Chapter 3

My nose was bleeding.

“Oh no,” I panicked and rushed towards the restroom to wash it off.

I can’t afford to get sick right now. I still have to prepare his outfit for tomorrow. I have to settle down payments, write the scripted answers for tomorrow, and call his stylist. I keep thinking about him, that it sometimes scare me. I was not even thinking about going to the doctor despite the pain my body was feeling.

Coincidentally, as I slammed the doors of the restroom open, I heard Anne’s shriek from the loud noise and we both looked at each other, surprised.

“I thought you'd be at the celebratory dinner?” I asked, still covering my nose with my hands. She seemed to have noticed my dilemma but pretended not to see my stained hands with the color of red.

Her initial shocked expression turned sweet, and she looked back in the mirror to continue what she was doing – which was fixing her make-up. “Oh, I had other plans, much more exciting than eating dinner.”

I moved and stood beside her, which was a painful slap on the face, since looking at both of our reflections, the obvious contrast was there. Anne Moore was a stunning visual, and me standing next to her made me look like a blob who has disproportionate facial features.

I turned the faucet on to let the water run, cleaning my nose in the process, but I heard her make an annoyed sound but spoke kindly to me.

“My stuff is getting wet,” she was referring to her purse on top of the sink. Her make-up products, phone and wallet were strewn clumsily everywhere.

“Oh, sorry.” I meekly replied, taking a tissue paper instead to dab it on her things but coincidentally, her phone lit up and Liam’s name popped along with a text message.

[room 625 <3]

At first, I wasn’t sure whether it was really Liam since he rarely uses the heart emoji, and I had never seen him use that when messaging me, but the name was big and clear on the screen: Liam Tate.

The message obviously made me jolt in shock, so Anne and I locked gazes.

Through her eyes, she must have been wondering why Liam’s assistant was this stunned seeing a text message from him when I should have known about the rumors circling his career.

For one, yes, I know about the rumors of him being an absolute playboy who sleeps with every woman he works with.

And second, I was the one who spread those rumors to boost his exposure.

Third, it was supposed to stay only as a rumor.

Anne’s teasing voice tore me away from my spiraling thoughts, and I was brought back to reality where my husband, my secret husband, had sent a message about a hotel room to the most desirable young actress.

“Since you’re such a good little assistant, I’ll tell you a little secret.” She gathered all her stuff and prepared to step out, she leaned in to whisper before leaving. “Your boss gives me lots of love,”

The click of her heels echoing in the empty hallway lingered for a few minutes until the deafening silence weighed on my shoulders.

No. I shouldn’t think badly about Liam. He loves me. He loves me so much. He worked hard so we could announce our marriage to the world. He has been spending countless nights away from our home on this project.

My thoughts were racing so much that I did not realize I had eventually found myself standing in front of a door, with the bold number plastered on it that says ‘625’.

I blankly pushed it open, and my ears were immediately filled with the sound of a loud creaking bed, along with Anne’s light chuckles that eventually turned into moans of pleasure.

My body moved on its own and walked further inside. My feet faltered, but my wildly beating heart refused to let me stop.

I told myself, despite the sounds I was hearing, that maybe this was another one of his actors' moments, maybe they were doing a scene, or maybe this was just another marketing stunt.

But what I saw next couldn't be justified.

My husband. Liam Tate. The man I sacrificed everything for, was fucking another woman's brains out.

His gaze flicked up and noticed me. For a moment he was surprised to see a person had walked inside their hotel room, but his mind had probably registered that it was me – his wife.

“What are you doing here?!” he yelled.

It sounded like he was angrier at the fact that I interrupted their moment rather than getting caught.

Anne followed his burning gaze and saw me. “Oh, your assistant is here,” her voice was dripping with sweetness, but to me, it was sharp enough to cut me open.

I kept my gaze locked on Liam, tears flowing endlessly from my eyes.

‘No, Liam, tell her she’s wrong. Tell her I am your wife, and that you're sorry for betraying me. Tell me you'll do better next time. Ask for my forgiveness so you won't lose me from your life.’

But his silence was enough to push myself to speak despite constantly being told never to do so.

I have nothing to lose, so I said the words I was dying to say out loud since the moment we signed those marriage certificates.

“I am his wife,” the words ripped out of my throat louder than I intended.

Anne froze, then came her sweet laughter at the nonsense I blurted out. “Is this a prank? Is there a hidden camera somewhere?” she began looking around the luxurious hotel suite.

“Tell her, Liam. Tell her the truth!” I demanded, but he just kept his threatening glare at me, but when he turned to look at Anne clinging to his side, his gaze softened and spoke to her, completely dismissing my pleas.

“Starting tonight, she's no one to me.”