Total pages in book: 196
Estimated words: 180438 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 902(@200wpm)___ 722(@250wpm)___ 601(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 180438 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 902(@200wpm)___ 722(@250wpm)___ 601(@300wpm)
It’s not like I killed someone; I just fell in love and married the man I was in love with. Is that so horrible? Sure, I’d gone about things in an unconventional way, and maybe I’d lied a little, but so what? I got the job done, didn’t I? People should be taking lessons instead of vilifying me in the press. Now, it feels like the world is against me.
I suddenly felt like all the energy had been sapped out of me, and there was nothing left but to crawl under the covers and pull them over my head to keep the world out. I had nothing and no one to help me right now, so there was no point in dwelling on anything. I’ll think about my next move after I get some rest. I scratched myself to sleep and welcomed the dark as it came.
***
It seemed like I’d barely closed my eyes when I heard the knock at the door. I lifted my head, eyes blurry and needing a fix even worse than before. “What?”“Your phone has been going off for the last ten minutes. Answer it or turn it off. Though I think you might want to see what that’s about.” I could hear the grin in her voice, and it made my stomach curl.
She’d only be this excited if she knew what that phone call was about, and I’d bet my life that it was nothing good for yours truly. I huffed my way out of bed and grabbed my phone, which had started ringing again. “What?”“Turn on the news, channel six.” That’s all she said, but I knew it was her; no way I would forget that voice. “You little….” She hung up.
I’d been so high and out of it that I only now realized that the room I’d left empty now had the bed I was lying on, along with a bureau and a TV stand. They’d even put curtains in the windows. That damn Walmart bag was still staring at me from the corner where I’d left it.
I found the remote on the night table next to the bed and turned the TV on, heart racing as I didn’t know what to expect. What I saw in the next two minutes made me scream loud enough to lose my voice. By the time I came to my senses, the room was trashed, and I was breathing as if it were my last breath.
***
*Elena*
Following the suggestion to check my phone, I didn’t know what to expect, but nothing could’ve prepared me. I was left speechless, for lack of a better word. “Oh, my word, no, he didn’t.” My poor baby. I need to get to him now. He must be feeling pretty raw after exposing himself like that, something I know he hates.
Almost as soon as I had the thought, there was an uproar on the set, and I turned to see him walk in, looking like he hadn’t just rocked the world on its axis. It took a few seconds for my head to clear, but I remained rooted to the spot. It’s not often I see him in a suit, and as usual, he made my heart do cartwheels in my chest. The boy does clean up well.
I looked from him back to the screen where the press conference he’d held sometime today ended. I knew he’d probably come here straight after because he was wearing the same clothes. I didn’t know what to say as he winked at me before turning his attention to the crew, who were busy asking for autographs as if this wasn’t a set packed with some of the most iconic legends in the entertainment industry.
Ryder tends to have that effect on people, though, and even my costars, whom I dreaded looking at for fear of their disapproval, were wearing indulgent smiles on their faces. “Why don’t you go on ahead? We’re done here for the day anyway.”
They both came to stand on either side of me but kept their eyes on the melee taking place across the room. “You gonna be okay?” I felt a comforting arm on my shoulders.”Yes, I think so.” More than okay. I’ve never been more in love with this man than I am at this moment.
“We both saw the press conference. You had no idea, did you, that he was going to do that?”
I could only shake my head no as I fought back tears. The old Ryder wouldn’t have done that, wouldn’t have thrown himself on his own sword, so to speak. No, his way of dealing with things back then was to either ignore or act out even worse. I didn’t realize it then, but that was his way of freeing himself from the chains and shackles that were placed on us once we became stars.