All Natalia could do was sit quietly after Zunnie Bai spoke to her. She did not heed most of what Zunnie said because she had slowly been processing what Alex said.
She screamed and growled internally but kept a smile plastered on her face. 'Wait, what? Did I hear wrong? How could she be his wife? When the F' did all this happen? Did they know each other all along? Are you freaking kidding me?'
A thousand questions came rushing through Talia's mind and she couldn't keep up. It's true she had been living in Italy after she graduated high school, but she had her friend Tami Rougé keep her up to date with Alex's love life. While she was shooting for the movie in Italy, Tami never mentioned anything about Alex seeing someone.
A flustered Talia composed herself and flashed her sharp-witted smile.
"Oh my, you're married, Congratulations." She exclaimed in a preppy tone to which Alex and Zunnie both replied with a, "Thank you."
Unlike other women, Talia was calculative and knew when to act like a bitch and when to behave like a lady. She did not want to embarrass herself and who knows, Alex probably was not even serious. Perhaps, he only made an agreement with Zunnie to stop his grandparents from agonizing about him being single at his age.
Talia although emotionally distraught, continued eating with elegance but snuck glances at the couple sitting in front of her. To her disbelief, they really did look good together. Zunnie's warm and confident appearance matched Alex's taciturn and imperious aura. They looked perfect. However, Talia did not want that. Alex was hers to keep.
She sneered inside as she stated in her head; 'Humph! That does not mean I am going to ignore my feelings for him.' Natalia had loved Alex for a long time. She had no intention of abandoning her hope that effortlessly. She swore to delve into whether Zunnie was Alex's fake wife.
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The moment Natalia got into her car she dialed Tami Rougé's number.
"Tami, I just had my heart pierced. Someone is trying to take what's inevitably mine. Do you know Zunnie Bai?" She whined when the phone was answered.
"Yes, we went to the same high school. Why are you asking? I'm not fond of her." An irritated voice could be heard over the speaker.
"Ahh, I just met her at the Zi's mansion… Ha-ha, you guys went to the same high school; what a coincidence then. What kind of person is she?" Talia specifically left out the part about Zunnie and Alex being married.
If Tami and the heiress of Bai Entertainment went to the same high school, she should be able to get detailed information. Natalia smirked thinking about the evidence she could uncover on Zunnie Bai.
"Honestly Talia, I don't know her thoroughly. In school, most of the girls did not like her. They said she seemed cocky and acted like a spoiled brat. She got confessed to by a lot of the guys since she was pretty. I've never spoken to her, but I know for a fact she is a scheming bitch. She makes guys fall in love with her and humiliates them afterward. It happened to someone I know very well."
Tami had begun loathing Zunnie Bai the moment she found out her crush Carson Maule was in love with her. To get on Talia's good side, Tami exaggerated the lies she spewed about Zunnie Bai.
Talia was famous, and Tami would do or say anything to kiss up to Natalia, simply with the expectation of getting invited to luxurious parties and live a high-profile lifestyle.
Tami and Natalia Omalu met at the high school entrance exam and remained friends from that day. Sadly, Talia had moved back to Italy over summer that year, but they had kept in touch.
Talia attentively listened to Tami rant on about Zunnie Bai. She made sure she remembered every detail.
"Thank you love, in the future if you hear anything concerning this Zunnie Bai, make sure to fill me in. I'm curious about her."
"I can do that, but only if you buy me lunch tomorrow." She giggled into the phone.
"Alright, Alright. I'll treat you." Talia replied, unbothered by Tami's request.
After speaking with her best friend, the atmosphere in her car became cheery. She turned on the radio. The announcer had just taken a song request from a listener. The song he played was Better by Khalid. Even though Talia had never heard the song, she quickly learned the chorus. She hummed along and wondered what kind of music Alex listened to.
The fact that she knew hardly anything about Alex worried her, but she remembered the conversation she just had with Tami and immediately felt happier.
It's like the heartbreak she had earlier was just an illusion. Talia smirked, stepped on the gas and continued speeding towards the city as she thought;
'I'm going to show Alex I'm the one he deserves. I have loved him for years and I won't let give up that easily.'