Chapter 6: Asshole!

Alex paced the length of the room, fingers tapping on his waist anxiously as he watched the phone ring. The call connected on the second ring.

“Mum. Have you seen the news? Stock is falling, what do we do?” He rasped.

"Alex," Fiona groaned. “But I told you to be more carefu—”

“Please, please,” he snapped impatiently. “Now's not the time to point fingers. What's the way forward?”

There was a beat of silence on the other end before Fiona spoke again. “The media team is on it.”

Alex's feet stilled, nose flaring. “Are they?” he hissed. “This shouldn't have leaked if they'd done their fucking job!!”

“The video spread too fast and is refusing to die down.” She explained. “Seems like someone with a lot of spare cash is keeping it trending and watering down our efforts. But don't worry, it'll be fixed.”

“Arrgh!” Alex roared and flung his phone. It hit the wall with a clattering sound, its broken parts falling to the ground. “Fuck!!”

He moved over to the dresser, and in one fluid move, he swiped everything off the table. Perfume bottles, skincare bottles, lotions… all crashed, contents spilling.

Then he faced Nadine, chest heaving, beads of sweat trickling down his temples.

Alex's outburst made her trembling fingers continuously dance against her thigh. Nadine's voice was low when she spoke, a tint of fear swirling in it. “Do you think Lyra did this?”

His eyes narrowed at her words. “Lyra? I don't understand.”

Nadine bit her fingers. She knew that it was Lyra, but what would she say? That she'd sent Lyra a video of them—out of spite—even after Alex had clearly warned her to keep their relationship private.

“I don't know. I was just wondering if she did it,” Nadine continued. “I wouldn't put it past her. She was always jeal—”

“Why would she? What does she have to do with this?”

“Are you for real?” she scoffed. “Why wouldn't she? You broke her heart, left her for some other girl, even—”

“Wait, wait, wait… What the fuck are you even saying? How could Lyra have gotten a video of us fucking? You're saying she hid cameras here or what? No fucking way.”

Frustrated, Nadine stood and rested her hands on her hips. “I don't know. What if she did, though? You can never tell what—”

“Nadine.” Alex's voice was a low growl. He moved closer and hovered above her, eyes dark. “Is there something I should know?”

She swallowed, shifting back. The look in Alex's eyes made her voice tremble slightly. “L-like what?”

“Like who recorded that video. It was just the two of us in the room. From the video angle, it seems like the phone was placed on the table.” Alex took another step forward, caging her against the wall. “Am I right?”

Pushing aside her fear, she shoved his chest. “Why the hell would I do something that sick?”

His eyes never left her. “I wonder.”

Nadine hated the cold look in his eyes. She lowered her voice and cupped his chin. “Don't you trust me anymore? I wouldn't do that.”

He pulled away from her touch. “For your sake, I hope you're telling the truth.” Then he threw his shirt over his shoulder. “Meet me outside,” he snapped before storming out.

On his way outside, he dialed Lyra's number—Unavailable. What the hell? He scoffed and tried it again. Then again. Still same response.

~ ~ ~

Lyra had just changed from her fitted wedding dress into a free cotton nightdress. Carefully, she placed her marriage certificate in her box and then sank into her bed.

*Nah she's taking it way too good. This ain't their first time.*

*Somebody check on his financee omg*

*Did you see that arc? She's a pro*

*Men are really useless fr.*

A small satisfied chuckle left her lips as she scrolled through the comments under Nadine and Alex's sextape. It was surprisingly doing better than she'd expected. Wasn't his media team working? Anyways, that's a good thing. “Let the world see how much of a jerk you are,” she murmured.

Then her mind shifted to the events of the day, and she rolled to the side, trying to catch the light with her diamond ring.

A knock on her door startled her. “Coming!” She called out, grabbing a robe and throwing it over the nightdress she was wearing.

For some reason, the last person she expected to see on the other side of her door was Alex. From behind him, Nadine appeared with a half smile, voice sharp as she said. “Hi, bestie.”

“Bestie?” Lyra repeated, feeling a strong urge to twist Nadine's mouth.

“Why has your number been unreachable?” Alex questioned, shifting Lyra's focus from Nadine to him. At once, Lyra pushed the door shut, but Alex blocked it with his arm.

“Look, I know you're angry. But you have to understand—I wasn't thinking when I saw Nadine like that,” he explained. "Plus, you're not exactly innocent either. You slapped me.”

“Great. I guess that makes us even then. You should leave,” Lyra said coolly. She tried to shut the door again but Alex moved forward, fitting himself in the small door opening. “We'll reschedule the wedding, okay? Nad is sorry.”

“I'm sorry, bes,” Nadine whispered, her voice tingling with a hint of mockery as she batted her eyelashes. “I didn't mean to ruin your wedding.”

Lyra raised a brow at Nadine. “Really? I thought you're getting married to Alex, and I can't bag a man?”

“You misunderstood me, bes. Wasn't even talking about this Alex… or you. I told you it was a wrong message.”

Lyra didn't know which pissed her off more— the fact that Nadine kept referring to her as ‘bes’. Or the fact that Nadine insulted her intelligence with that lame explanation.

Alex turned to Nadine, a confused look on his face. “What's this about?”

“I wanted to text a friend, then I mistakenly sent the message to Lyra,” Nadine explained.

“Ly…” Alex gave her the same look he always did when he thought she was being unreasonable. “What’s the big deal there? Nad made a honest mistake, you don't have to take everything to heart. Tell you what, let's get married this weekend. No interruptions this time.” He glanced at Nadine. “Right?”

“Right.” Nadine nodded. “I'm better now.” Behind Alex, Nadine crossed her arms and shot Lyra a snarky look. “C’mon, humor us a little. It’s been a long day. Did you see the video?”

Nadine studied Lyra's expression, waiting for something—anything—to crack. Something that'll confirm what her brain already knew—that Lyra posted the video.

But Lyra’s face remained indifferent. “A little too late for that,” she said instead. She didn't plan to say it, but he was going to find out anyway. Lyra raised the hand that had been behind the door and showed off her ring. “Already married.”

Silence.

Then Alex and Nadine burst out laughing.

“Oh my god, stop,” Nadine managed between laughs. “You’re spiraling.” She was almost in tears. “You saw that message and ran out to buy yourself a ring just to prove a point.”

Lyra folded her arms, frowning. “I didn't do that.”

“Drop it," Alex ordered, expression fierce, voice hardening. “We’re not idiots, Lyra. We know you're lying.”

For a brief moment, Alex studied Lyra’s face but still concluded that she was lying. I mean, considering that the alternative was impossible.

That would mean she had somehow moved on from him and managed to get married barely two days after their wedding was supposed to hold.

“I know you’re hurt,” he continued, his tone shifting, almost coaxing. “But we can fix this. First, we handle the sex tape situation before the wedding. There’ll be a press conference—you at my side. I’ll cry, apologize, say I was dru—”

“Alex.” Lyra shut her eyes, drawing in a steady breath. Then, “Get. Out!!”

Daphne, Lyra’s friend, who'd just walked in at the heat of the moment and heard a bit of the exchange, stepped forward.

“Hey, asshole!” she shouted.

Alex turned. She swung her hands and punched him square in the face.