[Chapter 442: Sheep's Hoof]
Feeling utterly helpless, Siebel had no choice but to leave. She stepped out of the office building and got into a car waiting by the curb, overwheld by a mix of frustration and disappointnt.
She had a nagging feeling that this ti, she had been used without getting anything in return.
Nobody liked being taken advantage of, not even the Hollywood actresses who treated undressing and sleeping with people as casually as eating and drinking.
Siebel thought about the recordings she had made last ti and felt the urge to post them on Twitter. But she held back.
Because Harvey hadn't completely shut the door on her, Siebel still held onto so hope.
Having been in Hollywood for a few years, she deeply understood that once such things were exposed, no matter the outco, the actor's career was over. No one would hire her again.
Her phone rang. It was Fiona, the vice president of the Feminist Majority Foundation. After gathering herself, she answered cheerfully.
...
Fiona extended an invitation: "After the New Year, the Feminist Majority Foundation will hold several events in San Francisco. Do you have ti?"
Siebel thought for a mont. She hadn't had any work recently, and she still hadn't heard from Harvey. The Feminist Majority Foundation was her biggest support, so she responded, "I'm one of the sisters. Of course, I will attend, especially since it's in my hotown, San Francisco."
Fiona, from the local Chapter, asked: "Your contact address hasn't changed, right? Good, I'll send the invitation and book your flight based on that."
Siebel quickly thanked her.
...
After hanging up, Fiona looked toward her assistant Monica. "Has lanie, the branch leader here, arrived?"
Monica, who had also transferred from the Butterfly Consulting, replied, "lanie is already in the reception room."
Fiona input Jennifer Siebel's na into the system and then headed to the reception area.
lanie was one of San Francisco's prominent won's rights leaders. However, compared to Los Angeles -- the national forefront for such movents -- San Francisco's progress was slower.
Moreover, Fiona had brought with her the key to the developnt of won's rights: funding.
No money ant no benefits, and only fools would engage in activism without any gain.
Fiona asked directly, "Has our permit for the gathering been approved by City Hall?"
lanie, who handled communication with the San Francisco City Hall, said, "It's approved. We should get official notice by the weekend. But I have so bad news -- the Mattachine Society is applying for a New Year's gathering too."
Fiona had always been a true feminist and hated the mortal enemy, the gay organization. "What are those freaks planning? Are they going to cause trouble for us again?"
lanie laughed, "This is San Francisco, not Los Angeles. The LGBTQ community here doesn't have nearly the influence they do in L.A."
San Francisco had unfortunately witnessed more than one shooting incident targeting gays.
Fiona, completely focused on the won's movent and the Feminist Majority Foundation's interests, asked, "The current mayor, Gavin Newsom, is reportedly supportive of won's rights. Can we invite him to our events?"
lanie responded, "We can try. There's a chance to invite him."
Fiona continued, "Are there any prominent won politicians or celebrities in the San Francisco area that we can invite?"
lanie thought for a mont and said, "The chief local prosecutor, Kamala Harris, is a Black woman, and she's the forr partner of Willie Brown -- not the best reputation, but she's dedicated to protecting won's rights."
Fiona said, "Invite her too. If we gather enough influential celebrities and politicians, our movent will build montum fast and suppress those freaks."
Although lanie hadn't personally witnessed the conflicts between the Feminist Majority Foundation and the Mattachine Society in Los Angeles, she had studied the news and videos. The LGBTQ community was truly their mortal enemy.
The situation in San Francisco was different. The Feminist Majority Foundation could definitely hold their ground against the LGBTQ groups.
...
Returning to her office, Fiona took out a spare phone and called L.A., directly reaching Hawke.
Hawke's opinion was clear: the won's rights activities here needed to grow in influence and generate a strong scene. Also, they should find a suitable opportunity to introduce Jennifer Siebel to Gavin Newsom.
Fiona suspected this had sothing to do with romantic or personal relationships.
But Gavin Newsom ca from a prominent family and was mayor of San Francisco. Would he be interested in a Hollywood actress?
Everyone knew actresses were easily compromised at any mont.
Fiona had looked into Siebel's background -- a normal middle-class family. Though she didn't fully understand, she followed Hawke's instructions.
---
Los Angeles, Brentwood.
Early on a weekend morning, gan Taylor got up early. After showering and applying light makeup, she called her neighbor Caroline Jones to accompany her to a nearby supermarket to buy so ingredients.
In gan's newly renovated villa, Caroline clicked her high heels as she entered the kitchen, holding a piece of beef. "Does this need to be cut open?"
"Hey, darling, if you don't know how to cook, I suggest you don't pick up the knife," gan said. She didn't want the special date to turn into a hospital visit. "Hawke's picky, if it's not good, he won't eat it."
Caroline pouted. "That's true. Sotis delicious food is right in front of him, but he just won't take a bite."
gan turned to look at her up and down. "It is delicious."
Caroline put down the beef, washed her hands, and leaned against the kitchen doorway. "Every ti you visit his office, you sneak bites, don't you?"
"No," gan continued preparing the food.
Caroline snorted. "Don't deny it. I've slled it a few tis."
gan put down the knife. "I don't sneak bites, because when I visit his office, I eat openly."
Her smile blossod like a flower. "Whenever I'm hungry, I go see him and eat until I'm full."
Though the two had beco close friends, Caroline couldn't help but feel jealous hearing gan boast so plainly.
Mainly because gan got to eat freely, while she couldn't.
Feeling unbalanced, Caroline showed her sharp teeth. "Aren't you afraid Erica Ferguson will blow your brains out?"
gan laughed crisply. "Darling, your mind is all on your Twitter job. You're clueless about this stuff. Rember what I told you last ti? How could I hide my relationship with Hawke from Detective Erica? I don't know about others, but there are many who want my job at Fox, and so have even emailed the detective bureau."
Caroline understood. "They want to use Erica to take you out?"
"Exactly," gan said, serious at work despite a playful ho deanor. "But I have defeated them all. They couldn't even keep their jobs."
Caroline asked, "Does she accept you and Hawke?"
gan shook her head. "For won from those big families, do you think we're a threat? n never stay faithful. A man with wealth and power always looks for mistresses or others."
Caroline, who used to handle public relations cleanups, understood this well.
dia image of model husbands always collapsed.
Like the much-publicized loving Bill Gates couple -- Caroline had heard rumors around the business district about the world's richest man's wild behavior.
gan continued, "I'm the result of a failed marriage. The terrifying mories from my childhood are hard to forget. So might say deep childhood trauma is lifelong."
Caroline crossed her arms in thought. "Have you ever considered marriage?"
"No, I'm afraid of marriage and don't like kids," gan smiled. "I never planned to marry or have children. Hawke knows that, and so does everyone around ."
Caroline fell silent for a mont. "So, you were never a threat."
gan looked at her. "I rember you said sothing like that. Is it true?"
"Of course." Caroline pulled up her sleeve to show her watch. "I'm selfish, fashion-focused, and pursue quality of life because I love to enjoy myself."
gan warned, "You better think it through."
Caroline stuck out her tongue, licking her bright red lips. "You know, every ti I see you sneak bites, I want to kick you!"
gan teased, "With your sheep hooves?"
Caroline lowered her head, widened her eyes like an angry sheep.
gan wiped her hands. "Later, help prepare lunch and then go ho."
Hearing that brazen woman trying to burn bridges, Caroline really got angry. She snapped, "You want it all again? You didn't say that when you found last night!"
gan said intentionally, "Don't worry, I'll leave you a bite."
Their sisterly bond was as brittle as plastic, with Caroline unwilling to talk anymore.
"Give him a little surprise," gan said as she walked over. "Once he's hooked, he definitely won't refuse."
Caroline stared at her. "You're not lying?"
gan pointed to the clock on the wall. "Okay, wait until 2 PM, then co over. You know my door code."
"I'll trust you one more ti."
Caroline helped gan clean up the ingredients.
Near 10:30, she left gan's place and went next door to her own ho. She headed up to the second floor and sat by the window to watch.
...
Shortly after, a bulletproof rcedes pulled into gan's driveway. Two other cars with bodyguards were parked outside.
Caroline moved to the left side of the house, peeking through a side window while occasionally checking her phone.
Won were naturally skeptical of sisters.
The idea that sisters always helped each other was mostly empty talk.
Caroline resolved to wait only until 1:30 PM at most.
*****
spatreon/Sayonara816.
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