Love and Secrets
17 hours ago…
With my head held high, I posed for the media. I flashed my signature smile with my lips painted crimson. Lorenz's arm wrapped around my waist comfortably. My dress was an off shoulder sweetheart neckline. Blue swarovski glistened in every flash of a camera.
"Smile, Lorenz," I whispered through my smiles when I caught Lorenz in his blank expression.
I saw his jaw clenched harshl, but he did smile anyway. I gripped tighter on our intertwined hands when I felt his smile disappear again.
"This way, Valera!"
"Smile, Lorenzo!"
"Here, love birds!"
"Pose for us!"
When we were out of the media's sight, Lorenz's hand was not found around my waist anymore. Our intertwined fingers were nowhere to be found. I took one last look at him and his well-pressed suit before I entertained myself at the party.
A couple rounds of martinis were enough for me to feel the heat. I entertained myself in a circle of girls. All the celebrities in this world already know the secret of my life. So, it wouldn't be a mystery to any of them if I get myself into a man's arms.
While I'm getting comfortable with a man, his hands around my waist gripping on me like I'm his property. Oh, to be held like this by my husband. I scoffed at my thought. He would never.
"Is something wrong?" Eric heard me. He must have heard me scoff. I just shook my head, but my eyes caught Lorenz laughing with a rookie model.
Without a second thought, my hand flew to Eric's shoulder. Now, our bodys' are closer to each other, enough to feel the warmth. My other hand brushed to caress his cheek. Eric's lips rose to a perverted smirk.
"How about a few more glasses?" I whispered on his ears.
"Do you want to drink somewhere more… private?" his hot breath touched my ear.
My mischievous smile was enough for an approval. His hand on my waist guided me to the bar. We had fun with drinks and few chitchat. When the liquor finally invaded me completely, Eric just started kissing me everywhere.
The next few hours were never captured by my mind anymore. The pictures of me and Eric making out in a limousine. Us entering the hotel. These photos. I don't remember one bit. I brushed my hand through my hair just puzzled about how my own husband hired the paparazzis to take this.
And to publish articles about my dirty deeds! I can't believe we would end up here. I turned off my phone, seeing all the articles just spreading around. Wherever I go, these photos are just everywhere.
The perfect marriage I pictured and showed the public is now ruined. By my own husband. For what? To divorce me? To destroy me? To what?! I couldn't figure out what.
I glanced at myself in the rear side mirror. I took a deep breath before I opened my car and went outside. Good thing there aren't any paparazzis in the parking lot. I entered the building and headed straight to the top floor, the CEO's office.
The moment I entered the building, I could hear the murmurs from different mouths. I gritted my teeth. When the elevator dinged, I immediately got myself out. I went straight to Lorenz's office.
As I entered the room, my eyes immediately darted to two figures having a drink at the balcony. Since the walls were glass, they were clear as the blue sky. Except that the weather was ugly. Hence, the dark clouds.
His secretary saw me first and signaled Lorenz of my visit. Lorenz turned around, and our eyes met. My half-hearted smile appeared. And he had to sigh heavily before leaving her at the balcony. My eyes followed the woman's hand as she caressed his arm as he exited.
Once the balcony door was closed, my mouth never hesitated.
"You're getting cozy with your secretary. What is this? A love story between the sought-after CEO and his lady in damsel secretary? And what? I'm the antagonist?"
His hand massaged his temples.
"Valera, why are you here?"
I bit my lip. Well, what I said wasn't the best introduction for today.
"Am I not your wife?" I said sarcastically.
"I have no time playing games with you."
"Should I remind you we have a marriage to fix?"
He scoffed.
"Or your image to fix?"
I swallowed hard. I breathed in deeply. He got me there.
"Both. I need you. Tell the media everything is a lie, a misunderstanding. And I'll do whatever you want."
His deep set of green eyes stared straight to me, sending tingles of electricity through my spine. The corner of his lips curved to a smile like his planning something I don't like.
"Divorce."
I shook my head.
"That's not possible."
"There's nothing else I want right now."
"And I don't want it. You think our families would agree?"
He chuckled, but it was mockery in my ears. My hand formed a fist.
"I'm not 27 anymore. You're not 25 anymore. I guess we can say we're old enough to decide on our own without the help of our families," he stood there, hands on his pockets like he's not making a big decision.
"We're old enough to fix this."
His head shook in dismay. I bit my lower lip, suppressing my anger. My patience is holding on its last thread.
"I want this divorce, Valera. I'm sick of everything. I'm sick of you," that stabbed right through my heart.
"I'm sick of putting up with everything. Do you know how many times the media threatened me because of your escapades? Did you ever think, with your men and parties, that's enough to ruin you! I'm sick of covering for you all the damn time."
Tears threatened to fall from my eyes, but I had to fight for it. My breathed ragged as I felt my blood boil.
"Did it ever pass in your mind that wherever I was, whether I was fooling with men or getting wasted, I always put a word for you. Did you ever think after our marriage, why you soared higher? Not just in your industry but mine!"
I continued, "You're standing high because of me! You have everything because of me! Your money? A billionaire? Because of me!"
The bag my hand was gripping on flew to his desk, knocking down his laptop. My eyes, bloodshot with anger. His eyes were shocked by my outburst. I guess he never expected this from me. Desperate.
"Why can't you just do your job like you always do. I never complained. Why do you have to do this to me, huh? Do you really hate me that much?"
He licked his lips as his eyes diverted away from me. The sight of me must have been a sore eye to him all these years. I stepped forward, closing the gap between us. My hand gripped on his chin, forcing him to look my way.
Our eyes made contact, but that was it. Indifference from mine and hatred from him.
"We married for business, for our family. We never loved. Hell, I wouldn't care if you fuck someone else right now. You never said a word nor cared about my men and parties. For three years, everything was quite. So, why? Why?!"
Silence stretched in the room. Too much silence was loud for me. He didn't say a word. Just stared right through me, stuck in my eyes. While me, looking for answers in his eyes but I couldn't find one. I couldn't read him.
I could never read him. Ever.
"Unless…" my eyes turned to the woman behind us, watching us from afar. My long nails dug deeper on his jaw. My eyes returned to him with anticipation and fear.
"Unless you're in love," I said it.
My shoulders dropped when he looked away. His head turned to another direction, away from my prying eyes. My jaw dropped as my hand released his chin. I shook my head in disbelief. I should've known this.
"Who is she? Do you love her?" I asked carefully.
"Please, she's not involved in any of this. This is between us."
My brows shot up. I pursed my lips. I dropped to the couch next to me. This day came. I thought it would happen to me first so I could hurt him but… it happened to him before it did for me.
"That's something a lovesick man would say."
"Just leave her alone," he said before he went back to the balcony. I followed his steps back to her, away from me.
Now, I'm watching the man I never had in the first place, slip away from me. If only he knew how I felt. Why I had so many men and went to parties? He couldn't reciprocate the love I had.
He couldn't love him while I did… in secret.