mocked me," I whispered. "Told the guards to throw me out. Denied, I was even his daughter. He said he could make Rhia Rael disappear."

This time, the silence was heavier.

When Slade spoke again, his tone had shifted into something colder, razor-sharp, the way a surgeon might prepare a scalpel.

"Alright," he said slowly. "Based on what you’ve shared, you may have multiple actionable claims: unpaid wages, contract breach, fraud, misappropriation of funds, emotional distress, and possibly defamation—depending on what he said publicly during your scandal. As for your cousin Joan..." His voice dipped lower. "Cybercrime, identity theft, financial theft, and reputational damage."

I blinked, stunned. "That many?"

"You’ve been wronged in more ways than one, Xena. And we will address each one." His voice softened just slightly. "But for now, I need every document you have. Contracts, bank statements, old emails, anything linking you to your father’s company or showing the alias he encouraged."

"I’ll gather everything."

"Good. Though things may get tricky with your cousin, but I’ll have experts track the money, no matter how long. I bet she wouldn’t know what hit her."

I smiled. "Thanks. I hope so."

"Sure. And don’t stress too much tonight." He paused. "We’ll speak again tomorrow. I’ll return to town before noon and arrange a meeting in person."

Something in my chest loosened at the sound of that.

"Thank you, Slade," I said quietly. "Really."

"You’re welcome. And Xena?"

"Yes?"

His tone lowered, almost warm despite the professionalism. "You’re not alone in this anymore."

It felt like the weight on my chest was finally being lifted and my life was going to take a different turn. A small breath left me. "I’m assured now. Goodnight, Slade."

"Goodnight."