Shout out to jimbob1999 and gracemaundu for guessing who it is correctly! All the other people had me dying from laughter with all their predictions. Love you guys. ❤

Episode 43: Drama Club

"Taylor. Hey. What are you doing here?" Emily asked as she slyly slipped her fingers out of Nicholas'.

She could feel him giving her a weird look from the side but there were bigger matters to worry about.

Tidily dressed in a dark ginger cashmere sweater, Taylor McNabb had one hand tucked inside the pocket of his jeans. His cute features were hidden behind a black face mask. If anyone had told her that it was him walking by, she wouldn't have believed them because of how well he disguised himself. Then again, she guessed that was the point. He was most likely out trying to have a good time without his reputation as a star getting in the way and resulting in fans bombarding him for pictures.

What were the odds that both of them came out on the same day and bumped into each other like this?

Obviously Emily's cap and sunglasses hadn't been enough for him not to distinguish her from all the others in a crowd.

She began to worry about the possibility of another person having seen her with Nicholas. Not because she feared for them being uncovered by the public but because it would be done in such a scandalous way. Like the cheap bargain of a paparazzi.

However, Taylor didn't seem to show any signs of seeing them interact with each other.

He looked as clueless as a newborn baby.

Good, she rejoiced.

This meant that it would be easy for her to trick him into believing any excuses she had.

That is if Nicholas was willing to comply with the plan she had in store.

"We're all off for today, remember? I haven't been to the zoo in a while so I thought it would be a good way to relieve some stress before we start filming again. Never thought I'd see you here though."

His eyes glanced back and forth between her and Nicholas whom had strangely became closer, sticking to her like glue.

"And...who may this be?"

"Nobody." She spoke up quickly.

Too quickly.

Nicholas felt as if a lightning bolt struck him in the heart because of her denial.

His eyes were shooting bullets at her as Emily proceeded to ignore him.

Taylor tilted his head at her at the weird vibe he was receiving from both of them.

"He's just someone who was passing by and I asked him to take a photo of me," She turned to him for good measure.

Nicholas didn't waver in his stormy gaze as she flashed him what was supposed to be a polite smile.

"Thank you for helping me out, sir."

Standing as stiff as a board, he watched Emily turn with the intention of walking away from him but little did she know that he wasn't going to put up with her leaving.

Not now.

Not ever.

As she found herself venturing towards Taylor, him welcoming her with a sunny smile, a hand snapped out and took ahold of her arm.

She looked up to see none other than a pair of fierce brown eyes.

His intentions were crystal clear before he spoke.

Oh no, the woman thought dreadfully.

She sensed his agitation before he aired it.

Thoroughly intimidated, Taylor barely managed to meet his eyes for a quick acknowledgement.

Nicholas stood there, barely composed as he said destructive things through clenched teeth, his anger radiating in waves.

"That's very heartless of you, sweetheart. Pretending not to know your own husband. I didn't know you had that dark side to you. Maybe we need to do something to fix it, huh?"

It was clear that the younger actor was more taken aback by this piece of information than she was. To the fearless exposure that is. Emily felt like she had been hit over the head, a thousand times, and he felt like someone had just told him his whole life had been a lie.

His plans to get closer to her came into question.

"What did you just say?" With a scrunched up expression, Taylor couldn't hide his true emotions behind an amicable mask. Not when he was being told this type of bullshit by a conceited stranger.

"Are you deaf? I said I was her husband, her spouse, her man. Would you like me to list some more synonyms for you to better understand?"

Nicholas couldn't help the smirk on his face when the little punk's entire expression crumbled.

It was like the world was ending for him.

See...

He had been right about this boy liking Emily.

How ambitious of him.

"Who the fuck are you?" Taylor retorted and took a step forward instinctively.

Emily saw his strong jaw clench and in front of him Nicholas rubbed his own face while shaking his head to himself.

It was like he was trying to talk himself out of doing something impulsive.

Like killing the boy with his bare hands for speaking to him so rudely.

And she was right.

Nicholas was seconds away from shifting from the gentleman whom he had grown to be to the ruffian he could be. He wanted to succumb to the desire which begged for him to make this boy before him become dead meat.

Seeing his intentions through a slight chuckle, she stepped forward between the two.

"I'm sorry about that."

"You should be."

"I'm not talking to you." She snapped at Nicholas whose face fell at her sharp words.

He figured then that she wasn't going to apologize for acting as if she didn't know him.

Fine.

He didn't need her to.

She'd find herself regretting she ever did that on her own.

"I don't need you to apologize, Emily. I just want to know who's this crazy man who's saying that you two are together. Much less married!" Taylor's laugh was nothing short of anxious. It peeled off his lips in the cringiest way.

His eyes narrowed when she failed to share in his humor.

It made him more fearful of her next words when she opened her mouth with a hesitant look on her face.

That was why he beat her to it.

Attempting to deny what he said.

To tell her what should be the reality.

"There's no way he could be...right? You wouldn't do something like that. You couldn't. I don't even know who he is so I'm guessing he's not even all that. Why'd you give yourself away to some...some bum! There's no way. Tell me there's no way!"

Harsher and harsher his words became as he approached Emily.

The woman was shocked as he grasped her hand in a tight hold, a devil-like gaze covering the sweet appearance of him.

This wasn't the Taylor she knew.

This person was a stranger.

One that was extremely overwhelmed by the possibility of there being no chance between them ever again.

"Take your fucking hands off her."

Nicholas was quick in bringing his woman away from the potential psychopath who was losing his cool over the news of their relationship.

He could understand his shock, the anger he would direct at him for having Emily, but when it came to physically trying to harm her, that was where he drew the line.

Grabbing onto the front of his shirt, Nicholas brought the boy face to face and made him look into his eyes.

If looks could kill, he'd be six feet under instantly.

Unfortunately, that wasn't how things worked.

Nicholas would have to go through too much unnecessary trouble in order to completely get rid of this insect. And he really didn't want to make him his first victim because of impulsive behaviour. He had his wife and their future children to live for after all.

With that thought in mind, Nicholas shook away the murderous intent he had and settled for pushing him away so strongly the weasel fell to the floor.

Like the pathetic loser he was.

The unfriendly exchange was noticed by a few people walking by. They stopped to see what was going on, making Emily consciously pull on the front of her cap. Nicholas noticed and sighed.

"Let's go."

Taking her hand in his own, he pulled the brunette away from the messy scene.

The last glimpse she had of Taylor made Emily very worried because it was a face she'd only seen in the movies before.

One of complete and utter hatred with the intent of revenge.

It was so scary goosebumps rose to the surface of her skin, giving her the chills.

She hadn't thought someone as nice as Taylor would have that side to him.

Why had Nicholas' words gotten to him so much?

Why would he have a problem with her being in a relationship?

By chance, did he...

"Does he like me?" She whispered to herself but the man beside her heard it all.

As a result, he replied to it with a mouth full of sarcasm.

"Did you figure that out just now?"

Emily squeezed down onto his hand that was still in hers as he strode out to the parking lot. She didn't know if he forgot they came with his parents but he didn't seem to care as he put her inside the car, buckled her up and found himself in the opposite seat.

"What about your parents?"

It seemed to only occur to him then as he paused and took out his phone.

After dialing a number, they heard the sound of Rosalie's voice through the speakers.

"Where are you? Your father hasn't stopped complaining about the amount of walking he's been doing today! I think he's getting old." She didn't fail to whisper the last bit so her husband wouldn't hear.

Normally, her son would've been humoured by his mother saying such things, knowing full well that she was the older one but now he was too upset.

"Em and I are going to leave first. She's not feeling well so I'm taking her back home. I'll have David come by in ten minutes to escort you back and when you two return, I'll help you and dad pack to go to the airport."

"Oh. That's too bad. I wanted to take her to my favourite restaurant. Maybe some other time. Tell her I hope she feels better. And you don't have to help us pack nor bring us to the airport. Just take care of your wife. That's your duty." She hung up before he could get another word in.

Nicholas sighed once more.

He felt bad for lying to her but he needed to get away from there with an excuse. It wouldn't be ideal to tell her the truth.

It's not like he could say, 'Hey, mom. I kind of caused a bit of a commotion back there so we're headed home because a brat thought he has a chance with my woman'.

On the other hand, Emily was pondering hard and trying to find any signs of Taylor liking her in their past interactions.

She came up with nothing.

Everything just led back to his good-natured personality.

He was nice to everyone after all.

Well, except for Adrianna.

Putting her head in both hands, Emily released a groan as Nicholas reversed out of the parking lot and onto the main road.

She really didn't sign up for this drama club.

All she wanted was a peaceful day.

She had wished for a little free-time as she enjoyed the company of her in-laws. Yet she found herself in this sticky situation.

She had indirectly offended one of her co-workers and her husband was angered by the fact that he'd disrespected him and their relationship in return.

How did taking pictures with cute animals turn into this?

"I really don't want to be that guy but I'm going to ask you nicely to stay away from that boy."

She looked at him as if he had grown two heads.

"How am I supposed to do that when he's my co-star?"

That reminder only made Nicholas ten times more furious. A list of people went through his head - some of whom he knew could cut that boy out of the production if he asked. But that would mean Emily's show would be delayed altogether as they would have to re-shoot all the scenes having that bastard in them. Matter of fact, they'd have to cast a different actor and who knew how long it would take for him to cover those renewed scenes. This meant all of her hardwork over these past months would go down the drain with this change in the cast.

It infuriated him beyond measure that he wasn't even allowed to be that despicable.

"I don't care if he's your pastor, Emily. You better stay as far away from his as possible. When you're filming, don't lead him on-"

"I never did." She calmly reasoned but her annoyance was growing.

"Then why does he have the idea that he has some kind of chance with you? Didn't you see the fucking look on his face when I said you were my wife? He looked like he stepped in dog shit. Goddamnit!" A growl interrupted his rant when someone suddenly overtook him. Out of spite, during the next intersection he made it his duty to return the favour and cut him, making the beer belly guy roll down his windows and flip them off.

"That's what you get for not waiting until it's your turn, asshole." He swore with tightened facial muscles.

Emily couldn't believe what she was witnessing.

"You need to calm down."

"I am calm."

She raised her eyebrow at his hands which tightened around the steering wheel until they were painfully red.

He rolled his eyes as he let go of it at a red light and turned to her seriously.

"I'm saying this for your sake. Guys like him don't give up so easily. It goes a long way to say that just by the fact that he wasn't even swayed by my presence. Intimidated, yes, but not enough to stop giving you those googly eyes. He should've at least had some consideration for the fact that I was there, as your partner, but what did he say? That I didn't meet the criteria of deserving you because he didn't even know me? That's quite concerning in my opinion."

"And that's your opinion. I don't think Taylor meant it like you assume he does. He was only taken aback, that's all."

Nicholas stared at her.

"Are you being serious?"

Emily pressed her lips into a firm line.

She didn't like the tone he was speaking to her with.

He noticed and blew out a diligent breath before continuing in a much softer voice.

"I don't want to go on about something like this but you're forcing my tongue. It doesn't take much to realize that he's going to continue trying to make advances towards you."

"And I'll just turn him down if he does."

"It's not that simple." The man beside her tried to get it through her thick skull.

"It can be." She responded in an end-of-discussion tone.

He got the message.

Loud and fucking clear.

Giving her one more look of disbelief for her limitless naivety, Nicholas proceeded to drive home, his heart still full of rage.