6
Walking out of the house I had shared with Gabriel, a weight lifted off my shoulders. Years of suppression and humiliation dissipated like dust in the wind.
4:35
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Once outside, I took out my phone and posted on Instagram Stories for the first time in three years: Back to my roots.
Within minutes, my former mentor and industry contacts–figures I once looked up to–were flooding my inbox with excitement.
“Lexa, you’re back!”
“Come to my studio! The offer’s fantastic!”
“No, join my team! I’ll invest everything to make it work!”
They even started bickering in the comments section.
Buried in the lively thread was a single, unnoticed comment: a solitary question mark from Gabriel.
For three years, I had been a shadow of myself, a housewife with no claim to my old career. Gabriel loved to criticize me, claiming I was useless and ignorant of the entertainment industry.
He’d conveniently forgotten that I was the top of my directing class and had won international accolades for my student films. It was through my connections that Gabriel had gotten his first major break, catapulting him to stardom.
When I chose to marry him and forego graduate school, everyone called it a tragic waste of talent.
And yet, here I was, reading offers from old friends fighting over me in the comments section, tears welling up despite myself.
I wasn’t worthless after all.
Without Gabriel, I could shine even brighter.
Gratefully, I turned down all the offers. There were three lost years I needed to reclaim, and I had one final task to finish–a gift I was preparing for Gabriel.
Ten days later, the announcement of Gabriel Whitmore and Serena Sterling’s wedding during a major red–carpet event crashed Twitter in seconds.
Fans erupted into celebration, launching fireworks early to honor the union of their beloved couple.
When the red carpet began, all eyes were fixed on the closing act. Every camera lens, long and short, awaited the star–studded pair.
When Gabriel stepped out in a sharp tuxedo, escorting Serena in a custom white gown, the crowd erupted into cheers.
“You two look like you’re getting married today!” the host teased.
Serena laughed, her tone playful. “Consider it an early announcement for the fans.”
The host then turned to Gabriel. “Any words for the audience?”
Gabriel smiled at the camera, his gaze steady. “Being with Serena is the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ll never regret it.”
Then, in a tone so soft it was barely audible over the noise, he added, “I hope you won’t regret it either.”
Only I knew those words were meant for me.
In the past, I had loved Gabriel so deeply that I wouldn’t miss any of his events or broadcasts. I even forced myself to watch his dating reality show with Serena, tears streaming the whole time.
He knew I was watching now.
Under the faint blue light of my screen, I curved my lips into a smile and made a call. “Showtime.”
