Rebate System: From Poor Student To Billionaire Playboy

Chapter 26. A Hot Awkward Moment

The moment Alicia pulled into Savour Agency parking lot in her brand-new luxury car, every single head turned. Conversations stopped mid-sentence and jaws practically hit the floor.

Rita could hardly believe it was the same woman she had seen just the day before: yesterday, Alicia had been just another struggling model trying to get her foot in the door; today she looked like someone who had already made it, hair done, dress flawless, and that car screamed money.

Alicia stepped out of the vehicle slowly, savoring all the attention. She knew exactly what kind of picture she was painting: confidence, success, and power. But beneath the perfectly calm exterior, she was thinking about Harry.

There wasn't a question anymore; his wealth wasn't for display purposes. Harry was the genuine rich man, not Marcus who depended on his father. And that made him worth more, a living, breathing opportunity. If she played her cards right, he could open doors that might otherwise take her years to reach. Yet, she couldn't afford to be in a rush. One wrong move, and everything would come tumbling down.

She didn't really understand what his deal was or how he seemed to generate so much money, but there was one thing for sure: he had a ton of it, and she was going to milk every bit she could. As much as she tried to focus on her goals, a flash of memory crossed her mind: his hands, his touch, the way he made her body respond in ways she hadn't known were possible.

Alicia shook her head, trying to drive the thought away. Now is not the time for a sex daydream, she silently chided herself.

Inside, a receptionist whisked her straight through to Susan, one of the agency's senior reps, and someone whose thumbs-up or-down would decide her future.

Susan's office was minimalist yet elegant. She looked up from her computer with a calm, confident smile as Alicia walked in. The woman had that kind of aura that filled a room. Alicia knew right away that if she wanted to rise fast, she had to get on this woman's good side.

“Alicia Morgan, right?” Susan asked as she scanned through her file.

“Yes, that’s me, I was here yesterday,” Alicia said, the words rushing out of her mouth, hope evident.

Susan nodded, eyes still on the screen. "I've reviewed your references and your portfolio. I also saw some projects you were involved in." She looked up; her gaze was sharp but not unkind. "You've never been the centre of a photoshoot, ad campaign or walked on a high end runway before, correct?"

Alicia’s stomach twisted a little. She hated that question. It made her sound small, like she hadn’t proved herself yet. “That’s true,” she said, forcing a confident smile. “But I’m ready for the next step in my career. That’s why I’m here.”

Susan's lips arced into a slight grin. "Good answer."

Alicia let out a soft breath. Confidence was one thing she had in abundance, but she also knew confidence alone wouldn't be enough to survive in this industry. Everybody here possessed that same fire, after all. Only a few reached the top.

"Well, then," Susan said, tapping a few keys on her keyboard, "you've come to the right place."

Alicia smiled, feeling for the first time that day a spark of true hope. Maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something worthwhile.

Susan scrolled her screen once more. "I might have something for you. There are a few auditions coming up in the near future: commercials, walking at New York fashion week, and magazine shoots. Will you be interested?”

Alicia’s heart skipped. “Absolutely. I’m ready whenever you are. I am at your command, Ma'am.”

Susan chuckled low in her throat. "At your command, huh? I like that attitude. But please, call me Susan."

Alicia smiled back at her, realizing up close that the woman was a stunner: poised, elegant, and the kind of beauty that made everybody else fade into the background. No wonder she ran this place.

Susan, on her part, didn't mention his name even once. He had made it very clear that his involvement with the agency needed to be kept private, at least for the time being. He wanted Susan to act as the public face while he remained in the background. It was a shrewd move, really-too much publicity at too early a stage could create problems.

For Alicia, though, none of that mattered. All she cared about was landing her next big break, and from the look of things, it was closer than ever.

*****

Several hours later, Harry finally awoke. The afternoon sun was already creeping across his floor. He rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes, stretched, and headed to the shower.

The hot water hit his skin, washing off the exhaustion from the last couple of days. But just as he was getting comfortable, the water cut off abruptly midstream.

"Great," he muttered under his breath. It wasn't the first time this happened. The old building had a way of doing maintenance at the most inconvenient times.

He grabbed a towel, wrapping it loosely around his waist, and was about to throw on some clothes when there was a knock at his door.

He frowned. The only person who ever knocked like that was Brandon. Maybe he'd come back to borrow something again, or ask him to drive his wife around.

Harry hesitated. He could get dressed first, but where was the fun in that? If it was Brandon, he could use a little embarrassment in his life.

So Harry walked to the door shirtless, still dripping from the shower, and opened it, only to freeze.

It wasn't Brandon.

It wasn’t even a man.

She was standing there.

Harry’s mind went blank. “Oh… Oh, shit! I’m sorry!” He spun around, slamming the door half closed as he bolted into his room to grab something to wear.

Clara chuckled to herself softly and stepped inside anyway. By the time Harry reappeared, now in jeans and a T-shirt, she was casually leaning against the wall as if nothing had happened.

“I was just coming by to let you know the water’s out,” she said with a teasing grin. “Due to maintenance issues. Though, uh, looks like I’m a little late for that warning.”

Harry rubbed the back of his neck, half-embarrassed, half-amused. "Yeah, I kind of figured that out the hard way."

Clara shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve seen worse. Perks of being a gym instructor, you get used to seeing people in all kinds of… situations.”

Her tone was casual, but something in the way her eyes flicked over him made Harry's pulse quicken just slightly.

He laughed it off, trying to sound smooth. “Well, that makes me feel so much better.”

Then silence. One of those awkward pauses where neither seemed to know what to say next.

“You know,” Clara said finally, breaking it, “you should think about joining the gym sometime.”

Harry gave her a look. “Are you saying I’m out of shape?”

She smirked. "Not at all. But it wouldn't hurt to see what your body's really capable of."

Harry grinned and did an exaggerated flex of his arms, which, admittedly, didn’t show much muscle. “I don’t know, I think I’m doing just fine.”

Clara burst out laughing, the sound light and genuine. She had a cute, almost melodic laugh, and for a second, Harry forgot what they were even talking about.

He turned to her again. There was something about Clara, her energy, maybe, that disarmed him. It wasn't like Alicia, who oozed sex appeal, or Melissa, who was sweet and timid. Clara was different. She was confident, self-assured, the kind of woman who didn't play games.

“I'll tell you what,” Harry said, half-joking but curious how she'd respond. “I'll only join if you agree to be my trainer.” He said it without thinking, but the moment the words left his mouth, he realized how it sounded.

Clara smiled, her lips curling into a slow smile. "Oh, that's even better. I will work wonders on you," she whispered.