Chapter 41
There was no handsome face to greet me when I opened my eyes. There was no morning greeting or
warm body next to mine. There were no giggles in the air as he pressed kisses along my neck, begging
me to stay in for just one more minute.
It was just cold and empty.
I hissed as I stepped into the cold shower, the luxury of hot water had spoiled me.
I’d been used to this tepid cold water, the five minutes rule, as I washed and stepped out in a hurry
through chattering teeth and shivering skin.
But now, I half-expected the door to open, for him to be there as he stepped in behind me, whispering
my name as he seduced me into another round.
The kitchen didn’t smell like Mrs. Rivas’ fresh baked goods sitting on the counter, no sign of the freshly
brewed coffee still steaming. My violet mug with ‘I hate mornings’ written on it was missing.
I did my best with the instant coffee I scrounged for in the cupboard. Theck of groceries was
apparent after weeks of not being here.
The coffee was bitter with no creamer to soothe its harshness. No sugar to sweeten its sharp taste.
It was just bitter. Bitter and empty like everything else in this stupid apartment
Now, I could only see the ws. How the light in the kitchen flickered, and the bumps in the stained
carpet neverid down. t. How the window let in a draft of cold morning air, and the leaky faucet
never stopped dripping.
Even the cupboards all squeaked when I opened them, and each sound was worse than thest. I
didn’t always hate this ce, but after living with Damon, everything about it was off to me.
I ground my teeth together, pouring out the half-finished too-bitter coffee as I rinsed the dish and
wished I was anywhere
else.
It was easy to grab my coat, shoes, and keys and leave the apartment behind. I locked up the
apartment, intending to leave when I ran right into something bright blue and fell onto my *ss.
I groaned, rubbing my tailbone as I nced at what I had run into.
“Oh, my! My sses!”
The old woman in the bright blue sweater felt around the old floors for a pair of sses just out of
reach, a newspaper falling directly beside her.
“Mrs. Merryweather!” I cried as I jumped to my feet, grabbing her sses and cing them in her
hands.
“Oh, thank you, dear!” Mrs. Merrywheather smiled as I helped her to her feet. I snatched the
newspaper off the floor and stiffened.
It had a picture of Ashton and Corinna on the front, both waving to the camera, but it was the headline
that caught my
attention.
*Split between the decade-old friendship of the Steyns and Hildebrands? Stocks have plummeted
I gritted my teeth, handing the newspaper back.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite neighbor,” Mrs. Merrywheather chuckled. “It’s been difficult to see a hint of
you around here these past few weeks.”
“Oh, sorry,” I said. Her words reminded me of when my grandmother would scold me and made me feel
guilty. “I kinda moved and forgot to ”
“Oh, that’s all right, dear,” Mrs. Merrywheather smiled good-naturedly. “In fact, It’s been easier than
ever to grab my letters! They just pile on your doorstep!”
1 chuckled at her bright nature, feeling warm for the first time that morning.
“I’ve got to get to work, but I’ll see youter, Mrs. Merrywhether,” I said, turning to leave
“Oh, I hope not!”
I paused in my tracks, turning to the old woman with a bbergasted look. What did she just say?
“Oh, shut your trap, dear,” Mrs. Merrywhether chuckled. “I enjoy yourpany, but I’m not blind yet.
I’ve seen you in the papers
I flinched, my gaze traveling to the ugly floral wallpaper they ced in the hallways. It was peeling and
turning a nasty shade of yellow.
Mrs. Merrywhether grabbed my hand, patting it fondly as she smiled up at me. “You know, Robert and I
used to fight, and I would always storm out in a rage, thinking to myself This time I am really going to
leave him But I never did.”
“Why not?” I asked, quietly.
“Because I loved him.” Mrs. Merrywhether smiled sadly, her gaze distant as she finished. “Now I think
of those days, and I wonder how many moments I had wasted being angry and storming out when I
could’ve been by his side.”
I nced at her aging face, more wisdom and sorrow than I would ever know in her eyes. I’d never met
her husband, but I had heard from every resident in this building how good of a man he was
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, squeezing her hand.
“Don’t be, child.” Mrs. Merrywhether smiled kindly. “I loved him, and he loved me. That’s more than
many get in this world. If you truly love someone, you’ll forgive them, and they’ll do the same. Now, go!”
She grinned, shuffling on her feet as she pointed at the stairs. “And don’t let me catch you back here!”
She winked, and Iughed.
“Thanks, Mrs. Merrywhether.” I only hoped she could see how much she meant to me, and by the misty
look in her eye. I
knew she knew.
“Bye!” I waved before turning away, a new energy in my step.
With a hope that blossomed like a rose in my chest, I truly felt there was nothing I couldn’t do.
“Cur!” I bellowed across the set. “Gabriel, you traveled too far. Stay close to the markers. Rosaline,
reset cameras four through five and make the closeup a four-point-five!”
Gabriel got off the ground, dusting himself off as the scene reset in front of me. I crossed my arms,
watching closely under the tent. The camera’s positions were all within reach as I viewed them each
with an eagle-eyed gaze.
“Whoo, you’re on fire today. Addie.” Lucas whistled, impressed.
“Everybody loves a girl boss,” Jenna grinned. “And you are the girl boss to kill all girl bosses.”
1 rolled my eyes fondly, staring intently at the camera. “I have somewhere to be, so we need to get out
quickly. No more mistakes.”
Wed
“We’ve shot through three fourths of the movie, already,” Jenna protested. “We’re more than halfway
done.”
“Exactly, so we can’t mess up now,” I said.
“Is this about…” Jenna paused, looking at Lucas who had his headphones on as he mixed the sound
and lighting. Once she was sure he wasn’t paying attention, she leaned over my shoulder to whisper,
“your sister?”
“The wedding getting postponed is none of my business, Jenna,” I said, calmly. “You won’t be getting
any juicy details from
me.”
“Not the wedding, silly,” Jenna rolled her eyes, taking the seat next to me. “I mean how you’re not going
to be an auntie,”
I paused and turned to her with a very concerned expression.
“Excuse me?” I said, coolly.
Jenna raised her hands in defense. “Don’t shoot the messenger!”
“What do you mean, Jenna?” I frowned, crossing my arms, unfairly.
“Didn’t Lucas tell you?” she asked. “He’s been telling everybody. The modeling world is buzzing about
it.”
My eye twitched as I turned my gaze on Lucas.
I grabbed Lucas’s shoulder, then ripped his headphones off his head.
“Hey!” he shouted then fell quiet as soon as he saw my thundering face.
“What have you been telling everyone about my sister?” I demanded. Even if she was a pain in the “ss
and had been making my life miserable for my entire life, she was still blood.
“Oh, you mean how the gossip column figured out that the woman in those pictures with Ashton Steyn
was actually the surrogate he had hired to have their baby because turns out Corinna Hildebrand is
actually Corinna Summers, the actress, and that the baby isn’t actually hers but the surrogates and Mr.
Steyns?”
Lucas took a deep breath after the spiel as my mouth fell open.
“F*ck. I cursed, sitting back in my chair.
I thought my life was f*cked before but this….
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My fingers were already dialing Corinna’s number as I got out of my seat.
“Hello?”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise at how cheery she sounded.
“Corinna?”
“That’s me,” she giggled.
“Uh, I was just calling to check on you. I heard about everything with…Ashton..” I trailed off, unsure of
how else to respond.
“That’s old news, Addie! Don’t worry about it,” Corinnaughed. “I was just about to call you though. I’m
having a bridal shower tomorrow! I wanted to know if you woulde.”
Bridal shower?
“But the baby’s not….” yours, I wanted to say. But I swallowed the words.
“Of course, I will,” I tried to sound optimistic.
“Perfect! See you then, Addie-Baddie!”
With that, she hung up, and I couldn’t help but stare at the phone in confusion. Addie-Baddie?
She might actually be losing it.