After the call with "Peacock" ended, Bell leaned back in her chair, staring at her phone, her mind racing, the familiar nickname "Peacock" lingering in her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that his voice had sounded oddly familiar—like she'd heard it somewhere before, but she couldn't place it. The banter between them suggested a long-standing friendship, but Bell, as Vivica, couldn't remember all the details. The way he spoke to her so casually, had thrown her off completely. Vivica and him must have been close. But who was he really?
Who is he? she thought, frustrated. She'd guessed they were close based on how casually he spoke to her, but the nickname alone wasn't enough to figure out his identity. Bell opened her contacts list again, scrolling down to the nickname "Peacock," still none the wiser. Her curiosity was eating at her. The fact that she didn't know was driving her crazy. She needed answers.
Bell paced around the room for a few minutes, piecing together fragments of Vivica's memories and trying to recall anything about a "Peacock." Finally, she gave up and grabbed her phone. There was only one person she trusted enough to ask and who could also fill in the gaps —Liz.
Without hesitating she dialed Liz's number and waited as the phone rang. It didn't take long for her to pick up.
"Hey, Bell what's up?" "Everything okay?" Liz greeted warmly, her voice as lively as always.
"Yeah, kind of…" Bell hesitated, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "Guess who called me today?" Bell said, trying to keep her voice casual.
Liz paused, her voice turning curious. "Who?" "Hmm, let me guess… Jacen? Some fan? Your mom? Okay who?"
"Nope," Bell said, her lips twitching into a smile. "Peacock."
There was a moment of silence on the other end before Liz's laughter came through the line."Wait… Peacock? You mean your childhood friend? Vivica's childhood friend? You mean him?" She said sounding surprised.
Bell nodded, even though Liz couldn't see her. "Yep, that's the one, that Peacock."
Liz let out a small laugh. " It's been a while since I've heard you mention him. Oh sorry not Vivica." She said remembering she was speaking to Bell.
Bell hesitated, then asked the question that had been gnawing at her since the call. "So what I wanted to ask you," Bell said, her voice lowering. "Who is he, Liz? I mean, I know you told me a bit about Vivica's close circle, but I don't know this guy at all. And his name is just saved as 'Peacock.' What's his real name? I've been thinking… What's Peacock's real name? Who is he?"
Liz chuckled softly, as if amused that Bell didn't know. "Oh, come on, you don't remember? His name is Kaden. Kaden Santiago. "
Bell's heart skipped a beat. The name echoed in her mind like a loud gong. "Again not the real Vivica but Wait… Kaden Santiago? The Kaden Santiago?" Bell froze, the name sent a shockwave through her.
"Yep, the very same," Liz confirmed with a grin Bell could almost hear. "Vivica's childhood friend just happens to be one of the most famous actors in the world. Pretty wild, huh? You know, the actor who's always ranking on the world's 'most handsome' lists. One of the top stars right now. Kind of a big deal."
Bell's jaw dropped, blinking in disbelief, her mind spinning. Kaden Santiago? She had seen him everywhere—in movies, on magazine covers, on red carpets. He was constantly being talked about, always ranking in the "world's most handsome" lists. And yet, she had just been chatting with him like it was no big deal. "Kind of, he is more than kind of. No way… that Kaden Santiago?" She could hardly believe it. "So, Vivica's childhood friend is—?"
"You mean… Vivica and Kaden Santiago were childhood friends?" Bell asked, her voice still incredulous.
Liz laughed on the other end. "Yep. Your good old 'Peacock' is one of the biggest names in the industry. Pretty unbelievable, huh?"
Liz laughed again. "Yep! You didn't realize that? They've been tight since they were kids. He's one of her oldest friends. It's funny, isn't it? One of the biggest stars in the world, and Vivica has been calling him 'Peacock' since forever."
Bell sat down, still processing this new information, the weight of the revelation settling in. "Wow… I had no idea. And here I was talking to him like he was just some random guy.". She'd just casually spoken to Kaden Santiago—the Kaden Santiago—and had teased him like it was nothing. She'd seen his face on countless billboards and in movies, and now it turned out they—Vivica and Kaden —had been childhood friends.
"Wow…" Bell whispered, still stunned. "How did I not realize that? I knew his voice sounded familiar." Bell shook her head in disbelief. "This is… insane."
"That's the thing," Liz said, her tone more serious now. "Well, Vivica and Kaden go way back. You're not Vivica, but you're living her life, which means you're tied to people like Kaden who know her better than most. You've got to be careful. You can't let on that you're not her… especially not to him."
"I just can't believe I have Kaden Santiago on my speed dial."
"Don't stress over it," Liz said with a chuckle. "If anything, it just means you've got someone powerful in your corner who knows the real you… or at least the real Vivica."
Bell laughed nervously. "Yeah, I guess so." Bell smiled faintly, appreciating Liz's support. "Thanks. I'll try."
After hanging up, Bell leaned back, her mind racing with this new information. Kaden Santiago. She had just spoken to one of the most famous men in the world, and yet he was completely unaware of the secret she was carrying. She stared at the phone again, still trying to wrap her head around the idea that she had just had a casual conversation with one of the world's most famous actors. More importantly, though, Vivica had grown up with him. The realization brought a strange sense of comfort—at least there were people in Vivica's life who knew her well enough to look past the superstar image.
A part of her felt relieved that she had someone like Liz to guide her through this strange new life. But another part of her was terrified—what would happen if people like Kaden or the rest of Vivica's inner circle ever found out the truth?
As she stared at her phone, Bell knew that the real challenge had only just begun. The more she uncovered about Vivica's life, the more complicated it became.
Bell couldn't help but wonder what else from Vivica's past she'd soon discover.