Diamond Lives, Platinum Lies Read online

  Diamond Lives

  Platinum Lies

  By Vonda Howard

  Diamond Lives, Platinum Lies

  Second Edition

  Copyright 2008 by LaVonda P Howard

  Edited by: www.21streeturbanediting.com

  All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

  The events and characters in this book are fictitious. Certain real locations and public figures are mentioned, but all other characters and events are totally imaginary.

  Prologue

  The cool winter air slid through Simone’s slender shaped fingers as she slapped him right across his perfectly shaven face with an open hand. The whole scene was in slow motion, in unison with the gasps from the crowds to the flashes of the paparazzi bulbs. She hated him, hated what he did to her.

  “What the hell are you doing you crazy bitch?” The female voice from behind her asked.

  “Shut up you scum bucket slut!” Simone said as she turned and looked the small framed woman straight in her fear filled eyes.

  “Simone, let me explain.”

  “There is nothing you can say to me Trent that would explain the reason that you had your tongue down this nasty bitch’s mouth!”

  “Who you calling nasty?” The woman asked with a major attitude.

  Simone turned licking her bottom lip, attempting to quench her anger. “Look little girl, I advise you to take your skanky ass back inside that club before you get you ass ripped in half.”

  Just as the woman opened her mouth to respond she was grabbed up by security and carried away.

  “Simone, come on, he’s not even worth it, let’s go.” Simone’s sister, Peaches said as she tried to pull her back inside the club.

  Simone yanked her arm away. “No! I’m tired of this idiot’s shit! We are through Trent! You hear me? You promised me that you would never do this again. How stupid am I? How could you humiliate me like this?”

  He held the stinging side of his face as he reached for her arm. “Simone, we can take this back inside and go talk in private. You are getting this all wrong.”

  She yanked her arm away from him and gave him a dagger filled stare. “Wrong? How do I get finding you huddled up in a tongue wrestling match wrong?”

  He stood there amidst all of the flashing bulbs and was speechless. “I…” He knew that after all he had done in the past there was no way she would believe anything he had to say.

  “Exactly.” She turned and headed for her limo.

  Trent, still holding his face, yanked out his cell phone and dialed.

  “Hello?” said the male voice on the other end.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  “What are you talking about?” There was a clear smugness to the voice of the mysterious man on the phone.

  “I know you set all this shit up. Why are you trying to destroy my life?”

  “Look Trent my man, I told you what I want, and you’re the only one that can get it for me. You think this was bad? I just got started. How many more jobs do you have to lose? How many more people you care about have to be hurt or dare I say, killed before you do what I ask?”

  Trent was silent for a moment. “Fine.”

  “Good boy. Meet me at my office tomorrow, let’s say around two in the afternoon?” Oh, and get some ice on that sore cheek of yours; we wouldn’t want that to swell.”

  The mysterious man chuckled as the call ended.

  Chapter 1

  What’s up DC! This is Big Mike on your radio! It’s eight am this Monday morning and we are still buzzing off what happened this weekend with movie star diva Simone and Hollywood player Trent Michaels! For those of you that have been under a rock; this past weekend Simone straight bitch slapped Trent outside his club Ice. Reports from people inside the club say that Simone caught Trent cozied up and tongue wrestling with some other chick and was pissed off! I just got one thing to say to Trent… You are a damn fool! Simone is the single sexiest African American actress out there right now and you cheat on her? That is straight disrespect to all us brotha’s that would kill to have that fine sister on our arm! Simone, baby, if you’re listening…Call me!”

  Simone reached over and slammed the snooze button on the clock radio. She had been up all night, all weekend as a matter of fact. It didn’t help that her cell phone was ringing off the hook after the fiasco at the club on Saturday night. She had been locked up inside her lavish hotel room ever since. She hadn’t talked to anyone, not her sister, her managers, no one. She couldn’t watch TV because it was all over the news. Don’t these people have lives? Why are they so concerned with mine?

  She remembered her days back at home when nobody even knew who she was. She was just another struggling waitress at Ben’s Chili Bowl. Now she was an A list movie star; big cars, big paychecks, big houses and public heartbreaks. She met Trent on the set of one of her movies and they hit it off right away. They were one of the biggest Hollywood couples and even had gained a name, Treymone. She hated it, she thought it sounded so ghetto. The media knew almost everything about their relationship. When they were together, when they weren’t, when and how he proposed to her. It was ridiculous.

  They had moved in together and were talking about getting married. They found a really nice, and super expensive, condo in a new development right in the heart of the city. She loved DC. She grew up right on Martin Luther King Avenue. She even kept in touch with all her childhood friends. She likes it that way because she knows they like here for her, not her newfound star status. She went to Ballou Senior High and was in the band, so she makes sure to make donations to them as often as she can. She is their biggest and most famous sponsor. All of her famous Hollywood friends have always asked her why she doesn’t just move out to Beverly Hills or LA, she just doesn’t want to. She has homes in Atlanta and California that she used when she was filming a movie or visiting friends.

  Right after the showdown she had with Trent, she made her way back to their condo, packed up most of her clothes and checked into her favorite hotel in downtown DC. She couldn’t believe she spent three years of her life on an idiot. What was he trying to prove? How could he embarrass her like that again? She was called an idiot because he cheated on her twice before and she took him back both times. She wasn’t about to let it happen this time. He promised her he wouldn’t do it again.

  She got out of bed and walked to the other side of her hotel room towards the floor to ceiling window. The city was so beautiful from the top floor of the hotel. Very few people got to even see this part of the hotel. These rooms were normally reserved for dignitaries and high-level politicians. They weren’t offered to the general public. A full time chef and kitchen staff were devoted solely to these rooms. She looked over at the still chilled bottle of champagne sitting on the table. She didn’t really drink; actually, she had a very low tolerance for alcohol, wine coolers got her buzzed, she just wanted to numb the embarrassment and hurt she was feeling. So, she poured herself a small glass.

  She couldn’t hold back the tears as she slowly sipped the champagne. She went and sat at the vanity in the bathroom and stared at her normally flawless face, one that was recently on the cover of Vogue magazine. Her caramel brown skin was soaked in tears and her hazel brown eyes red and puffy. She drank down the small amount that was in the glass before sitting it down. She pulled her shoulder length, coal black hair back into a ponytail. She grabbed one of the tissues and lightly patted her eyes, attempting to dry up the tears forming on her eyelids.

  “Come on get it together Simone.” She whispered to herself. Just as she stood and began to undress so she could take
a shower, she heard a knock on her door. She just closed her eyes and sighed. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. She had told the hotel to keep her staying there confidential and not allow anyone up or put through any calls. She ignored the knock and continued to undress, but it came again. “Go away!” She yelled from the bathroom. The knock came again. Pissed off, she darted towards the door. She flung the door open startling the busboy that had an elaborately decorated breakfast cart.

  “Umm...your breakfast ma’am?” Said the startled bus boy.

  She held her head down in embarrassment. “Honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t order breakfast.”

  “It is compliments of the hotel manager.”

  She rolled her eyes and gestured for him to come in. The only reason she took it is because she knew the manager well. They grew up together on “The Ave” and she knows he meant well. “Just sit it over on the table.”

  “Yes ma’am.” The young man pushed the cart inside and set the food up on the table just as elaborately as it was on the cart.

  “Thank you.” She handed him a twenty dollar bill. “Tell the manager that I appreciate his gesture, but nothing else unless I ask for it.”

  “Yes ma’am.” The bus boy said as he turned and left.

  She exhaled deeply as she locked the door and headed towards the bathroom again. Just as she turned on the faucets, her cell phone rang… Again. It had been ringing all night, so she put it on vibrate. Annoyed, she picked it up and saw that it was Trent calling… Again.

  “Hello!” She said in a very annoyed tone.

  “Simone, can we talk?”

  “Talk about what Trent? Why are you calling me?”

  “Damn it Simone, I told you that girl didn’t mean anything. I meant what I said when I promised to never hurt you again!”

  “Are you serious? What type of fool do you take me for? This was your last time doing this shit to me Trent; the last time!”

  “Simone!”

  She hung up. “Asshole.”

  Right as she was about to slam the phone down on the table, it rang again. “Trent, stop calling me! We are through!”

  “Finally! Simone! This is Peaches!”

  “Oh, hey little sis; I thought you were Trent calling me again.”

  “Honey, I was getting worried. I have been trying to call you all weekend!”

  “I know and I’m sorry. I just didn’t feel like talking to anyone.”

  “Simone, I’m your sister. I will always be here for you, you know that. You are always there for me, now let me be here for you.”

  “I know, I know.”

  “Is Trent harassing you? You want me to go find him and whoop his ass?”

  “No, Peaches.”

  “Just let me know. You know I’ll handle it for you.”

  Simone rolled her eyes in her head. “Yes, I know.”

  “Okay, really though, how are you this morning?”

  “Tired.” Simone sighed.

  “I bet. Have you gotten any sleep at all?”

  “Not really. With Trent calling continuously and the media talking about it constantly, I’ve been really stressed out.”

  “Look, you need to be with your friends and family. You’ve been locked up in that hotel all weekend. Why don’t you get dressed and come out to breakfast with Neil and I. Roxanne had Java Hut closed to the other guests. They are open just for you and you only.”

  “I don’t know Peaches, I ‘m not really hungry.”

  “Look, what better way for you to show the world and Trent that you are not ashamed or broken by this? Get up and get back out there, girl!”

  Simone took a deep breath. “I guess you’re right. I could use some banana nut pancakes…”

  “Good girl! We’ll see you there at around ten?”

  Simone sighed. “Fine. See you then.”

  Chapter 2

  Peaches waved to Neal, both Simone and hers best friend, when he entered the restaurant. They had both met Neal about five years ago at a Baby Phat fashion show that Simone was in. At the time, he was a fashion writer for Vogue Magazine. He helped Simone get rid of some really obnoxious guy that was trying to push up on her and they have remained friends ever since.

  Peaches was starving, so she had already ordered her favorite, strawberry pancakes, with a tall glass of strawberry milk. “Neal! Over here!”

  He walked over to her and planted a kiss on her cheek. “Hey girl, I see you ordered your faves as always. Did you talk to Simone?”

  “Yeah, I finally got in touch with her this morning.” She took a big gulp of her milk.

  Neal signaled for the waiter. “I gave up trying last night. I was really worried about her. She usually always answers my calls.”

  “I know. I even got a call from Trent this morning trying to convince me that he was innocent.”

  Neal pointed out to the waiter what he wanted on the menu. “Are you serious? He has some got some big balls.”

  “I know. I told his ass to stop calling me and my sister. I hate to say it, but I told her he was no good.”

  “Yes Peaches, we know you told her that. I just don’t think she wants to hear that right now. I mean, the last thing you want to hear is that the person you love and trust is a weasel. Look, she’s here.” Neal pointed to Simone pulling up in her snow white custom made Navigator. Since the day she bought it she has referred to it as her baby. No one was allowed to drive it but her. She wouldn’t even give it to valets. She stepped out of the truck in pure “fabulosity” like her close friend Kimora Lee Simmons says. She wore her sexiest jeans that accentuated her ass perfectly, her favorite Manolos and her all white faux mink waist length jacket.

  They watched as Simone walked in amongst a crowd of fans and photographers. Her body guards jumped out of their cars that trailed her and created a path for her to make it inside the restaurant.

  “I swear she is the only woman alive that can look that fabulous and be depressed at the same time.” Neal smiled.

  Simone walked into the restaurant, spotted Neal and Peaches in the corner and walked over to the table. “Hey guys.” Simone said as she took off her custom made KLS sunglasses, handed her coat to the waiter while she sat down at the table.

  “Hey sweetie, how are you?” Neal kissed her on her cheek. “I have been trying to get in touch with you all night.”

  “I know I’m sorry. I just wasn’t up to talking to anyone.”

  “I know honey,” he touched her hand, “I’m your best friend, you know I’m always here for you.”

  “I know.” She patted his hand and smiled.

  “So did that low down dog call you again?” Peaches asked as she took a bite of her pancakes.

  “No, thank God. He has been calling me all damn night.”

  “Well, hopefully he finally got the message.” Neal said as he cut his omelet.

  “I hope so. Roxanne left me a million messages too.” Simone pointed out what she wanted to order on the menu to the waiter.

  “Oh Lord.” Said Peaches. “You really should look for another manager. That woman is crazy.”

  “No, she’s okay. She just really, truly cares about me and that is hard to find these days. Besides, she has been with me since the beginning. Peaches, you are just mad because she wouldn’t get you that job as a video girl for 50 Cent.”

  “Whatever.” Peaches said under her breath. “I would have been perfect for that video.”

  Simone and Neal laughed. “Girl look,” Neal said as he looked towards the commotion at the door. “Oh my God, girl it’s D-Smooth! He is just way to fine.”

  Darius Barnes, or D-Smooth to the rest of the world, was the hottest and most famous rap star/business mogul around. He has had ten multi-platinum records, owned two haute-couture clothing lines, three luxury car dealerships and two hotels. He had been rumored to have dated half of Hollywood and was known as a major player.

  “He’s alright. I don’t really know him.” Simone said with a straight face. “What the hell does
he want here?”

  “Excuse me ma’am. I am terribly sorry for the interruption.”

  “It’s alright.” Simone replied.

  “Would you be opposed to Mr. Barnes and his party eating in the restaurant?”

  “Hmm…I seem to remember that the restaurant was bought out this morning. Am I correct?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “So….”

  “I truly apologize ma’am, he is just very persistent and beginning to cause a scene.”