Bound By paper Hearts

"Cheers......."

A bunch of friends raised their glasses, toasting with enthusiasm and sipping their drinks, swaying to the rhythm of the music.

Alice deliberately hosted an intimate bachelor party at her place, handpicking a close-knit circle of friends outside the limelight, reflecting her deeply private nature. She's hush-hush about ditching her single life tomorrow and sealing the deal; only a select few are clued in on her covert wedding registration.

In the vast apartment hall, Alice marveled at the disco transformation – a DJ spinning beats, a cozy bar, and a crystal disco ball radiating a spectrum of blue laser lights.

"Alright, ladies, let's pour it up!" she exclaimed, ushering in rounds of drinks, one after another.

"Here's to..."

"To a night we won't forget..."

"Cheers..."

Shouting and downing shots relentlessly, they stumbled into a tipsy stupor, Monica the only one keeping her senses intact.

Since she stepped into the party, Monica has been in a sour mood, displaying jealousy and hostility by belittling Alice and intentionally picking on a guest.

In response to a friend's dance invitation, she forcefully pushed them away, creating a scene that momentarily paused the entire party, with everyone's attention fixated on Alice.

They anticipated the host's intervention, glancing at Alice, only to find her already incapacitated from intoxication. Monica wore a sinister smirk, seizing the chance to slip away from the party, casting a disdainful look over the unfolding scene.

Ignoring everything but their own amusement and drinks, the drunken girls dismissed the moment with a collective shrug.

A minute later, Alice opened her eyes, surveyed the intoxicated girls swaying clumsily to the music, and rose to her feet.

"Alice, do you really want to go through with this?" Skylar asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

Alice gave a confirming nod and discreetly slipped out of the apartment, entrusting Skylar with the party – a calculated choice for holding it in her own space.

'Pretending to be passed out, I induced an air of nonchalance among everyone, capitalizing on the opportunity. There are some lingering doubts I need answers to,' Alice pondered, settling into the back seat of the car, directing the chauffeur, "Drive me to the Beverly Crest mansion."

'For the past few days, doubts about Mason's fidelity have lingered in my mind. I want certainty before confronting him, hence choosing tonight. Mason believes I'm partying in my apartment, unaware of my return to our bridal house. I'm confident he'll lower his guard,' Alice ruminated, her head resting against the back post of the seat.

A sense of fatigue washed over her as she grappled with the notion of relinquishing her Hollywood throne for Mason. Three years into their relationship, how could he cheat on her? How could he overlook the sacrifices she'd made for him and his company? Beyond the curiosity about the other woman's identity, she questioned the motivations behind his betrayal.

Stepping out of the car, Alice's heart thumped in her chest. She swallowed anxiously, clenched her fist, and mentally prepared for the challenging moments ahead.

'Regardless of how my doubt unfolds, I won't break down.'

"Ahh, ouch Mason, easy baby..."

The moans and growls from the master bedroom door were unmistakable to Alice, who immediately identified the familiar voice behind the sounds.

'I had a feeling, Monica; it had to be you. Only a bitch like you would stoop to stealing another woman's man. Pretending to be passed out drunk was the perfect move to catch you in the act,' Alice thought, fueled by disdain.

In haste, she turned on the recorder on her phone, slipped it upside down beneath the door, and clandestinely captured their audacious conversation to secure evidence.

"Monica, let me enjoy tonight; once I tie the knot with Alice tomorrow, I'll be committed to her."

"Then, Mason, call off the wedding and be mine for all eternity," Monica exclaimed, revealing her underlying avarice.

Mason remained silent, lost in contemplation, as if weighing the options of a more favorable arrangement.

Seizing the moment, Rashmi attempted to sway him, stating, "Don't concern yourself with her; Alice Cooper is a well-known celebrity; she'll find another partner. However, Mason Rex, the baby growing in my womb needs his father."

'How could that be?' Alice's eyes welled up with tears. She harbored suspicions of infidelity, but she never fathomed in her wildest dreams that her soon-to-be husband would soon become the father of another woman's child.

To be more brazen, he's shamelessly engaged in intimate activities with that woman in the bridal house she personally crafted and adorned for their impending life together.

"Shut up, Monica; don't be clingy; get dressed; I will send you home." Mason admonished her, pushing Monica away, and got to his feet.

Beyond the door, Alice hastened to conceal herself behind the door of the nearby room.

One minute later, she caught sight of the two shameless figures descending the stairs, embracing each other, and her eyes flared with a resentful heart.

The next day, Alice stood outside the civil affairs bureau, awaiting Mason's decision - whether he would commit to her and join the marriage registration or withdraw for the sake of Monica and their child.

Seated on a weathered wooden bench outside the government building, Alice immersed herself in a game of 'Temple Run' on her mobile, finding solace in navigating challenging paths and overcoming obstacles, mirroring the journey of her own life. Running solo for what felt like an eternity, she continued to set new records daily.

She cared about nothing else; consumed by a fiery rage at the betrayal.

As the wait prolonged, Alice stood her ground until Mason's call interrupted the stillness. She picked up, speaking in a disinterested tone, unwilling to entertain his choice and having no inclination to hear his feeble excuses.

"Sorry, babes, I can't make it. It's a big event for our company, and our main designer is missing."

"Who?"

"Of course, it's Monica. I have to locate her; let's reschedule the marriage registration for another day."

'Spot on, who else could it possibly be? I was looking for a more convincing reason to postpone the wedding than a feeble excuse,' Alice thought, her resentment evident.

"Hmm, noted..." Alice ended the call; she had no desire to prolong the conversation. She already gleaned the answer to her unspoken question.

'He called off the wedding like it was no big deal, but I won't allow this insult to go unchecked. I'll make certain that the consequences of messing with Alice Cooper are known to those two deceivers.'

Alice walked away, plotting her course to impart a lesson to Mason and Monica, but her attention veered towards an odd conversation.

"Boss, your bride-to-be, Miss Laura, is running a tad behind schedule; she'll be here in half an hour."

"Do you expect me to squander 30 precious minutes, equivalent to 1800 seconds, waiting for a woman who can't bother to be on time for her own wedding?"

"Then?" The man in the black suit asked his boss, comfortably positioned in a black Rolls-Royce, out of Alice's sight.

"Ronny, you've got a 5-minute window; fetch me any girl at random; let's finish this marriage business today."

"What a twist of fate! I waited for my groom, who didn't bother showing up, and now his bride is en route, but he's not interested in waiting," Alice remarked ironically.

A thought crossed her mind. "Whoever he may be, his aura is regal, and a queen like me deserves someone with that kind of presence."

Alice resolved to propose to this mysterious man, completely in the dark about him, not even having seen his looks or knowing his age. This marks her initial move towards revenge.

"Boss, are you sure?" Ronny asked, his throat tightening as he gulped nervously.

"Do you have a death wish, Ronny?"

"I am sorry, boss...."

Alice walked to Ronny and called him. "Excuse me......."

"Are you in the market for a bride? How about considering me?" Alice didn't beat around the bush and asked directly.

Ronny spun around, utterly flabbergasted. He scrutinized Alice from head to toe, but before he could respond, his boss emerged from the car, leaving Alice wide-eyed in astonishment.

"Mr. Andrew Kingston..."

Alice's heart was beating at its fastest pace. She was pondering after offering herself to be a bride to an unknown person without even looking at him, but it turned out she hit the jackpot.

'Isn't he Andrew Kingston, the renowned business tycoon? There's a rumor about him that Richie Rich even forgot the count of the number of his businesses. The cherry on top is the sole owner of Royman Productions, who only gives blockbuster movies to the industry. Is he born with a golden spoon or owning a lucky charm?'

'Did I just propose the prominent ruthless businessman, who never smiles?' Alice thought while fidgeting with her fingers, and small sweat drops formed on her forehead.

"Excuse me......." Andrew's cold and heavy voice jerked Alice out of her thoughts.

She looked at his frowning face and realized she was still wearing the mask and shades, which she always does to avoid unnecessary attention.

She immediately removed the barrier and revealed her face to Andrew Kingston.

Have a good look at your soon-to-be.

"Alice Cooper, the washed-up actress?" Andrew said while taking off his shade.

'Ahh, should I be glad for being recognized by him or offended for being called washed-up?'

She looked around in embarrassment and put on her shades again.

"Ahem......"

Andrew cleared his throat and opened the door of his Rolls-Royce for Alice. She looked again all around, scared of being pictured, and hoped in after hesitating for a moment. Andrew shut the door.

He then looked at Ronny, making him bow and disappear, and then he hoped in the car from another side.

"Miss Alice, why are you here?" Andrew asked tentatively. He needs to interview the girl who offered herself to get married to him.

If she were any random girl, he wouldn't be cautious, but before getting hooked up with a celebrity, he wants to know her reasons.

"For the cause, you are here?" Alice answered immediately.

"Hmm, I see. Was he the rumored non-celebrity boyfriend?" Andrew raised his eyebrows.

Alice was slightly shocked. He knows quite a lot about her as he's a business celebrity and does not belong to the same industry.

"How does it matter who he was, right?" Alice answered and raised her eyebrows.

Andrew released a sigh, impressed. She is not intimated by his wealth and power. He liked it.

"Wasn't it working between you two?" Andrew asked another question, looking sharply at Alice's face and reading her expressions.

Alice's face frowned, and she looked at him, making her big doe eyes even bigger.

'Obviously it didn't happen; that's why I proposed to you?'

Andrew realized he asked a wasteful question; otherwise, she wouldn't be in front of him. "Alright, forget it."

Ronny knocked on the window to disturb their conversation. Andrew slid down the glass and took a file from him, then slid it up again.

"To be truthful, Miss Alice, I have nothing to do with your past or ex; you are my present and could be my future if you followed the required conditions." Andrew said and forwarded the file to her.

"What?" Alice took the file in confusion and flipped its pages.

"This will be a contract marriage of 1 year; during this period, you have to prove yourself the most eligible for being the wife of Andrew Kingston." Andrew said this with pride, pushing Alice into deep thoughts.

'That's even better; I am getting married to him to plan my vengeance on Mason and Monica. To make them regret it by flaunting my powerful husband in front of them. If we fall apart after one year, I will be gladder.' Alice thought and nodded.

"Fair enough......."

"During this span, we both can continue our separate lives with personal space, but we can't hide anything from each other. Is that ok with you?"

"Fine......"

"This contract marriage should be kept secret between only a few until I announce it publicly. I will not tolerate any mistake about it."

God had sent the perfect opportunity for Alice. He put forth all the conditions she wanted.

"Sure......" Alice immediately sighed in her heart.

It seems like a perfect match.

"Great, then sign the contract." Andrew beckoned at the file and gave her a pen.

A few moments later, after signing the contract, both walked out of the civil affairs office with their marriage certificates. Alice's hands were sweating and her heart was beating rapidly about the decision she made.

The newly married couple was heading to the parking lot together when suddenly Andrew held Alice's arm, snatched her mobile, and kept it in front of her face to unlock it after switching the screen on.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"A husband shouldn't contact his wife's manager to get her contact number, right?" Andrew said while dialing his number and showing the screen to Alice.

It was his number, and his mobile rang. He returned her phone. "Save my personal number."

Then he opened the door of Alice's white Audi as a gentleman.

"I will call you..." Andrew said with action after she hopped in and bid bye to her. She only nodded her head and sighed.

"Boss, Miss Laura fled without any trace, and her father is creating a fuss." Ronny reported to Andrew, who was still looking at the tail of Alice's white Audi, disappearing gradually with deep thoughts.

"Transfer $100 million into his account and get rid of him, or else I will sue him." Andrew spoke carelessly.

"What? Are you sure, boss? Why did you prioritize a washed-up actress over the daughter of a businessman?"

Andrew turned around and gave a sharp glare to Ronny to warn him. He crouched his head.

'Alice Cooper, the most successful actress of her era and many awards winner, titled as the goddess of beauty, left the industry two years ago on her own will. It's rude to call her washed-up, isn't it?' Andrew thought.

"I respect a self-made person more than a spoiled girl who lives off of her dad's money."

Andrew hopped in the car while dialing a number: "I want every detail of the actress Alice Cooper, personal and professional, her struggle and achievements since the beginning." He drove off after an authoritative order.

Alice dawdled to her apartment feeling exhausted. She had fallen on the bed, and tears rolled down her face.

She recalled the entire incident from the day before and cried vigorously while thinking about the heart-piercing betrayal from the person she loved the most.

'I could expect anything from Monica; even though she was my designer once, she is the most envious of me. I was the one who gave her a break to work with celebrities, and instead of being grateful, she was always resentful. She can do anything to hurt me, but Mason, why do you have to do this?'

'You could have told me if you would have fallen out of love rather than cheating on me. I want to be indifferent and move on, but it hurts. Mason, I will never forgive you for this.'

'I promise I will make you both regret it all your lives for doing this to me.'

Even though Alice planned her revenge, she couldn't get over the betrayal.

It was painful, and she cried for a long time.

'I sensed a negative energy from Mason, convinced that he had been concealing the truth and withholding things from me for quite some time.'

'The other day I discovered strands of hair in my hairbrush inside his car. The following day, I came across an unfamiliar stole in our shared post-marital mansion. Although he claimed it belonged to his mother, I doubted it, considering her preference for designer items and sophistication that wouldn't involve sharing a hairbrush.'

'He was glued to his phone, always acting shady, making sure to keep his conversations discreet and out of my earshot.'

'The other day, I spotted a blotch on his white shirt, and he brushed it off as paint. I wasn't fooled – it was clearly the lipstick mark from Monica earlier that day.'

'There are moments when I realize I overlooked the glaring truth about him, oblivious to everything happening right under my nose. How did I choose to ignore the countless red flags while he consistently took advantage of me?'

The miserable thoughts occupying Alice's mind were abruptly halted by the beep of her phone, signaling the arrival of a text message.

'Have you reached safely?'

Alice glanced at the text from an unknown number, furrowed her brow, and decided to dismiss it. Emotionally drained, she wasn't inclined to engage with anyone at the moment.

'???' Another text popped up.

'May I know who's messaging?' Alice finally edited a text back.

'Your husband.'

'My husband?' Alice pondered, emotions swirling in the aftermath of her ex's betrayal, momentarily overshadowing the fact that she had tied the knot just an hour earlier.

'Save my number now.'

Even through text, his tone exuded authority, and it dawned on Alice that she had inadvertently offended Andrew Kingston.

'Apologies, I was...' Alice was in the midst of composing an explanation with remorse when another text interrupted.

'Leave the past behind and focus on the present. Stay loyal to me and don't entertain thoughts of anyone else.'

It felt like a directive tinged with jealousy and an attempt to exert control over everything.

Alice edited out the last few words, sending only an apologetic text. She sighed at the lack of a reply, but suddenly, the incessant doorbell ringing startled her. Opening the door, she was met with an impatient Skylar rushing in.

"Man, Alice, I was seriously worried about you all night, but you switched up the door code; they're definitely guilty, huh?" Skylar embraced Alice, offering a comforting rub on her back.

Overwhelmed by Skylar's care, Alice acknowledged the depth of their connection. Skylar, her manager for the last five years and closest friend, stood as the sole reliable presence in her world at that moment.

Breaking the hug, she activated the recorded conversation from the previous night, tossed the phone to Skylar, and took a seat on the couch. Skylar joined her, and together they listened intently to the recording.

"Goodness, what a despicable pair of scumbags! And now they're about to bring another scum into the world..."

Skylar seethed with anger, but Alice interjected, "Skylar, let's refrain from using such harsh language, especially when referring to an unborn child."

Skylar let out a sigh. "You can't go easy on this jerk once more."

"Absolutely not; I've already initiated my revenge plan against him," Alice stated, her deep resentment for Mason and Monica seeping through her words.

"What plan?" Skylar frowned, her concern showing as she feared Alice might be contemplating a reckless move.

Alice's phone rang with Mason's call, disrupting their conversation. Before Alice could react, Skylar pressed the green button, putting the call on speaker.

"Alice, how can you be so inconsiderate?" Mason's voice raised.

'Look who is talking.' Alice and Skylar exchanged glances genuinely puzzled.

"What did I do?"

"Thanks to your supposed bachelor party, Monica is now in serious trouble because of you."

"But, how......."

"Enough with the backtalk; come to my place right now." call after delivering the order with rudeness.

"What does he think he's doing?" Skylar fumed, reacting to his tone and attitude.

"Let's find out..." Alice responded, a determined look on her face.

With a nonchalant shrug, Alice got up, slinging her shoulder bag over her shoulder and grabbing her phone. Skylar, albeit reluctantly, chauffeured her to Mason's mansion.

"Why not confront them? You've got evidence against them, after all," Skylar suggested after parking the car.

"I want to uncover his motives for betraying me. I need to know if he fell out of love or was just using me. Regardless, they both owe me tenfold. Patience; the right time will come," Alice declared, her eyes cold as she stepped out of the car.

A frown etched across her face as she observed the scene. Monica lay on the bed in Mason's bedroom, with him seated right beside her. This was the height of impudence.

She struggled to appear unruffled, but it proved more challenging than she anticipated. Managing to suppress her emotions, she veiled her disappointment behind a facade of cold aloofness.

"What was that for?" Alice arched her eyebrows, questioning Mason's behavior.

"She had a suicide attempt, all because of you. I swooped in just in the nick of time, thanks to some heavenly luck."

'That's quite the heroics,' Alice thought with an eye roll. "But how am I suddenly on the hook for this?"

"She had a morning meeting with her lead model, but thanks to the hangover from your party, she couldn't make it. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" Mason's tone carried a harsh edge.

Alice's gaze shifted between Mason and Monica. 'Such deceitful liars, a duo of cunning individuals, intensifying my disdain for them.'

"You need to apologize and lend her a hand," Mason asserted with authority.

'Ugh, what a sly scoundrel! Has he ever loved me, or was I too blinded to see the real him? He cheated on me, called off the wedding, and has no sign of remorse on his face.'

"Apologize for what? Shouldn't I be the one owed an apology?" Alice countered, annoyed by their theatrical display.

Mason was caught off guard by Alice's tone. She had always been a pushover, never using such a harsh tone. 'She's upset about me missing the wedding. I need to calm her down first,' he thought.

"Alice, I sincerely apologize on behalf of Mason. The truth is, he couldn't make it to the civil affairs because of me," Monica hurriedly spoke, attempting to pacify Alice.

She intended for Alice to grace the runway and showcase her designed outfits in the designer contest; hence, she orchestrated the entire setup. Offending her was out of the question.

"But I'm counting on you, dear; you're my last chance. Please be my model for the designer contest," Monica said with a touch of desperation.

'What, walk on the ramp as a model?' Alice was slightly shaken. This could jeopardize her image and career in the industry.

"Surely she will, won't you, baby?" Mason interjected just before Alice could decline, pulling her into an embrace. "Please do it for us, for our company. And I apologize for scolding you; I was upset. Monica is the lead designer of my fashion house, and I can't afford to lose her."

Alice suspected Monica might have a hidden agenda in pushing her to do this. It could be a trap, and with Mason in the picture, she felt cornered. Her choices were either to comply, maintain amicable relations, and strategize for revenge, or let go of everything and move forward.

'No, I'll go along with this, but I won't let them manipulate me again. This time, I'll be the one using them," Alice thought, replying, "Fine, I'll do it," and pushing his hand off her shoulder.

"Perfect decision; I will text you the details and make sure to be punctual. Let me see you off." Mason rested his hand on her shoulder again and walked with her to the exit.

Monica's lips curled into an evil smirk, as she dialed a number.

"I executed your plan flawlessly. Killed two birds with one stone. She couldn't register her marriage, and soon she will lose her face in the industry."