Chapter 2
I stared into the pitch-black camera lens, my lips twisting into a smile that was more pathetic than crying.
In that moment, I could almost hear the crack of my dignity breaking apart.
But I knew this was the beginning.
I skipped the party.
Louie's bodyguards "escorted" me straight back to the riverside penthouse.
Louie gave me this place as an engagement present, but the property was still under his name.
The moment I stepped inside, the acrid stench of cheap tobacco slammed into me.
The living room was smothered in smoke and filth.
Elliot lounged on my leather sofa, one leg thrown over the other, tearing into a greasy roast chicken, grease dripping down his chin.
Bones and scraps littered the floor, and a few drops of oil had splattered onto the six-figure wool carpet.
"Hey, the superstar's home," Elliot called out, tossing a chicken bone onto the coffee table.
That table used to hold my favorite scented candle.
Now, it was nothing but an ashtray.
"Who let you in here?" I snapped.
I forced down the urge to gag and snapped, my voice icy.
"Mr. Motley told me to move in!" Elliot said, picking his teeth with a shameless smirk.
He looked every bit the scoundrel.
He said, "He said this place is huge and sitting empty, so he figured I might as well live it up for a while."
He stood up and swaggered over, leering at me shamelessly with those cloudy eyes.
"You really are a goldmine. No wonder Mr. Motley shelled out 100 million for you," he sneered.
"Get the hell out," I snapped.
My hand shook as I pointed at the door, but I refused to back down.
A loud slap hit me hard across the face.
My head snapped to the side, my ears buzzing, and the taste of blood filled my mouth.
Elliot shook out his hand and snarled.
He said, "Don't give me that attitude. I'm your old man. Your money is mine, and your house is mine.
"If I hadn't brought you into this world, you'd be nothing!"
He roughly shoved me aside and marched right into the master bedroom.
"I'm crashing in here tonight. That bed's nice and comfy," Elliot said.
That was my room.
It was only place in this heartless city where I could still have a shred of privacy.
"Absolutely not!" I shouted.
I planted myself in front of the door, refusing to let him pass.
"That's my room!" I yelled.
Elliot snorted, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and smashed my head against the doorframe.
Pain exploded through my skull, and my vision went black.
"Yours? I made you!" he spat.
He kicked the door open and swaggered inside.
It wasn't long before I heard him turning the place upside down in there.
"Whoa, this gold bracelet's pretty sweet. And this watch... They are all designer brands!" he snickered.
He was stealing my stuff.
I struggled to my feet, fumbling for my phone in my pocket, desperate to call the cops.
But as the screen lit up, a WhatsApp notification popped up.
It was from Louie.
There was one short line, but it hit me like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head.
It read: [Take good care of your father. If you dare call the cops, I'll stop Travis's dialysis.]
My knuckles were tightened as I gripped my phone, my nails digging so deeply into my palm I could barely feel anything else.
Travis was my adoptive father.
He had severe kidney failure and needed dialysis three times a week. That was his lifeline.
Louie had me by the throat, squeezing tight and twisting without a shred of mercy.
From the bedroom, I could hear Elliot humming excitedly, along with the crash of glass breaking.
That was the first bottle of perfume Louie ever gave me. It wasn't anything fancy, but I'd kept it safe all this time.
Now, it was shattered, like the last ridiculous fantasy I still had about Louie.
I slid down the cold wall, sinking to the floor, and stared at the chaos that used to be my living room.
The TV was replaying today's red carpet highlights.
The footage had been heavily edited.
There was no trace of Travis being shoved to the ground. It showed that Elliot was clinging to me, with Louie smiling like everything was perfect in the background.
The headline was so glaring that it hurt.
It read: [High society's heartwarming scene. Louie loves his wife so much. The best actress's real dad Shows Up. They are one big happy family]
I found the headline sarcastic.
I held my swollen cheek and burst out laughing in the empty mansion.
Laughing so hard, my tears ended up in my mouth.
The taste was salty and bitter.
Since Louie wanted to play games, I would give him a show he would never forget.
*****
The next morning, I was jolted awake by someone pounding on the door.
I opened my eyes on the hard guest bed, every muscle in my body aching like I'd been run over.
When I opened the door, an impeccably beautiful face appeared.
It was Maxine Mcdaniel.
She was the hottest young actress. Louie treated her like a little sister. She was known in the industry for being a bitch.