Melanie's Worth: Part Ten

Melanie put the key into the large oak door and pushed forward. They both walked into a beautiful marble hallway with a simple chandelier hanging above.

"Who did you say this belonged to?" Sam asked, his holdall flung around his shoulder as he surveyed his surroundings.

"My boss's," Melanie replied, "I knew she was rich, but I didn't know she was loaded."

"Yeah, it's a nice place... what's to eat?" Sam said.

"Hungry already?" Melanie asked, stupid question to ask considering he just asked for food, she really must get it together. She dumped her luggage near the ornate table and walked towards the living room, outside was a nine metre pool, "Wow, this is some place... the pool even looks over the cliff, it's one of those miragey type places, if you swim towards the end, it's like you're bound to fall off." Mel said to the air. She turned around and noticed that Sam had disappeared. She made her way out of the living room and into the kitchen where he was playing with a black cat. He looked all lovable.

"What you got there?" Melanie said, then realising she sounded stupid, "Besides a cat, how did it get here?"

"Cat flap... I presume. The fridge is fully stocked... and you never guess what I found out..." as he pointed downwards, "Those steps lead to the wine cellar, they have everything done there, not that I know what everything is but if your boss will let us, we can open a bottle of her finest Champagne and sit by the pool. I could do with a beer though, not a champagne person."

"Alcohol, it'll pass. Charice did say, to make ourselves at home. I'm sure it's not a problem."

"What did you want to do today?" Sam asked Melanie.

"We can do exactly that, just sit by the pool."

A few hours later, Melanie sat by the pool in her bikini and sarong on one of the sun loungers with a smile on her face and a champagne flute in her hand. Sam was smiling back at her, with a bottle of San Miguel in his hand. He had chosen to wear his khaki beige slacks and no shirt, which was fine for Mel, because he was hot and there wasn't anything sexier then a man with a pack of abs.

"What are you thinking about Mel?" Sam said mischievously as he gazed at her.

"Nothin'," she said laughing.

"I bet you were thinking about getting me naked," Sam said.

"Uh... no... not at all," Melanie denied, but she was such a bad liar, he would see right through her.

"Come on, the temptation is far too great to just be thinking potted plants and err swimming pools... I know in the last twenty minutes, I have thought about you half a dozen times minus the swimsuit and sarong," Sam said devilishly.

Melanie blushed, "Sam, I feign ignorance... that is just the beer talking."

"Well I feign the beer, because it really is your body doing the talking," Sam said back, "Don't get the wrong idea, I didn't come with you to have mad passionate fling... I..."

"I know, I'll probably sell myself short here... but let's just throw caution to the wind and see how it's goes." Melanie interrupted, "I'm not really one for, planning ahead... it never really materialises... I haven't really been lucky in anything but my job... without it... I'm nothing."

"I don't believe that... the person you are isn't all in the making of other people, I think, it really is you who makes you... despite the past and all that shit..."

"Can I ask you a question?" Melanie asked and Sam nodded, "How did you meet her?"

Sam took a deep breathe, "We had mutual friends, she was very popular but I never really took it into account... because I guess love is blind when it comes to a beautiful woman... your eyes want to see all the good pleasing things but it's the heart that takes a back seat when you know things are off. Thinking back now, I realise she was off from the get go, but I believed she was a good person because she was ludicrously beautiful but where has it got me?" Sam shrugged, "I don't want to talk about her, I came here with you, not to talk about her."

"I have to know this, before anything can go ahead but do you still love her?" Melanie asked, "Is your heart still with her?"

Sam paused, "Yes,"

That was all Melanie needed to know and God, she was stupid. She was so stupid! She wished she could click her fingers and she was back home, curled up in a duvet away from it all. It seemed as if her luck hadn't changed either and deep inside, she felt ten times as worse. Oh, she hated karma, it always took a bloody long time and now, as she sat alone with her head in her hands a few hours later, she knew this trip had been a mistake. She had, had such high hopes for a relationship, for someone to care for her, for something, anything, even if it includes a few workouts with the unobtainable Sam, she was there... so what if she was selling herself short. She always sold herself short. This hope of something to come, was fantasy.

Sam had left an hour ago, after the earlier revelation, it had been awkward between them and they just couldn't afford to spend the rest of their time together with that tidbit of information separating them. So, he had thanked her for the time that they did spend and he said his goodbyes. Melanie broke down in tears and as she uncorked the bottle of Dom Perignon, continued to drown out her sorrows.

As several seasons changed and the weather became warmer then cooler, then cold. Melanie had decided, enough was enough. She handed in her notice of resignation to the horror and bewilderment of Charice, who had hoped that she and Sam would have sorted out their feelings and when she had spoken to Charice and confirmed that Sam was still in love with his ex-wife. Charice was horrified, she had a distinct feeling that Sam was for her and unfortunately he wasn't. Which kicked karma in the butt. With Melanie's resignation, she opted to move out of her apartment and move abroad to Los Angeles into a rented apartment in Burbank, California. She wasn't totally alone, but loneliness she craved.

Her apartment was cosy, but she couldn't afford to splash out on furnishings because she had to find a new job, a new career before she could settle. As she popped on her shades and read the LA Times paper, scanning for any prospective job roles, she took a sip of her frappacino and stepped out onto the curb. There were definitely roles advertising for extras, coffee machine technicians and chefs, but nothing like that appealed to her. She crossed the road and walked down Hollywood Boulevard, she was determined to make things work out for her, she wasn't going to take another battering if her life depended on it.

She looked up, just in time to see someone careen towards her. She side stepped, only to bump into someone coming out of the coffee shop. Their coffee spilling across the pavement.

"Oh my God! I'm sorry!" she said looking at the mess on the floor and then looked up.

"Melanie, is that you?" the female squeaked.

"Dawn! Oh my God! What are you doing here?" Melanie screamed, the coffees forgotten.

"I'm here with my husband... he's doing a film, so I'll be here for the next month. More to say, what the bloody hell are you doing here?" Dawn asked.

"I made the big leap! I quit my job and moved over here," Melanie said.

"Sounds drastic, what prompted that?" Dawn not wasting time with chitchat.

"Long story, where are you headed now?" Melanie asked.

"I was bringing Clive some coffee but I guess it wasn't meant to be," she smiled, "Never mind, why don't you come along to the set, only if you haven't got anything planned. It's only down the road but it's a closed set."

Melanie smiled, "I would love that."

Melanie's Worth: Part Nine

Sam grabbed his holdall and made his way to the Virgin Atlantic check-in desk. He surveyed the terminal, watching out for Melanie. The people around him, seemed to mesh into a blur of colour, much like an artist's palette and he so desperately wanted to see her. It had been two long weeks without word from her and out of the blue she had called and asked him to meet her at Terminal Three, Heathrow airport. He had told his agent what he knew, that he was meeting a woman and they were flying out and under no circumstances to let anyone else know of his whereabouts, nor tell Gloria that he was taking a trip with a woman he hardly knew. What in god's mind was he thinking? He didn't know, but somehow deep inside, he knew this was the right thing to do.

Melanie grabbed her wheelie luggage and made her way to the check-in desk. She saw him scan the airport, hoping he was looking for her. He was dressed casually in low waist jeans and a loose green khaki short sleeve top and a white t-shirt underneath. He looked like every inch, the dream man, she hoped he was. She didn't know anything about him, just that she had seen him in Terminator Salvation, that they knew what a pash was and was hoping they would. Err, she must be a complete lunatic for doing this but could she resist? Highly unlikely. She walked her way towards him and saw the twinkle in his eyes when he saw her.

Amidst the blur of people, she came. She was dressed in summer white linen trousers and a bright vibrant blue top and a lose gold chain. Her hair looked messy, but a sexy messy, as if she had just rolled out of bed and it did something to his loins as he thought about rolling in bed. She came at a stop towards him and smiled and he was surprised when she hugged him and they made their way towards the check-in desk.

Melanie's Worth: Part Eight

Melanie couldn't sleep that night and when she woke up in the morning, she was knackered. Thankfully it was Saturday morning, she could stay in bed and feel sorry for herself or she could do a few errands like stocking up the fridge and going shopping. She slowly got out of bed and made her way to the kitchen where she drank what was left of the juice in the carton and plumped herself on the sofa and put on the TV. She should really hit the gym or something, she thought, she hated feeling like an absolute slob. She started comparing herself to Gloria. Gloria was tall, leggy and blonde and she was, well she was Melanie. She was a petite five foot five and she held a good job and she was above the average earning bracket, but was it enough? She had been questioning her position for a while now, was she getting the job satisfaction that she was owed and deep down, she knew she wasn't. Fighting people's battles for them with the media circus was a thrill to begin with but now it was tiresome... boring and she wanted something else to do, something more exciting, something that would benefit the community... she sounded like bloody Mother Teresa, but she wanted more out of life.

She got up from the sofa and had a quick shower and decided to go for a jog to combat the blues that seemed to be attached to the hip, grabbing her Ipod and slipping into her trainers, she made her way out only to stumble into flashing light bulbs and a crowd of milling journalists left right and centre. She held her hand before her and retreated back inside. Securing the door and leaning against it. Shit! She was used to dealing with this junket for other people, the attention away from her but they were on her doorstep, what the fuck was going on. She ran into the living room and grabbed the phone, only to have it ring in her hands. She picked it up and spoke into the voice piece, "It's Mel,"

"You fucking bitch... you fucking liar, how could you do this to me... how could you screw with me..." Gloria said angry and frantic.

"What are you talking about?" Melanie said, hoping the lie would hold.

"Don't continue lying to me, I have proof you slept with Sam... I have pictures... you don't think I'm smart do you, some peroxide blonde, only after getting a leg over but no... no... I had you followed and I had Sam followed and you know what... kill two birds with one stone and you know where they end up? At your apartment..." Gloria poison tongue hissed down the phone.

"Gloria, we really mustn't be speaking on the phone... we really ought to talk in person." Melanie said.

"Do you think I want to be near dirt..." Gloria began and Melanie intervened.

"Now hang on a minute... that is no way to talk to me..."

"Nooo but you are the dirty bitch who slept with my husband..." Gloria said.

"Ex-husband!" Melanie hissed back.

"Don't get sarcastic with me bitch, I know people who can make your life a living hell," Gloria threatened.

"And I have a media circus outside who are happy to lap up a story about the whore I'm speaking to," Melanie bit back, "So before you start threatening me, maybe someone needs to take a look in the mirror and make a change... na na na nanan na na na."

"You humorous cow, you think this is funny, well you wait and see," and with that comment, she hung up.

Melanie put the phone down, her hands shaking ever so slightly and she took a breathe and the shrill of the land line shook her. She picked it up, only to hear Charice's voice on the other end, she was coming over. Melanie hung up and decided to put on something more appropriate and wait on Charice.

When Charice came over, she had security to separate the hordes of paparazzi to get into Melanie's flat. As she entered the room, Charice wiped a hair that had gotten out of place from her face and set her bag on the side.

"I had a very threatening call from Gloria Worthington this morning accusing us and you of malpractice, she is planning to sue us," Charice said and sat down opposite Melanie, "Perhaps you can enlighten me with what's going on hmm?"

It took Melanie three quarters of an hour to explain to Charice everything and with that new information, Charice exhaled and took a breath. "This is not the first time, something like this has happened. It happens all the time, but sometimes we turn a blind eye on love, of the perfect man..." Charice began.

"I'm not in love with Sam," Melanie interrupted and shut up with the expression on Charice's face.

"Love doesn't come around very often and when it does, we ought to grab it with both hands and not let it go... don't make the same mistake I did," Charice exhaled, "When I started this company, I had two choices, a career or the love of my life... and I chose a career because what could love possibly bring without money and now, in my fifties, I realise I've missed out so much... I come home to an empty house, all my mess and my own problems and no one to talk to..."

"What are you trying to say Charice? I thought we were trying to work out how to deal with this?" Melanie said a little nerved.

Charice walked to her bag and withdrew an envelope and handed it to Mel, "I would like you to take a break, you have been working far too much for far too long and I think you deserve a break."

Melanie opened the white envelope and there were two tickets to Italy, "Two tickets?"

Charice closed her bag and stood up, "Yes. The other one is for Sam, but of course he doesn't know that just yet, it's up to you, whether you choose to ask him or not. Leave Gloria to me."

"Is this reasonable? Asking Sam to come with me?" Melanie asked unsure, "I mean, I hardly know him."

Melanie's Worth: Part Seven

Melanie was introduced to Alex Donovan the well renown night spot genius, there were whispers that he was the Bill Gates of night clubs and bars and had names to many outrageously, ridiculously prices clubs and bars around the globe and Melanie had an inkling that he had a thing for Gloria. She watched the way he looked at her and the way his hand settled on the small of her back and the way, he would always look at other guys to warn them off and Melanie could definitely see a man who was a possessive lover, or perhaps a man who was in love with a woman who didn't know it. Melanie excused herself, tired of being the third wheel in the party and went in search of the ladies toilets, once inside, she gasped at the grandeur of it. Large ornate gold plated mirrors and crystal sinks, fit for a queen and what looked like a king too as the toilets were adjoined. Unisex toilets, always keen to be modern, the guy didn't miss a thing. She washed her hands and fixed her hair and make-up and walked slowly out of the toilets.

"Look here, I've broken the ice,"came the line and Melanie spun around to the voice and laughed, seeing the lanky man's hands turn white with ice cubes in his hand.

She laughed so hard, the man didn't know what to say next, "Not heard that one before... that's hilarious, where did you pick that up?"

"I thought of it," the man said, edging slowly away.

"Yeah, original!" Melanie said laughing continuously until the man was running away to pounce on another woman.

"That's a fine trick you just performed there, perhaps you should go into acting," came the voice and Melanie instantly stood upright. It was Sam, Sam in the flesh standing in front of her.

"Yeah, I think I most likely will... Give you a run for your money," Melanie replied, "If you'll excuse me, I can't talk to you."

"And why not?" Sam said a little perturbed, as he tugged her arm and made her look up at him.

"That's none of your business," Melanie said, shrugging her grip from his. She stormed off into the VIP section.

"You look flustered," Gloria said when Melanie appeared.

Melanie grabbed her pashmina and her purse, "Unfortunately, I am feeling a little unwell. Thank you for the invite, I think I might just go home," Melanie lied, as she touched her head.

Alex stood up, "Let me get one of my driver's to drive you." He nodded to the man at the door and as if from no where, another man appeared and was steering Melanie into a secret doorway.

The cold air hit Melanie as soon as she stepped outside, she was ushered into a black limo, not conspicuous at all and was comforted by the smell and the interiors. It didn't take very long to get home and with relief into her apartment, she took off her shoes and into comfy Alexander Smith pajamas and went to the phone and ordered some Chinese take away. She set herself down on the sofa with a bottle of beer and switched on the TV. Twenty minutes later, the doorbell went and she happily answered the door and before her was the Chinese delivery man with a bag of her food, she paid the man and kicked the door closed and walked to the living room surveyed the contents inside the bag. Her stomach grumbled and she set the food down and put her feet up on the table and as she opened her spicy chili beef to take a bite, her jaw hit the floor, at the doorway, Sam Worthington was standing and his expression was fierce. She set the food down and stood up slowly saying nothing.

He was the first to break the silence, "So you're representing my wife then?"

"I think you should leave, this is a conversation I am not willing to have right now." Melanie said, moving towards the door.

"I'm not leaving until you explain to me what the hell is going on here!" he pushed.

"And the fact you neglected to tell me that you had a wife when you slept with me!" Melanie said back.

Sam paused, "I did not sleep with you."

"Then what were you doing in my flat then, if not to sleep with me?" Melanie's voice started to increase.

"It was my intention at first because we were so out of it, but then you threw up and then you slept and I spent the entire night with you, watching you and... look, that's not the point, why are you representing my wife? You don't know the sort of person you're representing, she is a spineless bitch, she's not to be trusted."

"And this is coming from an angry pissed off husband? Yeah, right... like you really care. You hate her as much as the next person and I'm sure you're just here to demoralise her. She has told me everything about the man that you are..." Melanie spat back.

"Marriages aren't perfect, they need work, I admit that... but you know nothing about me nor about my marriage and if you had any common sense you would stay well away from it. She's not to be messed with Mel, trust me I had four years of it," said Sam, his fingers going through his hair.

"Thanks for the heads up Sam, but this is my job," Melanie said, "And if you'd excuse..."

Sam interrupted her, "What is it worth Melanie, you're representing a narcissistic bitch, she will do absolutely everything to get back at me because I'm not bending over backwards for her anymore, I'm not allowing her to get away with it... this time."

"Answer this one question then? What did she ever do to you that was so bad?" Melanie asked.

Sam paused and Melanie watched as she saw sadness on his face, "She had an affair, one after an another and with each affair a new pack of lies, it's as if the world knew one person and I knew another, it was a juggle between Jekyll and Hyde but the penultimate thing was I loved her despite all that but it was always me giving and giving and her taking and not giving a damn and there's just so much you can do, so much you can take... I don't know what to say to you, how do I know that you're not her..."

"What are you talking about?" Melanie's voice softened.

"How do I know you're not another Gloria? That's you're not made from the same mold?" Sam questioned.

"I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself Sam, I think you need to sort yourself out..." Melanie said, "Take some time out and sort your marriage out, if not with Gloria but with some guidance from the law or something..."

"You don't see the point, I have sorted out my marriage, I want a divorce but I'm just warning you off Gloria... she has a very jealous streak about her, if she ever finds out..."

"That's not going to happen because, I won't let her!" Melanie confirmed, "Now, would you please just leave."

Sam was about to say something but he paused and closed the front door quietly on his way out.

Melanie's Worth: Part Six

Melanie got home from what could only be summed up as the strangest day. She collapsed on her cream sofa and grabbed the remote control for the TV only to see Sam Worthington's face across it.

"Of all the bloody bastards," she screeched as she flicked the channel, only to see him on every channel. She got up and switched the screen off and headed to the bedroom, but before she could get to the bedroom, her mobile phone rung. She picked the call up, not knowing the number and answered it in her professional tone, "Melanie speaking," and she heard the purr on the other end.

"Mel, darling it's Gloria here. I was wondering what you were doing this Friday night? I was hoping you would join me at an opening my friend Alex Donovan is organising... well it's one of his new clubs... and I'd love you to be there."

Melanie never mixed business with pleasure but maybe a bit of networking she could make a whole new business for herself, she was tired of having to follow orders and be told to do this and that and her salary, she could be earning more. She had been with Charice for eleven years and she knew every PR stunt, press release and what to say to the demanding interrogative press. She could really do better branching out by herself and so she accepted. Now, all she needed was a stunning dress.

The black cab arrived pronto to Melanie slipping into a pair of gorgeous Louboutin shoes. She grabbed her matching gold clutch purse and a pashmina and headed outside. Once in the cab her mobile started ringing.

" Melanie speaking!"

"Darling, it's Gloria here... I've spoken to the bouncers on the door, to let you straight in. There is a massive queue outside of commoners wanting to get in, just say you're name and they'll let you in, see you there darling."

Melanie hung up, she didn't like Gloria's turn of phrase. She expected this from people, as she'd come across a lot of them all the time but somehow Gloria's phrase really bothered her, was it due to fact that she was Sam's wife and what did that spell for Sam that he wouldn't go for such commoners, did he even think like that? Was he like that? Was she just a test, an experiment? It was one night, a night she couldn't remember and she had been racking her brains out trying to figure it out but nothing came through.

After paying the cab driver, she got out and slammed the door. The street was packed with street revellers and party goers and barely there dresses. She could see the new club a few metres away and walked towards it and realised that the queue wrapped around two blocks, she walked towards the bouncers and gave her name and they unhooked the red carpet rope and let her in. She walked into a massive ballroom and realised she had the entire view of the club, she was told to take the stairs to go down.

He looked up from a conversation he was having with the fellas, a shot of Jack Daniels in his hand and followed the gaze of his two close friends. They were staring at something in the distance and as he looked up himself, his heart shot out of his chest, well it felt like it did. She was wearing a red dress and a rather large gold belt, but that belt made her womanly curves more pronounced and he was thinking about that night he had spent with her. He had watched her sleep, after she had thrown up on her pillow and he'd wanted to clean it up but she had fallen asleep on it. He smiled to himself and his smile became broader when they had fallen to the floor laughing. His gaze never left hers as he watched her descend the stairs and into the arms of... Gloria.

Something within him, burst. What the hell did Mel have to do with his soon to be ex-wife? He wasn't going to wait, he was going to demand an answer. He was about to stomp forward when he felt a hand slam his shoulder.

"Where'd you think you're going mate?" Sam looked behind him to a furrowed Christian, whose hand was on his shoulder, "Don't you think it's best to leave it." It wasn't a question, but it was a command. Sam had worked with Christian on his last film, Terminator Salvation and Christian was a friend and a big brother and somewhere deep down inside, Sam knew he was right but he couldn't shake off the feeling that Melanie was floating in the same circles as Gloria. He was gonna find out, without Gloria's knowledge.