Free Rumor Central by Reshonda Tate Billingsley Page A

know.
    â€œWell,” Valerie began, “I heard it through the grapevine that Glenda Matthews had a kid and gave her up for adoption for a movie role because she didn’t want to tarnish her image.” Valerie stood back, I guess to take in my shock. And I was definitely shocked.
    â€œAre you serious?”
    â€œYep,” Valerie said confidently.
    â€œHow do you know that? I’ve been friends with Sheridan for years and I’ve never heard that.” That had to be some kind of mistake. I couldn’t stand her now, but Sheridan and I used to share everything and I can’t believe she would know something like that and not tell me.
    â€œSheridan didn’t tell because Sheridan doesn’t know herself.”
    I was definitely all ears now. “Get out of here. How do you know this?”
    Valerie smiled mischievously. “You know you guys aren’t the only ones that hear gossip.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    She pulled me to the side and lowered her voice. “Well, I’ve got a little gossip of my own.” She looked around to make sure no one was listening. “My friend Jennifer’s mother works at an adoption agency,” Valerie whispered. “She swore me to secrecy because her mother could lose her job, but apparently, Miss Glenda Matthews got knocked up right before her role in that Cleopatra movie, you know the one that put her on the map?”
    Of course I knew about that one. Everyone did. I also knew that role had launched Ms. Matthews’s career and was the one that had put Sheridan’s mom on the map. She had been an unknown singer before that and it had ended up earning her an Academy Award and a Grammy.
    â€œWell,” Valerie continued, “Ms. Glenda Matthews wasn’t about to let anything stand in the way of that role, including the fact that she was seven months pregnant.”
    â€œHow the heck did she hide that?”
    Valerie shrugged. “I have no idea. But she did. Didn’t tell a soul, then ditched her kid and kept it moving.”
    I leaned back against the wall, dumbfounded. “Wow. Just wow.” I took in her words. “But, wait a minute. If she didn’t tell anyone, how do people know?”
    â€œWell, she put the kid up for adoption and that’s how Jennifer’s mom found out. She was so disgusted when she saw Glenda win an Academy Award a few years ago, she broke down and told her husband and Jenn overheard her.”
    â€œI just can’t believe it. This is crazy.”
    â€œTell me about it. So, like I said, she’s trying to act like she’s all that. If only she knew.” Valerie laughed, then looked at her watch. “Let me get to class. I’ll see you at the studio.”
    I waved good-bye and stood processing everything.
    We’d been pretty crappy to Valerie and her friends over the years. Even when I worked with Valerie on the school newspaper, I didn’t talk to her unless I had to. So, I was shocked that Valerie hadn’t already let that secret loose. But I did know one thing, Sheridan might not have known about her illegitimate brother or sister, but if I had anything to do with it, it was just a matter of time before she did know and that would be the ultimate payback.

Chapter 14
    I was decked out in my fly Burberry silk wrap dress and four-inch Manolos. My hair was hooked up and my makeup was tight. The producers of Rumor Central wanted scandal and I was definitely about to give it to them. All thanks to a little secret I knew about Miss Evian Javid. I used her phone one day and saw a text message from one of her “girls.” Not girls the way Kennedi and Lauren were my girls, but like “they-work-for-me” girls.
    I had been fascinated when Evian finally confessed to her little side hustle, because everyone thought she was so prim and proper, but Evian was a straight businesswoman. She was actually the one who ran the escort service.