Betrayal

the stage, held the Oscar in her hand for an intstant, and closed her eyes, and thanked God for the blessings in her life. She could feel her father with her, and her voice was a low sexy rumble when she spoke. The room went quiet to listen. All eyes were on her.

“I have two people to thank, my daughter Max, and my father Sam, for making my life and work so wonderful.” And she looked serious then. “And I want to thank Hunter Lloyd, wherever he is, for giving me this extraordinary opportunity, and allowing me to make this beautiful movie. Thank you, Hunt… Thank you all!” She waved the Oscar high at them, and left the stage as gracefully as she had come, disappeared into the wings, and ran back to her seat, and Jim and Max, a minute later. The whole room had given her a standing ovation for what she said. Hunter Lloyd was missed there that night. He was an important Hollywood figure, gone forever, but his movies would live on, and hers. Her speech had been short and touching. She kissed Max and Jim when she sat down. Jim had never been so proud in his life. He was thrilled for her and to be part of it. It was a shining moment in their lives, and it meant the world to him to have shared it with her.

The Sand Man won Oscars for cinematography, editing, best director, best picture, and best supporting actress. The Academy had honored them all, and Hunt. They had shown a beautiful photograph of Hunt on two giant screens, and a famous actor had made a short and touching speech about him, that his work would never be forgotten, and that he had been one of the best producers Hollywood had ever seen. When The Sand Man won best picture, Tallie went back to the stage to accept the award for him. And the audience rose for another standing ovation, and this time there were tears in eyes and on cheeks.

Tallie made a short and moving speech about the extraordinary producer he had been, and the honor it had been to work with him. “His memory will live on with us forever, like his work. Never lost, never forgotten, never far from our hearts. Sleep on, sweet prince. Go gently into the night. You will be much missed.” She spoke with astounding eloquence, and held the Oscar she was going to send to Angela Morissey for their son, and when she left the stage, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. It had been a noble farewell, despite what he had done to her. Jim admired her more than ever as he listened, and when she returned to her seat again, he put an arm around her and held her close. She was a remarkable woman. And Jim felt like the luckiest man in the world. Max was crying as she beamed at her mother.

It was a glittering evening, and Tallie was besieged by the press as they left. She was still clutching her Oscar and Hunt’s, and Jim’s hand. And Tallie thanked everyone who had been involved.

The three of them went to two of the after parties that night, and after the second one, Tallie told Max they were leaving and she’d send the car back for her. Max was having a great time with a bunch of young people she knew, and a handsome young actor who was flirting with her. She was the belle of the ball, and Tallie looked happy as she left on Jim’s arm, still holding both Oscars. A last rush of photographers took their picture as they left, and she heaved a sigh of relief as she leaned back against the seat in the car and Jim smiled at her as they drove off.

“That was some evening,” he said in awe, “and you were amazing,” and then he kissed her. “I’m so proud of you, Tallie.” For an instant she thought of her father. He would have been proud of her too, but now Jim was here. He was a blessing she hadn’t expected, after all the losses. And now the Oscar, which would give her even more credibility as a director. She was grateful for that, but she wasn’t thinking of her career as she looked at him.

“I was proud of you tonight too,” she said, looking at him. “Thank you for coming with me.” He didn’t know what to say to that. What could he say? He loved her modesty and simplicity, her integrity, and the woman she was. He kissed her again, which told her more than he could with words.

“Thank you” was all he said, and she kissed him back. And when they got home and she got out of the limo and sent it back for Max, she looked at Jim and laughed.

“The coach just turned into a pumpkin, and the coachmen into mice. I think I like it better this way,” she said, and he laughed at her.

“I know you do. I love you, Cinderella.”

“I love you too,” she said as they wandered into the house. They were still talking about the evening as they walked up the stairs together. It had been an incredible moment in her life and a great honor, and the best of it was that all the liars and frauds were gone. A good man had found her at last.

Epilogue

A WEEK AFTER the Academy Awards, Brigitte Parker was sentenced to eighteen years in prison. Based on the recommendation of the probation department’s pre-sentencing report, the judge refused to run her sentences concurrently, and ran them consecutively. She received a six-year sentence for her embezzlement from Tallie Jones and twelve years in the state system for the murder of Hunter Lloyd.

Tallie Jones was able to reclaim about a third of what she lost, from the sale of Brigitte Parker’s possessions. The proceeds of the sale of her home on Mulholland Drive went to the Internal Revenue Service for income tax evasion.

A year later, Tallie Jones and Jim Kingston were married on the beach in Hawaii, accompanied by their children.

A year after that, Victor Carson married a twenty-three-year-old Russian trade show model in Las Vegas.

About the Author

Danielle Steel is on the of the world’s most popular and highly acclaimed authors, with eighty international bestselling novels in print and 600 million copies sold. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death. She lives in California and Paris.

To discover more about Danielle Steel and her books visit her website at www.daniellesteel.com

And don’t forget to join her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DanielleSteelOfficial

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