Troublemaker

by Heather Beck

  “What is it now?” Ava asked with a sinking heart, unable to imagine what else could possibly go wrong in her life.

  “I got a call from the private investigator early this morning,” Mitchell said. “He told me he found something – something that explains how Christopher knew you were in Mexico.”

  Before Ava could ask what he’d found, Mitchell took his phone from his pocket, touched the screen, and then handed it to Ava. With a thudding heart, she looked at the screen, finding an email sent to her dad from the private investigator. As per our discussion over the phone, please see the attached files, Ava read silently. She glanced at the long list of attachments, the file names all dates, and then opened the very first one.

  An article from GossipNow! appeared – a popular entertainment magazine that was known for getting the hottest, most scandalous news first. In big, bold letters the heading read, Hot Mexican Nights, and below it was a picture of Ava and Javier eating dinner at Tesoro del Mar, looking happy and very cozy.

  “What the hell,” Ava said through gritted teeth, anger and disbelief washing over her.

  Isabelle peered at the screen from over Ava’s shoulder and let out a gasp. “How in the world did they get this?” she asked.

  “That’s what I want to know.” Ava scanned the article that described their romantic date and speculated about who Javier was, how they’d met, and how serious their relationship was. “This was our first date, and we were being...watched?” She felt like she was going to be sick when she saw another picture of her and Javier, this one taken outside her villa, about to kiss. She remembered that moment perfectly and how their kiss had been interrupted by a rustling in the large, leafy plants that lined her front yard. She’d been so sure that someone was there that night, and she’d been right.

  Isabelle wrapped her arms around her. “Ava, honey, I’m so sorry. I have no idea how the paparazzi could’ve gotten past the gates.”

  “Whoever it was, we’ll find them,” Mitchell promised. “We can check the security footage and get a clear picture of their face.”

  “Looks like we’re not the only ones getting a clear picture,” Ava seethed, clicking on the next attachment – an article called, Rich Girls Do It Right, that talked about all the hot spots Ava and Tessa were hitting up, complete with pictures of them at cafes, the mall, and the beach, one of them taken the day they’d met Juan Pablo. Disgusted, Ava held the phone out for Tessa to see.

  “I already saw them with Dad,” Tessa said, biting her lip nervously. “And, um, Ava? You might want to stop there.”

  Ava cocked an eyebrow, not listening to her sister as she opened the next attachment. Temperatures Soar In Ancient Mexico, the headline read, featuring three photos of Ava and Javier in the outdoor showers at Ek Balam. In the first one, water poured down them as Ava, dressed in her fire-engine-red bikini, suggestively touched Javier’s bare chest. In the second, her finger traced the eagle tattoo on his bicep. And in the third one, they were in full make-out mode, their hands all over each other. Looking at the photos made Ava’s face turn redder than her bikini. Not only was her blood boiling, but she was also embarrassed that her parents – and everyone else – had seen such an intimate moment. She now understood why Tessa had tried to stop her from looking at this file, and quickly, she closed it, not wanting to read a single word of the salacious article.

  “This is a complete violation of your rights,” Mitchell said, clearly trying to keep calm for Ava’s sake. “I swear, we’re going to catch the person responsible for this.”

  “Well, at least it can’t get any worse,” Ava said dryly.

  Mitchell turned his gaze onto the floor, like he couldn’t bear to look Ava in the eyes. “I’m afraid it does, sweetheart – for Javier, anyway.”

  Ava nervously opened another file, the title, Troubled In Paradise, filling the screen. It showed a picture of Ava, Javier, Tessa, Carlos, and Juan Pablo at La Rosa y Espina, capturing the exact moment when Javier punched Carlos, followed by a photo of Javier later pinning Carlos against the lounge’s brightly colored pillar on the dance floor.

  Revealed! Ava read to herself. We now know that Ava Riley’s new boyfriend is Javier de la Cruz, an ex-con who clearly has anger issues. As if grand theft auto wasn’t enough, it looks like he’s going to add assault and battery to his already less-than-stellar resume. Ava scanned a little more of the article, feeling more horrified with each passing word. Finally, she couldn’t take it any longer, and even though she wanted to throw the phone against the wall – hard – she handed it back to her dad.

  “Oh my gawd,” Ava muttered, making her way toward the couch and then slumping down on it. “Javier’s whole past is laid out in that article for everyone to read. They’ve even researched his mother!”

  “I don’t understand how this happened,” Isabelle said, dumbfounded as she sat down next to Ava. “How could the paparazzi get so close, gather so much information without us even knowing?”

  “They’re smart,” Tessa said with a gulp. “Too smart.”

  “No,” Mitchell said so forcefully that everyone jumped. “Christopher found Ava – almost killed her – and it’s all because this...this garbage led him straight to her. GossipNow!, the paparazzi, everyone who played a hand in this is going to pay. I’m filing a lawsuit against the magazine to find out who sold them those photos and information, and I won’t stop until I have answers.”

  Ava felt the slightest flutter of hope. Even though the damage had already been done, maybe she and Javier could get justice. “Do you really think it will work?” she asked.

  Mitchell nodded. “There are so many ways we can fight them. You’re a minor. You’ve been stalked. Your life was put in jeopardy. It’s all true, and if there’s a way to take these sickos down, then you can bet your life that I’ll find it.”

  Ava smiled weakly. “I know you will. Thanks, Dad. I just can’t believe the police didn’t find these articles. I mean, according to the dates on the files, our cover has been blown for weeks.”

  Mitchell shook his head in disgust. “I don’t know, either, but all that matters now is getting you justice.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more.” Ava let out a sigh as she stood up. “In the meantime, I’m going to take a long overdue shower.”

  “We’ll be down here if you need anything, honey,” Isabelle offered.

  “Thanks, Mom,” Ava said before heading up the stairs and toward the bathroom. As she went, she couldn’t stop thinking about the articles GossipNow! had published, and like her mom, she couldn’t fathom how they’d gotten their information. If only I’d listened to my instincts and looked closer, more carefully when I felt like someone was there, she thought. Maybe then I would’ve seen who was following me, watching me.

  Telling herself that they’d find whoever did it, she stopped at the linen closet, opening the door and reaching for a fresh towel. Her fingers had just touched the soft white fabric when she heard the floorboards creak, like someone was coming toward her slowly, not wanting to be heard. Ava slammed the linen closet door closed and spun around, coming face-to-face with her sister.

  “Oh my gosh, Tess,” she said, taking a deep breath. “Why are you sneaking up on me like that? After what I’ve been through, it’s not a good idea.” She let out a little laugh so Tessa would know she wasn’t really mad, but when she saw her sister’s worried expression, Ava’s face fell. “Tess, what’s wrong?” she asked, concerned.

  “We, um, need to talk.” Tessa’s voice quivered slightly.

  “Okay, you’re scaring me. What is it?”

  Tessa looked nervously over her shoulder, like she was making sure no one was there. “Not here. Can we go into your room?”

  “Yeah, of course.” Ava led her sister into her room and then closed the door behind them. She gestured for Tessa to sit down, but Tessa shook her head and instead, began pacing back and forth.

  “There’s something I have to tell you,” Tessa said before Ava could speak.
“It’s bad, like, really bad.”

  Ava placed her hands on Tessa’s shoulders so she’d stop pacing. “Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay.”

  “No, I don’t think it will.”

  “Tess, just tell me.”

  Tessa swallowed hard and looked away, guilty. “It’s me, Ava. I’m the reason GossipNow! knows where we are and what’s been going on between you and Javier. It’s my fault.”

  Shocked, Ava stared at Tessa, trying to process what she’d just been told. It didn’t make any sense until finally, she realized what her sister meant. “Oh, Tess,” she said, giving her a hug. “You think it’s your fault because you posted those pictures of you in Mexico on your StalkMe page. I want you to listen to me – this isn’t your fault. Remember how the paparazzi bombarded us that day at LAX? They, or someone else, must’ve figured out where we were going. Our cover was probably blown before we’d even left.”

  Tessa pulled away from Ava’s embrace. “You don’t get it, do you?” she said, her voice rife with anxiety. “I was the one who told the paparazzi we’d be at LAX. I was the one who blew our cover. And I’m the one responsible for leaking the photos of us in Mexico to GossipNow!”

  Ava stared at her sister with wide eyes. “You’re...you’re making this up,” she stammered. “You’d never do that to me.”

  Tessa’s head fell to her chest. “Ava, I’m sorry.”

  Silence fell over the room as the truth sunk in, slowly and painfully, causing a rush of emotions to wash over Ava. A part of her wanted to scream at her sister, to tell her to get the hell out of her sight. Another part wanted to break down and cry, wondering how in the world Tessa could do something like this to her. But another part – a part that consumed her more and more as the seconds ticked by – wanted answers.

  “Why?” Ava demanded, her tone ice cold. “Why did you do it?”

  Tessa put her hands up in defeat. “I was desperate. Everything I worked so hard for was being taken away from me – first our show, then our endorsement deals. I couldn’t just do nothing. I had to make sure we were still relevant and in the public eye.”

  “Why bring me into it? Why didn’t you feed the media with stories about yourself? Clearly, that’s the only person you really care about.”

  “Okay, I deserve that, but I didn’t do this to hurt you – honest. I did it because I knew people would go crazy for your romance with Javier. You were like this damsel in distress, needing someone to protect you, and then along comes Javier – exotic, strong, sexy as hell. It was like something straight out of a movie. And to be fair, it’s not like I planned on taking it this far and revealing so much, but your relationship kept on getting juicer. The public devoured it. I couldn’t stop.”

  Ava looked at Tessa, gobsmacked. “Do you even hear yourself right now? My life isn’t some story to be used for other people’s entertainment and neither is Javier’s. I can’t believe you took what I told you in confidence, as my sister, and sold it to a magazine!”

  Tessa stepped backward as if to protect herself from Ava’s rising anger. “I didn’t think it through, and I swear, if I knew Christopher would come here and try to kill you, I would’ve never ever done it.”

  “But you did do it, and I want to know how.”

  Tessa looked taken aback. “What...what do you mean?”

  “How did you get all those pictures? And don’t tell me you took them because you were in a lot of them, too.”

  “Oh.” Tessa’s eyes fell to the floor, ashamed. “I hired a photographer. I told him where we would be and when, and I gave him access to places where he wouldn’t have been able to get in.”

  Ava crossed her arms over her chest, staring coldly at Tessa. “Like outside our villa?”

  Tessa nodded, keeping her eyes downturned.

  “So, that’s how you’ve spent your time in Mexico,” Ava said through gritted teeth, trying to keep her voice steady. “Paying some guy to spy on me. Telling the world not only my secrets but Javier’s, too. Almost getting us killed. You’ve been a busy girl.”

  “Ava, please,” Tessa said, finally looking up, tears in her eyes. “I’m so, so sorry. I wish I could take back everything I did.” She paused, swallowing hard. “You’re not going to tell Mom and Dad, are you? I mean, I already feel awful about what I’ve done, and after seeing how much I’ve hurt you, the last thing I want to do is hurt and disappoint them, too.”

  A sick realization swept over Ava, and it took all her willpower not to slap Tessa hard across the face. “Are you fricking serious?” she spat out. “You’re only telling me what you’ve done because you know Dad is going to uncover your lies, anyway. You would’ve been fine keeping your dirty little secret all to yourself until you knew you were going to be caught.”

  “That’s not true. I...” Tessa tried to protest.

  Ava interrupted her. “You want me to convince Dad not to file a lawsuit, right? So, he and Mom will never know the truth?”

  “Please, Ava. They’ll never forgive me.”

  “And you think I will?”

  Tessa paused. “You always do.”

  Ava felt like she’d been punched in the stomach. After everything she’d done for Tessa, spending her whole life loving and protecting her, this was what Tessa thought of her? That she was a pushover? Someone she could use and then manipulate to make all her problems go away? Did Tessa even care about her at all? Ava suddenly felt like she was going to snap.

  “I’m not going to forgive you this time,” Ava hissed, coming face-to-face with her sister. “But you’re right about one thing. I’m not telling Mom and Dad – you are. Now get the hell out of my room and out of my life forever.”

  Tessa stumbled backward, maybe because she was shocked that Ava had spoken so harshly to her, or maybe because she was scared and wanted to put space between them. Either way, she didn’t say a word, and instead, stared at Ava with large, unblinking eyes. Then she spun on her heel, flung open the door, and disappeared into the hallway, her bedroom door slamming shut a few seconds later.

  Ava slumped against the wall, sliding down until she hit the floor hard, hardly noticing the pain that shot through her body. She was too numb, too shocked, feeling like everything that had just happened with Tessa was either a nightmare or a hallucination, anything other than a reality. This was her sister – the one person she trusted more than anyone else in the world – but now all that had changed. Ava began to cry, her sobs deep and sorrowful, because beneath her anger was the worst pain of all – complete and utter betrayal.

  * * *

  One Week Later...

  Ava sat at her bedroom vanity, pulling her loosely curled hair into a stylish messy bun, leaving a few strands down to frame her face. She swept a shimmery rose-gold eyeshadow over her lids and accentuated her eyes with a charcoal-gray liner. She added a coat of mascara and then finished the look off with a dark red matte lipstick. Ava knew she was probably too done up for this time of day – a late afternoon – but she didn’t care because for once it was what she wanted. Besides, it was a special day. Javier was getting released from the hospital in a couple of hours, and she planned on spoiling him rotten with a home-cooked meal and her undivided attention, making sure he was comfortable and had everything that he needed.

  Ava had spent all of last week at the hospital, making sure Javier took his medication and letting him lean on her as he walked up and down the hallway for exercise, as instructed by his doctor. Mostly, though, she sat by his bed and kept him company, talking for hours. She had a lot to say to him, like explaining how his personal life had been splashed across the pages of a gossip magazine and how Tessa was the one responsible for it. Javier was furious at Tessa, but he was more concerned about Ava than himself, and a lot of their conversations revolved around how Ava was dealing with her sister’s betrayal. Not surprisingly, she still wasn’t coping with it very well.

  As Ava stood up and grabbed her keys – she’d rented her own car so she could visit Javier – she
thought about how, despite their long conversations, they’d never talked about their relationship and where it was going. Javier had tried to bring it up a couple of times, but Ava had quickly changed the topic, saying that the only thing he should focus on right now was getting better. The truth was Ava had needed more time to think about their relationship. She already knew how she felt about him – that definitely wasn’t an issue – she’d just been unsure how they’d make it work. She lived in America, and he lived in Mexico. How could they ever make a long-distance relationship last? Ava had laid awake many nights asking herself this question until finally, she knew what she had to do. And even though she was nervous, she was going to tell Javier what she’d decided – tonight.

  Wanting to get to the hospital early, before Javier was released, Ava opened her bedroom door and stepped into the hallway, not getting far when she saw her mom coming up the stairs and straight toward her.

  “Hi, sweetie,” Isabelle said, her smile a little forced, her tone a little nervous. “Where are you going?”

  Ava raised an eyebrow. “To take Javier home from the hospital. His mom can’t do it because she has to work. I’m sure I told you this.”

  “You did. It’s just...your dad called to say he and Tessa are on their way over. They want to say goodbye before they leave, and I was hoping you could stick around for a few minutes.”

  Ava felt angry all over again just by hearing Tessa’s name. After she’d given her sister no other choice than to tell their parents the truth, Tessa had reluctantly admitted what she’d done, leaving their parents shocked and horrified. Mitchell had shouted angrily that he was now going to sue GossipNow! for doing business with a minor, while Isabelle choked back sobs, like she blamed herself for not knowing what was going on. When everyone had calmed down – sort of – Isabelle and Mitchell had grounded Tessa for life and decided that it would be best if she stayed with Mitchell for a few days. Tessa had moved out of Villas Sol Dorado that very day, and Ava hadn’t seen or heard from her since. Now, Mitchell had to fly back to Hollywood for work, and Tessa was going home with him.