Chapter 6 Her Punishment
The next day, Naomi walked into the office and was hit with some unexpected news: she was now the manager of the company's biggest star, Aurora.
Naomi stared at her former boss, now the HR manager, Jesse Turner.
"You want me to manage Aurora?" The words felt foreign on her tongue. "Mr. Turner, there must be some mistake."
Aurora wasn't just any celebrity—she was Starlight Media's crown jewel, the most sought-after talent in the country.
Seasoned agents with decades of experience would kill for this opportunity, yet here was Naomi, barely two years in the business, being handed the golden ticket.
Jesse slid a coffee across his desk with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Direct orders from Mr. Cavendish himself." He leaned closer. "I had no idea you were so... connected, Naomi."
His hand landed on her shoulder, fingers pressing just hard enough to make his intentions clear.
Naomi shot to her feet. "I should get started on the transition paperwork. Thank you for the coffee."
She hurried from his office, fighting the urge to brush at her shoulder where his touch lingered like a stain.
Jesse Turner—the office predator everyone pretended not to notice. Half the female talent had been coerced into his bed, and he'd made it abundantly clear to Naomi that her career advancement came with a price tag.
The memory of those business dinners made her stomach turn—Jesse pouring drink after drink, not realizing she'd taken precautions with alcohol blockers beforehand.
Why hadn't Jonathan fired that creep when he took over the company?' she thought.
"Who put that frown on your face?"
A hand tapped her shoulder, making her jump. Naomi turned with a practiced smile. "Lawrence, we've talked about this. Even in private, you need to maintain some professional distance."
Lawrence Parker—her most promising young client—grinned back at her.
At twenty, with his golden-boy looks and infectious charm, he'd already built a modest following of twenty thousand fans after Naomi had landed him a spot on a reality show.
"I hear you're abandoning me for Aurora," he pouted, grabbing her hand and swinging it childishly. "What happened to being my exclusive agent? Take me with you! I'm your protégé!"
"Lawrence," she said gently, "I've taken you as far as I can. You need someone with better connections now."
"That's not true." His playful demeanor slipped. "Everyone's talking about you and Mr. Cavendish. The chat group is blowing up with photos of you getting into his car yesterday. He waited fifteen minutes for you in the parking garage! You can't just dump me now that you've got an in with the boss."
"What chat group?" Naomi pulled out her phone, heart racing.
There it was in the company's unofficial gossip thread—photos of her entering Jonathan's car. The comments made her blood run cold:
[Wasn't Cavendish supposed to be immune to women? Why Naomi?]
[He called her to his office alone on his first day...]
[She's prettier than half our talent roster. What man wouldn't notice?]
[Please. The boss can have any woman. Why her?]
"So you'll keep representing me, right?" Lawrence reached for her hand again. "I'd be lost without—"
The temperature in the hallway seemed to drop ten degrees. Naomi felt it before she saw him—Jonathan standing behind them, his gaze arctic.
"Naomi. My office. Now." His voice left no room for discussion as he turned and walked away.
Lawrence withered under Jonathan's glare, mouthing "sorry" before escaping down the hallway.
Inside his office, Naomi stood with her arms crossed. "You wanted to see me, Mr. Cavendish?"
"Ground rules, correct?" Jonathan remained standing, his posture rigid. "You only mentioned one yesterday."
"I haven't decided on the others yet."
"Rule number two," he said coldly. "No other male companions during our arrangement." His eyes narrowed. "I won't raise another man's child."
The implication hit her like a slap. Lawrence was her client—and gay, not that she could out him. The fact that Jonathan would assume...
"Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "The same applies to you, Mr. Cavendish."
Before he could respond, she turned and walked out, aware that every eye in the office had seen her enter his domain.
The questions started before she reached her desk.
"What did Cavendish want?"
"How do you know him?"
"Why did he choose you for Aurora?""How do you know him?"
"Why did he choose you for Aurora?"
Naomi kept her voice steady. "He's prioritizing Aurora's career development. Yesterday he was simply briefing me on the way to his business dinner."
"What about Juan?" someone asked. "Is it true he jumped ship?"
Juan Stewart—Aurora's previous manager and another notorious predator.
Juan had actual talent as an agent, securing top opportunities for his clients. The price, however, was sleeping with him, regardless of gender.
Even Aurora, with her star power, hadn't completely escaped his advances, leading to several scandals that had cost her endorsement deals.
"I assume that's why they picked someone like me," Naomi shrugged. "Someone... unremarkable."
The group nodded, accepting this explanation. A female agent with no reputation was safer than someone who might generate negative press.
Their conversation was interrupted by Aurora's assistant, Lyra Cole, rushing toward them with panic written across her face. "Naomi, you need to come quickly. Aurora's having another meltdown."
Naomi closed her eyes briefly, silently cursing Jonathan ten different ways before composing herself. "I'm on my way."
Of course he'd handed her the company's most volatile star. Was this punishment for the birth control pills? Whatever game Jonathan was playing, one thing was clear—he wanted to make her life impossible.