Chapter 3 Reality Hits

He was a dream. And like a dream, he was out of reach. I was too obsessed with the ideal of the world while he worked on the practicality of it. We had different paths in life and different interests, but there was one thing in common between us.

Our money and power-hungry families.

When I thought everything would fall right into place if he's with me, I was terribly wrong.

All he ever cared for was the business and empire his family built. And I did everything so he could see me but his work and passion was too much that he couldn't even notice me. And when I thought helping him with his work would give me the chance to be seen by Lorenzo Huxley, I was wrong... again.

I swallowed hard as the car stopped right in front of a mansion. I went out of the car and headed straight to the entrance. I don't know if I should call this home. This place never felt like home.

They called for me to meet here. I have been laying low for a week. The public and media are harsh, but my family...

In the living room were my parents, Lorenzo's parents, and him. Their heads turned to me as they heard my footsteps nearing them. My mother stood up from her seat. And the next thing I knew, her hand flew straight to my cheeks, pain immediately spread like wildfire.

"What have you done, Valera?! I knew about your dirty deeds but I have never thought you have done things so low and disgusting!" Mommy screamed so loud I could feel my body shake. I haven't recovered from the slap when her hand touched the other side of my face.

"You couldn't keep yourself behave for your marriage! All you do is ruin things! Now, what about your career? You've built your name for a decade only for it to be ruined within a week?!"

I tucked a stray of hair behind my ear before my knees bent on the ground. Silence stretched in the whole room. I couldn't face my mother. Not one of them I could be brave enough to face.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Mommy."

My mother's hand I was holding pushed me away. I fell to the cold floor. I pursed my lips as I fought hard for not a tear to fall.

"Say your apologies at the press later," she walked off and I'm left there, frozen and dumb founded.

A presscon? I have to face the world now? What am I gonna say? Lorenzo is persistent on divorcing me. My career is ruined. What's left to do? I heard footsteps walking away from me while I was staring at the floor, still processing everything.

My parents were never really a 'parent' to me. All they saw were my mistakes. For years, we lived in the same big old house but they were never present for me. They were never there.

When I thought they all left, I saw a hand just at my eye level. I knew those hands like the back of my mind. Those hands I wish held me, touched me. I swallowed hard before accepting Lorenzo's hand.

"Let's go."

I just followed Lorenzo wherever he lead me. My mind couldn't even process well on the thought that he's actually holding my hand right now. My mother's slap was enough for me to be lost at words.

Remembering the younger me, I was always persistent in becoming an actress. It's my dream. The cameras, acting, fans, and everything that came with it. It was my desire to be captured by the camera.

But now as I stand on a stage and hundreds of camera flashes, blinding me, I wish this was also a dream. A dream I can wake up to and pretend nothing happened.

But this is the reality. Lorenzo never let go of my hand. I gripped on it tighter, like pinching myself if this is even true.

"I am Lorenzo Huxley and I came here with my wife, your beloved Valera Huxley. We arranged this presscon to address issues that has spiraled around the internet," he stopped midway as he threw a glance at me.

While I remained confused, but composed for the media. Is he finally saying that everything is true? I have no defense against my family who's pinning me to do this. Do they even know he's divorcing me?

"I am here to dispell rumors surrounding about my wife's infidelity. The photos and rumors spreading are only intended to destroy my wife's name. They are distorted pictures and there is no clear proof that my wife is indeed the woman in those photos. Rumors remain fake and misleading."

His words repeated endlessly in my head. The presscon ended after his words. We left leaving a stronger impression of our 'perfect' marriage. Him holding me tight and me, in awe of what he did.

The internet and media has calmed down. After what Lorenzo did, I never realized how powerful his influence to the media is. That's why it was easy for him to cover for my dirty secrets and to reveal them himself.

I gulped another drink of liquor. I never expected him to do that. He actually saved me. But why? I thought he wanted the divorce? I thought he wanted me out of his life?

If my parents did something to convince him, it would make sense but I need to hear it from him.

I huffed an amount of breath before exiting the kitchen. I have spent an entire afternoon drinking and it's time to address the elephant in the room. I felt myself tipsy but my mind was still intact. I headed to his study and barged in.

I saw him working on his laptop while his hand was holding papers. I cleared my throat when he didn't glanced at my direction. Still looking at his laptop, always. I walked towards him, closer and closer.

The bottle of alcohol in my hand flew straight to his desk making a banging sound. My lips curled seeing him glance at my direction now. His eyes, even darker in the dim light, stared at me.

"You're drunk," he concluded.

"Why did you do it?" I asked, never minding what he just said.

He sighed and went back to his papers. I gritted my teeth.

"Isn't that what you want?"

"But why?"

His shoulders shrugged, "It's what everybody wants."

"Why did you save me? Why did you lie for me? I thought you don't like the lies I put in the media. Why did you hold me? I thought you're sick of me? Why, Lorenzo?"

He finally dropped his pen and paper. I watched him close his laptop and stood up from his swivel chair. He never did that for me. Not even once. So, now that I'm witnessing something I wished for years, what will it take from me?

"Divorce."

I shook my head, still persistent.

"No."

"I gave you what you want. It's your turn to give me what I want."

"I can't."

"Then leave," he pointed at the door. I swallowed hard. He hates me. He hates me so much that he would do what I want in exchange of me disappearing from his life. I nodded slowly. Maybe it's not the right time to talk.

I turned around and walked away. A part of me hoped there was something else, a different reason why he did those things. Now, he's doing the things I dreamed of to get rid of me.

I came back to the kitchen, staring at the leftover liquor. I grabbed a glass for us and the last remaining champagne. As dumb as it could sound, I went back to his study. I walked back to him, thinking I could maybe beg.

My hand gripped at the cold door knob to his study before opening the door. I slowly opened the door, revealing a scene inside. My jaw dropped as I hitched my breath. My hand's grip on the champagne tightly, making sure it won't fall.

My foot took a step back. I swallowed hard as the scene inside stabbed my heart a million times. Lorenzo's hand snaking around his secretary's waist, the other hand on her nape. They kissed.

Passionately. Lorenzo never did that for me. Before it could turn worse, I pursed my lips and carefully closed the door.

After the door was finally closed, a heavy sigh left my lips. I walked away, alone and defeated.

A broken dream.

A slaughtered heart.

A bottle of champagne kissing me as I flood myself with it, erasing him and the woman he's in love with.