Page 15 of Now Their Starlet

“Yes,” Edison nods. “And they were only magnified as she grew more famous. I helped her land her role on The Real Omegas of Beverly Hills—I knew the original show runners. She had a captivating personality and was quick to cement herself as the main character, but she was always hungry for more. I think that’s when tension really started to form between us, when no matter what she did, what events we’d go to, she’d always be recognized as Edison Wade’s bondmate. I think that’s when our age difference, her youth, really reared its head. She wasn’t satisfied with living the housewife sort of lifestyle. She wanted to party, which was fine, I didn’t have issues with that. What was... problematic, was the way she pretended like we weren’t even bonded—she’d even cover her bondmarks with makeup when she went out.”

“She cheated on you?” Eli grunts.

“Yes,” Edison winces, reaching up again and squeezing his shoulder. “Serially. Some flings, some affairs. I learned this around when Andi was five or so, but I don’t think there was a period outside of the first honeymoon months when she wasn’t pursuing other alphas. I was... naive. I ignored obvious signs that she wasn’t being faithful for far too long because I desperately wanted to keep the illusion of a happy family.”

“Wait... how could she do that? She was bonded to you!” I shout in confusion. I’ve never been bonded, but from the way I’ve heard it described, even the thought of being with another person other than your bondmate is inconceivable. I’ve heard that some alphas can’t even get it up for anyone other than their bondmate.

“Are you asking how she could from an emotional perspective or a biological one?” Edison asks, his dark eyes—so similar to Andi’s—landing on me.

“Either. Both.”

“From an emotional perspective... I’m sure she told herself it was because I was gone so much. Truly, I was. I was terribly busy on my projects, and we’d sometimes go days without speaking to each other because I’d come home late and by the time I woke up, she was busy with her show.”

“Doesn’t excuse her cheating on you,” Cameron bites out, his expression stormy. He’s been careful to keep his emotions in check until now.

Edison just shrugs, waving a hand in the air like his bondmate desecrating their connection wasn’t that big of a deal.

“You boys don’t need to flatter me,” Edison says with a small huff. “I already approve of you all and Andi being together.”

His statement is so absurd that I let out a snort of laughter.

It’s so similar to something Andi would say, something silly about how we don’t need to pretend to care for her. It’s remarkable how there are still similarities in their personalities, even though she was primarily raised by her mother.

“Mr. Wade⁠—”

“Please, call me Edison,” he says, interrupting me. “Might as well, considering I’m airing out all my dirty laundry, right?”

“Edison,” I say with a shake of my head. “I think I can speak for all of us when we say that we’re not flattering you. This is just how we feel. You don’t need to convince us that Gina fucked you over. She’s already shown she’s capable of doing atrocious shit to her own daughter to fit whatever evil mastermind plan she has. Frankly, I think you’re being too nice to her.” The words spill from me in an anxious rush.

He swallows hard before taking a deep breath. Like he hasn’t heard that often.

“Thank you... I’m glad Andi has such passionate people in her corner. That said, enough about the history between Gina and I. Andi is what’s most important here.”

“Do you think Gina is just using Andi as a pawn, or does it go deeper than that?” Leo asks, speaking up for the first time since this conversation started. The way he phrases the question makes me think that he believes it does go deeper than that.

“Maybe Gina is using Andi as an opportunity to live vicariously through her?” Everett suggests, his gaze cutting towards Leo. “Is that a possibility?”

“I can certainly see that being the case,” Edison nods.

“That would explain why the bitch never let Andi do anything she didn’t approve of,” Eli huffs.

“So the moment Andi does something Gina would never do—like coming here,” I say with a wave at the home around us, “she decides to do the equivalent of dropping a nuke and pulls this stunt? What the hell are we supposed to do now?”

“I’m more than familiar with the tactics she’ll use in court. I’m less familiar with cases of this kind, but I spent a dozen years in the court system fighting for custody of Andi,” Edison says. “Do you want my honest opinion?”

“Of course,” Everett nods. “It’s why we’ve come to you for help.”

“Gina is smart. One of the smartest people I’ve ever met. Which means we can’t fight her with fire. We have to play her sick little game.”

“And what exactly does that mean?” Cameron asks, resting his elbows on his knees.

“If she’s somehow concocted a case strong enough to get an emergency conservatorship on Andi enacted, our energy shouldn’t be spent figuring out how to overturn it. It should be spent on getting the title of conservator transferred away from her.”

CHAPTER 5

Andi

Gina knows exactly what she’s doing. It’s been another four days since Ezra stopped by and I actually spoke to another human being.