Her POV
Dawn was breaking. I barely got any sleep. I'm dying to know what happened at the Acheron villa. Did everything go as planned?
I think it's time to call Benjamin. After all, I have the right to know what happened since I was there. I grabbed the business card he gave me, dialed the private number, and called. It rang for a while, but he didn't answer. Nor did he hang up. Maybe he's still asleep.
I can't just sit here waiting for an answer. I'll head to Dominik's restaurant and Benjamin's café and hope they're there.
I got dressed and headed out.
As I walked, I felt a bit uneasy and sat down in a nearby park. Still no calls. Ugh, I'll try again... Nothing.
"What happened to you…?"
I dragged myself to the "Domingo" restaurant, but it was closed. That worried me. I started running toward Benjamin's café, and luckily, it was open.
"Excuse me, is Mr. Benjamin here?" I asked the bartender.
"He hasn't come in yet," he replied.
"Can you tell me when he might come, so I can wait?"
"Well, the café is open 24/7, and Mr. Benjamin is usually here all night, leaving when our morning shift starts. So, I assume, since he wasn't here last night, he won't be coming today at all."
"Oh... thanks for the info."
I sat at the bar and ordered coffee. What now? How do I get information? Maybe I just need to be more patient, maybe he'll call me himself...
My phone vibrated. I quickly answered without even checking who it was.
"Hello, Benjamin? What happened with Dominik??" I asked, excitedly.
"…"
"Hello?!"
"Benjamin?! Dominik?!" The shrill voice echoed.
I hung up. That was definitely Ethan. I can't believe I didn't look at my phone before answering so recklessly…
About 10 minutes later, my phone vibrated again.
This time I looked, and it was Benjamin calling.
"Benjamin, I'm sorry to bother you, but please, tell me what happened last night?"
"What do you mean, what happened? The wedding happened!"
"What?!"
"My brother married the Chaldean girl…"
I hung up. That's enough. So, it was all… a party. They ended up getting married.
My heart hurt. I feel so defeated. But what did I expect? Did I really think I meant something to someone I met in one night? Did I really hope that I would...
But then why did he give me false hope? Tears were streaming down my face uncontrollably.
Why did Kadjar even say to wait for him and that he was crazy about me?
Why... Why...
My face turned red from crying. The bartender panicked a little and tried to calm me down, as I was the only customer in the café and the only other person there. I'm grateful for the kindness he showed me.
But soon, something stirred inside me. I started to burn. I literally felt a fire consuming my sadness. I was boiling.
I grabbed my phone and called Ethan. He answered immediately.
"Listen, Melania..."
"Come to 'Bengo' café right now. Now!" I yelled into the phone.
"B-but I'm heading to work…"
"I DON'T CARE! Get here now, or I'll come and get you!" I screamed.
"O-Okay…" he stammered.
Sweat was pouring all over my body. Soon, I took off my jacket, but the fire inside me didn't stop. I felt an incredible strength that wouldn't allow me to grieve. At that moment, I was ready to do anything. I had no hesitation, no restraints.
Ethan arrived half an hour later.
"Melania..."
"Sit. Shut up. Listen," I commanded.
Ethan had never seen me like this. Even I didn't know this side of myself. Never. I don't know what came over me.
"I'm going back to your company, and you'll put me in the position of a journalist. I'll write a story, and after a successful one, you'll promote me."
"Melania, darling, we already talked about..."
"Dominik Acheron got married. I witnessed the wedding," I said, seething with anger.
Ethan's jaw dropped. I saw a glimmer in his eyes, like he had found hope from Pandora's box, something that could save his company and take it to new heights.
"And how will you…"
"Will you, or should I look elsewhere?" I asked angrily.
"…I will."
"Good!" I slammed my hands on the table and stood up. "Then let's go."
"Now?"
"No, yesterday!" I seethed with rage.
I got into his car and took the wheel. Ethan watched every move I made, a little frightened. And my anger didn't stop. The fire within me kept burning.
When we arrived at his media office, I immediately sat down at someone's desk while Ethan cleared a space for me. Colleagues were wondering what was happening and even protested, but Ethan shooed them away, giving me room.
I wrote a shocking story. It was phenomenal for Ethan and his agency, but disastrous for Dominik and his entire family.
I wrote everything about the wedding, the passions, the family relations...
"Meet the Acheron family from first-hand experience!" Large letters graced the cover of the magazine. We'd never produced such a large print run. Ethan was over the moon, and I still couldn't calm down.
"It's over. Our fairy tale is over," I muttered under my breath. We released the issue and posted it on our web portal. The reactions were overwhelming, and soon, a storm erupted in our capital and spread across the country.
***
A month and a half have passed since then. Ethan promoted me to the role of chief editor of the "CelebritieZ&GossipZ" magazine, and I achieved incredible results. I brought the magazine from obscurity to surreal heights, revitalizing celebrity gossip in the country. I was receiving huge business offers that propelled me to new heights.
Since that day, I've changed my number. They probably called me, who knows who, but I didn't care. I changed my number and never went back to the "Domingo" restaurant or the "Bengo" café. I hadn't heard from the Acheron family for a long time. Nothing. As if they had disappeared. I no longer cared about them. I was only focused on my life and my success.
Ever since I slept with Dominik, I haven't been able to sleep with any other man. I simply couldn't, and it disgusted me. Truly, when I think about it, he's the only one I could ever share a bed with. But that's the past. He's a married man now. He's probably left the country with his wife and gone to America. Maybe she's even pregnant by now…
In any case, I knew I had to get him out of my mind. For the sake of my well-being and future. But I couldn't. I dream of him every night. I'm obsessed with him, even though I don't show it to anyone. People look at me differently now. With respect. They ask me about so many things in the agency.
But... I've started gaining weight. I don't know why, but I've noticed my stomach growing. I'm not eating more than usual, nor am I moving less. In fact, I'm moving a lot more now, and it surprises me that this is happening.
Sitting at my desk, preparing a new story, my phone rang. I answered.
"Melania? It's Isabella." It was my paparazzi journalist who brought me live stories.
"Tell me, Isabella, what's happening in the celebrity world today?" I stirred my coffee as I spoke with her.
"You'll never believe it... The Acheron family is dead!"
My coffee cup slipped from my hand, shattered, and scalded me all over.