Taking My Power

OPHELIA

Although my legs were weak from the truth I’d seen inside the office, I posed a confident walk as I stepped through the lobby of Ronan’s company. The stares of Ronan’s employees at me were heavy. They looked from me to their phones and then at me again.

They must’ve seen today’s headline.

Julius must have seen it too. Well, speak of the devil and he would appear. My phone buzzed loudly in my purse and I fished it out to see the caller ID.

Julius.

Surely, he’d seen the news that I was returning to acting after four years.

For the first time since I got married, my identity was not linked to his. I wasn’t appearing in the headlines because of him.

This time, it was solely me.

Four years ago, I’d abandoned my career at its peak all because he was insecure that I worked with other men. Back then, I’d thought it was romantic. That he was simply being possessive of who he loved so much. I’d found his jealousy romantic.

Only now I realize all he did was cage and limit me.

I stared at the buzzing phone for a second and then turned it off.

“Ophelia,” Nova’s voice sounded immediately as I walked out of the building. She waved at me from beside her car.

My lips stretched into a genuine smile and my footsteps hurried until I was wrapped in her embrace.

“Look at you.” Her gaze swept over me once we pulled apart. “I’m the happiest seeing you dress this way after so many years.”

I shrugged. “I have to show up like me after I announce my return, yeah? That got viral so fast, Nova.”

She smacked my arm playfully and opened the passenger door for me. “It’s me. I chose the best team.”

“Sure, sure.” For the first time since finding out my husband cheated and my supposedly dead child was alive, my laughter was genuine.

Aside from being my best friend, Nova had also been my manager and assistant before I stopped working altogether.

She started the car. “Your fans are raging with excitement to have you back on screen.”

“I’m grateful they didn’t abandon me.”

“Girl, they’re happy to have you back. Do you know?” She half glanced at me while still watching the road. “Directors are phoning left and right. I'm telling you, returning to the industry is the best decision.”

I looked outside the car, my eyes tracing the tall buildings and the other cars that moved past us. “I’m not only just returning to acting. I’m taking the company back too,” I announced.

“What?”

Before I could stop her, she swerved the car to the side and it stopped with a screech. “What did you say?” She turned her body to face me, her jaw on the floor.

“I’m resuming my position at the company too.”

“Are you serious?” She squealed. “That is amazing.”

Leaving the company had never been my choice. But Julius had insisted that working affected my health after childbirth, suggesting that he take over my father’s company, saving me stress. I hadn’t questioned it until now.

He'd turned the daughter of one of the top three richest men in the city into a housewife.

I lifted my gaze when Nova took my palm in hers. “Are you okay, Ophelia?”

Was I okay? The sunken feeling at the pit of my stomach was enough to answer that question. I shook my head in the negative. “Julius…he-he orchestrated the whole thing from the start. Alia included.”

“Jesus, Phil.” She pulled me into her embrace, holding me tighter because surely, I needed that hug. “I’m so sorry. I-I had suspicions that he knew about Alia but this? What do we do?”

I stayed in her embrace. “I don’t know who I married,” my voice broke at the edge of it. Our entire relationship was non-consensual. I never consented to be with this version of him, only the man he pretended to be.

Pathetic how I’d thought we were soulmates, that we’d grow old together.

But who was I kidding?

The rest of the ride home was silent. My eyes remained outside the window, counting the tall buildings and fancy cars that we came across while I thought of what exactly to do next.

I couldn’t let Julius know that I knew everything. He was far from the golden retriever I thought he was. If he finds out, he might take my child far away or worse try to harm her.

I needed to act fast.

Finally, as the car stopped in front of my house building, I turned to Nova.

“Nova, I want you to do something for me.” I leaned over.

“Anything. I’m at your service.”

***

As expected, Julius was waiting at the door when I came in.

“Ophelia, I’ve been calling.” He stormed toward me the moment I walked through the door. Although I could feel the anger brewing in him, he carried his usual calm and gentle expression.

His gaze swept over my appearance and his brows drew together in a frown. “What are you wearing? The headlines, are they true? Did you publish that?”

“Julius I won’t be able to answer all your questions at the same time,” I muttered, walking past him to drop my purse on the couch. From the corner of my eye, I could see Selena standing at the other side of the living room.

“Are you returning to acting?” He pressed.

“Yes.”

“We’ve talked about this, Phil. You agreed to leave acting forever.”

I turned sharply. “And for what reason do I have to dump my career?”

For the first time in four years, Julius’s voice rose at me. “Because I say so.”

My breath caught instantly. Silence fell between us.

I see.

He was finally beginning to drop some acting. This man had never raised his voice at me before now.

His eyes clamped shut for a second and when he opened them again, they were calmer. He stepped toward me and cupped my cheeks with his palms.

“I-I’m sorry I raised my voice. It’s just that,” he started, his voice low and persuasive. “I love you too much to see you act with other men on TV. My heart can’t take it. I just love…”

“It’s part of my job and I love my job.”

He nodded in understanding. “I-I get it.” He continued nodding. “I get it. I understand, baby.” He looked deeply into my eyes, the kind of look that would’ve made me melt into his embrace before now. “You-you can act. I can’t stop you from doing what you love. I’m sorry I was a dick. I just love you so much. See.”

His lips stretched into a wide smile as he dipped his hands into his pocket and retrieved a pink Lamborghini car key.

“I got you a new car. As thanks for saving little Alia’s life.”

A fake surprised smile appeared on my face. “Julius, oh my goodness. You didn’t have to.”

He wrapped a hand around my waist, pulling me closer. “I’d do anything for you, love,” he whispered. “Come here.” Just as his lips reached mine, I sharply turned away

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

“I’m just…” my words were cut off when the strange look of our living room finally registered in my head.

“What happened to the house?”