Page 103 of Unscripted with Mila

“I want to be me. I like the me I am when I’m with you,” he confessed.

“Nick,” I whispered, cupping his cheek.

He turned his head, pressing a kiss to my palm. “I want to direct. I’ve been spending a lot of time with Amber, learning. I want to keep learning. Make my own mark.”

“I think you’d be brilliant.”

“I would be with you by my side.”

A throat clearing startled me, and I met my dad’s amused gaze. “We’re still here, Pumpkin. As much as I’m trying to be supportive, can you save the lovey stuff for after we’re gone?”

“Sorry.”

There was a knock, and Andi walked in, followed by two men. We all stood as she looked around. She grinned at Nick. “You ready to do this?”

“Absolutely.”

* * *

NICHOLAS

“Are you sure?” I asked, my mind reeling. When Halton and Andi told me this guy was a shark, they weren’t kidding. And he’d found a drop of blood in the contracts, and he was poised to attack.

I met his gaze. Shrewd and intelligent. Jacob Marks was a man of few words, but when he spoke, you listened. He was in his sixties, his white hair trimmed and gleaming. He was short and rotund, but he was intimidating.

“The studio broke its own contract,” he said. “Page twenty-four of this ridiculous piece of garbage. So did your so-called agent. In subsection C of clause seventy-six, it states neither party can knowingly cause harm or inflict damage. They caused you mental and physical distress. They knew your condition and hid it. Damaged your reputation by putting that rehab story out there. Insinuating you had an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol. I have all the press shit around it. The statements, the so-called ‘supportive’ messaging. All bullshit.” He sat back, looking pleased. “If you want, we can press charges if we can prove she swapped out those pills.” He gave me a meaningful look. “And if she did it once, she’s done it before.”

I thought back to the last couple of episodes. I had been so sure I had taken my meds. MJ had picked up my prescriptions before. I couldn’t recall if the dates lined up, but since she often was in and out of my trailer, she could have switched them anytime. I never studied my meds or suspected anything—I simply took them. But she’d insinuated I had forgotten, and I was so used to doubting myself, I accepted it. Assumed she was right—that I was so deep into my character I forgot.

I had accepted so many of her opinions, I had disregarded some of my own.

“I just want her out of my life. I don’t want her making decisions for me anymore.” I leaned forward. “Can you help me with that?”

“If you hire me, yes.” He flashed his smile. “And pay my retainer.”

I glanced at Mila, who nodded. Andi looked pleased. “Done.”

“Then let’s get that witch out of your hair.” He stood. “I’ll be in touch.”

The second guy with Andi was the exact opposite of Jacob. He was tall, lean, dressed casually in jeans and a Henley. His dark hair was perfectly combed, and he wasn’t much older than I was. He exuded a calm strength and quiet demeanor. Tom Jeffries was a name I recognized as a sought-after agent in Canada. He represented a lot of well-known celebrities, and I had heard it was difficult to get a meeting with him.

But he was friends with Andi, which gave me an in.

He had been quiet, talking to Andi or Mila in a low voice, listening to what Jacob and I discussed. He met my gaze with his intelligent one. “You’ll be looking for new representation. Someone, ah, different this time. Someone who actually has your best interests in mind.”

“Yes. You know my story? All of it?”

He leaned his elbows on his knees, bending forward. “That you have bipolar? News flash, Nick. So do thousands of other high-functioning people. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. And not everyone is determined to hide that fact. Even Hollywood—the right side of Hollywood—is coming around to seeing that mental illness needs to be addressed openly. Help and support those who need it. But until people are brave enough to speak out, it stays in the dark.”

“You want me to do that—speak out.”

“Yes.”

I considered his words and what they meant. The thought of not hiding, being able to speak the truth was freeing. Still, I worried.

“MJ has always been in the same city as me,” I said. “Does it work as well with you elsewhere?”

He laughed. “Zoom, Skype, whatever you want. Video calls. I fly there, you fly here. I meet up with you on set. It’s easily done, Nick. If you want to hear my ideas and thoughts, I’m happy to sit and discuss them with you.”