Sophie didn’t believe Miranda’s sweet and innocent public persona...not one bit. The woman wouldn’t be on one of the most scandalous reality shows on television if she were that perfect. There had to be something. Unfortunately, Sophie had made a point of avoiding Miranda as much as possible during her father’s short-lived second marriage. She just plain didn’t know the woman well enough to know which closets to search for Miranda’s carefully hidden skeletons. But surely they were around here somewhere, in the offices of the show that had been the centerpiece of Miranda’s life for the past few years.
Secret Lives was a popular reality show based on divorced women living in Manhattan. Of course, ratings hinged on how many scandals the ladies could cause while displaying their lavish lifestyles. It was tacky and tasteless—but it was popular, and it came with a big staff of people behind it, all working to keep it going. That was where Sophie had found her “in.”
Sophie had applied for a personal consultant position within the company that produced Secret Lives. The security in the place was top-notch, so she’d had to get creative on getting in. No way would a Blackwood be allowed in this office. Not with the death of Miranda’s husband so recent. Just the word Blackwood would raise too many red flags and Sophie would be shut out before she could even get started.
A temporary job was the perfect opportunity to get inside.
The only glitch? Sophie’s popularity from her interior design YouTube channel, Dream It, Live It, forced her to alter her look. Usually, popularity was a great problem to have—but for the time being, it was getting in her way. If she didn’t have so many loyal followers, she wouldn’t have had to go to such great lengths to disguise herself.
Nothing a little hair color, some carefully applied makeup, a sexy pair of cat-eye glasses, a polished jacket and skinny jeans couldn’t fix. She typically wore fun dresses because she always found a dress to be much more comfortable than pants. So this outfit was definitely outside of her norm. So was the makeup. She much preferred a natural look, so the red lips were completely out of her comfort zone.
And the hair? She was kind of digging this style. A little fringe around her face and the bold shade of ashy blond made her feel a little sassy. The self-esteem boost was much needed because her nerves were all over the place.
She was hopeful and quite certain nobody would recognize her now.
So here she was, day one of her new job and fully embracing her new identity. Maybe blondes would have more fun.
Oh, and of course her name was the biggest adjustment. That was something she had to fully embrace and always be aware of because if someone tried to get her attention and she wasn’t focused enough to recognize her faked name, her cover would be blown.
The elevator stopped and Sophie pulled in a deep breath.
No. She had to stop thinking of herself as Sophie. In this building, and for the next week, she would have to think of herself as Roslyn Andrews. She could remember that, right? A nice combo of Sophie’s middle name and her grandmother’s maiden name. No problem. At least she’d chosen something somewhat familiar. And she wouldn’t have to get used to it for long.
She’d given herself a week timeline to get in, find the scoop and get out. She didn’t like being sneaky—that was quite the opposite of her personality—but she also felt that she and her siblings had been wronged. So, one week. Surely she could do some quick snooping?
The elevator doors slid open and the posh offices of Green Room Media greeted her. The elegant white decor and semicircular desk in the middle of the spacious floor plan were simple, yet classy. The receptionist glanced up from his computer and smiled. She’d talked with him before when she’d come for her interview just days ago. They clearly needed someone fast because they’d hired Sophie on the spot.
“Ah, Miss Andrews. Welcome back. Are you ready for your first day?”
More than he knew. Would it be too obvious if she asked to view cut footage right off the bat?
“Let’s do it,” Sophie said with a smile. “Just tell me where I’ll be.”
Craig, she believed his name was, came to his feet and gestured toward the long hallway. “You will actually be working right alongside Mr. Townshend, you lucky girl. He’s amazing, but he demands loyalty and precision. His personal assistant is out on maternity leave, but that’s no problem. If you need anything, you can always come find me.”
Working with Mr. Townshend? As in Nigel Townshend? She would be his temporary personal consultant? Sophie didn’t know if she was thrilled or terrified to be put in the most inner circle of the entire company...and with the sexiest mogul to ever grace the covers of magazines. He was known as the British Billionaire Bad Boy. Any woman with breath in her lungs knew who Nigel was.
Sophie’s heart fluttered and her stomach got a little schoolgirl giddy. Nigel was one very dominating, very powerful man. When Sophie had interviewed, she’d thought for sure she was just going to be a gopher or someone to answer phones. She’d hoped for more, but she also had to be realistic. She’d only been trying to get her foot in the door.
Well, she was in all right. Now she only had moments to mentally prepare to not only meet the sexy Brit but also to compose herself so she didn’t come across as some nitwit who didn’t deserve this position. She couldn’t afford to be let go before she got what she came for.
Sophie hurried to catch up with Craig as he made his way down the wide corridor.
“Are you sure this is the position I’m here for?” she questioned.
Craig came to a halt so fast Sophie jerked to a stop to prevent running into him. He glanced around before leaning in and whispering.
“You didn’t hear this from me,” he started. “But Secret Lives has dipped a little in the ratings and Nigel is taking it upon himself to find out exactly why. He needs fresh eyes to help him fix the situation. That’s where you come in.”
Well, that was no pressure at all. Nothing like being thrust right into the thick of things on day one. But at least it was a problem that didn’t make her feel out of her depth. She did know a little about ratings; after all, she’d built her channel into something of a phenomenon. Maybe she could actually make a difference here, too, and get the scoop she needed. A win-win.
“Does he not have anyone who has tried to help so far?” Sophie asked, still positive this position was a mistake.
“His assistant would probably have been a good asset, but she’s unavailable and Nigel wants someone from the outside.” Craig lowered his voice even more. “I think the show is in jeopardy. He didn’t tell me that directly, but... Well, I have some sources.”
Oh, she had no doubt the receptionist knew all the ins and outs and was one of the best sources of gossip. Perhaps starting with a little break room talk over lunch would be a good starting point for her own project.
Things were already starting off better than she’d hoped. Surely if Sophie was dealing with the head honcho himself, she could gain access to all the cut footage. But she still had to be careful and calculated about this. There was no room for errors and no way could she raise suspicions. Above all, she couldn’t run into Miranda. Even with the blond hair, glasses and completely different wardrobe, Sophie knew her step-monster would recognize her.
“Mr. Townshend is waiting,” Craig said as he turned and put his hands on the gold handles of a set of white double doors. “Welcome to Green Room Media.”
The doors swung wide and Sophie/Roslyn